Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 23

Today’s prompt: Something made from paper!

It really can be anything. A paper boat, a paper plate, origami. Anything made from paper. 

It might be interesting to fold the paper to make an object before drawing it. This way, you would be spending time with your subject, getting to know the folds and creases. 

If you want even more of a challenge, place your paper object in an imaginary place. If it’s a paper boat, let it drift on the ocean waves or get stuck in the sand on some beach. Or, maybe even set it to drift in the cosmos and pass too closely to Saturn.

Have fun with this! 

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 22

For today’s prompt, Draw your hand.

First, you can decide if you want to draw the hand you are drawing with or your non-dominant one.

If you are new to drawing hands, you may want to choose to draw your non-dominant one. Position it in front of you as a still life.

Drawing hands is quite a challenge, as with any human aspect. It is perfectly normal to start off with wonky attempts. Here is what I would suggest:

Start off by drawing the contour lines of the overall hand shape. Then draw the outlines for each finger. Work from outside to inside when it comes to the details. Start with light layers and build upon those. See the hand not as a hand but more of an object composed of shapes within shapes. This tends to help!

You are welcome to have your hand holding something if you wish. 

Remember, wonkiness is supposed to happen with this!

 

 

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 21

For today’s prompt, draw your keys.

Actually, draw any sort of keys! They can be loose, like in the image above, or attached to a key ring. 

Keys attached to a key ring will allow for unique angles and interesting details. Again, this supports your practice of learning to see. Capture the tiny lines, the grooves, the shine. 

As a bonus, include any interesting key chain items!

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 20

Can you believe we are at Day 20? Pause for a moment and celebrate the fact that you have been sketching and taking on these challenges since the beginning of the month. Keep going! 

OK. For today’s prompt, we are going to draw a towel. Now, this is going to be a bit of a challenge because you have to use a very rigid tool in order to create something soft. 

Place your towel in different positions until you like a composition you want to draw. You can fold it neatly or lay it out so that it has folds and crevices. It’s up to you!

Here’s a tip: Start light and work in layers. Light pressure. Light layers. Build up from those light layers gradually until you are satisfied. The tonal ranges in a towel will be soft and gradual. Don’t be in a hurry to darken it.

Remember, this is more about the practice and the learning to see than the end result. Don’t get stuck on the latter if it doesn’t match exactly what you envision.

Keep learning to see!

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 19

For today’s prompt: Draw an open book!

Previously you drew a stack of books. Now today, choose one book. Maybe it is your favorite one to date, or the most influential in your life.

If you can, try to find a book that fans out with a good amount of pages. The picture above is a good example. 

Play with looking at it from different angles, then decide on one to sketch from. This prompt will help you strengthen your ability to see your subjects better. Look at the angle of how the pages lie. Try to see where there are darker and broader lines versus thin, softer lines. When it comes to drawing, learning to see is key. And, you get better at seeing when you start to look. I mean, really look. Sketching ordinary objects are great for this. Actually, taking the time to sketch anything, in my opinion, helps you to starting seeing more. 

So, find a book. Open it up. Look at it from different angles and try to capture the depth, the variance in lines and values. 


Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 18

For today’s prompt, let’s honor a hero – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

He stood for peace, for love, for togetherness. So, for today, in your sketchbook, draw something that inspires just that – love, peace, togetherness.

Today’s prompt is very broad in scope. So if it helps, here are some ideas:

  1. Draw MLK or some snapshot from his life.
  2. Draw something or someone that inspires love, peace, togetherness. 
  3. Draw something that you dream and hope for.
  4. Or, play with typography. Ink or paint a quote from either Dr. King or another quote that encapsulates the ideas mentioned above (love, peace, togetherness).

After sketching it, send it into the world, and let’s fill social media with messages and images of hope, love, and peace. 

What do you say? 

Happy birthday, Dr. King. Thank you for sharing your dream so that we can do better.

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 17

Today’s prompt: Draw a stack of books!

Go to your bookshelves or wherever you keep your books. You decide how tall your book stack will be. 

Maybe you will make it uniform with all the same type of books lined up perfectly. Or, maybe you will choose a variety of sizes and shapes and create a varied stack. 

If you want, could even play with the lighting and create a strong cast shadow. 

Who knows, maybe you will rediscover an old book that must be read again!

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 16

Yesterday, we played with contrast by sketching something light in a dark environment. For today, we are going to reverse that.

Today’s prompt: Sketch a dark object in a light environment.

Again, feel free to go the literal or metaphorical route.

If you chose the literal route for both, reflect on the two sketches for a moment. 

Was one more challenging than the other? Why? Did you have to change how you saw your object?

As a challenge, try not to just block in the dark object in a flat black. Try to find a way to create the darker tones within that object. 

Happy sketching!

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 15

Today’s prompt: Sketch a light object in a dark environment.

You can take this one of two ways: One is literal, while the other way being metaphorical. Choose whichever you would like to explore.

For the literal route, see if you can capture the tonal range and the stark contrast of the light vs. the dark. Maybe even challenge yourself to see the richness of the darks. Trying capturing them rather than blocking out the background in a flat black.

For the metaphorical route, perhaps you will explore what brings you light during dark times. 

Here is a quote I love from Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings: “It is the everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.

Categories
January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 14

For today’s prompt, let’s search for an obscure word to sketch, shall we?

So, here’s what you do:

  1. Click on this website – http://phrontistery.info/index.html
  2. Peruse the word lists and find something that sparks you. 
  3. If you are having your child join you, here is a kid-friendly word list – https://taralazar.com/2014/06/09/list-of-200-fun-cool-and-interesting-words/
  4. Have fun and be sure to include your obscure word with your sketch so that we can expand our vocabulary!

I can’t wait to see what you find! In fact, I really can’t wait to peruse the words myself.