We had our Creative Time-Out last week and it was so fun and inspiring to see what people are working on and to make contact with such nice fellow artists.
This is what I worked on. As of the morning the Time-Out began, I still hadn’t decided on my project, but then, just before we began our Kick-Off Zoom meeting, the decision finally came to me. This collection of drawings is the first step towards a triptych icon of my patron saint, Mengeledd. She lived in Wales in the seventh century and had a great affinity with animals.
As I began, things came together in an unplanned manner - which the drawings on the center panel illustrate. I'd drawn the young woman a week or so earlier, with no idea of how I'd use her. If I had known where the drawing was destined to go, I’d have drawn her and the hare on a single piece of paper that was big enough.
Oh, well. Onwards. But just in case I run into a similar problem in the future (since I don’t particularly like to plan things out), it will help to work on warm white drawing paper because it’s closer in color to the gesso.
I always love drawing. But this time, I took it farther than I usually do. That’s because my drawings are usually destined to be painted over (most of the time with transparent paints so the pencil marks still show, giving more of the look of a tinted drawing than a painting) I usually only work with H, HB, and maybe a little 2B. That’s because the softer, darker leads smear so easily. For these, I used more 2B and then proceeded to 4B. This gave me more value contrast.
For now, I’m putting this fun and inspiring project aside for a while and returning to working on the illustrations for this year’s Christmas book. That means lots of squirrel drawing, because it's their family members who play the central roles. And, I have another book back from my editor, so there’s work to do there. One of the benefits of the Creative Time-Out is that I feel rejuvenated and energized about these “work” projects.
I hope you all had a good week, even though it may have been pretty hot where you are! It sure was here! Hot and humid. But, what does one expect in July and August in the South?
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