Splash of color

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Pitt pen and water-soluble crayon

Pitt pen and water-soluble crayon

So hard not to break the rules sometimes! I love, love, love the ink only drawing. But, sometimes it is just impossible for me not to add a little color. This Koel bird was a prime example. I drew this from a black and white only image from the Animals, Mammals, Bird, Fish, Insects etc. book I have been using. I decided to look the bird up to just learn some more about it, and the images I found show the bird with brilliant red eyes and a green toned beak. The sketch was begging for the color.

I loved this little Jack Russell Terrier that was running around on the lava stone at the beach on The Big Island of Hawaii. i took several photos of him. I think I might do a couple more sketches of him.

Pitt Pen Medium Point

Pitt Pen Medium Point

Behind again on my sketches, two more to do today.

Imaginary Color

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Goldfish in imaginary color

Goldfish in imaginary color

My 75 days of Ink only is still proving to be fun and even more educational than I realized. I am using all kinds of different references–my own photos, life drawing, magazines and books. I don’t normally use resources that aren’t my own, but I am just learning after all. I am trying not to take each sketch so seriously.

The fish resource is from a book I found in my studio, I forgot I had it. It’s called Animals 1419 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, etc. Selected by Jim Harter. It’s AWESOME! That is where the fish came from. They are all black and white. I did a quick sketch of this great fish–the book says its a type of gold fish. Then I thought–this might be fun with some imaginary color. A lot of fun!

I think that the first black and white only sketch is actually nicer, but I felt like adding the color from my imagination was a good experiment, one I will work on improving. I used a water soluble disposable fountain pen and inktense pencils.  The water soluble pen offered up some nice surprises.

Goldfish black ink only. Quick sketch.

Goldfish black ink only. Quick sketch.

Every Day Sketching

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Bird in blue ink: micron pen

Bird in blue ink: micron pen

I am getting used to sketching everyday…it seems like all the sudden its become a habit! A habit that I look forward to and one that feels a lot like meditation. And, I am getting to the point where I feel comfortable drawing in locations that might not be ideal. The bird in blue sketch was started before supper and finished up after supper–that is a first. I couldn’t get a sketch in at lunch, so before and after supper had to do.

Nice surprise in my email from #sketchbookskool–an assignment! Awesome. This one was to scrutinize a tree. Once I started looking around for resources I realized that I have a lot of great tree photos in my photo portfolio to draw from! I love this view of the trees from my regular weekend walk with my dog Big.

Trees. Black ink, little bit of color added.

Trees. Black ink, little bit of color added.

Two Trees

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Inktense and graphite

Inktense and graphite

I have been thinking about this image for quite awhile. So, I decided to make it the subject matter for my first “finished” piece of the new year. I’m not sure what that really means, but I suppose it will just be well attended to and slower to complete. My approach is to get to know the subject by doing at least 2 or 3 warm up sketches. And, they can fulfill some of my more minor goals too. The first sketch was done in my 75 Days of Ink Journal. Fairly quick. Next up, color! I am missing color with the ink drawings, but trying not to break the rules.

The sketchbook skool folks are emailing assignments to previous klass participants! That is pretty awesome. This week’s assignment is to scrutinize a tree. Perfect for Ink!

Ink only

Ink only

Lunch time ink

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Warm-up sketch for flower journal

Warm-up sketch for flower journal

Sketching at lunch is great, I have limited time, so I really have to focus quickly. Perfect combination for ink only drawing. I am officially behind in my challenge–yesterday was packed with so much activity I didn’t get a sketch in. That means I have to do two today or three tomorrow! It’s a work day, so I will try to at least get one done. The gladiola is a warm up sketch for my flower journal.

I want to start drawing the same subject several times–just to get to know it better. I always want to move on to something new, but I feel I need to spend more time with the same subject. I think I am ready to do that.

