My Daily Sketch Practice Journey
Following up on my blog update about how my Black Cat designs came to be, I thought I'd spend a little time elaborating about my daily sketch practice. This practice has really been a journey for me (and it's still evolving, I'm sure). It has been a process of experimentation, exploration, and discovery. Through trial and error, I have experimented with various mediums, sketchbooks, papers, time frames, and limited palettes. Today, I am happy to share that I have found my perfect artistic companions - a smaller sketchbook, measuring 8x8 and under, and a selection of tools that include a pencil, a white charcoal pencil, and gold leaf. This combination has enabled me to work swiftly, hone my value perception, and indulge in artistic exploration.
A big part of my sketching journey was all about exploring and getting myself uncomfortable with the art. I find that I often have ideas but I'm afraid to "mess" things up once I finished drawing from the photo reference. And I would often really try to come up with finished pieces - and that would take me hours. So I embarked on this quest with an open mind, trying out different mediums and more - and within a set time limit. While each medium had its own appeal, I did find myself continuously gravitating back towards the simplicity and versatility of my pencil sketches. I love the pencil. The pencil allows me to work quickly, and capture the essence of a moment without getting bogged down in detail. I have a LOT of pencils in different hardness and softness, but I usually end up just using whatever is close by, usually my kids' reject pencils. And that is fine with me! Even better that I don't feel like I'm wasting my nice pencils on silly sketch ideas.
One of my favorite thing about drawing is also the value aspect. I looooove looking at a picture and just try to figure out where all the shadows and highlights are. I can get really nerdy about that. 😄 I did bring in the white charcoal pencil once I migrated to working on the toned tan papers. The white charcoal helped me to pay closer attention to the light and shadows, and refining my eyes to capture form and depth. If you're using regular white paper, a small pointed eraser is a better tool to help bring out the white for highlights on your paper.
One of the most exciting and unexpected highlights of my sketching practice has actually been the incorporation of gold leaf. This shiny material adds so much fun to my daily practice! I really look forward to this part the most. I decided to use the gold leaf as an opportunity to explore what can make my art more unique, and help add a sense of wonder to my compositions. Sometimes it's a small accent and sometimes a more bold embellishment, but it brings me so much joy every time I get to use it.
Downsizing my sketchbook to 8x8 and under has proved to be a game-changer. The compact size not only encourages me to work quickly (I have only one hour!) and spontaneously but also allows me to effortlessly carry it with me wherever I go. This portability has transformed my daily sketch practice into a seamless part of my routine.
My daily sketch practice journey has been a mix of exploration, experimentation, and self-discovery. Through the trials and tribulations, I do feel that I've arrived at a good spot with a good "team" - a smaller sketchbook, a pencil, a white charcoal pencil, and gold leaf. All of this together has allowed me to work quickly, express myself freely, to experiment, and to find the fun in sketching!