Whatever 2021 may bring, I’ve decided to keep a regular, healthy drawing habit going. These long weeks of being “locked away” have not been pleasant for me I’ve been self reflecting, trying to find the common denominator in the drawings I make and being honest to myself about my likes and dislikes.
Just before 2020 ended I decided to start a project of copying photo references into a small Moleskine sketchbook. This was to cover as many of my preferences as possible, each time I’d sit down to draw. During this project, I get to draw full figures (as opposed to only portraits), do gestural work (the lightest change in the gesture can make or break the drawing), concentrate on studying values, use black/grey ink only (I enjoy working with the brush end of the dual Tombow pens) and only need a small toolset for it (just a handful of pens and pencils that I can put back in the bookshelf when not in use).
Four or five of these get drawn by me each week. I spend up to 3 hours on each and sometimes start one day and finish the next (something pretty new to me, as I’m always rushing on to the next drawing normally). This’ll keep me occupied for a few more months.
Wordslye 