A 2016 Success - An Injection of Color

Hi there. How are you?

Last week, I started a series of posts to celebrate my successes in 2016 and look back at what I've accomplished. Click HERE to read the first installment.

This week, I'm talking color. For years (easily a decade) I have been drawing/doodling with Bic ballpoint pens. I only worked with black ink. Don't ask me why, it was just always black. Here's a "vintage" ballpoint drawing from way back in 2008.

A Moleksine drawing from 2008. I must have been listening to Bowie at the time.

An injection of color

As I discussed in a previous post, I bought myself a package of Bic Cristal Xtra Bold ballpoints in 8 colors. I started drawing in color and never looked back! You can read more about that transition and my earliest colored ballpoint drawings HERE.

For the first time ever, I started drawing with colored ballpoints.

A few of my first sketchbook drawings with a colored ballpoint.

I experimented with every color in the set, but I kept to one color per drawing. That was just the parameter that I made for myself. I was trying to cling to just a little bit of minimalism I guess or maybe I was worried that they wouldn't look "fine-arty" enough if I used more than one color.

The first sketch I made with more than one color. Using two colors adds more dimension to these compositions.

Two toned

After some encouragement from an Instagram acquaintance, I decided to expand my tonal range. This was my first ever two color ballpoint drawing. I really like the the depth that the dark blue provides when layered on the lighter green.

There was no stopping me after that.

Multi-color ballpoint sketchbook drawings from 2016

I was onto something.

And I like that something. I'm happy with the way things are progressing in my practice and I'm excited to do more. Now, I just have to finish this large12" x 18" drawing I started back in September!

I started this large 12" x 18" original drawing back in September. One of these days, I'll actually finish it!

Follow the journey on Instagram

If you'd like to see what I'm up to on a daily basis, do follow me on Instagram. I try to post there daily and often post process videos in my Instagram Stories feed.

Want to see how I make these drawings?

This post has gone completely viral on Pinterest and I've had a flood of requests for information about how I make these drawings. So I made an e-course! 

Not interested in a class? 

Join my mailing list. You'll get access to a hyperlapse video of my drawing process. Expect emails from me about once a month with more behind the scenes content.  You'll also be first to know about about new work and exclusive sales. It's a party. Trust me!

Ciao! Jen

Daily Drawing Complete!

Hi there. How are you?

My Creativebug 31 days of drawing challenge is complete! It was a great experience and I'm proud of the work I created.  Click HERE to see the first 12 days of drawings. Here's what I've drawn since I last posted:

Daily Drawing Challenge, Day 13-20, January 2016

January Daily Drawings - Days 21-26

January 2016 - Daily Drawings days 27-31.

So, I decided to make the Day 29 drawing the large one in this vignette, as I like it much better than day 31. I didn't have a whole lot of time to draw those phones, and it's not my most successful drawing. At least I still did the drawing, right?

What's Next?

I woke up on February 1st feeling a little bit of a letdown. With January's drawing challenge complete, I just didn't know quite what to do with myself!

There are actually 2 different February drawing challenges out there and I was planning on taking part in one or both. I sat down to draw yesterday and was just not enthused about either course. I guess I'm getting a little tired of someone else telling me what to do (although that was quite comforting over the last month. ) 

I've got my own subjects to tackle and I'm ready to get cracking on these! I want to do a special drawing so send out to my mailing list later this month. I want to draw wine and coffee illustrations to complement my beer tea towel design. I want to finish up my second coloring book.

I'm not going to give up the practice of drawing each day, and posting them on Instagram, but I'm going to draw what I want to. If the prompt in one of the daily challenges seems appealing, I'll draw it, but I won't feel beholden to the draw what's been prescribed for today.

That's all for today!

Ciao friends. I have to go draw. See you here next week! Like to see what I'm up to in the studio on a daily basis? Follow me on Instagram.

Daily Drawing Challenge and A Belated Happy New Year to You!

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know it's almost the end of January, but 2016 has been slow going for me. I'm finally getting into the swing of things, and now I am ready to kick some 2016 a$$!

I'm taking part in the Creative Bug 31 Days of Drawing during January 2016. Click to see all of my daily drawings.

Daily Drawing Challenge 2016

To kick-start my creative practice in 2016, I'm taking part in a daily drawing challenge, organized by Lisa Congdon, one of my artist heroes. Each day in January, she has selected a different subject to draw. It's been awesome to have someone tell me what to do, and I look forward to drawing each day!

But Sometimes It's a Challenge

Some of the subjects we've drawn this month have been totally in my wheelhouse. Drawing these root vegetables was a breeze. Other subjects, like watches and cats, were outside of my comfort zone and I had to really push myself to do the drawings. Even if I'd have varying degrees of success with these daily drawings, I've learned and grown much.

Daily Drawing Challenge - Days 7-12, January 2016

Follow Along on Instagram

I've been documenting each of my drawings on Instagram. I invite you to follow me there. It's been fun to see how other artists have approached the same subject matter. I'm learning as much from my fellow artists as I am from doing the drawings myself!

That's all for Now

I've got lots of big plans for 2016. Check back soon to see what I've got brewing. Ciao!