Sketchbook Peeks

Sandy

Have you ever had a dry spot in blogging? A point where you wonder ‘Why post?” and “Who’d read?” For me, it’s often a case of not being inspired. I need a change of direction; in terms of topics I’ll write about and topics I’ll read.

AND THEN … I’ll read a post and get a bolt of inspiration and encouragement. Like Amanda’s “Simple Watercolor Across the Waves’ where she introduces Zazamataz’s Great Art Project with an invitation to share art.

Earlier this year I purchased my first sketchbook and started experimenting with inks and watercolors. My initial pieces were explorations in color with a simple objective to fill the page. I’ve learned that exercises like this can be called neurographic art therapy with benefits in mental and emotional health. I certainly found it relaxing and satisfying to do.

I ventured into full figure painting based on instruction from Emma Petitt. Emma specializes in big and bold colors and figures. It’s not my preferred style but it was nice to learn. It is very liberating to draw interpretively and not try to be representative. As Emma says … it also feels great to just draw big wonderful feet!

Big and Bold. (Acrylic Ink and Pen)

Perhaps the biggest delight in filling my sketchbook, was finding another purpose for my travel photographs. I wouldn’t repost photos of photos I’ve already shared but pictures of those photos? Why not! Maybe my challenge to YOU would be to recognise and find the originals. 😉

Sunning by the Seine (Ink)

Amanda’s and Zazamataz’s posts were originally about sharing watercolors. I’ve been doing those too, with scenes about and around the coast.

Three on a Beach (Watercolors, ink)

I’ve since moved on to painting larger watercolors. They are outside of my sketchbook and in a growing pile by my table … but maybe that’s content for another blog post.

Do you draw? Would you like to share? Please comment with a link and I will come and see!

16 Comments

  1. Wow you are so talented, these are amazing. I also have those thoughts about blogging! But then I look through some of the challenges and it’s so satisfying when you’ve posted, I’ve learnt to do it for me. Blogging is a great hobby.

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    1. You’ve hit the nail on the head Alison. I blog for myself. When the only reason for posting is getting views, I lose interest.

      Thanks for liking my pictures. Do you paint ? Is this something you’d like to try ?

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  2. Wow, you’re very artistic, Sandy! I really love the expression of color in the “full-page” pieces. I like how some of the designs are sharp and distinct and others are soft and overlapped. Fantastic!

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  4. I really like the 3rd and 4th paintings, the abstracts. They look great! Filling a space is amazingly hard (for a newbie like me)! I recently did a wine & paint class and thought it’d be a breeze but geez was it hard to paint anything. I took my kids to a children’s painting workshop and the teacher said kids usually have a strong vision straight away, and this was true. They just started doing it, with confidence. I was a mere assistant. And when it was my turn at the wine & paint, I froze! Well, I’m more of a pencil and coal person anyway, so much easier to draw than paint! Anyway, I love the prompt: wonderful, big feet!

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    1. I’ve heard of but never been to a Wine & Paint. My friend was a great supporter until she started having more pictures than space to put them. Something which also killed my interest in pottery-making btw.

      I used to think the same, that drawing was easier than painting but I’m coming around. I suspect that with your photographic eye to composition and color, you’d be a very good painter.

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      1. My spouse is a real painter – a house painter – and he can really mix paint perfectly. Comparing to him, my paintings look like a toddler did them! Oh, pottery is another thing I’d like to try!
        Also wanted to comment that I’m happy you found inspiration for a post! I have the same problem. But every once in a while, a post just writes itself in my head, and I jot it down! Mostly nothing, though!

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  5. These are great Sandy 😀 I’ve never felt I was much good at drawing although maybe I could tackle an abstract if the mood grabbed me. For now though my photography is creative outlet enough. But I’ll look forward to seeing more of your efforts for sure!

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    1. These days I don’t do a lot of photography but I’ve found that skills that I learned there are easliy applied to painting. Attention to light and composition being the most obvious.

      Thanks for dropping by Sarah. Glad to hear your interest, despite my lack of photos 😉

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  6. Hey Sandy! I thought of you when I wrote the post about watercolours. I am so glad it spurred you to share what you are up to. Those neurographic paintings are awesome. So free-ing! And this representative art sounds intriguing. I will have to research using ink with the watercolours next. Years ago, I used acrylics in a pen and wash technique, so it should be fun to play around with that again. What pen/ink do you use?

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    1. Big THANK YOU for your post Amanda! I’m so glad to see a theme where painting newbies get to share.

      I use acrylic ink painted with a brush for my abstracts, with black Pigma Micron pens and white GellyRoll pens for the line work. At some point I’d like to try fountain pens for their different lines but I’m not at that stage yet. I’m still working on my representative style … as in representing something that’s recognizable! LOL 🙂

      In your original post you mention collaborative learning. How much interest do you think there’d be in sharing lessons learned vs pictures of completed paintings?

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      1. Thanks Sandy, I’m not sure how much interest there’d be in shared learnings, but I think it is definitely worthy of posting on your Blog. I think blog posts have a history of instructional info. Galleries of finished projects seem to make me think of blog posts that are a bit like a photographic gallery with clipped, one sentence comments thanking the person for sharing. ‘Lessons’ of instructional information are likely to produce longer more involved commentary and deeper conversations. That is just my two cents.
        Zazzy’s art project has taken off from the four of us to three additional members already. Plus other bloggers are playing with watercolours even if they’re not participating in the project.

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        1. I appreciate your two cents Amanda. I feel the same about galleries of art work. Instagram would be a better forum for that. Good luck with Zazzy’s art project, maybe you’ll have similar success to Friendly Friday .. just kidding there, it might get expensive even at $1.25 a stamp 🙂

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