today

When I've posted my markmaking efforts over the years, often someone will mention in the comments that they would like to try - or get back to - watercolor or sketching or such. So when this crossed my screen it seemed like something that may be of interest. It's called the Sketchbook Revival Binge Fest, with free access from May 27th - June 9th to video workshops by over 100 artists.

sketchbook revival

I know there is an upgrade option for longer access than the two weeks, but personally I know that a 2-week free access window would make me much more likely to look for a workshop I'd like to see, and then actually watch it in hopes of finding a useful tip or inspiration.

Anyway, I thought it might be of interest to someone, so here it is. And it starts tomorrow, so I think today is the final day to register.

(And in case you are wondering with recent posts if I'm having camera issues at the moment...yes, very much so. But this post in particular seemed to need some sketching, so I looked in my photograph files and came up with this rough little video of a sketchbook from several years ago. It was, of course, an experiment, not meant for publication. But now? Send for the Understudy! It's time has come! I hope this works.)

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the pears of january

 

Markmaking took a fruity turn in January.

It wasn't a deliberate thing.

I just drew a pear one night. 

This pear:

And then it happened a few more times.

It's an addictive shape to draw, I think.

People use the term "pear-shaped" like it's a negative thing, but now that I've discovered how much fun it is to draw and paint pears, I have a genuine appreciation of the shape. It's a perfect thing to draw when you don't know what to draw.

In fact, the next time someone tells me they "can't" draw,

I will suggest they draw a few pears.

Who knows where it might lead?

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drawing august

Drawing August 2024 proceeds apace.

blueberries in fluted glass

There is a special nugget of gratitude in my heart for the creators and encouragers of the annual twitter event that I took a first wobbly crack at in 2014.

Drawing every day for a month did not come naturally; during decades as a photographer I never considered myself a draw-er. But now Drawing August is folded effortlessly into what became, on 1 January 2018, my Daily Markmaking practice. 2024 is my 7th year of continuous Daily Markmaking, and it's been a discipline and a respite and an anchor.

from Petrie's photograph of an alabaster vessel fragment,
tomb of Amenhotep III

And fun. Even the night last week when, just as I reached for the sketchbook, the power went out during yet another storm. On my laptop screen was a photograph I had intended to use as the basis for a line drawing: a salt print of the Temple at Dendur taken in 1851. In situ; way back before the temple ended up in New York City.

When the power went out there was just enough of a glow from the laptop screen that drawing seemed possible, but when I started with my micron pen, I could barely see the lines. So I fumbled around in the dark for my one felt-tip drawing pen and eventually found it in the third of the three bean cans that hold my pencils, pens, and brushes. (In case you think there is one can for each category, I can only say that would make a lot of sense.)

Anyway, the fat line of felt-tip was much more visible, so at least there was something on the paper, even if not the detailed line drawing as planned.

So far there have only been two or three days in August when the weather made outdoor markmaking a good idea. Or even a do-able idea. Those opportunities have not been squandered. I've put a little temporary screen tent "studio" on the deck of the former barn, and of course there are trees in every direction so plenty of inspiration. Some of the trees have been sketched multiple times over the years, from different vantage points. Sometimes I think a person could draw from the same tree every day for a lifetime, and never be finished. Or unchallenged.

massive red oak 

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wordless tuesday

Glass bottle, Roman Egypt

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wordless tuesday

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zipping right along

February is zipping right along, that is. Not me.

But I'm keeping up. Just.

We've been having some cold days, but clear, mostly. Cold but not windy, mostly. Cold but sunny, mostly. It's been, in other words, an exceptionally fine February so far.

Which is great, because regardless of the weather, or how I happen to be feeling physically, I'm outside and in motion for a minimum of two hours every  morning and every evening. The goats provide the core of my personal healthcare system, and I'm grateful for the incentive.

red maple, on a day when it was warm enough to hold a pencil

I've started to write a blog post at least four times after evening chores in the past two weeks, and each time have fallen asleep over the laptop. Or, more accurately, under the laptop. Actually, under the laptop and two cats. It's an easy way to fall asleep, I suppose, if one is very thoroughly tired. But it's certainly a strange way to wake up.

So even if this post is only a jumble of random jottings, I am going to post it before evening chores today. And I'll add equally random snaps. Like these:

And these:

vase, view 1

vase, view 2

And in conclusion, two short random notes:

• Good news follow-up: I took delivery of three additional pallets of chaffhaye, and the forklift operator got them close to the barn. This makes every single day easier for me: there's still wrestling and sweating and occasional swearing involved, but no sledding or dragging through gates.Those 90 bales should take us to May Day.

• A happy "find:" the field technician who got my internet and phone line reconnected a few weeks ago dropped his (quite costly) Leatherman tool into deep snow whilst repeatedly to-ing and fro-ing between his truck and my house. He looked, I looked. He thought they would probably be near the pole where he reconnected the line. I thought they would probably be near the stone wall he scrambled over to take a shortcut. Well, I was able to give him some good news this week:

they were in the garden

I hope your days are full of good news and happy finds.

~~~~~

markmaking 2023

 

Turning the page on Year Six of Daily Markmaking.

january

february

march

april

may

june

july

august

september

october

november

december

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