Monthly Ink Challenge - Season III

[LizEF]

8 hours ago, txomsy said:

Once you start, it will become easier each day.

Amen to this, and to working to get comfortable with your own efforts - letting yourself try is often the hardest step.

 

8 hours ago, txomsy said:

So, why not drop by the "Post your best stickman" thread and try your hand at it?

[knarflj]

13 hours ago, txomsy said:

That's the fallacy. Nobody needs to learn to draw. Most likely that's an urge we all carry built-in ever since before we were Neandertal or Heidelbergiensis. What we need to learn is to not be ashamed of ourselves for ourselves.

 

@txomsy, it's interesting you should say this.  I was just looking at the "Doodling with the Fountain Pens...or the Fingers" thread, and deciding that much of the reason I don't even doodle is that I lack courage.  

 

13 hours ago, txomsy said:

If you journal, there is no reason not to include quick sketches or stick-people  or blots of color within your pages. Once you start, it will become easier each day. And if it doesn't, nobody will know anyway, so, just enjoy yourself....

 

So, why not drop by the "Post your best stickman" thread and try your hand at it?

 

I love that thread!  So many clever ideas!  But if there is any creativity in me, I don't know how to find it.  That's the other reason (well, that and "can't find time") that I don't draw or doodle: I just don't have any idea what to do with my pen or pencil other than make words.  I am definitely That Person who wonders where on earth authors get their ideas.  I'm a pretty decent performing artist, actually, but not a creative one: I'm lost without a script or score.

 

I very much appreciate your encouragement- and yours, too, @LizEF!  I think I need to figure out how to work at least a couple minutes of drawing/doodling into each day. 

[LizEF]

39 minutes ago, knarflj said:

I very much appreciate your encouragement- and yours, too, @LizEF!  I think I need to figure out how to work at least a couple minutes of drawing/doodling into each day. 

Zentangling is good for those who can't draw or come up with pictures - you just repeat a pattern over and over.  The first step is the hardest, so you could just draw a stickman in the corner of every scrap page you're writing on.    But don't beat yourself up - if you have to wait for another phase in life, so be it.

[amberleadavis]

@InesF @webgeckos @fireant @LizEF

 

I own 3/4s of the inks Ines listed, but I thought I'd start with the pens in my possession that were already inked and I'd see how close I came to color.

Since I inked most of these when we were at the Denver pen show, I wasn't sure I remembered, but I've linked in my inky enablers.

 

I had KWZ Monarch already inked thanks to @kestrel who keeps me in ink samples.

For my red, I chose CdA Sunset which webgeckos now has.

@Sinistral1 originally was supposed to be the recipient of Pen BBS #117, but then I learned she doesn't use cloggy shimmer inks in most of her pens and I ended up sending her a different cloggy shimmer ink. 

As for the turquoise, I don't recall what ink it is - I'd wager it is from Birmingham Inks.

[inkstainedruth]

1 hour ago, knarflj said:

 I am definitely That Person who wonders where on earth authors get their ideas.  I'm a pretty decent performing artist, actually, but not a creative one: I'm lost without a script or score.

I once took a class at something I was at about how people learn stuff in different ways -- some people have to have hands on demos to see the process; others learn kinetically (like doing stuff dancing); other people can read a book and understand the process; and yet other people get it from hearing a lecture.

Me?  I always liked drawing, and was reasonably good at it.  But my mom?  She was basically all thumbs at any sort of arts and crafts -- and described herself as being a "verbal" person....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[kestrel]

4 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

@InesF @webgeckos @fireant @LizEF

 

I own 3/4s of the inks Ines listed, but I thought I'd start with the pens in my possession that were already inked and I'd see how close I came to color.

Since I inked most of these when we were at the Denver pen show, I wasn't sure I remembered, but I've linked in my inky enablers.

 

I had KWZ Monarch already inked thanks to @kestrel who keeps me in ink samples.

For my red, I chose CdA Sunset which webgeckos now has.

@Sinistral1 originally was supposed to be the recipient of Pen BBS #117, but then I learned she doesn't use cloggy shimmer inks in most of her pens and I ended up sending her a different cloggy shimmer ink. 

As for the turquoise, I don't recall what ink it is - I'd wager it is from Birmingham Inks.

@amberleadavis could the turquoise be Birmingham Damselfly?  It has become one of my favorite inks.

[InesF]

On 11/14/2023 at 10:03 PM, knarflj said:

@InesF, I always like anything you draw or write, but that second drawing is particularly lovely.

[...]

Someday I may be inspired enough by all the talent here to try learning to draw.  But right now I can barely find time to update my journal once a week, so until someday I will just be grateful that you two (and many others) are so willing to share your work with the rest of us.  Thank you!

Thank you, @knarflj - you are welcome!

There had been already so many empathic and well-thought comments, next to nothing to add now. From my own experience I can confidently tell that it is all in

- the readiness for taking some time

and

- in the willingness to fully focus on only one thing during that time.

 

I'm sure there will come the right moment for you; you will feel it! It's not a race, it's not a competition - have a good time!

[InesF]

On 11/16/2023 at 12:37 AM, amberleadavis said:

@InesF @webgeckos @fireant @LizEF

 

I own 3/4s of the inks Ines listed, but I thought I'd start with the pens in my possession that were already inked and I'd see how close I came to color.

Since I inked most of these when we were at the Denver pen show, I wasn't sure I remembered, but I've linked in my inky enablers.

 

I had KWZ Monarch already inked thanks to @kestrel who keeps me in ink samples.

For my red, I chose CdA Sunset which webgeckos now has.

@Sinistral1 originally was supposed to be the recipient of Pen BBS #117, but then I learned she doesn't use cloggy shimmer inks in most of her pens and I ended up sending her a different cloggy shimmer ink. 

As for the turquoise, I don't recall what ink it is - I'd wager it is from Birmingham Inks.

Thank you, @amberleadavis, for your highly appreciated contribution! You are very welcome!  

I hope so much, there will be a day when I see one of your CRV's in the original.

Until then: let the ink flow!  

[InesF]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:51 PM, knarflj said:

[...] I just don't have any idea what to do with my pen or pencil other than make words.  I am definitely That Person who wonders where on earth authors get their ideas.  I'm a pretty decent performing artist, actually, but not a creative one: I'm lost without a script or score. [...]

Hi @knarflj.

Reading this part of your response makes me think. Because this are (almost) the words coming to my mind when I shall/want/like to start a new drawing. Without any preparation I can sit down and start filling a page or two with words. But I can't sit down and fill a page with drawings without a script or without a clear imagination about the final thing. When that happens, I usually take a pencil and start "drawing" single things (such as a grape or a leaf or a barrel, etc.) without any composition. Most of those items have the meaning of a word in the text, but no grammar and neither a sentence nor a story behind. Many of those first drawings are only by me recognisable. From everything I see on my sheet I start selecting and arranging them into a story.

That process needs considerable time - at least for me.

And finally, grandmothers wise words: spending time with one thing means not spending time with another thing.  

[inkstainedruth]

Your grandmother was clearly a very wise woman!  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[knarflj]

On 11/17/2023 at 7:55 AM, InesF said:

Hi @knarflj.

Reading this part of your response makes me think. Because this are (almost) the words coming to my mind when I shall/want/like to start a new drawing. Without any preparation I can sit down and start filling a page or two with words. But I can't sit down and fill a page with drawings without a script or without a clear imagination about the final thing. When that happens, I usually take a pencil and start "drawing" single things (such as a grape or a leaf or a barrel, etc.) without any composition. Most of those items have the meaning of a word in the text, but no grammar and neither a sentence nor a story behind. Many of those first drawings are only by me recognisable. From everything I see on my sheet I start selecting and arranging them into a story.

That process needs considerable time - at least for me.

And finally, grandmothers wise words: spending time with one thing means not spending time with another thing.  

 

Thank you @InesF, that's very helpful.  I probably won't have that kind of time very often, but I appreciate just knowing a way to get started.  And if I can keep making myself do a little single item drawing or doodle most days, then I suspect I'll be much more able and less afraid to work on a "real" drawing when I do find time.  

 

Your grandmother's words are indeed wise.  But my brother (who is also wise) once told me when I was trying to learn something else that I should find 5 minutes every day to practice: 5 minutes may sometimes extend to more, but 5 minutes is almost always doable.  

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, knarflj said:

But my brother (who is also wise) once told me when I was trying to learn something else that I should find 5 minutes every day to practice: 5 minutes may sometimes extend to more, but 5 minutes is almost always doable.  

Good advice.

[txomsy]

Or even less time.

