A few ideas on how to start your own zibaldone
I wrote in a previous blog post on how to keep a zibaldone. I hadn’t expected so much interest! From the reactions, I sense there are doubts about how to start one, and what the difference is with a commonplace book. “Do you just throw everything on the pages?”, or “Do you work with prompts like in a diary?”, I sometimes get as questions.
In this post, I hope to inspire you to start your own zibaldone and show you how it can become a natural part of your daily life. For me, a sense of place is central to my practice. My zibaldone follows me in my life’s journey, which consists largely of reading, writing, and sketching. I always have it at hand to record a quote, idea, and sometimes entire passages. Always with a date stamp. There you have a first tip!
Because I am visually oriented, I make sure to have visual clues on the pages so that when I look for a text later, I can easily find it. For example, I make little plans and sketches of where I was at that moment between the quotes on the pages.
These are some examples: my reading nooks where the zibaldone is always with me.
1. Evening Tranquility: The Garden Chair
During the summer months, and most of the spring and autumn, I read outside in the evening on the terrace on the south side of the house. It is wonderfully quiet and I am in the comforting company of chirping crickets, the distant chatter of birds going to sleep, the first “toot” of a little owl and its friend in the distance who answers soon after.
The chair is not particularly comfortable, it’s a so-called bear chair, sometimes also known as Uwharrie. It apparently depends on the manufacturer and the continent they come from. But those wide armrests are so practical ! I can easily put my sketch material and notebook on the right and the refreshing drink on the left.
My reading material: the newspaper, and Le Un Hebdo (love the large format!) when it comes out.
2. French Elegance: The Chaise Longue
This long, stretched-out seat à la française, with only a small armrest on the right, stood for a while in the bay window in my office in the townhouse we lived in in Antwerp. This way, a lot of light came in from all sides. I usually sat there to write, look something up, draw the beautiful houses on the other side, or watch the traffic below in the street when pondering. Sometimes I have a need to look at the hustle and bustle without the desire to participate in it. My zibaldone could be easily placed on the large seat.
3. Light and Inspiration: The Salon
A quick note, a todo that must not be forgotten, then I quickly pick up my pens that are always ready and sit in the salon. Preferably in the place where a lot of light comes in.
The sun drawing planes on the ground, sharp contrasts on paper, and the body warming up. Few things are so inspiring! I keep looking for things so I can keep writing …
4. Virtual Voyages: The Cockpit
This seat and the spot got a nickname: the cockpit. It is long, has two armrests, and is somewhat difficult to settle into. Once seated and the many cushions in place, it is particularly comfortable and the journey can begin! It is in the living room, turned away from the television so I can read quietly without being distracted.
Especially on dark winter evenings, I snuggle up in this spot with all possible writing materials. It takes some preparation to put everything I think I need in place so I don’t have to get out of position too often.
My reading material: editing my own notes in the notebooks, research on the internet, …
The Zibaldone’s Journey: A Conclusion
So this zibaldone follows me everywhere, just like a limited selection of writing and drawing materials. What happens to me goes in, not necessarily with the intention of doing something with it later. I often flip through to discover connections, make links. Then I navigate along the calligraphy and sketches on the way to something new, an insight, an idea for a blog post, you name it.
My advice? Don’t go searching for special things to put into your zibaldone. Instead, let it become a part of your daily habits and routines. Whether you’re reading in your favorite chair, sketching in the garden, or simply jotting down thoughts in the salon, your zibaldone can be a constant companion.
Hopefully, I have inspired you with this. Oh, and don’t worry about being artistic or tidy with your notes. I get messy too !
This post is the first in a series on keeping a zibaldone. Stay tuned for more insights and tips on how to make the most of your zibaldone journey. Keep following this website for updates and new posts in this series!
[Post continues in Part Two — My zibaldone: everyday life as a prompt]
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