⋆☾~Secret~☽⋆ Sketches

I love to share most things that I draw publicly, especially doodles from my day to day. But there's just some things that slip through the cracks, and I've compiled some to show you today! 

Let me preface by saying that these pages will often include personal writing as well. There is a line that I draw (figuratively) and there are some pages that include things just far too personal to share, so those will remain in closed books for my eyes only. However, I want this to be a space where you can feel that you might be getting to know me on another level, and we can both feel like we have a little ~secret~ together. 

I have been having a lot of fun with my new square Handbook sketchbook and during the month of August, I filled about a third of it. I work out of order in it--in fact I flip it open to a random page and just draw there. This removes the pressure of an otherwise chronological approach, and the feeling of "I got better as time went on so the art is significantly better near the end". I always used to have anxiety about this when showing anybody my sketchbook, and found myself telling them "maybe start at the end?".

The pen I typically use isn't really made for art, I don't think. It's a Pilot Precise V5 Extra Fine, and can be purchased at any old office supply store. I just freakin love the feel of it. 

You can see I've (digitally) written in green a fun little bonus bit of information for context. Though I don't usually feel the need to explain what the vague words in my sketchbook mean, this person (and date) was just so exceptionally bad (I mean really just not it) that I did not want to just leave these excited, romanticized words without an update. I love to write things in my sketchbook that only I understand the context to, because not only can it act as a sort of beautiful poetic imagery, it also is hilarious, heart-wrenching, or nostalgic to look back on at times. 

Sometimes though, words with more literal and concrete meanings have an equal amount of power:

This was done in a sketchbook that nobody has seen besides another person. It was a tandem sketchbook that both someone special and I were working in together. The intention was to pass it back and forth, but we haven't spoken for a while so I am going to fill half and eventually hand it off to them someday. This was back in June.

On a design note, I have really been enjoying the this page only has writing on it and I want it to be a composition so I will make it look like someone has written it on a piece of paper look, which is something I implemented with the two above pieces.

I love this drawing. I love it so much more than any correct bicycle I have ever drawn. The fucked up effect was completely unintentional, don't get me wrong. I was actually genuinely trying to freehand the bicycle that was hanging on the wall slightly above me. However

1. This was done without a second thought. No questioning my decisions, the perspective, the proximity of gears to seat to handlebars. 

and more importantly,

2. I suck at drawing bikes. I mean I just absolutely blow. I love bikes and yet I have no idea what the hell is going on there visually, at all. 

Now let's look at some fun cutesy stuff and also anime:

Cardcaptor Sakura stole my heart for the entire month of June. Truly, it was like this innocent, joyous escape from everything. I'll have a special place in my heart forever because of the timing of when I watched this (between the pandemic, trying to have closure with covid ending my senior year of college early, saying goodbye to my closest friends, "online graduation", experiencing some unresolved romantic feelings for a past person in my life, and living in the living room of a tiny apartment with my parents in a new city...phew) needless to say, it was a comfort anime for me! 

If you need to hear it (I certainly did), Sakura's invincible spell is:

"Everything will be alright" 

She saves the whole world with this spell. Though it might be a little silly (I have a lump in my throat while writing this????) I think those words can save the world. They can save us, as individuals. I kept repeating those words back to myself and you know what? I was right. I am alright, and now as of writing this, I am more than alright! Many people I love are doing alright now, too. Everything will be alright for you, even if it isn't quite yet. 

Okay okay pulling it together for these last digital doodle bits:

If I'm honest, I have no idea what those little creatures up there were for. I also think they were from early March sometime, when I was still in school, possibly mindless doodling. Never did anything with them so now you get to gaze upon "the name's potterybarn". 

The second image was just some sketches I don't think I'll ever do much with, drawing-wise. But hopefully, they will come into fruition as drag! I was laying in bed, I mean a full 180 degrees, completely vertical, in the dark. Eyes closed. Then I started thinking about period clothing, and being a sexy little loose 18th century French rococo prince with too much time on his hands and then suddenly I was up, grabbing my ipad. I'd love to do some drag looks inspired by my favorite periods in history, especially influenced by art history (I have been dreaming of a Narcissus look since I saw this at the Ringling Museum).

And finally, I'd love to wrap this up with some very messy thumbnails from when I was planning my thesis. 

If you aren't familiar with my Ringling senior thesis, that's okay! There's a lot to keep up with. In short, it was a 30-page illustrated guide to mushrooms. (Publishing it as a zine is something I might do, but it will not likely be mass-produced in hardcover book form).

 Eventually, I will compile all my thesis planning to show you guys how incredibly disorganized and frantic I was with my research and excitement. I think it's important to display my less "showy" composed sketchbook pages. The above spread was a very quick thumbnail session to figure out my "Choice Edible" and "Highly Toxic" pages, which ended up looking like this:

And that will do it for today, friends. We've covered lots of topics and experienced a few emotions together. As you might have seen, I have a separate post going with a Google Survey. I would love your input regarding my content so that I can better tailor it to what you enjoy/are curious about. There is a section specifically about the 'secret sketches'. Please let me know what you think, and what you would/would not like to see from me!

Until next time. ☾

P.S. As always, since you are a patron feel free to message me directly with any questions regarding what you have seen/read at jamiegreenillustration@gmail.com