{"id":40314,"date":"2023-03-28T06:00:41","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T10:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=40314"},"modified":"2026-01-06T08:19:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T13:19:03","slug":"arrivederci-sketchbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/03\/28\/arrivederci-sketchbook\/","title":{"rendered":"Arrivederci Sketchbook"},"content":{"rendered":"

Out of This World Sketch Pad <\/span>
\nOctober 17, 2022 – March 26, 2023<\/span><\/h1>\n
\"\"<\/a>

I encrust my sketchbook covers with stickers as I come across them. This is the back cover of the Out of this World sketchbook. As you can see I eat a lot of oranges.<\/p><\/div>\n

I have put to rest what is probably the last of the novelty sketchpads distributed by the Horizon Group USA<\/em> to Target<\/em> stores. At least it was the last that I had, and I haven’t been able to find any more. Tina<\/a> bought this for me as a Christmas gift in 2017 along with another sketchpad with a cartoon llama on it. I used the llama book<\/a> first, but it didn’t quite contain the magic that the original Sketchbook from Heaven<\/a> had so I put the Out of This World<\/em> pad away. I figured I would use it eventually. The eventuality happened this past October.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Atomic Warrior fires up his Atomic Sword<\/p><\/div>\n

When I did break it out, I could feel some of the same old magic that the Sketchbook from Heaven<\/em> had welling up in its already yellowing pages. It was fun to draw in as opposed to the many Sketchbooks from Hell<\/a> which were a chore. I always kept the Out of This World<\/em> sketch pad close at hand along with a nylon roll up case stocked with my favorite pencils and lead holders. I did some little sketch or doodle in it nearly every day so its 125 cheap pages did not last too long.<\/p>\n

Sigh…<\/em><\/p>\n

So what’s next?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I have a similarly sized and priced sketchbook from Five Below.<\/em> Five Below<\/em> is a Philadelphia based discount chain that carries close-out or remainder items like any dollar store would. My guess is that the remainder market isn’t always steady or dependable so they have started to manufacture their own goods to line their shelves. Among these items are knic-knacs, tee shirts, computer accessories and cheap sketchbooks<\/a>. The sketchbooks are readily available thus far. I’ll have to see if the paper has any magic cooked into its pages. I may find out sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

Or<\/em> I may just head back to the old Strathmore<\/em> sketchbooks which I have used for years and I know I can get them at any art supply store. I had a half-used one in work, and I drew in it one day when I forgot the kiddie one. I like how the pencils went down on the paper. I could get a blacker black because the paper is better than the toilet tissue they use for the novelty pads. I wish Strathmore would bind their small pads along the short end, but you can’t have everything.<\/p>\n

I don’t know if any of the new sketchbooks I may buy will be fitting replacements for the Out of This World<\/em> sketchbook. I found myself filled with sadness as I came to the last couple of pages over this weekend. This silly little pad of paper and I have been through a lot since October. I enjoyed cooking up new story ideas and sharpening my drawing skills as I plumbed the depths of TubiTV’s<\/em> streaming catalog on my Roku<\/em> box. I drew a lot of monsters and watched a lot of crap. As I’ve said before:<\/p>\n

I sit on a couch with a cat and a spouse scribbling my graphite grotesques into the night.
\nSome of them are good. Some of them stink. Some of them I do in pen and ink.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’ll miss you, old chum.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The little green bits on the cover glow in the dark.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Big-Bad-Wolf\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Hypnotized\" <\/a>
Hypnotized <\/div> <\/div>
\"stalking-werewolf\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"monster-mash\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Dagon <\/a>
Dagon – Lovecraftian Halloween Costume <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Zombie <\/a>
Zombie Quartet <\/div> <\/div>
\"gapple-with-a-werewolf\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Closing <\/a>
Closing in <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The Morning After <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Nora <\/a>
Nora caught by Nosferatu <\/div> <\/div>
\"BANG! <\/a>
BANG! Ouch! <\/div> <\/div>
\"Lovecraftian <\/a>
Lovecraftian Halloween Costume <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Make <\/a>
Make a wish <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"werewolf-tackle\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"Comic <\/a> <\/div>
\"werewolf-interrupted\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"face-push\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Pursuit\" <\/a>
Pursuit <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"3-10-2023-werewolf\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"werewolf\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"El <\/a>
El Hombre Lobo <\/div> <\/div>
\"Fistful-of-werewolf-detail\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Vampire <\/a>
Vampire Lady <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"WEREWOLF-JUMPS-FRANK\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Slash!\" <\/a>
Slash! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Hypnotized\" <\/a>
Hypnotized <\/div> <\/div>
\"Supper <\/a>
Supper Time <\/div> <\/div>
\"Werewolf <\/a>
Werewolf in a Girl’s Locker Room <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Skulking <\/a>
Skulking werewolf <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"vampire-in-the-mist\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Manufactured <\/a>
Manufactured in Germany <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Red <\/a>
Red Pencil Damsel and Monster <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Hypnotized\" <\/a>
Hypnotized <\/div> <\/div>
\"man-made <\/a>
man-made monster with an axe <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Containing <\/a>
Containing the beast <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Cornered <\/a>
Cornered on a rooftop <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Wolf <\/a>
Wolf in Nice Threads <\/div> <\/div>
\"Nora <\/a>
Nora Flees Nosferatu <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"vampire\" <\/a>
vampire <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"3-11-2023-werewolf\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The beast boils over <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Werewolf <\/a>
Werewolf Tackle <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Was <\/a>
Was a werewolf but more of a were-rat <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"three-for-all\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Tube <\/a>
Tube Tops and Terror <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"That <\/a>
That time of the month <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The monster enters the scene <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Pursuit <\/a>
Pursuit in progress <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Atomic-Warrior-with-Atomic-Sword\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"I <\/a>
I was a girthy werewolf <\/div> <\/div>
\"Fistful <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Out of This World Sketch Pad October 17, 2022 – March 26, 2023 I have put to rest what is probably the last of the novelty sketchpads distributed by the Horizon Group USA to Target stores. At least it was … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4953,7,49],"tags":[158,312,310,76,3661,2034,5,23,5594,5517,25,480],"class_list":["post-40314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-doodle-tuesday","category-illustration","category-it-came-from-the-sketchbook","tag-analog","tag-comic","tag-doodle","tag-horror","tag-illustration","tag-it-came-from-the-sketchbook-2","tag-joe-williams","tag-monster","tag-novelty","tag-sketch-pad","tag-sketchbook","tag-usa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-aue","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40850,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/07\/12\/done-with-another-discount-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40314,"position":0},"title":"Done With Another Discount Sketchbook","author":"Joe","date":"July 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I finished off the HQ Fine Stroke Sketch Draw that I picked up from Philadelphia based discounter Five Below. The price was right, and I liked the pad's size of 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches as well as the wire binding being placed along one of the short ends, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "It Came From the Sketchbook"","block_context":{"text":"It Came From the Sketchbook","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Nora-the-cave-woman.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Nora-the-cave-woman.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Nora-the-cave-woman.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22141,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2017\/04\/15\/swing-and-a-miss\/","url_meta":{"origin":40314,"position":1},"title":"Swing and a Miss","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"April 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is another doodle with Derwent Dark Wash pencils. This one was done in a Canson XL Mix Media pad which I will be using regularly just as soon as the Sketchbook from Heaven is exhausted which I'm sad to say will be soon.","rel":"","context":"In "It Came From the Sketchbook"","block_context":{"text":"It Came From the Sketchbook","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"deadly blow","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/c1.staticflickr.com\/3\/2940\/33893718752_55a53cd910_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/c1.staticflickr.com\/3\/2940\/33893718752_55a53cd910_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/c1.staticflickr.com\/3\/2940\/33893718752_55a53cd910_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40370,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/04\/04\/a-sketchbook-not-from-heaven\/","url_meta":{"origin":40314,"position":2},"title":"A Sketchbook Not from Heaven","author":"Joe","date":"April 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The sketchbook made for the shelves of Philadelphia based discount chain Five Below is coming in below my expectations. I've had a lot of luck with the cheap, juvenile sketchbooks that I have received as gifts from Target, but they have not carried them in years. I think the Out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Doodle Tuesday"","block_context":{"text":"Doodle Tuesday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/doodle-tuesday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/IMG_0908-205x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":39545,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2022\/11\/22\/mesmerized-by-a-cheap-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40314,"position":3},"title":"Mesmerized by a Cheap Sketchbook","author":"Joe","date":"November 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"My love affair with a three-dollar sketchbook meant for the juvenile market continues as I find myself doodling in it regularly. I keep it within reach in case inspiration strikes and I have to jot down a note or scribble a drawing. Fortunately inspiration has been visiting me regularly, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Doodle Tuesday"","block_context":{"text":"Doodle Tuesday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/doodle-tuesday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Big-Bad-Wolf.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Big-Bad-Wolf.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Big-Bad-Wolf.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40251,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/03\/15\/sketchbook-gruesome-graphite-grotesques\/","url_meta":{"origin":40314,"position":4},"title":"Sketchbook \u2022 Gruesome Graphite Grotesques","author":"Joe","date":"March 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I sit on a couch with a cat and a spouse scribbling graphite grotesques into the night.","rel":"","context":"In "It Came From the Sketchbook"","block_context":{"text":"It Came From the Sketchbook","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/werewolf-bite.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":40404,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/04\/11\/second-thoughts-on-a-cheap-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40314,"position":5},"title":"Second Thoughts on a Cheap Sketchbook…","author":"Joe","date":"April 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I may get my $3.25 worth out of the terrible little sketchbook from discount chain Five Below after all. I have stubbornly refused to put it aside, and I continue to doodle in it as I sit on the couch with a cat and a spouse. It's been more miss\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Doodle Tuesday"","block_context":{"text":"Doodle Tuesday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/doodle-tuesday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Teenage-Werewolf-at-the-Reunion.jpg?fit=640%2C578&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Teenage-Werewolf-at-the-Reunion.jpg?fit=640%2C578&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Teenage-Werewolf-at-the-Reunion.jpg?fit=640%2C578&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/I-eat-a-lot-of-Oranges.jpg?fit=640%2C424&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}