Quick sketches around the house
We were just coming to the end of a year long full renovation of our flat here in Westgate and it's just how we want it. Documenting it feels right somehow.
The first two drawings were actually done outside the home in my new studio space at Resort Studios in Margate. Four of us share a space known as The Greenhouse or, more colloquially, The Shed. The first image is of the empty desk, now filled, diagonally opposite my own drawn in Nero pencil. Nice medium in that it slows me down a little but its also quite smudgy. Quite thick line weight too.
The second sketch is taken from the position of the first drawing of my own desk space, drawn in Lamy Safari fountain pen if memory serves. Much quicker medium, one a use quite a bit, thinner line weight. Feels really 'sketchy' and not too precious if that makes any sense. Wish the ink was waterproof though so I could add watercolour after.
First of my sketches at home. This one done with an Arteza brush pen. Not something I have used much as I find it hard to have any real control over it but that would come with practice. That said, I am pretty happy with how this came out with such an unfamiliar medium.
Another from the lounge and looks like I've used watercolour to draw with. I did this a few weeks ago and I actually don't remember using that medium for it. This is the view into my desk corner where I currently sit writing this up. Its not awful but is very simplistic. Similar to the last drawing actually. Maybe using the brush pen or a watercolour brush stops us focussing too much in on detail and rather concentrate on large shapes.
The lounge again but this time the opposite side. Drawn with a neon pink highlighter pen. Hard to focus on detail again but you can use the pen in different ways, making us of the wide nib shape for larger areas and its edge for finer details. Perspective of the fireplace and two drawer unit under tele needs some correcting by the looks of it. Interesting to see details drawn in this colour as in reality is a rich deep bluey green colour.
The same view but different medium. I think this time a Fineliner but not sure what size. Feels quite different by simple switching mediums up.
Have certainly drawn more in the lounge than anywhere else, maybe as its largest room in the house with a multitude of uses and furniture elements. This time in green Sharpie.
View from a bedroom chair. This view is across our bed on the floor and out through the door into our hallway. A lot going on in this drawing and again some perspective inaccuracies but none the less charming for it I'd say.
Our Skandinavian modern kitchen as seen from our beautiful new window seat. Found a tri colour pencil I bought ages ago from Turner Contemporary as was really fun to draw with and the slightly haphazard colour choices really make this softer.
Our new staircase doglegs up to the top bedroom. This was drawn from the half landing and I really like how the perspective draws your eye to the door. Fun one to get lost in for 20 minutes.
Our new bathroom is quite small but we are absolutely delighted with it and its big enough for the 2 of us.
Top drawing was done sat on the toilet looking towards the shower corner. We love that we managed to get a steel effect shower screen in, something we always wanted. Drew this is thick charcoal, maybe I should have varied the thickness of the sticks so I could have worked more detail in. Happy enough with it how it is though, other than perspective of course :-0
Second drawing I did from a lower angle sat on the floor in the hallway just outside the bathroom. Interesting how much it alters what you see when lower down, the underside of the sink for example and the detail around the pedestal of the toilet that oft go unnoticed when walking in. Think I preferred the cleanliness and slower pace of the oil pastel in the second drawing than the charcoal.
Can't take full credit as had a sketch buddy for this one - our 18 month old rehomed Shih Tsu called Dolly.
I didn't limit myself purely to the home and studio but also looked for interesting corners of cafes and anywhere else I might find myself. This from Cliffs cafe as I sat and enjoyed a decaf flat white. Again, a recurring theme here, perspective is out on several elements but nonetheless, I really like this sketch.
I have worked in a variety of sketch books for this exercise and mediums and I've enjoyed that. All have been quick sketches. Its clear I can't visualise perspective yet but I didn't feel the need for perfection with these drawings even thought it would have been easy for me to draw a grid to get them to look better.
I felt this was right up my street and throughly enjoyed working on it over days rather than cramming in one session.