Mall Sketches

I went to the mall today to sketch for awhile with a friend. I haven't done that in over a year! I think I have grown a lot since then. Here are some sketches of people I saw...and a mannequin.

Now that school is done and I have a lot more free time on my hands, hopefully I will be able to do this more. It is good to practice drawing from life and I realized I haven't drawn people pretty much all semester, so I should get back into that!

My goal is to do a page in my sketch book everyday. Let's see how it goes.

Moto's Tent

HOT OFF THE PRESS!...I mean scanner....I mean...you know what I mean. I just finished my LAST drawing for my book dummy! Now I just have a few more sketches to finish and then bind my book somehow. Just a few days left!!....back to work!!

Magnificent Moto

3 finished drawings down, one to go! I think I surprised myself with this drawing with the amount of color I used, especially in my shadows. I usually have flat, dull shadows, but I think I did alright with them on this one. I think I should focus more on that. Also something to work on is not making my darks so dark! I don't know what everyone else thinks, but sometimes I'm afraid my images are too dark. Most children's illustrations are bright and happy and colorful...not that it has to be that way, but I think there is something in that, and I would like to capture that a little more. However, in my own defense, this image is meant to be dramatic so I think dramatic lighting is appropriate. I like dramatic lighting sometimes and I don't want to lose that, but I also don't want dark images that you can't see very well. I need to find a happy medium.

Asani The Lion, Children's Book

I'm on my way to finishing my children's book dummy! Two more colored drawings, 3 more sketches, and a better draft of the manuscript! I don't really have a title for the book yet but hopefully that will change soon. I like where this book is going, so I really hope I get to do something with it....like PUBLISH it! I am pulling back on my process and trying to make it a little more simple. I didn't make my own background color and texture this time. Instead I bought some pastel paper that is already textured. I also sprayed it with fixative so see if that helps. I'm still trying to figure out how to stop my drawings from fading after a few days!
School is almost done. About a week and a half and it'll be all over. I've briefly thought about Grad school, but if that's what I decide, it wont be right away. I need to try the "real" world for awhile. I don't want to stay in my safe little cocoon, I like to call school, out of fear. I have to be brave and jump into the world and see what happens because things aren't always as scary as they seem. I'm ready for an adventure, and what better adventure to go on, than life?