Tag: Sketch

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Art Bay Area Parks Drawing Dreams Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages

Wordles and Pictures: Back to Journaling

Sketches of two dogs and a lady in a dress as illustrations for Wordle “Adopt” and “Frock”
Daily Dreams and Wordles Illustrated (Frock and Adopt)

When I started my blog, JanasJournal.com in 2006, it was an illustrated daily journal where I shared my world and my creative journeys through many different media. Now I’ve returned to my journaling roots and I’ve found inspiration from a surprising source: the daily Wordle puzzle, which I solve and then illustrate each day.

A view from my favorite park along the SF Bay, Point Isabel

While my journeys may have become more interior thanks to the pandemic, illustrating where my imagination and dreams take me keeps me entertained. But I’m also including sketches from places I go in real life, like Point Isabel above, a huge park along the SF Bay where dogs can run free, roll in the grass, splash in mud puddles and rinse off in the bay.

Wordle: Unlit and Dance

I’m using a page-a-day Hobonichi “Cousin” journal with weird, very thin, lightly-gridded paper along with fountain pens, drawing pens, watercolors and Tombow markers.

I will share more about the materials as I get the backlog of 3 months of journaling, dreams, Wordles and pictures posted.

Categories
Art Drawing Faces People Portrait

Sketching H.P. Lovecraft: His Horror Stories No Match for 2020

HP Lovecraft #4-2, graphite on paper, 11x8"
HP Lovecraft #4-2, graphite on paper, 11x8"
HP Lovecraft #4-2, graphite on paper, 11x8"
HP Lovecraft #4 1/2 (corrected #4), graphite on paper, 11×8″

H. P. Lovecraft wrote supernatural horror fiction that expressed his view (and 2020’s) that humanity was an unimportant part of an uncaring cosmos that could be swept away at any moment. When I came across his photo, I thought sketching him would be a good way to close out the horror show that has been 2020. After my 5th and final attempt I’m ready to leave him–and 2020–behind!

Above is my final attempt, with corrections added to sketch #4. Below are the first four sketches and the original photo. Which one do you think came closest? I think #3 turned out to look like Mark Zuckerberg, LOL!

HP Lovecraft #1, graphite on paper, 11x8"
HP Lovecraft #1, graphite on paper, 11×8″
HP Lovecraft #2, graphite on paper, 11x8"
HP Lovecraft #2, graphite on paper, 11×8″
HP Lovecraft #3, graphite on paper, 11x8"
HP Lovecraft #3, graphite on paper, 11×8″
HP Lovecraft #4
HP Lovecraft #4, graphite on paper, 11×8″
HP Lovecraft Web Photo
HP Lovecraft Photo
Categories
Art Drawing Faces People Portrait Sktchy

More Portrait Practice Sketches

Sketch of Michelle from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9"
Sketch of Michelle from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9"
Sketch of Michelle from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9"
Sketch of Michelle from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″
Sketch of Tajh G from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9"
Sketch of Tajh G from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″
Sketch #2 of TJ from Sktchy
Sketch #3 of TJ Smith from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″
Sketch #1 of TJ Smith from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9"
Sketch #1 of TJ Smith from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″

These are more of my portrait sketches from the Drawing the Head class I took last summer (doesn’t summer seem so long ago?!) I discovered that starting over is easier than correcting bad starts so I sketched most of them more than once. TJ Smith’s sketch took three tries until I felt like I captured what struck me as his very pleasant expression.

I always like to see how artists interpret their subjects. If you’re like me and want to see the reference photos, just click their names below their images to either go to my Sktchy page (if you have the Sktchy app) or to Sktchy on the web. Then click (PC) or swipe (mobile) my sketch to reveal the reference photo below it.

Categories
Art

Sktchy Gals

Sktchy app is such a great resource for finding people to draw. Here are a couple of gals drawn/painted in Procreate on the iPad.

Categories
Sketchbook Pages

Millie at Rest: Doggie Eyes and Noses

Millie at Rest, Sketched in Procreate on the iPad
Millie at Rest, Sketched in Procreate on the iPad

Sketching my dear little Millie, the Formosan Mountain Dog, a rescue from Taiwan and always a source of inspiration for drawing, painting, and getting out in nature every day for a walk.

Categories
Drawing Faces People Sketchbook Pages

Sketching Sketchers and Doodling Meetings

Doodling to Stay Awake at Meeting
Doodling to Stay Awake at Meeting

On my first day back to work after being sick for weeks we had a staff meeting. I wanted to put my head down on the table and nap so doodled to stay upright and awake. Later I pasted the page in my sketchbook with the added note about antibiotics.

Sketching Sketchers #1
Sketching Sketchers #1

Then my first night back at Tuesday night sketching (at the Bread Workshop) after I drew my food I sketched the sketchers at my table. I had to add that shading to the right of Amy’s face to “erase” the splotch I made by her nose that looked like a booger.

Sketching Sketchers #2
Sketching Sketchers #2

I added one too many lines, which lead to more lines to try to fix them, in Sonia’s hair which had been perfect until I did that. I made a note to remind myself to STOP at “good enough” and not keep going.

Categories
Animals Drawing Gouache Painting Photos Sketchbook Pages

I Otter Go to the Zoo

Otter, Gouache and Ink
Optimistic Otter, Gouache and Ink

…but my son Robin did instead. And he took wonderful, soulful photos that he shared with me. So of course I had to sketch them, starting with this otter whose expression really struck me. It came out a little different in each sketch.

Otter, drawn with icky Pigma Brush Pen
Worried Otter, drawn with icky Pigma Brush Pen

I finally threw away the Pigma Brush Pen I used for this sketch. The point seemed to fray on first use and only got worse. The Pitt Artist Brush Pens seem to hold up better.

Otter, Sepia & Black Pitt Artist Pens
Perplexed Otter, Sepia & Black Pitt Artist Pens

I think this one is my favorite either because of his expression (why am I assuming it’s a boy?) or because the drawing reminds me of a series of children’s books I used to read to my sons when they were little, about a little badger named Francis.

And here is Robin’s original photo:

Otter, photo by Robin Bouc
Otter, photo by Robin Bouc

I wonder what this cute little guy was thinking. Doesn’t this just call for a caption? What would it be?