This sketch challenge is definitely keeping me busy! I’m managing to keep up with the drawing, but have fallen behind in my posting. We’ve had power outages to contend with after last Friday’s damaging thunderstorms, and four days of no phone or internet, but things are back to normal now, and I’ll try to catch up this week.
Since I have grandchildren now, we’ve been pulling out some of the things that have been stashed in the attic for decades, since our kids were little. Among my favorites are the well-worn books that I read so many times to my two little ones that I can still recite them from memory. Now Nicholas, Lilly, and I are enjoying them together. I thought it would be good thing to commemorate memories old and new with a sketch of this basket of books.
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| 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″, drawn with Noodler’s flex pen and Noodler’s non-permanent Walnut ink |
Doing this challenge and drawing every day is encouraging me to try new things, like fading off the
drawing of the basket at the bottom of the page, and using handwritten text as a
background for the sketch. Since the paper in my Stillman & Birn Alpha Series sketchbook is only 100 lb., I was able to use a lined piece of paper as a guide for my writing. The paper is thick enough to stand up to lots of water, but translucent enough to see the guidelines through. I made a lined page on the computer in Microsoft Word, selecting the spacing I wanted, and placed it under my sketchbook page. I did the sketch and the lettering without any pre-drawing in pencil. I’m really happy with the way this one turned out. I like how the walnut ink blurs and softens a little when the watercolor is applied over it.
On Day 19, sitting on a low stool out in the side yard around 8:00 in the evening, I drew the leaves and blossoms of the hosta plants that grow at the base of the rose trellis. The slanting sunlight almost made the chartreuse leaves look as if they were lit from within. What gorgeous color!
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| Drawn with Noodler’s flex pen & Lexington Gray ink |
This is so much fun!
4 Comments
Two more lovely sketches – I especially like the basket of books – but I don't see Goodnight Moon in there! That was one of MY favorites to read to our son (who is now 30). Looking forward to grandchildren to read to one day.
I don't know why or how it happened, but we didn't have Goodnight Moon when our kids were little. I'll have to get a copy for Nicholas. I know it's a classic favorite and I can't believe I overlooked it as an obsessive, have-to-do-everything-right young mother. Thanks for reminding me about it!
Well, even though you didn't do THAT right, I'm sure you did everything else right! 😉
I have just found your site and love the work you are doing. I am a great fan of line and wash. My journals are full of them. I so enjoyed the basket with the books.