Cycle Crossing

Week 3 assignment of Sketchbook Skool Stretching:  Draw something with wheels (vehicles, chairs, whatever) slow and careful and shade with cross hatching.  Hey - I finally have an excuse to sketch our motorcycle!

I started Sunday and photo #1 is how much I finished in about 30 minutes, 10 of which was probably just staring at the page hating the anxiety of actually starting.



Photo 2 is Monday.  That was about the time I started wishing I'd picked pretty much any other wheeled object in the garage.  I knew there were a lot of parts, but c'mon!

There are no progress pics from Tuesday and Wednesday.  I was too obsessed with being annoyed by all the details.  Do you know HOW MANY little brackets and screws and tubes and totally useless tiny pieces there are on a motorcycle?  Do you?  I'll tell you.  WAY TOO MANY!  I mean, who designs these things?!?

With the line work finished Wednesday, Thursday's goal was to crosshatch everything and upload before supper.  I figured I could knock that out in under an hour.  Um, yeah, I should know my slow self better.  

An hour later as suppertime loomed and a storm raged outside, my mood alternated between irritation at my snail pace and complete engrossment in the process. I tried not to rush.  I rushed.  I stopped rushing.  Another hour passed and I finished - sorta'.  As usual, there are a ton of places I want to darken up, but it's all practice right?

I told my husband there are simply too many little bitty cycle parts.  He laughed.  I then pointed out the parts of the drawing that are wonky.  He told me it looked good and the "wonky" places actually looked like I did it on purpose - like a caricature.  I'll take that.

Bonus realization:  I don't crosshatch like anyone else and that is a-okay.  More than okay - fabulous!  Starting at the back of the cycle focusing on cross hatching like the instructor, I quickly slipped into my style as I moved to the right.  My cross hatch is just right for my pen, my paper, my art.

An Introvert Slacker Artist Reviews Sketchbook Skool

Semester 3 of Sketchbook Skool is winding down.  I think it's high time for an honest evaluation, don't you?  Say yes.

I like it.  You will too.  It's neat.  Sign up.  The end.

Not enough?  Okay, because we all appreciate detail when considering life-changing commitments, (seriously, this can be life-changing) here's my long and riveting review.

colored pencil exercise - Beginnings

Sketchbook Skool is the brainchild of Danny Gregory and Koosje Koene.  Courses that encourage all folks to start an illustrated journal.  "Art for all."  Haven't drawn a line since childhood?  It's for you.  Graduated art school, then ignored art for decades?  Sign up.  Have your own studio/class/gallery?  You're invited too.  Sketchbook Skool is about keeping an illustrated journal.  It is every day "art."  It is not about creating "Art" to hang in a gallery.

Every one should be checking this out.  EH-VER-EE-WON.

Let me share right away the one issue that pops up as classes start every semester.  Hundreds sign up for each course - from total beginners to established professionals.  It can be daunting.  Professionals post lovely frame-ready pages and talk about commissions and galleries.  Or this appears: "I'm just beginning and I almost didn't post this because it's awful."  But, their "awful" is amazing and lovely and your brain goes all Jim Carey "Oh, COME ON!"  How can I now post my little cat sketch?  I struggled with this at times though I'm not a beginner.  Well, listen up 'cause here's the thing:  IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW WELL YOU CAN DRAW OR PAINT!  (Yes, I yell that at myself regularly.)  IT IS NOT A COMPETITION!  It's not even really about HOW to draw (though lessons are loaded with ideas and instruction).  The whole entire complete idea of SBS is TO draw.  This big illustrated idea is simply TO DRAW YOUR LIFE ... daily.  Little things, big things, people things, furry things, food things ... life things... daily.  (or almost daily)

museum sketching - Beginnings

Tommy Kane detailed style - Beginnings

collection in ballpoint pen - Seeing

So, what do you actually get for your 99 bucks?  Six artists flip through their sketchbooks, list their tools, and discuss styles and methods.  We look over their shoulder as each one shares a multitude of tips on fighting the inner critic and getting busy recording life.  Homework is assigned.  You are free to do or not do the homework.  You are free to post or not post your results.  Some instructors provide feedback.  Some do not.  SBS was not set up to critique student work.  This is made known in the FAQ section of the website, but always seems a bone of contention for some at the beginning of each course.  SBS is intended to let you hang out watching each instructor in the act - to learn from them by watching.  (Watching them is quite fabulous.)  Feedback on posted sketches is mainly from fellow students and, since many are professional artists, is actually a good thing.  Again, this is NOT about showing how well you can draw, but that you actually DID draw.

