First tablet drawing...

Winter is Coming

I had no idea what to expect when using the tablet to draw with as you can tell. Flipping through the channels waiting for Game of Thrones to come on, did the usual and checked sports scores. ( it doesn't mstter what you're watching ladies, we'll always ask you to switch to a sports event or channel to check a score of something. Do that and you're a keeper! Lol) Anyway; I digress...

Watching NHL hockey hilights gave me an idea for a sketch. Instead of pulling out a notebook, I was on my tablet anyway, I cracked open the Sketchbook Pro app, took out the pointer, choose my pencil, brush, airbrush etc, and started. Since I am a traditionalist, I just had to try a line drawing with the pencil. 

Have to admit it was a bit strange. Really thin lines and since I'm more of a volumetric artist, (prefers to capture the volume of an item without the use of line..ie shading tones to capture volume) it was really hard to get used to. 

Now that I've taken this digital drawing out for a spin with this feeble attempt,  let's see what this baby can really do shall we....? 

Until next time...

Why I stopped doing the EDiM

Forgive me followers for I have sinned. It has been 23 days since my last post. I feel bad about it; I really do but I had to do some soul searching about this whole drawing thing and my reasons for wanting to take part in the EDiM challenge.

Let me explain.

Day 9 came along and I was fully prepared to get on with it but the challenge wasn't in the drawing but in finding the prop to draw. Draw an interesting label was way more stressful than what it appears to be.

I scoured the house searching for this Holy Grail of props. Sometimes with the intent of looking and sometimes without even thinking about it as I went about my day. And that's when I realized that there was a problem.

In trying so hard to find a prop to draw from, I suddenly realized that this was all too stressful. The hunt for a daily prop was distracting me from the challenge itself. What was supposed to be something so simple turned into a nightmare.

I eventually found an excellent subject to draw from (a bottle of champagne wrapped from top to bottom in traditional Dutch blue and white labeling which was ironically made in South Africa, my mother had given me as a souvenir from her trip to Holland) but with all of the spontaneous creative energy sucked out of me looking for this ONE item, I never did draw the bottle or the label at all.

After that, I was silently dreading day 10 and day eleven and so on. The challenge became too challenging. And I thought I was the only one who felt this way but it wasn't until a few days ago that I read a blog post from Liz Steel addressing the same thing called Why Bother? Pushing Yourself for a challenge.

Having done the challenges before, she knew that they were going to be hard to complete because of the pressure "the list" creates. Liz also mentioned in the post that she likes to take the time to think about each and every one of her sketches. In the first eight days of the challenge, I soon discovered that I am much like her.

I have to feel an attachment to something or find something interesting and how it relates to me and my life in order to take the time to sketch it.

Some would argue that the list is merely a guideline to get a person into a habit of daily sketching and I was thinking too much about the challenge. Maybe they're right; after-all  I am just starting up again after many years of not doing anything drawing or sketching related so I should just put on my big boy pants and get it done.

I could do that but then I wouldn't enjoy it and would probably stop drawing entirely if I'm not having fun while I'm doing it. Besides, isn't that the whole purpose of the challenge from a very fundamental viewpoint; to have fun? I think it is. The sketching is merely a bi-product of my experience at that exact moment.

For now, I'll admit defeat. The challenge got the better of me. Bu I learned something about myself and how I approach drawing and for that, I take away far more than what I produced. That lesson proved to be far more valuable than any prompt would have taught me.

EDiM 08 - Something with a handle

Day 8 of the challenge and I'm starting to notice a few things about myself and my sketches.

I'll explain in my next post so for now, here's my sketch for today.

Enjoy!

EDiM 07 - An envelope

Whew!
I'm finally ahead of this challenge. Once again I'm trying to do something different than everyone else. A bit of research on "the Google" and I'm good to go.

Here's my drawing of an envelope.
Enjoy!

EDiM 06 - Something with bristles

The first five days of this challenge have been..er..challenging. After trying too hard to get something drawn slash sketched in my sletchbook, Ive turned to my Notebook Pro. For some odd reason, I don't feel the pressure of being perfect on the Notebook as I do when sketching/drawing in a sketchbook. 

Yesterday was close to 20C, today is much different. It's windy, cold and snowing. Yuppers, it's snowing. It's not expected to last past today and should be completely melted by tomorrow afternoon. That's Spring in Alberta for ya and the inspiration behind my drawing a snowbrush. Seems only fitting doesn't it? 

Oh well..Enjoy!

EDiM 05 - Something hot

I had every intention of trying to get ahead of the challenges by doing them a day in advance but ya, that never happened. After doing three to catch up in one day, I simply got tired and stopped.

