[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 7 May 2022].
keeping my hand above water
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 22 February 2022].
I looked online, but I can't find which artist created this sculpture I photographed at the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 in Zonnebeke in 2014.
I will look again, but if you know/can point me in the right direction, I'll be happy to credit them.
the only way is up
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 30 January 2022].
095 acorn
Day ninety-five of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
So, none of this sketch is perfect. Strangely, I think I rendered Simon's index finger most accurately. And, arguably, the acorn is the worst-proportioned of all the elements in it. Go figure...
I drew the initial sketch with a 4H pencil then overdrew it with a mixture of 2B, B, HB and H pencils.
Editing the source photo for yesterday's sketch inspired a bunch of thoughts. At some point, they may become an instalment of one of my "extended play" 100 Day Project projects: postcard from another's life. I would need to find an appropriate photo in my archive or take the right image to accompany the piece of writing. I'm sure it will happen, though.
I'm looking forward to getting back to other ongoing projects after this one ends.
I think I've reconciled myself to the fact the next instalment of my Love Letters to London won't make it online until this project is finished.
I'm planning to try to get back on track as soon as this project is done. So that it becomes a monthly treat for you (and me!) in the latter half of the year.
Similarly, I have plenty of inspiration and impetus for more digital collages.
I have a series I've previously mentioned to start that's just waiting for me to do some manual labour and some fresh photography in between everything else.
My mind has also returned to a medium that's intrigued me for over 16 years. One I've been meaning to learn and master. I need to work that into my schedule this year.
And, hilariously, my mind has already started jumping to ideas for next year's 100 Day Project. No spoilers! Especially as I may not wait until next year to start on at least sporadic experiments in those areas.
But this year just has a way of throwing those curveballs. Just when you think it's done with all that and going to calm the fuck down.
So, you know, I'm not going to turn into George R. R. Martin and take a gazillion years to write the next instalment. But I'll be honest and tell you I'm doing what I can to keep on top of things and get back up to date with things like my Love Letters, but life has a way of getting in the way.
I hope you understand xx
044 plastered
Day forty-four of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
Despite going to bed at a "reasonable" hour yesterday morning (read: about 2:00), I didn't actually get to sleep until around 06:00, and then I was up and at my desk working at 08:45. Somehow I'm not yet comatose after 2:00 the next day. I have had my moments, though.
Lack of sleep notwithstanding, yesterday was a good day. I'm so unimaginably thankful for that.
I finished work at a semi-reasonable hour yesterday, but I took some time to message my good friend, Don, and run some errands last evening. Consequently, I still ended up starting on my sketch after 23:00. No regrets.
I managed to finish my sketch with about 15 minutes left of the day.
I picked this snap of my right hand from 2017, demonstrating my bad skin-chewing habits, to try to sketch today.
My forefinger is too long and a little too slim. My middle finger too stubby. (I blame trying to fit it within the page constraints). This then means my ring finger and my pinkie are even stubbier in the sketch than they are in real life. Not to mention the pinkie is fatter than in real life.
My hands (and feet and height) haven't increased in size since I was 11 years old. Whilst I like having small hands, I've always felt they were a bit chubby and not as graceful and lithe as other women's. So it's kind of jarring that I managed to make them look even more chubby and stubby in my sketch.
My thumb's actually relatively reasonable though the angle of my nail is a bit off. The webbing between my thumb and forefinger appears unflatteringly correct. But it occurs to me the creases near the base of my thumb look a bit vaginal. Haha. Oops.
As has become my habit, I sketched this with a 4H initially. I then added some shadowing with a 4B and accentuated the outlines variously with a heavier 4H and an HB pencil. I also attempted to smudge the shadowing with my finger. But that doesn't really come through in the photo of my sketch.
As I was finishing off yesterday's sketch, it occurred to me I've inadvertently developed a style with my drawing. Much the same way I've previously developed one within my photography.
It wasn't intentional. But at almost halfway through the project, it's just kind of happened.
My drawing ability varies from day to day, subject to subject, but I'd say that my style is coming through, whether I like it or not.
For what it's worth, I think I did a fair job on the plasters (Band-Aids for my Australian, Canadian and American friends) and the ends of those two fingers.
020 self-portrait with contouring sponge
...or is it a buttplug?
Day twenty of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
So, it was inevitable that, at some point, I would sketch humans. And inevitably, myself. But I thought I'd start simple with a photo of my hand and a contouring sponge.
There are a number of my photos I want to try to draw. Some are more complicated, including self-portraits. So I want to build up my confidence and skills with shading first. And, also, attempt them on days when I have more time to really focus on the task at hand. Hopefully soon.
This is a drawing of a snap I shared back in November 2018 to capture the amusement I had at the new (to me, at least) shape and design of The Body Shop's contouring sponge.
I used an HB pencil for the base of the drawing.
Then a 6B to shade the sponge. Attempting to use the side of the lead to varying levels of success.
I used a 2B pencil quite ineffectively, in my opinion, for the lighter, longer shadows.
And a little bit of HB for the even lighter shading.
It's definitely not photo-realistic but not a terrible artist's impression.
I hope you're not finding my learning process too tedious!
I'm hoping to get the next instalment of my Love letters to London out to my Patreon patrons this weekend!