Back to Dr Sketchy Vancouver with Ariel Helvetica

Another session at Dr Sketchy Vancouver.  The lovely model was Ariel Helvetica.  We didn't arrive until just before go time, so were pressed right up against the bar again, hence the sharply angled view.  Next time we'll go early to get a better seat.  Good night all around though.  Will definitely be back! For more info on these sessions check out www.drsketchyvancouver.com (but if you get there before me save me a good seat).

EDiM Hold Still... I'm Drawing You

It's May!  Time for the Every Day in May Challenge.  The challenge is to do a sketch each day, taking subject cues from a pre-chosen portion of the 'Everyday Matters' list.  You'll find this year's  list later in this post.

The sketch here is from the second item on the new list.  "Draw something that represents a New Year's resolution of yours".  You might think the resolution was to sketch more, but not.  My resolution this year was to get out of my little bubble, become more involved in the community around me.  This sketch is from a life drawing session I went to yesterday here in the hood.  I found out about it on a Vancouver Meet-Up group.  There were six of us tucked into this very cool art studio (thank you Sarah) a few blocks from my house.  It's a shared space, with all kinds of cool artwork/workspaces set up in most corners and the sound of musicians rehearsing in the background.We had no model, so we took turns doing 5 minute sketches of each other.  Had to be quick.  Most of the colour on this one was added later at home.


Here's the whole EDiM list for this month:


1. Draw or paint a landscape
2. Draw something that represents a new year’s resolution of yours
3. Free choice. Draw anything you like.
4. Draw a present you have received. Why is it special?
5. Draw something sweet
6. Draw a holiday card
7. Draw a spoon and journal a little about it
8. Draw an egg carton, with or without eggs in it.
9. Draw a brown paper bag
10. Draw an apple
11. Draw something with wings
12. Draw a button or buttons
13. Draw something breezy - something that blows in the wind - a flag, leaves, your choice.
14. Draw your lunch and journal about it.
15. Draw a traffic sign (stop, yield, crossing, directional, arrows, etc.)
16. Draw a store in your neighbourhood.
17. Draw some bread and write about it if you like.
18. Draw a nearby body of water - ocean, lake, pond, river
19. Draw your artspace - drawing board, desk, studio, table - draw where you create.
20. Draw a streetlight
21. Draw something that makes you happy, and write about it, too.
22. Draw an ear, or two or three or more
23. Draw a souvenir of a place you’ve been. Write a bit about your memories of the place.
24. Draw something cold or cool. Chill, people.
25. Draw some flowers (or colourful showy foliage if you’re in the S. hemisphere and don’t find flowers in bloom.)
26. Draw the ingredients and/or process of a favourite recipe - and journal about it.
27. Draw some clouds and write about them
28. Draw a mailbox and write about the most important piece of real world mail you’ve ever received(not email - snail mail.)
29. Draw somewhere new. Go somewhere new to you and draw what you find. Write about it, too.
30. Draw something representing your favourite sport.
31. Draw what you’re afraid of. Write about it, if you dare.

  If you're a sketcher, or think you'd like to be, give it a go!  It's honestly the best thing I ever did as far as tuning up the drawing skills goes.  The last time I did it, I ended up doing the whole month's worth of drawings with a box of  kids crayons.  I love flipping through that sketchbook; it tells a story.  And, I'm proud of myself for sticking with it the whole way through. I feels good just to finish something.  The sketches from the first year I did it are all on this blog.  Here's day one, just in case you're curious. :-)

Life: a l'Orange, and a Happier Puppy

Last Wednesday's life drawing session - it's all a little orange, but that was the mood of the evening. Her hair was fantastic to draw.  It's a wig.  I'd like to borrow it for date night.  Sassy.

And of course, a happier puppy at the bottom.   He has a fresh cast on, and the ice cream boys gave him a puppy cone to celebrate.  He much prefers them to the plastic ones you wear on your head.

Weird Life Drawing Night

I had kind of a weird time at life drawing last night.  I think I was just in a very different head space.  I was feeling like my life drawings lately have been sort of 'all the same', and even though I've been thinking I'm capturing a more realistic slice of life than I was before, that it might be safe and boring.  I wanted to get looser.  And I wanted to get over my Payne's Grey addiction that was starting to creep into my sketches.  The results seem to be lacking in any accuracy,  and not yet loose enough to be worth it. There are a few moments I like though, like the warm reflected light under this one's chin and on her far arm.   I'm also trying to draw more with the paint rather than outline and fill.  Sometimes working, sometimes not.  The other thing I was feeling aware of last night is that when I spend this much time in art brain, I stop being able to communicate very well.  I get all tongue-tied and quiet and insecure, which if you know me you'll know is unusual.  I'm so deep into observe mode that I stop being able to express.  Not every time, but sometimes.  I wonder if that happens to everyone?

This red one was done during a particularly crashy and aggressive piece of music.  It's funny how those things filter in, probably a combination of how it affects both model and artist.  

These reclining figures were fun.  I think the weirder the perspective, the more I have to rely on observation rather than knowledge.  That's probably a good thing.  Didn't want to believe I was avoiding the foot that fell off the page in the lower one, and so there it is poking in at the top.  

This model is always so good.  She knows what'll be interesting, and really holds it well over the 20 minute poses.