Sketchbook Skool

I have several sketches to share today. I suppose one of the biggest reasons I've been a little more productive lately is because I'm participating in an online sketching course, Sketchbook Skool. There is a different instructor every week and WE are currently in the second week of class. Even so, I have been doing a lot of practicing with different tools and techniques since I last posted. Most of the sketches are in a Stillman and Birn journal with Zeta paper unless otherwise noted.

I've also been thinking of new tapestry designs and that has been a motivator to get into shape with my drawing skills. I have a small tapestry that I usually take to shows and the new cartoon, Hands On follows. I have an idea swimming around for another larger tapestry but I haven't started to commit it to paper yet.

Hands On, tapestry cartoon in pencil and ink. The paper is a tinted watercolor sheet which should hold up well as a cartoon. Approximent size is about 14.25 x 12.25  inches.

Still working from my shell collection, I drew this with a dip pen and black ink, then used some walnut ink to add some tones. Working with a dip pen is a challenge!

Here is a drawing of the new dip pen. i think this is the first one I tried. Also a challenge, notice the smeared signature!

This drawing was done outside with a sample of some beautiful new ink and the dip pen. I also used a new nib JG 303 that will make marks from very thin to almost painterly. This was an even bigger challenge because I had a difficult time with the ink flow but I do like the effect and I want to practice some more with this nib.

Right before Sketchbook Skool started I did this breakfast sketch of tart cherry preserves on a bagel with ink and then watercolor. The first instructor Danny Gregory has a wonderful video on youtube about sketching his breakfast and the tart cherry preserves were inspiring to me.

Some of the first assignments for SS were to start with a watercolor wash, use gouache to create the basic shapes of the subject and then finish with a contour drawing in ink. It had been a long time since I worked with gouache and it was enjoyable and I like the result. The two shells were painted in as shapes over the watercolor and before the ink drawing.

I prepainted a couple of pages with watercolor wash and then tried to find subjects to fit the wash. Wine Goes with Everything was drawn with ink over watercolor and ended with a bit of white pastel pencil.

Laddie at the Gate was done in the same manner as the previous sketch with the addition of a little watercolor and gouache after the drawing was done with ink.

Next, I tried a sketch of Mack's old truck, done in a black copic multiliner. This time I used some colored pencil to add some color. Some of the pencil work was done with Kohinor Magic pencils. These are pretty fun to play with, each pencil has a multitude of colors in a mosaic pattern lead. The colors change randomly as you sketch although you can control it some by turning the pencil. This was the first time I have tried them but it won't be the last.

I have been working up to sketching on location outside so I decided to practice a little in my own yard first. Here is a sketch done in fountain pen with Lexington Gray ink while I was sitting outside enjoying some Spring sun.

Here is the same sketch after adding some watercolor. Very enjoyable sketch!

That same evening I tried using a fountain pen with a bent nib that allows quite a range of line widths to sketch another fountain pen.

The next day a quick outside sketch again of the front of the studio building with some colored pencil for some tone.

Last , my first on location sketch of the season, a garden center in Tulsa. This was sketched quickly in blue sharpie pen and the watercolor was added after.

Hoping to do more of this kind of thing soon and will try to go out on the 19th of April for the World Wide Sketchcrawl.

Almost forgot this one. Working with those Magic pencils again with my cat Purrlie ( Pearl) in my lap. Then Mack snapped a picture of us on my phone and I used it as a guide for the Purrlie and Me sketch below. The Magic pencils are really fun for some loose, quick sketches!