Another day and another completed sketchbook. This time it’s an A5 sketchbook, the cork covered Talens Art Creations one which I love. The white paper is a firm favorite for me, but not everyone loves the paper stock used, which does differ from their regular cream paper sketchbooks.
The YouTube video with a full flip through and discussion of the work is included at the bottom of this blog post, but I’ve added a few photos from the sketchbook in case you’d rather get a glimpse without watching the video.
I’ll also link to other blog posts if any of these pages are relevant to them!
September Challenge Inspiration
The below sketch is what inspired me to dedicate September to using Neocolor 2 crayons. I love the texture I was able to get with this very basic drawing.
Using Neocolor 2 water-soluble crayons to create a full spread of a food place in town
New Palette Thoughts
As I was going to Porto, I wanted to put together a small palette inspired by my Jeanne Dobie palette, which was created with the help go her book ‘Making Color Sing’. Unfortunately the Rose Madder Genuine from Winsor & Newton did not set, and became a much by the time I arrived in the UK.
Swatches and doodles feature heavily in my sketchbooks
The trees in the drawing below were created with platinum ink in my Sailor Fude pen. I love the texture created.
I also use sketchbooks with ink and wash – like this drawing for an Emma Carlisle Patreon session
Color Swatching
Never underestimate how much we learn just from swatching. I am teased endlessly by my fiancé regarding my swatching skills, but I do believe that it’s helped me to better understand how an art supply works, as well as a better understanding of color theory too.
Swatching colors over existing drawings is a great way to make use of empty areas of a page
Swatching beautiful Neopastel oil pastels and Holbein oil pastels
A sketch done at Schiphol airport while waiting for a delayed flight
Sketches of animal portraits, done on a train from London
Porto, Portugal
I went to Porto for a business event, but I was determined to get some time for art too. The first drawing is overlooking the iconic bridge – who’s name I have temporarily forgotten – and the second is from the port house side, drawn from a photo snapped while heading to a tasting.
I enjoy both of these drawings a lot.
A colorful drawing of Porto where I went in September
Another drawing of Porto, but this one is from a photo, using Neocolor 2 crayons
Simple drawings – a black bird on the left and a still life on the right
Thumbnails drawn during a workshop at the Forum in Groningen
Another page from my sketchbook that was done during the 10 years anniversary of Urban Sketchers Groningen.
Drawing of a man using tomboys and pencil, the drawing on the right was a still life at the pub using Neocolor 2 crayons
Two portraits drawn from a Sarah Dyer Patreon session – I really like how these both turned out.
A page of quick sketches, these were done while on a train to London to meet up with a good friend. I love the brightness of the colors here.
Another sketch done while in the UK, this was from an old UK countryside book I bought a while ago. I love the colors and details.
Quick sketches of my brothers while back in the UK
Part of Katie Moody’s Patreon birthday month – traveling the world
Another spread from the Katie Moody world Patreon tour, this was done using my Roman Szmal palette as a base later and pencils on top.
A page of gorgeous color from a set of square oil pastels that everyone should have in their art supplies stash!
A final page, this was the ‘drawing narratives’ session in Emma Carlisle’s Patreon. I really enjoyed this, and recorded a full video on another version.
Another swatch page, at the end of this sketchbook, testing out new to me watercolor set.