selfie week with Koosje - Seeing

There are three sessions, Beginnings, Seeing, and Storytelling, with a fourth in the works.  Head over to the SBS website to read about each one.  There is no specified order.  However, I liked the progression from getting started to how we see to telling the stories.  It seems a natural path.  If you truly are a beginner, I recommend Beginnings or Seeing first.  My opinion.  Others may disagree.

I was dealing with my pop-in-law's sudden awful illness through most of Beginnings. A few months later, I participated much more in Seeing.  I'm currently in Storytelling and happen to be in a funk - just don't feel like jumping in the water.   Humph.  I've watched the videos and done some homework.  Some Storytelling assignments involve drawing people in motion... in public.  At the moment, even though I'm excited to see what I can do, it grates on my introvert ways.  I'll get there.  This brings us to a great SBS bonus - LIFE-TIME ACCESS - to videos, comments, and Q&A.  The recent museum sketching came about entirely due to an April lesson in Beginnings.  I was able to review Roz Stendahl's videos ahead of the museum trip.  Knowing homework can be revisited eliminates unneeded stress.  In fact, I first discovered we have lifetime access shortly after my pop-in-law passed away and I'd missed a good portion of Beginnings.  I nearly cried.

watercolor sketching in the great outdoors - Seeing

So, why sign up?  Because it truly can be life-changing.  Honest - cross my heart.  Some classmates have gone from never drawing to daily meaningful sketching.  Notice I didn't say beautiful - not what this is about.  Sloppy and sketchy or neat and detailed, doesn't matter as long as you just DO it.  SBS definitely pushed me to sketch more loosely and more often.  Keeping a written journal is good for you.  Adding or substituting illustration is better.  Some people draw small and write a lot.  Others draw big and write almost nothing.  There is no right or wrong - whatever works for you, and that can change daily.  The more I sketch, the more I notice the stuff of life, even when not sketching.  Past drawings, great or awful, help me remember the moment better - sounds, sights, smells, emotion.  Keeping an illustrated journal is good for heart, mind, body & soul.  This is true especially as we age.  I'm not making that up.  Go read this.

illustrated recipe - Storytelling

Keeping this honest, there is one issue I wish could be addressed.  When I first heard of SBS, I thought - "How cool is this?!"  Perfect class for non-artsy people and a way slackers can get back to it.  I didn't imagine professionals would sign up.  I now understand why they need motivation like anybody else.  However, observing the people interacting in the class, it seems there are fewer "I never could draw" people.  That's the group I would like to see engaged more by the "art for all" theme.  Perhaps letting actual beginners choose an "I can't draw - beginners only" version or Facebook group?  Or, we can just keep hammering away that initial skill is not necessary.  That said, I continue to urge non-drawers to try Sketchbook Skool.  It is a highly encouraging group.  We are constantly reminded this is about developing a habit, not making "Art."  Sign up and, if you like, I'll be your sponsor or mentor or something.  I'll be your cheerleader!

The last feature that actually figures quite large in my appreciation of this class is the Facebook group for class members only.  The camaraderie and support within this group is uplifting.  I've learned plenty of new things from my classmates here, in addition to the SBS lessons.  It is a very active crew - during and between classes.  My SBS peeps totally get the need for yet another sketchbook.  Priceless.

fast reportage-style parade sketching - Storytelling

PS:  I viewed the  Storytelling week six videos after writing the words above.  Wowza!  They are jam-packed with travel journaling ideas from Danny Gregory - ideas that could be used for a cross-country vacation, cross town trip, or stroll to the kitchen.  My favorite week of this semester was Melanie Reim's reportage, but Danny just stuffed my brain with so much inspiration, I think he wins the Storytelling teacher trophy.

Fossil Walk

Yesterday was National Fossil Day and our university museum declared it a free day.  My college self sketched in this museum eons ago.  I've always wanted to go back.  Also, I wasn't able to fully participate in Sketchbook Skool's  museum drawing lesson last April.   The planets aligned & pages of fossils & fur are now in my sketchbook.

