Art Book #1

Blue, BLUE, bLuE

While we were at the beach, I collected photographs of the wildlife there—seagulls, anhingas, geckos, and more. I saw several alligators, but all were while driving past so I couldn't get a good shot. Even now, back in the very alligatorless foothills of Tennessee, I still find myself combing bodies of water looking for them after a week of doing so in Carolina. 

I am going to draw them all, just as a fun project and some good practice, and decided to do it in blue colored pencil. But which hue? Today I messed around and sketched some random animals from magazines and books, seeing which one I like best. I've settled on Dark Mineral (the seal and racehorse). I like the purplish tone and the lead is a bit softer than the others, which is nice for sketches.

I'm using colored pencil because it doesn't smudge and get everywhere like graphite, and you can't erase it. Yes, believe it or not, I have banned erasers from this project. It helps me focus on capturing the lines and value faster and better, instead of earasing and redrawing and erasing, trying to get them perfect. It helps build confidence, and you'll improve faster by focusing on mood, action, and anatomy rather than sweating over details.

My favorite is definitely the seal! I love the overall shape and dynamic of his pose. I got him and the horse out of an AiG magazine.