So nice to see a blog entry from you again and to know that you're alive. The additional gift of samples from the new book was a delight. Whoopee! I want to draw right now! Thanks.

I don't think that you need to apologize for not updating. I too am a person who drops pursuits periodically, so how can I blame someone else for it? You're working on a project that you enjoy, and you've obviously got a family and a life of your own as well. I am just grateful that you're compiling a book of all of these wonderful people, to share with everyone else. Thanks for adding to my daily dose of beauty.

can't wait for more....please!

Thanks Danny, for showing up again...YOU have been missed. But to be quite honest you speak for all of us in the creative mode. I seldom can keep a creative thread going indefinitely. I get so excited and buy every tool to keep up that particular avenue of artistic expression and after a time the creative venue simply looses it's luster.

You Dear One are really doing a lot of other very important creative stuff. I also have let my sketching slip. I am hoping for new inspiration and am trying to reconfigure just how I keep my journals going. We look forward to your new book. Looks like the next step in a very creative and unique life.

Thanks for being back...
Carole JOY

You are a master of many trades in my opinion!

I love the pages you've chosen, but as much as that, I enjoy the artist's workspace or storage area of Amanda's. I love seeing the creative space of others!!

Blessings on you and yours. Have you and Jack made any videos lately? Some of those left me helpless with laughter! Great to hear from you again. I, too, am a lapsed blogger with infrequent posting! LIFE is not a linear exercise!! (Except the numbers keep adding up sequentially!)Enjoy all your detours, nooks and crannies!

WOW... I'm really looking forward to that book!

Looks great Danny, thanks for letting me part of it

That books sounds very enticing. Good work.

YOu've sure come back with a vengence! What a great post. It must have taken you hours to put it together. Thanks so much for the preview. and I'm really looking forward to seeing your new book.

Welcome Back! You have been missed!
And thank you for including me in your upcoming "An Illustrated Life." I'm thrilled, flattered, proud, stunned and amazed to be included.

Welcome back!

What a great collection of artists you have pooled together for "An Illustrated Life." I can't wait to add this to my collection!

I'm especially happy to see that France Belleville is included...she's one of my friends and also one of my favorites :)

The book sounds fantastic and those previews are awesome! I actually had a similar idea once upon a time: so glad you are making it happen. Waiting a year though - I will try to be patient - it will be tough! :)

Can´t wait to get my hand on that new book. :)
This year on my vacation to Amsterdam, Netherlands I started my first illustrated journal. I had planned to do so after I first saw your blog, books (and also the Moonlight Chronicles) and finally now I did it. I loved doing so and I´m looking forward to starting my next one.
Thanks for being so inspirational

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait......
Now I remember what is was like being 8 years old and waiting for Christmas!

The sample pages look fantastic. Looks like you've been very busy.
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I find that one of my flaws is reluctance to stick to doing the same thing the same way for a long time. I get bored. The downside of that is that I rarely develop any sort of skill very far — the guitar I was so enthusiastic about two years ago now sits gathering dust on its broken strings; my podcast stalled out; my face is only half tattooed — but the upside is that I try lots of different things.
-----------------------
this sounds so much like me it's scary. to name a few guitar, carnatic singing, tai chi, programming, mahjongg, bridge, golf, yoga... I could go on. but what makes me extremely happy is that the interest in drawing, painting and making art continues to grow and not wane :D

Danny- You have the coolest wisest creativest people on here! Sometimes I'm not sure what I admire most about your blog-entries....your poetic thoughtful writing, or the lovely insightful comments from your visitors! Creative Blogs rock so much more than all them Politico Blogs which seem to get so much attention.
Write/Make More please!...but first, can you do the dishes and fold the laundry? The dogs need to be walked and your closet is kinda messy.....

Danny--

A long time ago, I read something about quarks--that even they, for inexplicable reasons--just go dormant sometimes, like trees in winter.

For many years I was a successful singer/songwriter, and one day, I could just feel that I was creatively exhausted and started painting instead, feeling like it was "a rest." Well, that rest has lasted five years now, and I don't regret for a second that I've barely written a song during that time, as it opened up space for other new and exciting ventures to step in.

If I'd forced myself to keep playing music, I know for certain the music would have died, having been beaten to death. I also know that I'll one day return to songwriting, I just don't know when.

Our creativity simply needs to go dormant periodically, just like our bodies need to sleep at night. The trick is to just stay open and alert for when the mood strikes, and be sure to have all the tools at the ready.

Looking forward to your new book! And by the way, I love Keri Smith!!!

Welcome back! I have just finished your first book EDM and so that brings me here! We came back at the same time. The new book looks great, a lovely idea, inspiring.

I have the same thing, easy to start something and an effort to finish. I have not committed to drawing everyday. I have a project though, to do a thousand digital sketches and with that being so public I will get to 1000!

What's next I wonder, and what will come after all your work on that book?

Walter

Wow, I'm a huge fan of your books, and I can hardly wait to get my hands on this new one.

I mostly work in fabric and beads, but I'd never dared try to draw until I read your books. I realized that I only had to give myself permission! How freeing. Thank you for your work.

Now, give yourself permission to follow your creative urges, wherever they lead, and I know you'll have a rich journey.

Danny--

First and foremost, welcome back. It was quite exciting to see that you'd posted again.

