Sktchy30 - The halfway mark, meeting the challenge

There are plenty of challenges around. A recent one was #oneweek100 people; there's the 365 day drawing challenge; Celebrate ink in Inktober, etc. Frequently, I have started a challenge with enthusiasm and optimism only to abandon it halfway through. Sometimes it was due to the choice of prompts which were uninspiring (to me) sometimes other matters took priority.

When the Sktchy app came up with #Sktchy30 I thought that it was something I could achieve more easily than most of the other challenges. Each day a prompt from Sktchy arrives in my inbox. As an example, describe the rituals that get you creating; incorporating play into your work; the use of  colour; describe your workplace/studio environment.

Since the email arrives in Australia in the afternoon(early morning in the US) most of the day has passed before the prompt arrives. I prefer to start drawing early or even the day before which make using the prompt difficult. So I decided from the beginning to create my own challenge:

• to see if I could use a different medium or try a different technique each day.
• If time was an issue on a particular day then the sketch would be quick 5/10 minutes
• If I had more time on another day, and had already completed a sketch, I would start something more ambitious to complete another day.

If I'm working later in the day and I can incorporate the prompt that is a bonus. So far the prompts have been more motivational than a specific theme or subject and my plan is working. I also remembered a toned sketchbook that I had hardly used. Experimenting with various mediums on this surface has been an interesting exercise. I think I might even grow fond of the paper! 

Here are some of the work created during the last two weeks. 

 

Watercolour on Alpha paper

 '

Gouache on Alpha paper

Quick contour drawing - ink and wash

 

Digital drawing - Procreate

 

Colour added - Procreate

 

Gouache on Strathmore toned paper 

Experimenting with masking fluid and watercolour 

 

Mark Rothko - screenshot from a video about the artist

 

Portrait of Evelyn Nesbit - gouache on toned paper

Gouache on toned paper

 

Digital drawing - Procreate

 

Ballpoint pen, white ink and gouache

A Prize for Portraiture

Last night at the Nundah Village Art Show my portrait of Daniel received Second Prize in the Portraiture category. I had a giggle when I saw the painting displayed since the sash for the prize is almost larger than the portrait!

Portrait of a Boy - watercolour on Ampersand Claybord 250mm x 250mm 

In a recent post I discuss working on this portrait - you can read it here.

More about the process of commissioning a portrait is on the Commissioned Portraits page