NOV. ⋆☾~Secret~☽⋆ Sketches

Hello, hello. Into November we go, but let's reflect on October's sketches first. This was the first month in some time that I have felt somewhat disconnected from my sketchbook, and traditional media as a whole. Because I have been working almost nonstop of freelance work (all digital), it's hard to find the energy to draw when that's what I have been doing all damn day! My ipad + procreate is great because it's compact, mobile and has every tool and color I could need. Thus, I tended to go places with that rather than pencils/paints and my sketchbook. The tool I use for sketching on procreate is always the 6B pencil brush.

Additionally, there's SO many sketches that I did in October that I obviously cannot show due to NDAs. Such a shame, but you'll see those sketches in...perhaps 2022 (whew). 

To elaborate on some of these:

I have quite a few "scrapped sketches" this month. Just stuff that I never fleshed out, and have been since deleted, aside from the jpegs I'm sharing here. There are just certain things I get out of my head and immediately know this probably isn't going anywhere. That's okay--it never breaks my heart. It's like trial and error to me. I found I was forcing myself to "draw for fun" so that I would have something to put on social media. The words "forcing" and "fun" don't seem to go together, do they? But I see it as this: social media is part of my job. I have to show up to work. I must be accountable. And if I have to really make time to just do art for fun--that's not so bad. It's not the worst thing to force myself to do by any means.

You'll also see the tree trunk I drew (the full color digital one), which is a part of a treehouse I designed for a pitch. What I wanted to call out though was specifically the patterns in the bark. Drawing trees has always been therapeutic for me, but I wasn't necessarily drawing very good/accurate trees. A couple months back I got the question 

"how does drawing trees/nature from life in your sketchbook help the rest of your work?"

which is an excellent inquiry. I got a very clear answer when I drew this tree bark for the treehouse illustration. I found myself naturally using a flowing motion, knowing to place knots in the bark, or how it twists in a certain direction and how branches split off from the main trunk. I did not use reference to draw this tree, simply because my sketching in the park (practicing trees) has informed me without me even knowing it! It's like I have a new tool on my belt that I can use whenever I want now. 

I have been drawing a specific friend a lot recently. Have you noticed that? Last month's secret sketches, the procreate timelapse video and now this month's sketches... Whatever that means. Anyways.

Only patrons get this kinda material.

Here's to November, and hopefully being able to dive back into my sketchbook! I have been thinking about buying a big one for a change of pace lately. 

-JG ☾