The new books sounds wonderful. I can't wait to read it (better yet, experience it--more appropriate for your books).

And hey, don't be too hard on yourself for having many interests and many talents. Creative endeavors feed other ones in sometimes strange ways. In the end, it's all connected.

Just keep doing what you're doing and inspiring us!

it looks a fascinating book :)

I too love sketching

I cannot wait to get my hands on this book! Do you have a publisher yet?

Thanks for writing the book I wish I already had. And thanks for (agreeing)(helping me feel better)(stating the obvious)talking about the truth behind those non-(art/journal/drawing) times. Those times are never non-creative, so why do I give myself such a hard time?

We should have known you were up to something! This looks like a fantastic project -- can't wait until it comes out!

land ho!

well that takes care of Christmas gifts for 2008! This is my very favorite kind of book. I can't wait. dana

Hi, Danny -
I'm thrilled that you're back and can't wait to get the book. I've wished for something like this! Your books and your website inspire me more than I can say. Thank you, thank you!

I love your books and your blog. Can't wait for the new one. They remind me to stop and look at what is important in my own life. Thank you for sharing so much with all of us.

Welcome back Danny! Seems you and I have come back around the same time. LOL My summer was a VERY busy one but happily artful despite everything. The book looks amazing, as always, and I wish you all manner of success with it. Will happily add it to my well-loved collection. - Ria :)

Nice to hear from you and this lovely project.

oh duh, i feel ridiculous for emailing you the portrait by france. i should've known you two were in cahoots!

Danny, I recently divided a large watercolor sheet into 12 blocks and sketched our family's everyday stuff like the kitchen clock and lamp and other decorations. We didnt move or redecorate, so that stuff became iconic. I made color copies for all the siblings. It is a particularly poignant time because dad is dying. We had a nice moment where he asked me what gave me that idea. I told him that you inspired me and a bit about your story. Everyone loves the art and my brother even said that I was amazing to have done that. There will be two more in the series. Thanks for helping me express my gratitude to my dad and show him that Everyday Matters. Thelife he provided for us was great!

Danny,

So good that you are back.
I too have the same problem of not finishing things, but I never do that with my art.

I love your books and love the blog. Your books have taught me that I can draw anywhere at any time. Gee, why didn't I think of that?

Can't wait for the new book.
Love to see others and their art journals.

Welcome back! Your new book looks wonderful!

Hey, if you need any more illustrators' journals, let me know. :)

Looks like an exciting project, and welcome back.

I am so excited about your new book, I am already clearing a space on my night stand for it!

I was going to go on and on with my comment but Andrea said it all perfectly.

"I don't think that you need to apologize for not updating... You're working on a project that you enjoy, and you've obviously got a family and a life of your own as well. I am just grateful that you're compiling a book of all of these wonderful people, to share with everyone else. Thanks for adding to my daily dose of beauty."

DITTO

Wow!!!! Good stuff. when can I buy this book. I would buy this before I bought food! No, Seriously, You have more than inspired me to make my humble life sketchbooks drawings. Sketching has changed my life and you are part of that change. Keep up you creative work.
Your Fan
John

Hi Danny, it is thrilling to know that you are writing a new book and about artists sketchbooks and illustratons---yay!!! I'll definately buy a copy.

I hope that you have asked Tommy Kane how long it takes him to do one of his sketches, like the colored pencil and watercolors. Everyone asks him that question, and to my knowledge, he has never answered that question. Enquiring minds want to know!

Keep up the good work.

I have been thinking about you lately and stopped by here. I love what has become of the project of your new book. I am glad I got to have a place with in it. I look forward to holding the book in my hands. Thanks for all your hard work. blessings on you and your family. More peace.

As someone who is totally loving art journaling in my own life, and has just found out about your wonderful books, I am excited to hear about this endeavor. I love so many of the artists you are including and believe art journaling to be one of the best things that has happened to me as an artist.

Wow - where do I sign up to get 3... no - 5 copies? :) I am drawing up a list of people who would love to have it! My name popped up 2 times already ;)

May I ask you if you tried to get olivier kugler or Ronald Searle to participate in this? (they seem to be on your list of inspiring contemporaries :)

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NIna:
Thanks for your enthusiasm. I hope you like the book!
As for your suggestions:
Olivier has sent me some work though he really hasn't drawn in a sketchbook for years — he works exclusively;y on the computer these days. As for Ronald, he' s not a big sketchbook keeper these days and I am reluctant to put him through all the work of interviewing and preparing materials that all my other contributors have been willing to do.

Your pal,
Danny

Thanks for the quick answer, Danny.

Good luck with completing the book!

Nina :)

Cool...can't wait to see the new book!

Hi Danny! I missed your post since it came through the day of my wedding (!)(and I've missed YOU, but I knew what you were swamped with!

Many thanks for asking me to be part of your book project...the title alone is an inspiration, and everyone's work looks great. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

Most of us have to do a variety of things to keep from getting stagnant, I think...I certainly do! Keeps us fresh...and you know, an old friend who's a Bishop in the Orthodox church used to tell me he simply had to stop, from time to time, and let his soul catch up with him. I think that's why we need to sit out on the deck and just look at the view...catching up with ourselves.

Wow, what a cool book. Can't wait to buy it. It looks great.

You need to include an interview of yourself and your son in that book. You should interview each other. I, as a book buyer, would want that included in this book.