[Update January 14, 2024]

Sketch #1—5 in color, quickly applied without erasing anything.

#5, colored

==

Thank you, Barbara, for the beautiful class series "Thumbnail Magic" and for introducing us to Betty Edwards' amazing drawing techniques in this lovely part.

"In all beginnings dwells a magic force ..." — With this line in my mind from "Stages", one of the most famous poems by Hermann Hesse, I created the following drawings of one of my favorite places, which — as the poem describes — undergoes constantly changes, especially with each season, and with what truly matters for me: the vibrant life that thrives within.

#5, shaded (check out the details about the process below)

To give you an overview, I started with a seven-pointed star, focusing on the perception of edges (#1), then moved on capturing the view from there to one corner of my balcony, emphasizing perspective and proportion (#3). There, I enlarged one of the small enchanting bells to explore the perception of spaces (#2), and added a little fairy for focusing on light and shadow (#4), but ultimately decided to apply shading later into the overall composition. Finally, I included a starling, using a photo I took there last year as a reference (also enlarged), to tie everything together and to convey a cohesive storyline to showcase the perception of the whole (#5).

#1-5

 

Definitely enjoyed it, hope you did too!

LOVE, PEACE & CREATIVEFLOW