I've wanted to participate since I heard about the project a few years ago, but this is the first year I've committed the time and money to fill a sketchbook. I had to choose a theme, which was difficult considering the many enticing themes to choose from. I ended up with "Mysteries".
I thought profusely about which route I would take with my theme. I had to scrap several grand ideas before I ended up with what I have now. My first take on the theme was to create an entire mystery story surrounding the sketchbook, which would transform into the journal of someone who witnessed some type of crime. As the journalist strove to find out the identity of the criminal, the mystery would be revealed. That's about as far as that idea went.
My second idea was to illustrate mysterious truths about God in the style I began to work in in my post Process Paradox. I really liked this idea, but I realized that with the school year starting I wouldn't have the time to sit down, get out all the materials, and create this type of work. I needed something simpler, something more portable.
I decided to simplify and go with pen and pencil to begin. Here's the first page:
