New Drawing in Progress

Lest you should think I’ve been idle, I’ve been working on another picture for my book Butterfly Rolls.  It’s a good chance to share my process as I can pause to scan my drawing as I work.  I’m also trying to build up my portfolio and, most importantly, get quicker at this style of drawing!

Here are my reference photos.  I always think it’s fun to see what the artist was looking at.

  

Here’s the rough sketch I did so I could work out the colors I wanted to use:

Then I lightly sketched the final picture and applied the marker basecoat.  This is always the scariest step for me, as I could easily slip up and ruin the drawing.  I actually did mess up on my first attempt — luckily it was not long after starting.  I always breathe a big sigh of relief after this step is done.

 

Phew.  Now for the colored pencil.  Check back soon!

 

Simple Cat

At least that’s what I was going for!  I restricted myself to a simple palette — a few markers, a couple of ball points, one black pen, one gel pen, and a few colored pencils.  I’ve recently fallen in love with my white gel pen, so this was a great exercise.  I’m disappointed that most of the gel pens I come across are in sparkly or pastel hues any fifth grade girl would gleefully chose for writing notes - ugh.  I really need to find more earthy tones.   

I started with a base of marker on white paper.

  

Then I started layering in the black and white pen and color correcting some areas with the colored pencils. 

The finished drawing.

I enjoyed coloring the faucet – it’s such a simple color scheme. 

I think the result is effective.  I may think otherwise tomorrow (such are the ways with the views of my own artwork — “That’s terrible,” I think.  “Let me do better…”)

And yes, that’s one of our cats, Sally.