Day fifty-eight of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
I'm calling this piece "something something". Not because it's not evident the source image is an ornament, specifically a paperweight.
But because my drawing of it captures none of that. And I knew it was unlikely to. Given my drawing skills and the fact I went into this sketch thinking, "let's just do something abstract and not worry about photorealism."
For the record: I would love to be able to draw this paperweight in a photorealistic style. Let's maybe give me a good few years before I can expect to manage that, though.
Instead, my sketch somewhat reminds me of the blobfish John Oliver was, once again, engaging with on the most recent episode of Last Week Tonight. Though not quite. I can't quite work out what my rendering reminds me of, really.
Nevertheless, I sketched what is now yesterday's drawing with a 4H pencil. Then I went over elements with a 6B, a 4B, a 2B and an HB pencil.
(No, I don't know what I have against odd numbers either. I'm quite fond of the number 13 and the number 9, if truth be told, so it's nothing personal).
To be honest, I'm not sure if this was a success or a failure. I'll let you guys decide.
Meanwhile, I have a conflicting relationship with what I refer to as 'dust catchers'.
As a kid, I know I was responsible for the gifting of many dust catchers. Items that served no other purpose but ornamentation and, invariably, they catch dust.
To my knowledge, my mother never threw out any of the dust catchers we bought her (at least not for years).
Whether it be a small, purely ornamental harlequin doll or a somewhat practical clear plastic earring ladder, all invariably purchased from our local chemist.
They graced her bedside cabinet with pride because she received them from her children. Paid for with their pocket money and delivered with love.
As I got older, I vowed not to give dust catcher gifts unless they also provided some practical purpose. Thus my oil/vinegar decanter gift to Simon for his birthday in 2019.
Having said that, I do have papers that could do with weighting, but they're not on my desk as my desk space is limited.
So, arguably, I could be a bit confronted by Simon's gifts to me in recent years. But I'm just not. Because they're beautiful.
And at some point, I really need to photograph them properly. Because, especially in close-up, they're truly beautiful.
They remind me of the marbles we had as kids, both in our collections and in the game of solitaire my grandparents had. But infinitely more detailed and intricate.
I don't know the background of the first paperweight he gifted me for Christmas 2018. But the one he found for me for Christmas last year and that I've attempted to render above is a Caithness moon crystal. It is small but exquisite.
At some point, I hope to attempt to draw a photograph I took of the larger one. Stay tuned.