Tag Archives: how to sketch

Got the Doodle Bug

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I really need to be sketching more - days go without me even putting pencil to paper. So I got out one of my many sketchbooks the other evening and started drawing my foot.

doodleA

I used the contour drawing technique as described by the brilliant Betty Edwards in her book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Have you got it? I’d get it if I were you - especially if you are doing anything creative - it helps get your right brain activated which is more creative than your dominant left brain. Click on the image to go to a listing to buy this book - you won’t regret it.

I had lost my well-read copy and so bought a new one last week.

The book that has taught me the most about seeing and drawing

The book that has taught me the most about seeing and drawing

 

Anyway - back to the foot. It was so relaxing to just concentrate on that ONE thing - right there under my nose that I then moved on to a nearby Swiss Cheese Plant leaf and then my purse on the table beside me.

DoodleBAll fueled up now I started doodling from my mind and there are the results above.

Doodling - putting your mental images onto paper - try it sometime:)

Sketching Geese in Pencil

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This morning I had the urge to put pencil to paper and geese were on my mind. They appeal to me because of their associations with fairytales and golden eggs and a bit of magic. They also make good guard dogs and one once bit my father’s thumb really badly.

A real gaggle of geese! Pencil sketching for practice.

A real gaggle of geese! Pencil sketching for practice.

I use big A3 pads of cheap paper from Poundstretcher etc so that when I draw and doodle I’m not worrying about wasting good paper.
I used a Derwent Onyx Medium pencil to draw.
derwent-onyx-pencils

G1
I fancied doing a few heads and one or two full bodies and this was a really good learning curve for me.

Drawing the first one I was totally drawn (excuse the pun) to her curvaceous and plump body and especially to her gesture as she stepped forward - her sweet webbed feet over-lapping each other …
lady goose

G2

The next one was a sweet looking goose with an angelic head.
goose1

G3

After that I saw this old looking one with a great angle to his head. Fun to try and get that down on paper - some shape!
goose2

G4

The last one I FORCED myself do as I would normally shy away from something so difficult.
G5

Again - learning to see is the main problem - not learning to draw! To help with that I would recommend “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards.
images
You will come on in leaps and bounds - I know I did. You’ll love it - it really puts you into orbit about drawing and observing - such a phenomenal book. No wonder it has become a classic.

A while ago I took photos of real live geese near Caerphilly Caste not far from where I live. This is a watercolour I did of one of them. She was a real beauty.

goose etsy

I hope you’ve enjoyed these simple sketches.
Alison