Out with the Old Sketches

Here are a few more miscellaneous sketches from 2011. Here's hoping that when I look back on these in December 2012, I'll cringe when I see how primitive they look in comparison to what I'm sketching then.

If you happen to be peeking in at this blog today, Happy New Year to you! If you're a sketcher, may your  new year be filled with wonderful sketching opportunities. If you're not yet a sketcher, maybe you'd like to start in 2012. There's a lot of satisfaction to be found in pausing and sketching your world!

Wherever your paths lead you, best wishes for 2012!

Problems with Shadows and Reflections

I have a really hard time seeing shadows. I like to attribute this to having lived almost my whole life in Oregon, in the Willamette Valley, where we have overcast, rainy days and can go for weeks at a time without seeing shadows. This doesn't really work as an excuse for indoor scenes. 

 Shadows are hard for me to draw partly because I've always been much more focused on line. I'd like  get better at seeing shadows, and colors, and reflections---and line!  

Here's my current skill level. Among other things, there are definitely problems with shadows and ellipses. This is my baseline.  I'll come back and check in a year to see if I've improved.

In this sketch, the Lindor chocolates are covered in foil and then cellophane, but I have no idea how to paint reflective material like that. I did notice that even the cellophane cast shadows. Who knew?

The amazing thing about this sketch is that I didn't eat any of the chocolate, even after I finished drawing it!

Grid

When I'm uninspired, a grid sometimes helps.

More ODAD Sketches

The stockings are hung, the cookies are baked, the presents are wrapped...it's too late to start practicing Christmas carols on the piano, so I might as well post some sketches.

We used to light this at my parents'  house, now we light it  at ours

GlitterFest 2011 at Linda's, Plum Pudding ornament from Heather

Fun book with great pictures and then a magical movie

Some tiny blooms from the yard

Making omiyage (fabric origami)

Omiyage gifts, stuffed with lavendar

The other night, a few of the Portland Urban Sketchers went to Pioneer Square and sketched the line for Santa.

My fellow sketchers

                                                           Happy Holidays to all!!

One Drawing a Day

I've been trying to draw (or sketch) once each day for the month of December. It worked for November, so I thought I'd give it another try. I really just average one sketch a day since sometimes I get a few done and then slack off for a day or two. I can get the sketches done, but the scanning's taking longer. I could use a scanning elf.  Still, here are a few that I've done this month.

A group of us sketched at Gossamer, a shop that sells yarn and Waldorf School type items. It was a

feast of color and sketching there was a wonderful way to start the month. 

I took a few liberties with the front window, since I was sketching from the inside out and just guessed at what the banner said.

felt and yarn toys, and examples of things to make at Gossamer

Heather, sketching by a tower of yarn.

And here are a couple other sketches. December has been a pretty colorful month sketch-wise.

Well, it's back to the cookie baking. Maybe soon I'll have some cookies to sketch--or at least some remaining cookie crumbs.