A 365 day art project… one drawing a day
Old art… not like ‘vintage’, or ‘masters’, but my own, ‘previously done’ art. A nice big page of cheap paper with some kind of black pen, drawn several years ago.
(But actually MY OWN ART, not copying someone else’s art to learn!)
Today’s art: drawing! EASY drawing. Yay!!!
St Patrick’s Day Storytime is coming up this Saturday at work. I get to read holiday stories to the kids, and we give them milk and cookies (if ‘Mom’ approves, of course)… the Cow comes out for a visit, and we have a coloring page I’ve drawn. This time I thought it would be fun to make a Cow paper doll… then every holiday I’ll draw a new accessory sheet with clothes and things for the Cow, appropriate for each season. The more storytime’s the kids attend, the larger their Cow’s wardrobe will be! Plus I don’t have to think up a new coloring page each time, I just draw seasonal clothes and accessories.
I really like doing things like this. No pressure. No stress. No worries. Just fun.
My art for yesterday and today is simple and fun. I was helping my daughter create some coloring pages for her primary grade French classes. They’ll choose a house style, then color and cut out little bits to use with it, and hopefully learn the French vocabulary as well. Some of these ideas came from images we searched, but we needed them independent of their buildings etc. Now I’m wondering if I should add lines to the glass to look like reflective surfaces? (But maybe the kids can use their imaginations. Or maybe there’s just no glass in those windows!)
Oops I just realized I added a little hedge after I took this picture. It was vertical anyway, beside the window and lamppost, so you wouldn’t have recognized it as a hedge, but as a tall rectangular flowering bush, I think!
I received a set of sample dots of Da Vinci watercolor paints so tried them out on the drawing I posted Sunday:
I had trouble with some of the colors muddying as I tried to mix them. Otherwise enjoyed using these. I don’t like them better than what I currently have but am glad to have tried them.
Finally completed these little studies. I think I’ll add some color.
The whole page:
I’m still adding to that pen and ink series all on one page. After I took this photo I corrected some little places, but didn’t take another picture.
This sketch actually came from one I started in a journal last night while waiting for our takeout order to be ready. There’s something pleasant about drawing birds and flowers. I’ll keep adding to this page and post the whole thing soon, as well as that original sketch.
Supplies, and Amazon links: Canson 140 lb watercolor paper, 9×12, cold pressed, not my favorite brand but actually great for this project, using ink, where I want some texture, and where I may add a light wash of paint. A pretty good deal here I think at under $10 for 30 sheets…. drawn with a uniball deluxe micro pen, .5 mm tip… . My favorite pen. It’s waterproof, in case I do choose to wash some color over it. I’ve linked the 12 pack here, because at $24, it’s such a better deal than the individual pen I could fine for $8. (???!!!)But wait until there’s a good price on a 3 pack if you aren’t sure about them. I have found a three pack for $9 before, but right now that is $12. Prices fluctuate on Amazon. The 12 pack micro tip seems to stay close to $2 a pen.
Uni-ball also offers this pen in a fine tip instead of micro, .7mm, for $12.95 a dozen.
(As an Amazon Affiliate I do get a few cents back on any sale made through these links, but I only offer items I think you may be interested in if you are reading this blog, at prices I think are reasonable.) I’m going to order these 7mm pens myself because it’s the same quality ink at a great price, and let you know what I think of them for larger pieces, but I do love the smaller 5mm micro tip!
I spent a few hours drawing these coloring pages for a birthday party at work:
Okay, the hidden message isn’t very hidden. But it’s for kids!
Now I’m thinking several different length strips the same width, with different faces, might be a sort of cool art piece. I’ll have to think about this.
So my post-one-a-day plan hasn’t bled over into 2018 … but I am still trying to do something creative each day. I worked on this yesterday and today. The coolest thing about it is the shiny gold ink!! I don’t know if you can really see how shiny it is… I used Dr. Ph. Martin’s Iridescent Ink: Copperplate Gold. (and Qor watercolor paint, in my inktober drawing pad, 90 lb smooth paper)
I purchased this ink in APRIL and have only used it TWICE now. I do really like it, though, and hope to make myself use it more frequently. I used a thin brush and it worked great, was easy to use, and no trouble with the clean up. (a calligraphy nib would work, too)
I was trying to create a Celtic circle like PearFleur does in this video… in fact, that is why I originally purchased this ink! (She is a favorite of mine… go check out some of her stuff on youtube!) (Remember the Secret of Kells movie from 2009? Beautiful!) I also used the Molotow Liquid Chrome Marker I purchased a month or two ago in an ArtSnacks subscription box. This thing draws a mirror-like silver finish… it’s super cool, but honestly I think I like the Martin’s ink better, although a pen/marker is more convenient. I have the 1mm marker, very useful… but there are larger nibs that might be nice to have. I never would have purchased this on my own, but I’m glad to have it now.
Happy new year!!!
So… I basically did nothing today. That’s me drenched in purple and rainbows, under the FUN sign, hooves on the wheel:
Okay NO, I am not really a fluffy purple unicorn. Usually. But today was spent doing that, and other FUN things, because life should be made of more moments like this… and then I spent 15 minutes on this:
Which is technically art. And look at those little decorated letters… swap-bot worthy.
I can’t believe I only have 2 days left on my project!! And I can’t believe how far I got! And I can’t believe how much time I lost in December! A habit disappears so quickly. Lesson learned, I hope. It takes dedication and commitment to keep doing something when life intervenes and it becomes inconvenient to continue. It is all too easy to fall OUT of a habit, even one you like. But also, maybe a day off now and then isn’t such a bad idea.
My friend’s friend translated that Russian paint box I talked about yesterday and Wednesday. The St Petersburg White Nights. Basically, it is the name and address of the paints and paint company, and also says if there’s anything wrong with it to contact the company and give them the batch number. (As ridiculous as I know it is, it is still a load off my mind… no scary Russian warnings. It must be nice to know several languages, hmm?) Thank you, friend’s friend! And friend!
Off to bed to dream about the last two posts for 2017!!
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