At Syn Studio this semester I’m taking a course called Nature Sketching, in which we study a different variety of animal each week. From real (albeit dead) fish we moved on to live reptiles (a snake and lizard borrowed from a local pet shop), and last week we visited McGill University’s Redpath Museum. Our homework was to push one of our dinosaur skeleton sketches further, and fully flesh out our chosen subject. I chose the raptor-like Dromaeosaurus albertensis, a local North american species. Continue reading
Traditional Media
Inktober: Week One & Bonus Nuggets!
So this year is the first year I participate in this thing called Inktober… to be honest, it’s the first I’ve even heard of it since its conception back in 2009. Created by illustrator Jake Parker as a personal challenge, it has since grown into a worldwide phenomenon spanning the entirety of our social media globe! You can read up on it at Jake’s website, but essentially the goal is to draw in ‘ink’ every day of October (there are variations, however). I’ve already been doodling in pen each day for the past while now, so for me it’s more of a continuation of what I’m already doing. Instead, I’m trying to do some speed doodling, and various other ideas that pop into my head. Here’s a wrap up of the first week, with a few extras added for good measure ;)
As a sidenote: I’ve been posting all these (minus the extras – they’re bonus for you blog followers! ) on my instagram account, for those of you who are interested! Continue reading
Playing with Promarkers: A Whole New Ballgame
A belated happy fall (or autumn, if that’s how you roll), everyone! Finally, the season of colours, warm outfits, and harvest is upon us! Speaking of colours, I’ve been really getting into Letraset’s Promarkers; a less expensive version of Copics. These alcohol-based markers are fantastic, and, like their ‘cousins’, come in hundreds of colours… and I’ll be honest, deciding which colours to buy was, itself, quite an undertaking. Knowing my interest revolves around our natural world, I chose my hues accordingly, keeping in mind I would mostly be colouring fur, trees, and flowers. Still, by the end of two trips to the local art store, I wound up with a hefty collection… to start. Still missing my greys, though (using my PITT artist pens for now)! Continue reading
Analytical Sketching: Sum Up
This Thursday will mark the finale of my latest course at Syn Studio, Analytical Sketching. Essentially, it revolved around building up objects and figures from lines and geometric shapes. It really helped me to build upon my basic skills, and I noticed a significant improvement in the ‘3D’ appearance of my comparatively flat sketches. We only ever used pen and markers, which forced us to commit fully to whatever marks we put down. Since then, I think I may have touched a pencil once or twice. Of course, I was already a pen fan to begin with! Here are a few highlights from throughout the 10 weeks. Continue reading
Pen Stuff: Danbo Doodles
For the better part of the past two weeks I’ve been trying to rid myself of a concussion, and for the most part I’ve been doing absolutely nothing. As the doctor put it; “just lie back and enjoy the twittering of the birds”. Under normal circumstances I would probably attempt to come up with something at least mildly witty regarding the consequential insanity that comes with the twittering “birds” outside my window, but as my head is still a murky stein of sludge (redundant, I know) I’ll spare what interesting commentary I may have and offer up some doodles instead. Danbo Doodles! Yes, that lovable little japanese cardboard box creature featured in so many desktop wallpapers, including mine. In my current art class I’ve been working purely in pen and gray marker, and these tiny sketches follow the same formula. I actually love using pen (I believe I mentioned that before…) and the additional depth added by the grays is a treat. Danbo is a great subject to work with too, as it’s so simplistic yet forces the practice of perspective (kind of) and drawing straight lines. Anyhoo, here are a few quickies for your viewing pleasure. Continue reading
Oil Painting: Love & Passion
It has been a busy two weeks, but as I made a promise to myself to post something at the very least biweekly (or do my best, anyway), I’ve sifted through some older art and came up with this diptych. The two pieces currently hang above my buffet, and remain to this day a couple of my most popular oil paintings. They, as I’ve had to explain on many occasions, are not for sale.
Entitled “Love” for obvious reasons. Gotta have my morning coffee ;)
Tea, I find, is more of a “Passion” than love; at least in my case. In fact, I have an entire area inside my buffet reserved for my collection, and tea gadgets galore strewn about the kitchen. Coffee-related tech? Just the maker.
Now, back to work! Have a fabulous day, all! :)
Sunday Sketches: Full Figure Poses
A few weeks ago I attended my first Friday Figure Drawing Workshop at Syn Studio (a bi-weekly event that I’ve always missed out on due to school…). It was a great experience, and I definitely plan on attending them on a more regular basis now that I’ve completed my Digital Imaging diploma. Shown are a few 10-15 minute poses from that night.
Mini Moleskin: Gesture Fest
So there are times throughout the day that I find myself with nothing to do… It is at that point that I pull out my pocket-sized moleskin sketchbook and whatever pen I can find (I generally have a Pigma Micron on me at all times, but recently discovered Faber-Castell’s Pitt Artist pens… so smooth!), doodling whatever comes to mind. At the moment I’m focusing on my gesture drawing; for which the little pad ‘n pen is fantastic!
Continue reading
Sunday Sketches: Portrait Practice!
Checked in at my old Anatomy teacher’s private studio today for some portrait work… turns out there was no model to be had, so I wound up drawing him!
Continue reading
Sabby G Imagery 