Day 5: Dip pen birds

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 1 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 2 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 3 - student project

It suprised me that I enjoyed working with the dip pen! To warm up I tried a few birds of my choice, then I did some owls. I can easily get caught up with details.....

Thank you so much Catherine for this class! It felt so right to me, as my life is rather busy these days. As you say its like yoga: Breathing, being in the moment, shutting up the monkey in my head! So refreshing! Hopefully I'll keep up my practice and get better at drawing!

P.S.: I so enjoyed seeing the many drawings you did! They all looked gorgeous to me!

Day 5: Owls

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 4 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 5 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 6 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 7 - student project

Here a peek at some of the owls I tried last night. I found them really difficult to draw and are not really pleased with any of my drawings. Maybe I stopped too early on some of them! I was tired and rushed a bit through. But I want to give them another try this week-end when I am more relaxed, and of course I want to try my dip pen too!

Day 4: Ducks

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 8 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 9 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 10 - student project

I felt more relaxed today and enjoyed my daily drawing praxis. The reason may be that it was already my 4th day of practice or that I had a glass of wine with my old father today! :) Probably a mixture of both! I feel most comfortable doing the blind contour ones; the more I look (and think) the worse they get: Today I avoided drawing too many details, as they are not my friend and as I tend to do too much once I start!

Day 3: Ibises

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 11 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 12 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 13 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 14 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 15 - student project

I enjoyed today's drawings and felt a little bit more confident, except for the details. They still are my least favourite part to do. I either make too many or not enough, they feel somewhat wrong to me!

Day 2: Puffins

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 16 - student project

My blind contour puffins almost look like strange pre-historic animals!

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 17 - student project

The same guys as in one, a bit more recognizable! I noticed that I always start on the left side and turn clockwise. So I tried to go in the opposite direction for the second one and it felt very awkward. I didn't enjoy it as much. Should I try it more often? Even start in a different place? When I focus on details (feet on left puffin) I have problems to keep the proportions correct.

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 18 - student project

Indicating details on wings is difficult for me! My lines are not really fluid!

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 19 - student project

I was already a bit tired (and impatient) when I attacked this guy, so the wings were done a bit carelessly.

P.S.: I found interesting that you suggested to keep the cap on the pen. I can see the point, but only barely tried it: I have very small hands and broke my wrist a few years ago, so I find that my pens are already too heavy without their caps. :)

Day 1: Blue-footed boobies

Blind contour and semi-blind contour drawings are my favourite ways to draw. I need a daily practice to get better at drawing, so this little bootcamp is just perfect for me.

My hand-eye coordination doesn't always work, sometimes I go a bit fast, but I had much fun drawing these cute little guys!

Any helpful comments are appreciated!

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 20 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 21 - student project

Line drawing: A 5day bootcamp - image 22 - student project

Suzanne Ourth

Letting creativity infuse my life

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