I borrowed and read an awesome artist book from the library that I’d heard lots about in the past: Obsessive Consumption, what did you buy today? by Kate Bingaman-Burt, a professor at Portland State University and a true zine queen. Kate started drawing her purchases back in early 2006 as daily sketchbook doodles and she hasn’t stopped since. 
These simple sketches have become well-renowned and they speak of far more than just consumerism: her quirky representations make underlying comments about our material-driven culture, yet they also give us a peek into the artist’s life and their current on-goings. This book made me look into my own recent purchases a little more, (and since I’d been missing drawing so much) I was inspired to do a bit of materialistic doodling myself, Bingaman-Burt style.
obsessive consumption
20 Jul75 Responses to “obsessive consumption”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
-
-
28/07/2012
[...] and met some friends. So I kinda forgot my blog. Last week I found this very interesting post by nature’s my friend. And I really wanted to like it or to post it. I could not really do it with my hotel blogs. They [...]
-
-
30/12/2012
[...] (while things seemed a bit more calm) and had my highest number of daily blog views about some of my doodles (6). But as always, time quickly melted away while setting up the studio (7), spending quality time [...]
fascinating book…..
Thankyou for this post! I’m going to see if my library has this book!! So inspired this is the kin of books I love and it’s hard to find books like this at my library or book store . If you have any other art books you could recommend please ? :)
You’re welcome Nicole! Since discovering how awesome this new library is I have been thinking of renting & reviewing art books on he regular. Look out for more posts in the future Nicole! You can also ask/remind me in your next letter and I’ll remember to write a few others down for you in my reply.
This really is a good find! I know of a few people who do something similar, drawing the food they eat each day, but this is the first time I’ve even considered the wider theme of purchases. Really inspiring – thanks for sharing!
interesting concept (if you can draw) :) . going to check out your esty shop now
Thanks Country Man & Country Man’s Wife – I hope you like what you see in the shop!
I did! & I favorited an item for later. — wonderful work!
Great post! A lot of people don’t think about the real costs of consumerism or whether they are actually able to NOT buy something every day. Love the drawings and little comments! Keep it up :)
Strange to see your purchases in a material form in front of you! Great pictures/ sketches/ book pointers. Thanks.
“Guacamole on everything” — ha! Love it…
Great work — love your wire shelving… ;)
This is so neat. I want to try now!
very interesting
I’m checking this out next time I am at the library. I have read a lot about consumerism, but never seen it represented in this way. Thank you so much for sharing!
http://stepstochangetheworld.wordpress.com/
I love that style of artwork – how she uses a different color every page to keep the busy pictures visually attractive. It would be hard to imitate, but you are doing a great job at it!
Nice idea….I love drawing too but its nice to have a concept like that to work around…your sketches and blog are realy nice too…I take it yours are the last five?… :)
Thanks umanbn. Yes the last five are just a little drawn spread I did in my sketchbook as an homage to Kate’s clever idea and amazing artwork.
What a fabulous way to do a different kind of journal, and think how much fun it will be to look at in twenty years! The wire shelving is so witty!
This is wonderful, what a fascinating idea :)
Wonderful post. Looks like a lovely book, and you could adapt the idea for personal projects. :)
Reblogged this on Thoughts about veganism….
I was rolling with this… until I noticed ‘avacado’.
What a great visual way to keep track of your life. It’s like you don’t get how much you eat in a day until you write it down, or make a big pile of all the food. I think having a visual notebook of your consumption habits is a great way to keep track of how obsessive things are, but also a great way to express yourself. Love your drawings.
Cheers,
iRuniBreathe
Wow, I love these drawings! Very cool! I might just have to get this book. Looking forward to the next post!
My partner and I got wire shelving like that to serve as a pantry in our tiny apartment. I don’t think I ever want to go back to traditional pantries – you can see EVERYTHING on them! No more wasted food that got buried in a dark closet corner. :D
Perhaps I’ll invest in another one for my scrapbooking supplies… when we move to a slightly less tiny apartment.
Great post. I love that book and your own doodles Jessica. May just be giving it a go myself!
haha! please dont mind me saying, your doodle artistry comparably to the book you read is so good. I would love to know what the moral of the book was!
Great idea! Your drawing is spectacular, and it’s a great way to keep track of everything you buy. As a student that would be a great way to “see where the money goes”… I bet it would be a big wake up call for me! Thanks for the post!
http://www.thetravellingsock.wordpress.com
Totally brilliant idea!
This make me remember of the christmas gift list that my twin brothers and me were drawing in our black book when we were kids. Umbelivable big expensive gift that we never receive. I like it.
I wish I could draw! Knowing that I’d have to sketch every purchase would definitely curb my spending, improve my artistry, and keep track of what I bought so I would be more inclined to use it. Thanks for the suggestion!
How thoughtful and interesting! It seems like a good idea for budget control too!
Cool idea and very inspiring. Congrats on FP!
If I were to draw my purchases, there would be a lot of Legos, which should make it fairly easy.