6:30 pm  Gather sketchbooks and pens.

6:45 pm  Walk through museum doors with anxiety and excitement.

6:50 pm  Meander... Where to start?

6:52 pm  Empty area found.  With my back to a corner & Roz' warm up mantra in my ear, commence sketch of hugemongous leg bones.

6:55 pm  Two college guys appear nearby.  I start on a whale-ish skull and am distracted - hoping they ignore me.  Mojo gained is quickly fading & I move on.

Other than the fun coincidence of seeing my daughter's college friends, I was alone for about 30 glorious minutes.  Just me and some very old and very skinny buddies.

Then the program for kids ended and a constant trickle of families flowed through the museum.  I need to work on maintaining focus in the midst of varying distraction.  One more page of bones after the mammoth and I moved on to furry specimens.

I intended to sketch people too, but the kids were in zoom mode and I stuck with fur & antlers.  Six pages added and 40 minutes till closing.  The sketching bug was giving way to the food & couch bug.  I wrapped up with a page of blind contours.  Fun stuff.  A yearly museum pass sounds like a pretty cool deal right now.

Oh, and I'm counting these three pages for #inktober 14, 15 & 16.  Halfway there!

Magnetic

August went zooooOOOM!  September will be no different.  Headed to Cali for a wedding tomorrow.  Within days of arriving home, we are headed across the state to a concert.  And there's more brouhaha planned after that.

In the midst of the madness, I worked on a page from the last semester of Sketchbook Skool.  The assignment: Gather items to create a collection.  Trace around them one by one and then add as much or little detail as you like.  Use only ballpoint pen.  I chose our refrigerator magnets.  This page has grown in the quiet moments when my husband crashed in his recliner at the end of a long day.  I draw while he dozes.

I like detail and I'm slow and we have a lot of magnets.  It may take me another month.  Here's the progress so far.

Yawning Milo is not impressed.

YOU could try this with any old ballpoint.  I used my absolute favorite ballpoint pen - the Zebra F-301.  It creates nice thin lines and doesn't smear.  The tip needs occasional blob removal (see the squiggles in the left margin), but that's true with most ballpoints.  Layering with this baby creates a lovely range of pencil-like grays.  The only thing that could make this pen better might be a fatter grip.  That and dispensing chocolate as you draw.  Wouldn't that be perfect?

Me, Myself & Selfies

Sketchbook Skool week two was selfies and, with time to do homework every day and getting to use pencils (YAY!), it was a great week.

The last week of semester 2 is nearly done.  I need to get busy, but first...

Selfie numero uno - from the mirror.  I tried, without success, to avoid the usual stern/sad/concentrating self-portrait.

Left side = friendly me.  Right side = going back to bed.

A couple days later - from photos.  I do not have deep, dark eyes - otherwise, not so bad.

 


Then came quick contours.  The first one is blind - no peeking at the paper allowed.   The second is one line (no lifting of the pen) in one minute.  These expressive faces are the fun meter favorite.

And lastly - cycle-riding me hanging out behind the hubby on the Harley.
(Yes, drawn from my comfy seat while zipping down the highway.)

Enough about me.  YOU should grab a pen and piece of paper. . . . Really, right now, pick up a pen & notepad - or maybe an envelope you're about to throw out.  Take them in the bathroom or bedroom, look in the mirror for a minute.  Select a spot on your face and touch your pen to the paper.  Now, without looking down, draw the lines of your face - hair, eyes, nose, lips, chin (not necessarily in that order).  Don't over think and don't dawdle - just scoot that pen around.

Now look down.  There - that's your laugh for the day.  Repeat as needed - with your face or a loved one.  Better yet, make them try it too.

Naptime

Week 2 of semester 2 of Sketchbook Skool was all about self-portraits - or drawn selfies.  It's been both fun & frustrating.  I'll soon post a bit of the homework.  

In the meantime, the whole idea of this class is to get in the habit of daily drawing - of illustrating life as it happens.  It might be sinking in.  I sat down for a short nap one afternoon and instead wound up drawing the cat napping.  A simple moment of my day recorded in a few minutes of ink.

