Sunday, September 19, 2010

Sketchbook Miscellany

Finally there was a day when I could sit outside and comfortably sketch without feeling the oppressive heat suffocating me. My husband was working on a lawnmower in the garage. I sat in a camping chair out front, in the shade. Of all the things I was surrounded by, this dirty old gas can is what I chose to sketch! (well, technically, I guess everything out there is dirty!) I sketched it in pencil. Then I used tracing paper to transfer it to watercolor paper. I knew of this technique, but believe or not, I had never tried it. I think one of the advantages of it is not worrying about messing up the original sketch. Definitely something to remember if you've lost your confidence or if you would just like to try painting with different techniques!


Sketches from posemaniacs. I had just about forgotten this site existed until someone posted some sketches they did. I filled nine pages (9"x12" sketchbook) with 30, 60, and 90 sec gesture drawings. Then, I went to random pose and did these sketches, untimed. I'm not sure how long they took, 5 mins or so? And for the first time, I realized I could keep the same pose and sketch it from a different angle. (The two on the left are the same pose, rotated slightly.)


This was done mostly while watching Pirates of the Caribbean. I paused the scene at the pier to draw the two men. I loved the guy's face on the left. Very unique! Started as a blind contour in ballpoint, so his face is somewhat skewed, but I like how it gives it a caricatured look. Then I drew the skeleton, bottom left, from memory. I have a photo of a skeleton head that I drew from next, to see how much I had retained in my memory sketch. More meerkats, started blind contour, shading and texture then added. This page was fun to do. See the tilted girl? Do you do that? Seems like there is always at least one drawing on my page which somehow ends up cockeyed!



This is self-portrait #11 of 100. (A redo of it, actually, as the first one was a disaster!) After the first sketchbook I bound, I actually made another, thinner one, using a different paper. Easier to carry around! My first one is a little wonky and I discovered that I had folded the pages against the grain instead of with it. So, this book actually turned out much better! However, I've now made another discovery. I really DISLIKE the Canson XL 140lb watercolor paper I bound in it! (I think it might be their student grade. ) Everything I've done on this paper has turned out dull and sort of fuzzy. It doesn't hold up to scrubbing at all! Here, I had a sketch that I really liked. I made a small mistake near the chin area, and using a technique that Dan told me about, I tried to gently scrub it away. And, I emphasize that I was gentle! Terrible results! The paper disintegrated and nothing I did would fix it. I only realized that it was the paper, and not me, while reading Cathy Johnson's Creating Nature in Watercolor, which I just purchased. (I love the book, Cathy!) Suddenly I realized that I had not done a single painting on this paper that I liked! And really, I think it was this blow to my confidence which started the whole block I've been suffering lately!

35 comments:

  1. Wow, you've been quite productive! I'm glad you're feeling better and back "in the creative flow" again.
    Love your expression in the selfportrait! And the pose sketches are just perfect! (Don't know "posemaniacs" but I think I'll have to google it...)
    I feel you with the frustrating watercolor paper. I've got a watercolor pad which is kinda ok as long as one doesn't use too much water (let alone scrubbing), but otherwise... Urrgh! It was a cheap one though, so I can't really complain. But I definitely know how awful it is to ruin a nice painting because of the crappy paper!

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  2. Good to see you back in the swing - I love the PotC page and the can particularly. Re: Canson - I have come to the conclusion they make lousy paper and I will not even try any more of it - what you have said only confirms this - Fabriano or Saunders Waterford for me - or nice handmade paper of course!

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  3. since I am out of the journal swing doing a drawing class I am enjoying looking in when the
    time is right---loved seeing you pause n'sketch--I wanted to do that with a new CD I got... how I love to sit at the computer and see the details of the clothes this way--far more comfortabable than anyother way I can think of..I always love seeing and reading your good offerings...winna

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  4. I really like your gasoline can! But I am a sucker for water colours and darklines. :)

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  5. Raena, you gave me so much inspiration here, and I so need it right now (been hard to get back to drawing and painting)... You been working hard, good for you these are amazing... The pirates page is great fun, so is the gas can (such a pretty garden fixture : ) and the gesture drawings is amazing. Wonderful work and thanks for the inspiration!!!

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  6. I find that sometimes when you're at a certain 'stages' in life, high or low, you'd produce some amazing things that you never knew you had in you... in your search of your self-confidence in art again, you found something new, and it's obvious in your art Raena. The little things, the gas jug, the humanoid sketch, the skulls, and your self-portrait, they all have improved. Not saying that they were bad to begin with, but the breakthrough is obvious... much like metamorphosis

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  7. All I can say is WoW!! Welcome back. These are really wonderful - fun, unique, and of course, well done. I hope you had as much fun doing them as it appears you did. nancy

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  8. I like these drawings! I'm glad you discovered the problem with the paper--I learn from your posts.

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  9. Another fantastic post Raena! All of your drawings are perfect and I even love the tilted girl.
    I hear you about using paper that won't cooperate. Usually in my case, it's me. But the materials make a substantial difference. At least now you know. Despite the paper, your self portrait is lovely.

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  10. I had forgotten all about Posemaniacs. Your sketches turned out great. What a great way to get a little life drawing in when it fits our busy lives.

