Tuesday 29 March 2016

Pen and ink challenge

Last week I challenged myself to complete a small (a bit smaller than A4) pen and ink drawing based on one of my own photographs.  Usually a pen and ink drawing takes me months to complete, but I challenged myself to complete my drawing in less than a week for a number of reasons, not least a recent disapointment (I had 2 of the watercolours I had been working on rejected for an open exhibition which I have exhibited at for more than 15 years).  As I have mostly exhibited pen and ink drawings at this exhibition in the past, I decided to motivate myself to complete a new pen and ink drawing but to give my return a twist by attempting to complete it in what is for me, the blinking of an eye.

I posted my challenge on Facebook and Twitter and completed my drawing in about 2 days, with an extra day for tweeking. 

I called my drawing 'Beside the Lake.'






After a weekend away (Happy Easter!!) I have decided to challenge myself again.

Another pen and ink drawing.  A little bigger than Beside The Lake this time. 

I have already begun a watercolour of this subject, which I've had hanging around in my 'in progress' pile for several months, this in progress watercolour is slightly different to my pen and ink drawing as it contains a couple of figures which I drew from memory. 

The pen and ink drawing is based solely on a photograph which I took last February while I waited for my train to work.

I used a zoom on my point and shoot digital camera to crop the image I was interested in.  A bit of grafitti on an old wall with some wintry trees behind and hints of houses seen through the trees.

I am using Acrylic Ink and dip pens.  


I penciled in a quick sketch of my design based on my photograph.


And then I began to work on my drawing using dip pens and Acrylic Inks.  I'm using sepia and black for this design.

I might use one coloured pencil in addition to the pen and ink.  But I'll think more about that as I progress.


This is about 2 and something or other hours work. 

Hopefully I will do some more this evening and a little tomorow morning.  I'll post tomorow's progress on Facebook and Twitter