Drawn to the Kitchen

Draw your kitchen!  That was the final assignment for semester one of Sketchbook Skool.  Doesn't sound terribly exciting does it?  I mean, really, how exciting are appliances and cabinets and such?  Well, it turned out to be a kettle of fun.  (heh heh)

I've mentioned the sixth SBS teacher was Tommy Kane.  His method is to slow down, see the details and spends hours on a sketchbook page instead of minutes.  I gravitate towards the slow and detailed versus the mostly quicker methods of the earlier SBS instructors.  This particular lesson was calling my name so I skipped a couple assignments (for now).

After much procrastinating and the inner critic trying to talk me out of it, I sat down on a rainy afternoon when there was no harvest crew to cook for.  As usual, my persnickety brain was immediately annoyed that the lines weren't instantly perfecto.  I wanted the fridge along the right edge, so started there... without thinking about my hand being in the way as I moved from right to left.  Urgh.  Then, the stove went all wonky.  It doesn't really lean out like that.  "Tommy said to just keep going!"  That was on repeat in my brain.  So, I did - even though the back counter line was angling down & actually the whole drawing was leaning to the left.  I kept going.

I posted this first photo to the SBS Facebook group.  I reasoned, if I get this out there, I will actually finish it.

Over the next week more lines were added, then cross-hatching, then more lines, then more cross-hatching.  (Click on any photo to see it larger.)

Watercolor was next and it made me nervous.  Those wonky kitchen lines had grown on me.  Did I really want to risk messing it all up.  "Oh come on, it's just paper!  Get to it!"  So I did.  First some greens, then the cabinets, walls, and floor.

I started having fun.  Adding color here and there.  Going back into dry areas and enhancing the color or texture.  I thought I was done and posted the photo above.  Oops, missed the middle of the window and a few small white spaces and a few magnets.

Ask any artist - we always see something to change or correct or add to.  I see several areas I could enhance, but this one is done.  This final photo was posted about an hour before semester two started.  I'm so last minute it isn't even funny.  My daughter wants to frame this, but I won't be tearing it out.  Guess I'll have to properly scan and print it for her.

Semester two of Sketchbook Skool started Friday.  We've been celebrating July 4th and finishing up harvest, so I've only watched a few class videos.  Time to crack open the sketchbook!

Sketchbook Dreams

It's been nearly two years since starting this trek and since my silly art class dream.  I had another goofy dream last night - kind of a sad nightmare really.  Much of the vivid story faded quickly.  What I do remember:

I'm at an elaborate exhibit of student work with a mishmash of classmates - high school friends, college pals, and Sketchbook Skool artists.  Our work is oddly shaped pottery.  Observers file by and I am obviously proud of my creative pots.  Then it's time to pack up and Danny Gregory instructs us, one by one, to collect our pieces.  Oh dear, the order is determined by ability, from fantastic to not-so-good.  I wait...  then chat with my SBS classmate Lynn.  Why, yes, she would indeed like to invite me to join her group of artists, but alas, there is no room right now.  "Keep me in mind, I'd really love that!"  

Turning back to the tables of pottery, I realize three of us are left... the bottom of the class.  I am bummed and suddenly realize how juvenile my pots are.  "Now, do you see why you need to spend more time on this?" Danny stands next to me like a stern principal.  "Yeah... I thought this was good."  A totem pole of tiny pots falls apart as I pick it up.  Sigh. I begin gathering my sad pots.  Then the alarm interrupted my distress.

I've deduced this was a combo of my tumultuous first semester as well as the inner critic voice (aka The Monkey) telling me I'm not talented enough or something.  WHAT-EV-ER.  Back off buddy.  I'm just happy Mr. Gregory was the instructor of whatever pottery class that was.  I bet I had fun in class!  . . . .  Oh, wait!  I just thought of the new exercise program at work ... I'm nearly in last place.  Hey!  Maybe the dream is also about my sucky exercise habits!  Yay!... er... I mean, I need to get going on that.  (And sketching.)

Semester 2 of Sketchbook Skool starts Friday.  Woohoo!  I'm off to finish a bit of leftover homework from semester 1... (and of course, go for a walk).

Moving On - or - Sketching Tommy

Life is slowly, slowly resuming some sense of normalcy.  I recall when my Dad passed away five years ago, it was weeks before happy people no longer annoyed me.  The days got better, but we had to experience a year of events without him to adjust to the new us.  We'll get there.

