The Art of a Sketchbook

Personify People

As a rule I do not draw people.  And I could never do a commission of a person because there is too much pressure to render the true likeness.  But since my sketchbooks are personal and no one ever sees them, until recently that is, I occasionally will make a feeble attempts.

Grampa #1, Sketchbook, © 2012, Nancy Van Blaricom

The first sketch is a contour drawing I did from a photo of my grandfather when he was young.  Love those contour drawings ... or have I told you that already? First I did the standing version and was very happy with, not that it was even close to what the photo looked like, but, that it looked like a human at all was amazing to me.  Then I started sketching some heads to see if I could do any better.  I wasn't able to and yet I was very happy with these also because they still looked like a male person.

Grampa #2, Sketchbook, © 2012, Nancy Van Blaricom

I was happy with the above contour drawing also. It was a full page in my sketchbook and in both this and the one above I used my Lamy Fountain Pen.

A napper, Sketchbook, © 2012, Nancy Van Blaricom

When I'm in the mood to sketch a person no one taking a nap is exempt.  This one was not a contour sketch, although the arm /  sleeve gives the appearance of a contour sketch.  Maybe I started it as one but decided it was going badly and decided not to.  I used a ball point pen on some scratch paper and then glued it into my sketchbook ... More on that in a future post.

The nappers shoes, legs and feet, Sketchbook, © 2012, Nancy Van Blaricom

Hubby stayed still long enough during one of his naps to be able to contour sketch his shoes and legs.

Lounging with my feet up, Sketchbook, © 2012, Nancy Van Blaricom

There are times I know I should be accomplishing something but maybe lack the ambition to do anything, in the hot afternoon heat of summer, other than to sit on the deck and prop my feet up and sketch them.

Until next week ... Keep on sketching !