Sketchy Squares

Sometimes in the middle of a deadline, along with the joy of making art for a book that you are completely over-the-top excited about*, there's an urge to break out and try something new.

A few months ago I cracked open a sketchbook, new ink, a tiny set of travel paints, and a bunch of watercolor pencils I'd been meaning to play with for a long time. The goal was only to make small, quick drawings of whatever was floating around in my head at the time, and to keep it loose. (Must squash that perfectionist beast that makes you tighten up and question every mark on the page!) Each is only about 3" square.

This exercise has turned into relaxing little breaks that fit in the crevices of my day between other projects. Also, it's FUN! You might want to try it sometime.

Here are some of the drawings. I also post them over on Instagram...

*The book is CHARLES DARWIN'S AROUND-THE-WORLD ADVENTURE (Abrams, 2016), coming out in October! Woohoo! (More about this, soon!)

Windy Walk

Long walks feel so good after a morning of sitting at the drawing table.

Everyone enjoys them.

Sketchbook

Watched old home movies last night. So many memories... I laughed and cried and laughed again. Where does the time go?

I Must Keep the Messiest Sketchbook, Ever

I really do admire artists whose sketchbooks are filled with beautifully designed and drawn images. That's not me, though. Mine are more like secret messages to myself. Sometimes I have to decipher what the heck I was thinking about at the time. Oh well. Better to get it on paper than not.

(This is my vegetable garden plan. It's a work in progress.)

Sort of Life-ish Drawing

These are sketches from a little over a week ago, drawn from a children's clothing catalog. (Though two of the kids are from my head... can you tell which?)

Someone on a list I follow suggested drawing from catalogs when you don't have access to live models. A good idea! Every little bit of practice helps.

I found pencil easier to work with for these. Sometimes the kid's faces look like aliens, after inking. I'll have to work on that!

Scribbling Not Thinking

Random scribbles... not too concerned with what they should look like... just relaxing... playing around with ideas...

Full Moon

It was a full moon around here a few weeks ago. This was what it looked like from my front door-- eerie and beautiful at the same time.