Awesome idea, love the front cover! Do you have any other publications?
Hi, as stated in the post, the book is by Kate Bingaman-Burt. The final illustrations are mine, as inspired by Kate’s artist book. She publishes a monthly zine about her consumerism on etsy (also linked in the post). My work can be found on etsy (click the link in the side bar, or shop at the top. Thanks for reading
Unique cover. Great social commentary.
Cool. Interesting, creative idea.
like the idea of sketching what you purchased on a daily basis.
instead of snapping a picture, use your pencil or pen. nice.
Nice draw..:)
I think the way these things are drawn also reveals the personality of the person drawing them. As every line, curve is drawn or every detail is added, it says a lot about who the artist is and how they see the world.
Thats a lovely way to represent what you are purchasing..Never knew this kind of art existed..Thanks for sharing.
Do you feel as though the books require you to purchase something so that you may have at least one drawing per day? Congrats on being freshly pressed.
Thanks Richard, unlike Kate Bingaman-Burt, I do not always draw my purchases. I wanted to share a few little doodles from my sketchbook that were inspired by Kate’s awesome book. I don’t think she feels pressured to buy anything in order to draw every day though. There was one sketch in the book that said “BUY NOTHING DAY” but underneath in tiny script she wrote “although I think I bought a diet coke, 70 cents.” In our culture, it seems hard to go a day without spending.
Awesome! Reminds me of more beautiful versions of my “notes” in college.
Such a great idea- keeping a consumption diary! One can make an entire project/blog out of it and properly analyse the artistic, social and functional values of each items- analysing and reflecting upon the things we buy! Thanks Jessica
Have a look at my concept blog: http://www.indigomemoirs.com
Was lucky enough to see an exhibition of her work way back when- great stuff!
i swear i had never seen such a kind of book …i begin mine too or atleast try seems so fun
Me ha encantado.
Such a great idea! Makes me think more about my daily purchases.
.,interesting..
Reblogged this on pushpinature and commented:
this is a fabulous [artistic] commentary on contemporary society.
I must say that is a pretty good post that you’ve published there. I haven’t seen your blog before and “stumbled” upon this post via the Freshly Pressed section of the WordPress Dashboard thingy. I liked your post so much that I thought it deserved a few minutes of my time to leave this comment. So hence, the reason why you are reading this from me.
I found it to be clearly presented, well written and very to the point. I’ve also enjoyed reading some of the previous comments left by other users.
Please… please keep up the good work and I will be sure to stop by in the near future!
Have a nice day! :-)
Kindest regards to you…
Barry.
http://brownhillsbarry.com
What a cute idea–art plus a comment on consumerism and culture! Yours were fun to see and read. :)
Holy Wow! Thanks for the wonderful response to my work. I really appreciate it! I am working on a new book which will act more like a journal for people who want to document their own purchases. It will be published next spring. Thanks again for all of the kind words.
To respond to a few of the questions…I don’t feel pressured to purchase something everyday so I can draw it simply because we live in a culture where we are passively consuming all of the time (whether we like it or not :)
On these days, I draw a gas bill or an internet bill or a rent bill or a insurance bill and so on and so forth.
Again, thanks for the response. Glad you enjoy my work. Kudos to Jessica for her sketches and for writing the post.
Thanks for being such an inspiration Kate, and for taking the time to visit my little blog and to respond to my readers comments! ALL AROUND WIN :)
really awesome post : )
I think I’ll give it a try. :)
It’s an eye-opener. A real big one.
Reblogged this on Blue Giraffe Images and commented:
Great idea. With all the time I spend drawing what I buy maybe it will motivate me not to buy so much.
Awsome post! What a phenomenal idea!!!
Interesting idea,. Talk about putting things into perspective.
I really wish I could draw :(
Reblogged this on felizabelle.
Great Post. I really enjoy your explanations for the purchases, like heavy picture frames. Thinking about drawing some of my own purchases and framing them.
Truly Creative … loved the drawing and artwork …..
interesting concept
Hmmm….great idea! I have a daily journal; I guess it would be more fun an interesting to add some sketches on it. Thanks for sharing. :D
———
colorado springs divorce lawyers
A great creative idea.
Doodling is good practice and it can often be hard to think of things to draw.
I like sitting in coffee shops and doing discrete pencil sketches of other customers.
Only been caught once.
Congrats on FP! Drop by my world/blog! ;-)
Reblogged this on I write my own story. and commented:
I want to read this..
These are great drawings! I wanna buy it, oh but that’s just a little more of obsessive consumption. :) Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
I bet it’s crazy for this artist looking through her book, seeing all that she had purchased and the amount of money she had spent. Very interesting. And your pages are amazing as well.
Reblogged this on Melissa Stapleton and commented:
This is something I am going to try, using my photographers, capturing what I see, what I do on a daily basis and adding my own little doodles to make it into a scrapbook type, this will also be an artifact. Something to hold onto and actually feel with my bare hands.