My husband specifically requested I scan and post more of my sketches, and I’m diving straight into the deep end with these.

Sometimes, for practice, I’ll grab a random pen and sketch quickly in some random notebook. No fancy pencils or sketchpads, just plain old ink and paper. I usually work from photographs, since they’re convenient and I feel more comfortable with them than drawing from life. (I know I just committed a major sin in the art world. Forgive me; I’m a novice.  If I don’t have a photo I usually end up just doodling aimlessly.) A few weeks ago I was at a coffee shop with a friend while she studied for her Physics exam. I was ostensibly there to answer questions, but she ended up not needing me (and later thanked me for providing my Aura of Science). So I decided to pull out a ballpoint pen and draw. What I drew was not what one would call polished or even particularly attractive, but it was fun.

weird cat logo

Simply terrifying.

Lesson learned: closer objects, like eyes, should be larger than those farther away

She's a man, baby!

This one sent my friend into paroxysms of laughter

Needless to say, these aren’t finished products.  I’ve never been very good about the whole “sketch something a few times before drawing it for real” practice either, so nothing like these will probably ever be seen ever again.  But you know, I’m actually kind of proud of them, since I was just using a crappy pen picked up for free at a convention and a $3 Target notebook.  I’ve been rather taken with Michael Nobbs’s inspirational (and free) e-book, and it’s made me think that maybe I should try to “draw my life” – or at least try combining quick sketching with life drawing – more often.