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  11. Hi Raena, Your drawings are superb! I didn't know about posemaniacs; great site. I get the gas container; sometimes these containers have the greatest shapes and planes to draw. People, meerkats, skulls, gas cans, what's not to like?

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  12. What a nice variety of art work! You have been busy. I try the Posemaniac site about 5 times a week but, duh! I only do the 30 second drawings. Onward!

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  13. Great sketches Raena...like the gas can the most

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  14. These are so varied and so WONDERFUL!! I love the idea of choosing one image on Posemaniacs and rotating it. Why didn't I ever think of that? And of course your self-portraits are amazing.

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  15. You have been busy! Great that you're sketching from posemaniacs and realize you can do it pretty much from memory - changing the angle. I don't like Canson 100 either. Same results. Get you some good paper, because you are definitely unblocked! Great post!

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  16. What a different styles, Raena! I didn't know anything about posemaniac site, but I took it a look and it's very interesting. (Next portrait with a smile... ;-) )
    Very good works, Raena!

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  17. Raena, beautiful sketches. I really like the posemaniac sketch page composition and the slight overlap of figures. Keep up the good work.

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  18. You're back! I'm drinking in your tips. Tracing paper! Would you believe, I never thought of that. Sometimes I mess up a small detail and then... Doh! Tracing papaer! Disappears over horizon tut tutting at self.

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  19. Glad your back sharing your work. I find it very inspiring to see your artwork and how you share about it. As far as watercolor paper goes, I try to get the most expensive paper that I can afford. It seems like the more expensive it is, the better it is.

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  20. ha ha choosing the oil can when sitting outside, that's the sort of thing I do. It's a great watercolour.

    You have been very productive, well done. I like the portrait despite your paper problems

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  21. wonderful sketches. I love your portraits always :)

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  22. I am so sorry for the erasing fiasco. The same thing happened to me which is why I hesitate to use it. Still it's pretty cool to find out your rut is due to the paper! You probably need to do a PAMO and through the whole ream away, for a fresh start. This is really cool about Posemaniacs - I didn't know you could rotate. I'll have to check that out. I have also never transferred using tracing paper btw. I love your posemaniac drawings and your pirates - I remember those guys. The skewed girl looks just right to me. Lately on my pages I will have a small head appear in the brain of the next person I draw! A mess. All of yours are in proportion. I am truly impressed by your drawings, and honored to have a sketchbook with you.

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  23. I am so glad to see you posting again! All of your sketches look like the time off was worth it. Maybe, maybe not. Anyway, happy to *see* you!

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  24. Hi Raena! I just wanted to stop by and say hi, and thanks for visiting my blog. I've too have not long got over a creative block, so I share your pain. I'm so glad it's all over with! I read an earlier post you wrote on making your own sketchbook, and how you used dental floss. I nearly spat out my tea! Hilarious. You have a great blog going.

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  25. Great pages- love the gas can ! there is something about day the Everyday in lfe !!
    The portrait challenge is a great idea - and challenging in so many ways.

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  26. Raena, Raena.... you have got to get that inner critic to sit down, and shut up... but before that she should throw that yukky paper away. Your work is fabulous, your poses and your pirate page. Let the art feed you... have fun... splash some water and paint...it's just paper and paint after all.

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  27. It's a real pleasure reading your blog. I love your work and I love how you write about it. Your writing is so honest and inspiring. :) Thanks!

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  28. I am overdue for a visit here and wow have you been busy! It's good to see your work again. I like them all, especially the self portrait, despite your paper troubles.

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  29. Glad you are out of the creative 'rut' - I so know how that feels!! Loving all the pics - the 'Pirates' spread is fab! I have been favouriting Cathy's books in my Amazon account since you left your comment on my blog, can't wait for next pay day :0)!!

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  30. Life is too short to waste it on poor quality paper or paints, isn't it? As for the tracing idea, I've been doing that more and more because like you, I end up making lots of erasings on good WC paper that end up ruining the painting process. I can take the time instead with drawing in a sketchbook and then transfer onto WC paper.

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  31. Lovely sketches! I think the one of the canister is great - shows that nothing is too ugly to make a beautiful painting :) I am a bit curious about posemaniac - is that a website? And about tracing paper - is that the blueish copyingpaper that you put between your original and copy in the "old" days or is it some new invention?

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  32. These are great sketches! This is my first time visiting your blog and I LOVE that teakettle in your blog header. PS..Thanks for your nice comments in my blog.

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  33. What a great collection of pictures and writing! I'm sorry to hear about the sketchbook paper problem -- I know the feeling, made worse by all the work it takes to bind the book. I have a few that I gave up on before I found my ideal paper because I simply couldn't make a decent thing with it. I've decided life is too short to put up with lousy paper, to finish watching movies that stink, or reading books that are boring.

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  34. Don't know how I missed this post Raena, but anyway - we call these cans petrol cans - it's good practice to just draw or paint an item close to hand and often hugely satisfying too. It's good even if it does appear to be flying through the sky ;)
    Marvelous figure sketches.
    The pirates - I really ought to follow your example more and just sit sketching lots of things with the same theme on on page. Your skull is great.
    You've done some lovely washes in the portrait and I like the skin tones and those lovely lips! But I'm wondering why do you want to paint yourself 100 times, not that there's anything wrong with that, but I would sooner paint 100 women than myself lol!

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