sketching trees

Several prompts have to do with trees this week, and I always love trying my hand at trees. It's actually something I feel like I kinda can draw.  So, here's my sketchbook page of trees....

The messy blob on the bottom is an attempt at some madrona bark....couldn't figure out how to show the dimension so it just looks like squiggle lines.  Will have to try that one again.

A year or so ago when I was watercoloring more regularly, I painted these....

Tried a new brush and new technique for this black silhouette one - did about 4 versions of it with varying success of the shadows and sunset behind...

Also experimenting with sky technique here....

This is linked to Butterfly Effect for In the Woods; Draw, Sketch, Doodle for Trees, and Everyday Matters #15: trees as well as Sketchbook Challenge.  I'll also link to Creative Every Day and Artists in Blogland.....Take a few minutes to visit a link or two at each of these great sites.

sketching: mug

Continuing - #4 is to sketch a mug.  This was HARD for me....symmetrical is hard, curves are hard, getting the pattern remotely curved was hard and largely unsuccessful I think.  Who'd think drawing a simple mug would be so hard???

I added a little color this time then a touch of water to my Inktense pencils and that smudged...ah well.  Now if you want to see how to REALLY draw a mug or teacup, visit Tracey Fletcher King - now she's the master of teacups!

As long as I had the sketching stuff out, I also tackled IA (Inspiration Avenue) challenge which is "damask".  Now that's unusual!  As an interior designer, I was really glad to see the damask pattern updated by scaling it so big that it became a statement pattern.  The variety is infinite, the commonality is curvy, organic shapes.  So, here's my doodley damask.

It's titled "An Exercise in Symmetry" - which I suck at, but this flowy curvaceous pattern was sure fun to make up!  I'm also submitting it to the Sketchbook Challenge whose monthly theme for January is Doodles.

read: a gift book from my son A Game of Thrones
taste:  ice cold water
see:  frayed edges on my jammies
hear:  Adam Lambert
touch:  soft velour
think:  what to do on day off tomorrow
feel:  sore muscles from beginning to exercise again

Thanks to Monica at Bohemian Twilight for the idea - she ends every post with some or all of these.... I think it's a good way to be in touch with your "present".

sketching: shoes

My friend hosts an art-a-day for the month of January and I'm using that as an opportunity to get back into regular artistic exploration after the holiday break.

One of my goals is to improve my sketching/drawing by working on it 15 minutes a day (or so).  Everyday Matters has published a list of prompts for daily or weekly sketching and I'll use that as a guideline to get me started....  #1 - shoes.

Not great, but at least I can tell they're shoes. :)  And, the idea is to practice, practice, practice.  If any of you excellent drawers out there (Tracy) have any suggestions/techniques/ideas for improvement on any of my sketches or drawings, please tell me.  I'm totally open to advice and have really thick skin - I just want to improve.  So lay it on me.  Really.

It feels good to be easing back into the creative mode - I've missed it.  I've missed the interaction with blogging buddies and reading about everyone's creative bursts.  Can't wait to get back to it!