Tag: new year

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 24

Welcome to Day 24. Can you believe this month is almost over? And, can you believe you have been sketching every day? Yay! 

Even if you haven’t, not to worry! Just pick up a pencil and start again. 

OK! Here we go…Today’s prompt is to draw an animal. 

It can be any animal of your choice–real or imagined. Use a real model or a photograph. If a photograph, try to pick one with strong contrast.

Remember, try to see the animal as shapes and values, rather than see it as the finished animal. Drawing is a  matter of seeing, and the more sketchbook practice you do of learning to see, the easier it will get. I do solemnly swear!

May you render your animal freely!

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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!

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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. 


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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.

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 12

Today’s prompt: Draw your shoes or one shoe!

Find one that is your favorite, or one that rarely gets picked to step out into the world. 

It can be simple or elaborate with long laces and fine stitching.

A helpful tip?

Look at the overall shape. Start with the contour lines.

See the shoe as an object built shape by shape. Are there circles, ovals, rounded rectangles?

In other words, try not to draw the shoe by ‘seeing’ the shoe as a whole. Try drawing the shoe by noticing the shapes of the spaces within– the shapes of the sole, the toe, and the shapes shadows make. Break the whole into those smaller shapes and place them where they fit in relation to the overall outline of the shoe.

Remember, a sketchbook is a place for practice and mistakes. It is not a place for finished pieces that you put up for sale. Well, maybe you get lucky every now and again, but do remember that is not the first purpose of a sketchbook.

Give yourself permission to draw a very wonky shoe today.

Let’s draw!

Autumn

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 7

Scroll through your photographs from your phone or device of your choice. Keep scrolling until you find one that sparks you. Use that photo as inspiration for today’s page. 

Try not to feel overwhelmed by the entire photograph. If it helps, pick one object or aspect from the photo to focus on in your sketch. 

It might help to pick something with high contrast – something with clearly defined highlights, mid-tones and shadows. But it’s not a deal breaker. 

If you don’t see anything you like, scroll Instagram or Facebook and borrow an inspiration image from someone else!

Happy Sketching!

-Autumn

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 4

The Mug of your Wildest Dreams!

Draw your favorite mug again, but this time add a little something more! What I mean by this is for you to add brilliant and fantastical features to your mug that would make it that much more special. 

  • Would you add wings so that it could fly to wherever you are? 
  • Maybe it would have arms and could take notes or write your novel as you sip in luxury.
  • Maybe you would change the size or design.
  • Or, just maybe it’s actually the mug you wanted for a present but didn’t get! Draw it!
  • Better yet, maybe the mug wouldn’t change but where you sip from it would!

Add any features from your imagination that would improve upon your favorite mug! Have fun. Be creative. And make it fantastic! Maybe think: What would a kid want to be added to a mug? (They don’t limit themselves as we adults do!)

Please share if you feel brave. I can’t wait to see what features or powers your mug has gained overnight.

In creative adventures,

Autumn

 

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Day 3 – Sketchbook Challenge

Draw your favorite mug!

Place your mug on a flat surface. You will want to see it from a static angle, so that you can get a sense of how it sits in space. 

Notice in this picture that there are shadows and highlights. See if you can incorporate those into your sketch by using the following ideas:

  • Use a different color to shade in the shadows.
  • Try using lines or hatching.
  • If you are using a pencil, smudge those areas with your finger. 
  • Or, use more pressure with your drawing tool, unless it is a pen or marker. (Pressure can damage the nib.)
  • Below you will see how I use lines to create shadows and volume in this simple line drawing. 

Just remember to experiment and play. Don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t compare your work with another person’s work. The best thing to do is to compare your work with your own over time to see your growth! It’s your personal journey.

Have fun! 

Oh! I almost forgot the best part– After you complete your sketch, fill your mug with your favorite beverage. Savor every sip and swallow. 

Feel free to share your work and ask questions along the way. 

In creative adventures,

Autumn














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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 1

Here’s to new beginnings and creative challenges!

I’m excited and nervous about this sketchbook challenge. How about you? 

I’m excited because I love creative challenges, and I know that if I commit to a sketch a day for the next 31 days, growth will happen.

I’m nervous because, well, I must commit to it. I need the discipline to make sure I carve out time in my day to make a sketch. I don’t want this to be something I’m excited about in the beginning – and start off with a bang – to only fizzle out once I hit the middle of the month. So, let’s help each other to not let that happen. Shall we?

So, for the challenge…

You can sketch anything you like or take my suggestions. I won’t be giving a lot of instruction on technique or anything else, but I will give you some ideas of what to sketch. And, I will definitely give you encouragement and tips along the way. Feel free to reach out with questions as you work. I’m here. 

Here we go!

Day One: Pick a word for the year. My husband and I do this every new year. It’s a word to inspire, to work toward, to invite more of its examples and evidence in our lives throughout the year. 

My word: Discipline. 

I need to be more disciplined in order for my art business to grow. And, I most definitely want it to grow. Once my teaching year resumes, I get incredibly busy. My days are

 long and it becomes easy to neglect my creative side and my little sprouting art business. So, this year, I’m making it a priority. And, it will take discipline!

Now back to you:

Step one: Pick your word.

Step two: Doodle it onto the first page of your sketchbook. 

You can make it a fancy script. Or, big and bold. Maybe add flowers sprouting from it. Duplicate the word several times. Write it in different scripts. Fill the page or make it stand it out with a lot of white space around it. But Do Have Fun! 

If you would like, please share your word. Or, share the page. I would love to see your wonderful new year words!

Your friend in creative adventures,

Autumn

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge Eve

It’s December 31st. Not only New Year’s Eve but the eve of our sketchbook challenge. Let’s prepare, shall we?

Step 1: Grab your sketchbook. Open to the first page. Sign it and date it! You can choose to date it for December 31st, 2020, or January 1st, 2021.

Step 2: Set an intention and write it down. What do you want to get out of this challenge? What do you hope for? Make it relevant and meaningful to you. You don’t need to share this intention with anyone. And, you can keep it short. For me, I want to get better at drawing with pencil and ink. More specifically, I want to improve my line drawings.

Some other ideas for intentions:

I want to jumpstart my creativity.

I want to practice how to trust my creative voice.

I want to start a daily sketching habit.

I hope to overcome my negative self-talk about my abilities as an artist by drawing every day despite myself. (Yep!)

Your intention for taking on this sketchbook challenge can be as personal or general as you want. But, do set an intention. Give this practice purpose so that when or if someone were to ask WHY you can answer perfectly. 

Bonus Step 3: After signing, dating, and writing down your intention, doodle around it!

Bonus Step 4: Maybe decorate the cover with stickers.

If you are so inclined to share your why, please comment below or on my Art Journaling with Autumn Facebook Group (You can still join this group). I would love to hear some of your reasons for doing this with me.

Autumn