Day 5 wasn't a hard challenge but what I'm finding is that most of the drawings are pretty generic in nature so I'm always looking to do something a little more original. With that said, I Googled "things that are hot" to get some inspiration for my sketch.

Other than fire, stove burners, the plethora of hot sauces and the odd skantily clad woman, nothing seemed to jump out at me. But then I remembered a news story the other day that a volcano had erupted off the west coast, 400km to the South-west of Vancouver Island.

Light bulb Moment

Volcano's spew lava. Lava is hot. Very hot. It melts everything in its path. Not having any lava handy at the moment, I hit the Google once again, searching for lava pictures. Mehhh, lava is fascinating but as subject matter for a drawing or artwork it's pretty bland.

Back to the drawing board. Literally. 

I was thinking of drawing a clothes iron but those are too generic. (I told you I'm always looking for something different or unique) For some odd reason I had IRON stuck in m head so I hit the Google for a third and hopefully last time.

As a kid, I got a wood burning kit. If you're not familiar with them, they're an electrical hand-held pencil that burns wood to make designs. The kit I had was pretty basic; 5 pine sheet of paper sized planks with basic design outlines to follow. The burner tip can get up to 900F so ya this thing gets damn hot.

I used this item as the inspiration for day 5 of EDiM. After doing intital sketch in my sketchbook, I was about to start rendering it but a local election took over the t.v airwaves pretty much distracting me for the rest of the night.

A timely blog post by Liz Steel about the challenges of following the challenge had me re-thinking my sketch. She mentioned that feeling obligated to do a sketch rather than just going with it, takes the fun out of the challenge. I agree. Although I'm a relative infant to this sketching thing, I've soon realized that I am more intuitive when it comes to my drawings slash sketches. With that in mind, I scrapped the sketchbook draft and quickly carved out something on my notebook pro. It's not nearly as detailed as I would have liked it to be but I feel it is a much better sketch than my original idea.

What type of artist slash sketcher slash drawer are you? Do you need a subject given to you or do you feel your way through?

EDiM 04 - Bottle(s) of herbs or spices

Challenge 04 was drawing herbs and spices. I have tons of them but thought the old wooden style salt and pepper shakers would be more interesting.

Enjoy...

EDiM 03 - Curtains

This challenge was about drawing curtains. My curtains are boring so I decided to draw a symbol for the Iron Curtain which was the Berlin Wall.
More my style anyway.

Enjoy...

EDiM 02- A Tree: Continued

It's Monday and I just completed the EDiM-02 challenge - Draw a nearby tree. It's hard to find structure when you're trying to be spontaneous. The spur of the moment two and a half day road trip hindered any attempts at getting my daily challenges completed. The combination of gusty winds, gloomy spring temperatures, dodging kamikaze kites and change seeking beggars, I managed to draw nothing, zilch, nada, NIL over the weekend. You can read all about it in my last post here.

Anyway, it's good to be back home where I can draw without interruption. I managed to get both trees done from the reference pics I took. On to challenges 3 (curtains), 4 (bottle(s) of herbs/spices) and 5 (something hot). I'm going to do 5 to stay ahead of it so I don't fall behind as I am now. 

I also made a commitment to the Every Day Matters challenge and have to get those ones completed as well. Yup, I'm behind. Time to get drawing... 

Here's the trees:

EDiM02 - No Trees, Winds, Kites and beggars; Oh my

Went away for the weekend and yes, I brought my drawing stuff with me. When I found out about the EDiM challenge, my intention was to stay ahead of the challenge and draw the next day in advance, but since the weekend trip was last minute, things didn't go as planned.

The next morning (Saturday) was crisp and with reports of snow or rain in the area, sketching outside was going to be hit or miss. One would think finding a nearby tree to draw would be easy but when staying in a hotel in the middle of an urban center, it proved to be more challenging than I thought.

The hotel room, stuffed in the back corner of the building, overlooked an apartment complex parking lot. Not a tree to be found. Since I was going to head further south for the day, my chances of finding any trees at this point would increase dramatically.

After grabbing a coffee, (perfect cold weather nectar), I stumbled upon a multi use park tucked away behind gas stations and student housing complexes I've been in this area numerous times before but never knew this park existed.

Parked the car, gathered my back-pack and headed out to find some sun and a tree. Following a make-shift trail through the shrubs and down a steep hill, I was in the park...sort of. A chain link fence stood between me and tree utopia.