Lunch time sketch

Lunch time sketch

Ink Only

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Pitt Pen size S

Pitt Pen size S

I like it–I am enjoying the ink only challenge that I am working on. I feel a little stifled with just the black or blue choice, but I am sticking with it. I have devoted one book to the ink only. This is my next project, devoted sketchbooks. I think that it will be nice to look back at a themed book. So far I have three going:

  • Ink only
  • Flower Journal
  • Ideas (needs a better title)

The book that I chose for the flowers I have been holding onto for a long time. It was a gift from my mother and I have been afraid to touch it it is so pretty. Of course, that is ridiculous. I did a cover/title page, so now It’s mussed up and I can move on to fill the pages.

After the ink journal is done, I might start an animals only journal. This was the last week for #sketchbookskool. As the first class, this was a great experience. I am not as sad to see it end though, mostly because I need to move on to do some finished work. I have plenty of ideas to work on.

Ballpoint Pen

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Micron blue pen and zebra ballpoint black pen

Micron blue pen and zebra ballpoint black pen

Fun! Ballpoint pen is great to draw with. I worry that it isn’t archival and light fast, but it’s fun…liberating. Kind of like drawing with crayon–but better because it is a finer point. This #sbsseeing klass assignment was to use one color, but I didn’t listen well and ended up with black and blue. The most difficult part of this assignment for me today was subject matter. Drawing from life is always a challenge this time of year. So, I just looked at my desk and decided to do shells.

The black zebra ballpoint is a great tool. I am also working on 75 days of ink only drawings, so this assignment fit that challenge. And, today was the virtual sketch crawl for the Artists Journal Workshop, so the final shell drawing had to work for that as well. Even my Dad got into the act with a sketch (although he may have just been placating me).

Next lesson is hand lettering–which is super great because this is something I am not good at!

Zebra ballpoint pen drawing

Zebra ballpoint pen drawing

Values

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Graphite in journal: value warm-up

Graphite in journal: value warm-up

This is my warm up value sketch for #sbsseeing homework with Cathy Johnson. What a great exercise. This simple project really worked for me. It’s not that the sketch is great, it’s that all the sudden I stopped drawing shapes and started drawing tone. Exactly what I needed! I am terrified of the next part of this project, value in color! That will take even more concentration, and will involve some color mixing that will be good for me too.

More snow coming tomorrow! It just keeps coming.

Seeing

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Ink pen and water-soluble crayon

Ink pen and water-soluble crayon

This week at #sketchbookskool is with Cathy Johnson. I love her work and I really like her lessons. First homework assignment was birds (or a squirrel, or some little creature). Unfortunately there isn’t a bird in site right now due to all the snow we are getting, but luckily for me I take a lot of photos. These gulls were at the Searsport Harbor a couple of years ago, I have always admired them and thought they would make nice painting subjects. Gulls are not as easy to draw as one might think.

One thing I really like about this lesson is the idea of learning about your subject–drawing as if you were working on a field guide. There are a lot of different types of gulls. These are most likely Herring Gulls, but the one with the dark eye could be a Thayer’s Gull.

The gull in graphite is not as successful as the one I did in ink. I find it interesting that I seem to do a better job when I use tools that I can’t erase! Funny.

Graphite and water-soluble crayon

Graphite and water-soluble crayon

Art Journal Challenge Day 17

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Minneola: inktense and colored pencil

Minneola: inktense and colored pencil

White ink pen explosion! Everything was going great until I decided to add some white! Yikes! You can’t wipe that stuff off either, so I had to figure out a way (quickly) to save what I had. I did the best I could. So, this turned out differently than planned, but sometimes that happens. #AJChallenge Day 17–draw a recipe. Minneola’s are in season, and I had one to draw from. This smoothie recipe is easy and delicious.

Thinking about a piece to start out with for my body of work plan. I think that I am going to do some dandelion sketches and then an 8 x 10 finished work. For the finished work I really need to decide on medium. I am thinking watercolor and ink pen. It’s so hard for me to think of just using one medium for a cohesive group, but it seems like the right approach.

Since I am headed to Hawaii soon I will have to work on a couple of pieces that are more tropical. Maybe I can make this a second body of work…one that might come together more slowly.