Been Sketching

**jennaboo88** · #1 10-17-2011, 02:59 PM

Hi there everyone,

I must face it - I am in a slump. No matter what I try to start, nothing seems quite right. While this is frustrating, I have taken to doing some quick sketches in the meantime. It's actually been pretty fun not to have to worry about making mistakes. Since I don't have anything new in the works right now (yes, my self-portrait has ground to a halt for now), I'll post my sketches anyway.

These are all done with Faber-Castell ink and markers (black and sepia). All of the sketches are 7x10 inches or smaller, drawn in a field sketch book. They took anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour each. It's been fun to relax for a change.

Some of these are from imagination, while others are from reference images.

C&C are welcome. Thank you for looking!

This one is just......bad!

It's a caricature-like portrait of my cat, Scooter, who is quite timid and spooks easily, poor girl. I wanted to convey the stress she must feel sometimes in this quick sketch.

It's been light-hearted and fun, anyway, until my next real project gets my attention.

**luicre** · #2 10-17-2011, 04:00 PM

Jeann I love your sketches. Have fun!. I think we all uave those slump`s times, but free sketching it`s good.

Saludos

Luicre

**SparrowHawk7** · #3 10-17-2011, 04:14 PM

That's some mane! I am reminded of Monty Python in the last one.

You could try to draw a hat .. that always perks Michael up.

SAM of DE. · #4 10-17-2011, 04:47 PM

love that little bird, looks like a baby robin. great feathering.

equinespirit · #5 10-18-2011, 04:59 AM

Great idea Jenna and I love the cat!

I had a go at this a couple of weeks ago , my son said mine looked like a chimp had done them

Studio-1-F · #6 10-18-2011, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennaboo88

It's actually been pretty fun not to have to worry about making mistakes.

I think these are great! Life is too short to have to worry about making mistakes. Sometimes your own hand/eye says to you "Gimme a freaking break! Can't we just have some fun??!!" I especially like the bull. He is the most loose, relaxed, and expressive of all of these. Please: Keep having fun! Your sketches are simply great.

Jan

Wassie · #7 10-18-2011, 12:18 PM

You have the right idea ... when in a slump try something new.

**jennaboo88** · #8 10-18-2011, 07:01 PM

Thanks so much, Luicre! I've been sketching nearly every day...it's more fun than I remembered.

Thanks Ken. Yes, some mane indeed! It started as a careful drawing of a horse with a beautiful curved neck, but my line wobbled as I drew it, so my careful drawing ended up like this!

I think I'll leave the hats to the hat experts.

Thanks Sharon. You are exactly right - that is a baby robin. I used a reference image for that one.

Thanks, Sarah!

Keep on sketching, despite what your son says!

Jan, thank you very much for the encouraging comments! I really appreciate it. You are so right about needing to relax and have fun for a change! After all, if art isn't fun, what's the point of doing it?

Thank you, Quwatha! I really appreciate it.

Gerri Mc · #9 10-19-2011, 06:13 PM

Hi Jenna! These look like great fun! Nice way to loosen up!

**jennaboo88** · #10 10-19-2011, 10:21 PM

Hi Gerri. Thank you so much!

I do look forward to trying something more detailed soon...but this is kind of fun in the meantime.

**ArtsyBren** · #11 10-20-2011, 04:07 PM

These are lovely, Jenna, especially the bull. Nicely done!

I'm with you on the slump. Can't seem to start anything and finish it lately but I'm for fixing that. The only way I know how is to find something that inspires me and start drawing. Found something yesterday and will start tonight!

**jennaboo88** · #12 10-21-2011, 12:30 PM

Hi Bren. Thank you so much!

I'm sorry to hear you've been in a slump lately, too. Must be the season or something. Ever since I finished my longhorn, it's been hard to dig into something new. I'm glad you've found something great to draw!

Gerri Mc · #13 10-21-2011, 07:32 PM

I wonder is it the time of the year? Everything slowing down in preparation for winter (well in the northern hemisphere anyway)? I have 3 pieces to finish and have totally lost interest!

**jennaboo88** · #14 10-21-2011, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerri Mc

I wonder is it the time of the year? Everything slowing down in preparation for winter (well in the northern hemisphere anyway)? I have 3 pieces to finish and have totally lost interest!

You too?

That is too bad. The good news is that slumps often break with a wonderful drawing. I don't know what it is...maybe we need the time away from the pencils and pens to think about drawing so we learn more for the next piece? Anyway, I hope you get some inspiration soon, Gerri.

**SparrowHawk7** · #15 10-21-2011, 11:54 PM

With me, it's probably due to spending so much time doing a drawing .. I feel an emotional release when I complete one. I can rarely pick up on another drawing for at least a week - I can't change emotional gears that quickly. I'm not exactly sure what happened at the end of last year, but I haven't been able to motivate myself to draw anything since then. This has happened to me before, but only for a couple months.

But then again, I have other mediums in which I work, such as woodworking, so I have an outlet for the creativity. Still, it would be nice to feel motivated to draw again.

Salute to our Partners