I followed the fence line around which was interrupted by a few equipment buildings and public washrooms (which were locked) and finally found an opening into the park. Stopping at the entrance, I looked around at the prospects and found the perfect location. A warped picnic table under this massive tree at the back of the park. All I had to do was navigate my way around a cricket match, a few kids flying kites and I was home free.

What seemed like the perfect location was anything but. The sky's darkened, the winds swooped in making it nearly impossible to attempt to draw anything on flapping paper. (the binder clip I had must have fallen off somewhere). I took a picture of the tree and quickly packed up my bag and made my way back to the car.

The winds that forced me to flee my location played havoc with the kids kites. One fell from the sky dive bomber style. The tip stuck into the ground like a lawn dart about 15 feet in front of me.

Death by kite sounds tragically fun doesn't it?

Back at the car, there was a tree directly in front of where I parked. I broke out the sketchbook once again only to be disturbed by a knock on the window. Just some random guy looking for any spare change. I used the last of it to pay for the parking. He wasn't impressed; swearing and calling me a few names as he walked into the bushes.

"Yup. That's it for me." I thought as I packed my stuff after taking a picture of this tree. I didn't think this challenge was going to be so hostile.

I drove back to the hotel, about an hours drive north and thought I could settle in when I got back to get this thing done but it never happened. I was kind of rattled by the day. A few cold beers takes the edge off but dampens any drawing ambition I had when I got back.

You tell yourself "Ya, I'll do it Sunday" but Sunday I was heading back home. A two hour drive north, house work stuff and preparing for the work week got in the way of my intended promise.

Continued on Monday when I'll get caught up....  

Every Day Matters: A Drawing Challenge

Every Day Matters is a drawing challenge started by Artist Karen Winters. Although she is the founder, Dany Gregory brought it into the mainstream after publishing a book about the subject as a memoir after his wife became a paraplegic.

I haven't read the book but I'm up for accepting the EDM challenge; are you?

Here's a link to his list. It's 37 days short of the full 365 prompts. You can use the list to inspire to come up with some of your own. 

What are you waiting for? Get drawing.
Here's my EDM for today - Draw your shoe

Every Day in May: A drawing challenge

Today is the day. A drawing challenge. An Every Day in May drawing challenge.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm new to this drawing and sketching thing so to be able to start a challenge as I begin my own journey is very exciting!

In case you weren't able to get the challenge list, you can get it here below.

Here's my contribution to day 01 - Draw a favorite food.

Done with black micron ink, watercolour, coloured pencil, and fineliner. 

Better late than never

I'm fairly new to this sketching thing so at times it's a bit overwhelming to be sneaking in well after the party has started. As odd as it seems, I feel as though Im barging my way in. I'm a party crasher.

But that's pure nonsense really.

From what Ive seen so far in visiting the numerous sites and pages is that the community is very welcoming and encouraging.

And so this sketchbooking journey for me is about to begin. I dug up my old drawing stuff which has been used very, very sparingly over the last 5 or so years.

- a 75page 70lb 9x12 Bienfang sketchbook
- 2 dozen or so pencils of various lead types
- 3 white rubber eraser
- 5 kneaded erasers (yes five. Dont ask why just smile, nod and continue reading)
- 10 Staedler 0.3mm finetip pens (various colours)
- 6 Steadler 0.4mm metallic gel-liners (gold, silver, copper etc..) Actually I have no idea where I got these from. I kmow I would have never willingly purchased them. Employee theft maybe? Shhhh. Ha ha. 
- 2 pencil sharpeners
- one 0.5mm mechanical pencil
- 2 rulers(metal, plastic)
- erasing shield ( I took drafting in high school so finding this was a trip down memory lane)
- and last but not least, a plaid kilt bag loaded with possibly 100 Prismacolour pencil crayons. ( high school art supplies which are 25plus years old...ugh! Thinking of that just made me feel very, very old...)

Here's my first attempt drawing my supplies:

Starting to draw again is simultaneously exciting and terrifying so there's no better way to begin then by joining a challenge group. Liz Steel had a post about the whole thing on her blog so I thought I'd check it out and give it a go. It's the EDiM ( Every Day in May) challenge. The challenge is to complete one drawing according to the event calendar. I went to the Facebook page, joined the group and got the EDiM challenge list so I'm good to go.

She also mentioned the Everyday Matters Challenge and even though the Yahoo group is done, I downloaded the list when those moments of not knowing what to draw try to prevent any of my progress.  If anything it'll be great practice and fun to see how it goes.

Stay tuned....

This is a blog?

Welcome. Have a burger. Try not to drip secret sauce all over the place. 

First attempt sketching on a tablet. (Ok it's a slider, NOT a burger)