 

A common problem with doodles is we want to know in advance what to draw, and want to have an idea or "history", a "character" or "target object". I do also feel it.

 

But one needs to realize that anything in front of us can be a subject in itself, and even simply drawing random lines, patterns, or even playing with blots (how long can it take to get a blot?) by twisting a piston or shaking the pen (something you cannot get with a ballpoint or felt-tip or gel pen). 

 

Random lines or simply scratches are great for exercising attention abilities if one then takes to "study" the effect they produce. And then are also great to learn how one can get different shadows, patterns, effects for one's own future use.

 

One may start with just a random blot or drop of ink, or a random line. And see how different color lines/blots look. And once used to doing them, later see if one can get blots or lines that may happen to remind something. And later use that randomness to build up whatever it evoked... In the end, one not only masters one's own hand, but also starts to develop without noticing one's own creativity and imagination.

 

Plus, if one starts from a random line, one has the perfect excuse to tell oneself that the result needs not (and can not) look decent at all, so one can justify to oneself any perceived failure in execution and in the final result. On the contrary, one can feel satisfied that one could make something -even very remotely- recognizable from an original random line.

 

Not much time needed to scratch a few lines or shake a pen.

[knarflj]

On 11/19/2023 at 5:02 AM, txomsy said:

Random lines or simply scratches are great for exercising attention abilities if one then takes to "study" the effect they produce. And then are also great to learn how one can get different shadows, patterns, effects for one's own future use.

 

This whole post was really helpful, thank you!  

 

And @LizEF, I brought two Zentangle books home from the library yesterday, and am looking forward to experimenting!

[LizEF]

32 minutes ago, knarflj said:

And @LizEF, I brought two Zentangle books home from the library yesterday, and am looking forward to experimenting!

Hope you enjoy it! They can be very relaxing. And if you screw up a pattern, just keep going. Nearly all my zentangles have mistakes, but once you finish filling in the space, you don't notice those anymore. 

[LizEF]

Here is my second drawing:

 

 

It's titled 1 Kings 17:8-16, after the story told therein.  I couldn't figure out how to draw containers that never run out, so I drew them overflowing.  Under the black line on which the containers sit are a bunch of circles and swirls meant to represent sticks, looking at the end grain.  The alternating line pattern is just for filling in the space, it doesn't represent anything in particular.

 

Inks:

• Pilot Mixable Colour Black
• Robert Oster Gold Antiqua (sticks, the flour / meal, and the oil - though here it kept picking up the black so it's too dark - should have drawn the oil first, I guess)
• Diplomat Pine Tree (alternating line pattern)

[InesF]

4 hours ago, LizEF said:

[...] It's titled 1 Kings 17:8-16, after the story told therein.  I couldn't figure out how to draw containers that never run out, so I drew them overflowing.  Under the black line on which the containers sit are a bunch of circles and swirls meant to represent sticks, looking at the end grain.  The alternating line pattern is just for filling in the space, it doesn't represent anything in particular.

 

Inks:

• Pilot Mixable Colour Black
• Robert Oster Gold Antiqua (sticks, the flour / meal, and the oil - though here it kept picking up the black so it's too dark - should have drawn the oil first, I guess)
• Diplomat Pine Tree (alternating line pattern)

WOW! I love this second drawing a lot!

I can see the "handful of meal" and the "oil in the cruse" and how they will never fail! 

 

[InesF]

10 hours ago, knarflj said:

[...] I brought two Zentangle books home from the library yesterday, and am looking forward to experimenting!

Zentangles are a very good way to start drawing. Especially with repeating patterns, they are also quite meditative.

Zentangles and small mandalas were the way for me to practise patience in making lines while getting a (very) nice output. Even the most simple drawings profit a lot from this learned patience!

Good luck and have fun!

[txomsy]

And for the less patient but more color-leaning, I just realized...

 

I have a coloring booklet, intended as sort of a zentangle book for coloring (came in a tin can with color pencils) for when I am most bored. What I realized is that the patterns seem to be mainly random. That means one can pick a fountain pen, draw s number of random lines and then fill the voids in between with colors. No method or discipline or planning needed.

 

And in filling with colors besides being entertained for a while, one can inadvertently develop one's own color combining and contrasting abilities.

[LizEF]

6 hours ago, InesF said:

WOW! I love this second drawing a lot!

I can see the "handful of meal" and the "oil in the cruse" and how they will never fail! 

  Thanks!