A bit sketchy

Unexpected presents are always the best... At Christmas this year Mel gave me two gorgeous soft leather-bound sketchbooks, as well as some inspiration. The Leonardo book was also this year (after we'd gone to the exhibition in Edinburgh, it just left you wanting to know more about his thoughts and writings); the Explorers' Sketchbooks is from last year.

And so for the smaller of the two I'm going to start trying to do some studies of cats, the aim by filling the sketchbook being to understand their form and function and movement; while the larger is being reserved as a travel sketchbook. Wherever there's a trip there'll be a pencil or pen and paper.

I'm a sucker for stationery, and these are just too lovely to waste. Time to channel those who have scribbled before me.