Daily drawings in January

This month, I've been participating in Lisa Congdon's Daily Drawing class through Creative Bug.  It has been fun and enlightening.  I can draw some objects so easily and struggle with others - but the wonky look is "in", so I'm good!  Below are a few of my favorites from the month.

day 9/31   Bird

As I was deciding if it was still bright enough to take a nice photo of my bird drawings, I spied my little chicken pincushion (a purchase from this year's International Quilt Festival) and plopped it ontop of my sketch pad as a prop.  Too bad I didn't spy it before I filled my page -- I could have sketched my stuffed birdie!

day 14/31   Fern

The day I drew the Ferns, the Houston Chronicle had a front page story on Ferns (front page of Section E).  I had to include this front page in my photo shoot -- wouldn't you?  (Again - I spied the page after I had filled my page!  must work on my timing!)

day 16/31 Apple

By now, I'm loving the posing of each sketchpad photograph but on day 16, Apple, I had only bananas in the house.  But there are apples in the quilt underneath my sketch pad - so that counts, right?

day 20/31 Fork

Drawing the forks was a challenge.  I did try to draw handles of my own forks, but need to practice with forks a bit longer. 

day 22/31 Paint Brush

This might be my favorite -- the colorful (& dirty) watercolors add a pop of color to my black-n-white sketchpad.

day 24/31  House Plant

I tried drawing my African Violets -- not sure that I succeeded, but I did try!  I also learned that my house plants were in need of some attention (tossing water on them is not enough!).

day 27/31 Lamp

Lamps were fun to sketch, but I forgot to sketch my favorite lamp -- a funky curvy wood base lamp actually we have a table lamp and matching floor lamp, inherited from my in-laws home.  I should at least get a photo of them to share here, right?

day 28/31 Salt & Pepper

I don't really collect Salt & Pepper shakers, but when I see a pair that tickles me (the bluebirds) or that remind me of my grandmothers, I tend to purchase them!  Maybe I am collecting Salt-n-Pepper shakers after all!

day 29/31  Sunshine

Drawing the Sunshine (well, really we were drawing the sun!) was very easy -- a throwback to elementary school days where the sun was always included at the top of the page, next to the stripe of blue for the sky.  The quilt behind this drawing is one that I received through Another Little Quilt Swap hosted by Kate North that happened in 2014.   Click here for more quilts that were traded in that swap or here to see what I traded when I received this quilt.

day 31/31   Telephone

The last lesson of the class was to draw a telephone.  I wish I had more of the old-timie telephones to sketch.  Instead I drew some old-timey wireless phones and the latest of iPhones at the moment (iPhone 6 is on loan from my husband).

 Ta-dah!

I have completed all 31 drawing lessons!

I plan to continue drawing too.  Of course it helps that there will be a February Daily Drawing class on Creative Bug (but not by Lisa Congdon - so I will get to sample other instructors).  I'm looking foward to this and am quite tickled that I kept it up all month (playing catch-up when I missed a day or two ...

Learning to draw and doodle

One of the new things I am trying this year is to doodle and draw more, 

possibly even a little bit every day!

Through Insta-Gram I found Lisa Congdon and learned she was leading a daily drawing challenge for the month of January through Creative Bug ..... I did not stop go, I immediately signed up for Lisa's class, The 31-Day Drawing Challenge!

On the first day, Day 1, we learned to draw a Tree.  Just a tree.

I love drawing trees!

Lisa demonstrated four different styles of tree-drawing, but I filled my page before I even watched her instructional video.  I added a few more in her style, too.   I used a pencil for this first day of drawings .... again, I jumped in before I looked at the suggested supplies.  I do have much to learn.

Day 2 is all about drawing Teacups.

I drew using Lisa's style first, after watching her lesson, too.   Then I pulled out some of my grandmother's teacups as well as some of my favorite coffee mugs.  I used my pencil again, but then traced over my favorites using an ink pen which is skipping.  Perhaps it is running dry?

Next is Chairs.

This assignment was the most difficult so far (out of all three lessons, so far).  I persevered and practiced drawing Lisa's versions before adding a few chairs found in my home (rocking chair, recliner, dining room chair).  I ditched my pencil too (but with much trepidation!).  Amazing how much clearer my drawings appear when sketched with ink rather than pencil lead, isn't it?

The morning after I drew my page of chairs, I drove past this painted advertisement featuring chairs!

It is on the route I drive regularly getting my teenagers to and from their high school.  Love that there is a bird on it (ala Portlandia!).

 

Day 4 is Leaf.

I can draw a leaf - but adding that jagged edge was tricky.  Perhaps it's because my pen is running dry so have of the jags didn't have the connected jig.  I love photographing this assignment using my Maple Leaf quilt as a backdrop.

The next day is a lesson drawing a Rose.  I can hardly wait!

I look forward to each lesson, though I am now a day (or two) behind.  I will end here so I can catch up on my drawing lessons.  This is just the beginning of my new year and promise to nourish my own interests.


Learn more about Lisa Congdon through her website http://lisacongdon.com/ or follow her (like I do) on InstaGram (@LisaCongdon).

You may also enjoy looking at all the many classes offered on Creative Bug's website https://www.creativebug.com/.

Or just join me on this 31-Day-Drawing Challenge.  It is fun!