As mentioned previously, Sketchbook Skool mostly fell by the wayside after the first week's lesson.  Fellow participants joined the SBS Facebook group during class and continued on together after the lessons were complete.  I sometimes hung out in the periphery - enjoying the camaraderie and briefly joining in during moments of improvement.

Last week I stepped back into Skool and homework assignments.  Six inspiring artists instructed us and the last week was presented by Tommy Kane.  Afterwards, he wrote a moving letter about what teaching us had meant to him and how we should love our own artwork.  He noticed when posting work, we were overly critical of our own abilities.  I've noticed it too and am guilty.  We must stop.  He instructed us to practice every day, keep going no matter what and, of course, love our work!  My interpretation is mistakes are learning experiences, but also what you did well, even if it's one line, causes growth and helps with the next page.  Always start the next page.

Part of healing is returning to my sketchbook.  After reading that letter and noticing many classmates sketching Tommy Kane, I decided to do so as well.  One pose in this comical video grabbed me.  I draw my feet often, so there's that.  It also makes me want to actually try sketching something with my long toes just for giggles.

Roz Stendahl (5th SBS teacher) recommends warming up with gesture sketches, so I did.  On the third page I used more of her advice to line up landmarks - eye to elbow, chin to knee, etc.  I tend to do this without really thinking.  Focusing more closely was a good thing.

        

Next, moving from the little Moleskine to a bigger multimedia Strathmore book for the "real" page.  Jane LaFazio (4th SBS teacher) begins her pages with pencil, then pen.  I followed her lead and was pleasantly surprised how the initial sketches helped - less erasing.  Last was watercolor and journaling.  The quote (author unknown) fits both the comical page and my tumultuous life.  I'm kinda' happy with it.

Our Day of Color

My pop-in-law entered the rehab facility yesterday.  He responded quite well and showed obvious relief to be out of the hospital.  Optimism was rampant.  Last night I felt ready to dive back into Sketchbook Skool and tackled a colored pencil assignment.

Early this morning it was back to ICU with a not so great prognosis.  Whatever happens, I thank the good Lord for our one day of color.

Sketchbook Skool Bravery

Home renovation continues along with worrying about my pop-in-law's medical issues.  We're on another roller coaster ride.  C'est la vie.

Along with the ceiling painting and pharmacy runs - Sketchbook Skool started Friday.  This six week course is taught by six different artists who keep impressive illustrated journals.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the videos of their processes and learning new techniques.  Week one is already quite inspiring in spite of my lack of homework time.

I finally did a little sketch yesterday and an illustrated page this evening.  If this is going to be a long term habit, it needs to be less time consuming than the pages I did for last year's online watercolor journaling class.  So, I tried less for perfection (whatever that is) and more for just getting the image on paper and adding journaling.  This took maybe 30 minutes.

I was feeling awfully intimidated from the moment I entered the class a few days late and saw all the absolutely fantabulous pages, some by very seasoned artists.  Then I got over it.  I had an inkling I wasn't the only one, so I posted the following to the group's Facebook page:

An observation on feeling intimidated: 

The fantastic work of my klassmates was ridiculously intimidating at first.  I'm a little out of practice, but not a beginner.  Still, I kept thinking "I have no time.  How can I measure up?"  I've seen some similar comments.  I finally kind of yelled at myself "We are all unique & this is NOT a competition!"  Then I did a 5 minute sketch between errands.  Skool is about learning a wonderful lifelong habit.  In addition to our teachers, we learn from each other.  Every artist has their OWN voice and journey.  How boring if we were all at the same point of the journey and drawing in the same style. 

I'm blown away by the beginners diving right in.  You rock!  Anyone out there still hesitating?  Just start - pen to paper and then share.  Don't imagine your page has to be perfect (that's impossible anyway) or even recognizable.  It's YOUR life and YOUR art.  You know we'll be supportive and kind - offering advice when requested.  Get to it!

That was earlier this evening.  So far over 60 people have liked it and there are a bunch of "me too" comments.  Wow!  I guess it's obvious I wasn't the only one feeling intimidated.  By the way, some of my classmates really are brand new to drawing and they are doing fine.  So, random reader, you can do this too.  Grab a pen and slowly draw something simple.  Add a few words.  Illustrated journaling - it's a good thing.

Update:  127 likes and 37 comments.  Yeah, I'm definitely not alone.  Really digging the camaraderie.