(Optional: This blog could be viewed with the backup of a box with of some of the hard-copy drawings and my class journal)
I like doing lots of pencil drawing so this challenge was indeed for me to get away from the standard type of drawings and re the brief, explore different and non-art materials in mark-making.
I found it really difficult to take a drawing seriously if I did not approach it with lots of detail in mind, so this created a bit of tension. It was freeing though to just be able to play and see what happens, and a few unsuccessful attempts were discarded in the process. I did not do it in sequence but randomly at first and later filled in the ones I still needed.
I would not by all means say that this is my best work, but if we were supposed to explore and have fun with experimental mark-making, I did indeed.
The time constraint (especially combined with our other subjects' work load) made it really difficult for me, I like to spend more time planning and executing, but see the value in working within limitations. It forces a different way of thinking and that again brings ideas that would not have been otherwise.
1 Self
2 Animal
3 Food
4 Place
5 Friend
6 Book character
7 Word
8 An animated character
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Reflection: On such small scale, the graininess of the colour pencils that remained even after the water was brushed over, is a little rough. I would rather use only textas, or work more finely laying the wash over the pencil areas, especially the hair.
9 TV show
10 Sweet
11 A turning point in my life
This was made on an old, used little canvas panel with uneven dark rose paint remnants. I pasted used rooibos tea bags (a traditional and well-loved South African speciality) over it, giving it a characteristic aged stain and lovely texture, as well as strengthening the symbolic link between the two countries/lives by use of such specific material. Then I sketched the tower with a Lumograph pencil, and outlined some trees and the water's edge with Inktense blocks, smudging it to create muted, blended forms.
12 A recent accomplishment
13 Comic
14 A fairytale
Lulu has always dreamed of having her own fairy tower! Now she looks out on a garden fringed with forest, fairy lights hanging from the trees and the sounds and fresh air of nature floating up to her...
I was hoping to create a light, happy atmosphere here.
Watercolours, fineliners and masking fluid
15 A family picture
16 Inspiration
17 A plant
My first encaustic painting, as another experimental mark-making exercise. With the inspiration of the beautiful flowers of encaustic artist Alicia Tormey. Bees wax, acrylics and oil paint on A3 acrylic painting board. Lots of practice and skill still needed, but an insightful and exciting exercise with loads of potential. I felt the expression of emotions in the colours I chose, and also in how they flowed together to create new colours and patterns
18 Just a doodle
19 Something new
20 Orange
21 Something I want
22 Something I miss
23 Something I need
24 A couple
25 Scenery
26 Something you don't like
27 Someone you love
28 Anything you like
29 A place I want to go
30 Challenge congrats booklet
Maybe I'll continue the daily drawings!