“Automatic Drawing” with a woodless pencil, Sketchbook Revival

Make Your Mark

“Mark-making Mandala”

The Sketchbook Revival session I did today focused on making different kinds of marks with various drawing tools. After doing the exercise, I decided to make a mandala using the various “prompts.” It reminds me of the moon.

Pears!

One of the Sketchbook Revival sessions features sketching a pair of pears, so of course I had to do that one. It’s a lesson in painting loosely with watercolour.

Quickie

Today’s Sketchbook Revival session was a lesson in sketching a vignette in ink and watercolour. It was given by Shari Blaukopf, a friend of my sister Alison and a master of the urban sketching genre.

Reviving the Revival

My Sketchbook Revival project got sidetracked by [excuses, excuses]. However, I will forgive myself and carry on! Here, “Cracks in the Road,” an exercise that encourages seeing the beauty in the most mundane things that that we usually overlook (remember the plastic bag scene in American Beauty?). I took some photos of cracks in the road while out for my walk today and used one of them as a jumping-off point for this abstract piece in my art journal.

Meow

Here’s part 2 of the one-liner drawing exercise from yesterday, a more fully rendered version of the one I liked best.

Sketchbook Revival

My goodness, it’s been quite a while since I posted anything. I have skipped quite a few days, and on other days dashed off some doodles or quick sketches, but decided none of them was worth sharing. Also, I needed a kick in the butt. My sister Alison told me about an online course called Sketchbook Revival, so I signed up. Its daily sessions (two per day) started yesterday; I didn’t get to them then (I was busy getting my Covid vaccine in Kingston — yay!), but started today.

First things first: combatting the self-critical voice in your head and engendering a positive mindset. My voice says to me, loudly and often, “I am not a REAL artist.” So here is my affirmation:

Exercise #1: “Art Supply Relay.” Gather a bunch of different drawing tools, then using them one by one for a minute each, draw a shoe.

Exercise #2: “One-liner drawings.” These little drawings, made “more quickly than is comfortable” without lifting the pen off the paper, are meant as a jumping-off point for whimsical, more fully rendered pieces.

It seems to be working, as I’m looking forward to what tomorrow will bring. Good thing, as I have some catching up to do!

Art journal, water-soluble pencils

“Ice Fishing Huts, Bay of Quinte”: cut paper collage, art journal

I was out for a walk the other day and came upon a now familiar sight: ice-fishing huts out on the bay. I could suddenly see in my mind’s eye a cut paper collage of the scene. Today I tried to make it, but it’s not quite how I imagined it. My mind’s eye did not foresee the limitations of my paper selection (as to colour) or the technical difficulties.

On the Move

“Scenic Route to Gananoque”: ink, watercolour and gouache, art journal

On Saturday, we went for a drive to Gananoque, taking the long way via the ferry at Picton to enjoy the beautiful winter day. As a passenger, I was able to do my art of the day en route. I just rested my hand, holding my sketching pen, on the paper and surrendered to the movement of the car, occasionally adding a little sketch of some feature in the landscape, and turning the sketchbook around now and then to change the direction of the line. When I got home, I added blue and pearlescent watercolour to represent the blue of the sky and the sparkle of the snow, plus a few red accents. Unlike most of the pages in my sketchbook, this is a true “art journal” entry — a piece of art that documents the day.

“Puppy Love”: magazine collage, art journal

A CAA Magazine Challenge for Valentine’s Day!

Watercolour, art journal

Split Personality

“Pile of Lemons”: watercolour, art journal

Here’s a little sketch of lemons I did today. Also, a bedtime doodle from last night, which when I saw it in the morning I decided I quite liked. You know what they say: variety is the spice of life!

Untitled. Acrylic, art journal.

Tweaked It a Bit...

“Winter Dusk”: pastel, 8 x 10.5”

I decided the sky needed to be darker at the top. This enhances the glow at the horizon. I have now signed it… so it’s done! (I don’t like my signature to stand out too much. Can you find it?)

Art of Two Days

“Winter Dusk”: pastel, 8 x 10”

I started this yesterday and finished it (I think) today.

Untitled. Ink and watercolour, art journal.

Something New

“Decisions, Decisions”: ink and watercolour, art journal

My friend Susan L. told me that the watercolour doodle I posted a while back reminded her of Neurographica, which I had never heard of, so I looked it up. I was intrigued, and decided to give it a try.

Wonderful Winter

“Winter Dusk Near Lansdowne”: watercolour, art journal

My house-hunting takes me to Gananoque now and then, and I enjoy taking the back roads instead of the highway when I have time. Last week I had to stop to take a picture of this barn at dusk; I was especially struck by the tree shapes. This watercolour sketch may inspire a “real” painting in pastel.

Neither Carefree Nor Careful

“Mum’s Orchid”: watercolour and watercolour pencil, art journal

I set out to sketch this orchid, then got too attached to the (desired) result, tried too hard, got frustrated and distracted and impatient, started thinking about whether or not to post it, even writing the blog post in my head… none of which is conducive to making a satisfying piece of art. A quick, gestural sketch would have been livelier and more interesting; a studious, focussed effort would have (I hope) resulted in a more accurate depiction. This is neither.

However, I did it. And I did it at the beginning of the day instead of the end. For the effort to climb back up the slippery slope (again!), I will give myself credit.

A Day That Will Live in Infamy

“A Fragile Democracy”: magazine collage, art journal

Today’s events, although shocking, were unsurprising. Anyone paying close attention could see this coming a mile away. America has a great deal of work to do to live up to the ideals it claims to espouse. I hope it’s a wake-up call, and that healing can begin under the Biden administration. We in Canada are susceptible to the same problems, of course. Complacency is not an option.

I was reminded today of some of my earlier political collages. I feel like sharing some of them again.

“Red Meat” Nov. 2, 2016

“If You Still Believe in Me, Save Me” Jan. 31, 2017

“The Snake” Jan. 17, 2017

“Grand Old Party” April 2, 2020