Sketching ... a visual journal.

My garden is in full bloom.... Hydrangeas, Daisies, Day Lilies, and luxurious foliage in so many shapes, sizes and hues!
I can't resist bringing some insides....

and then guess what happens!

They look so inviting - so ready to have a portrait made!!  

And then... 
I'm compelled.  To draw ~ to see it with a pencil in hand.  

To enjoy the quiet expenditure of time and attention,
letting my eyes see beyond what is general.

So, either with a pencil or a paint brush, I love exploring a subject -
seeing it more deeply - recording the sense of it as well as the details. 

My sketchbook is a collection of thoughts  - both visual and verbal, of notes, of images.
It records much about the creative journey.

Do you keep a visual journal as well?