Foundations Number 6

I have started Sketching Now Foundations six times. I have never finished. I am determined to finish all the exercises this year. The sixth time is the charm, right?

Naturally, I’m immensely curious about what did I do previously? So let’s find out, shall we?

The first thing for every class is to post a “current sketch” and I always try to pick something I’ve done very close to that date, and that is also what I considered my best work at the time.

2019 – Elephant jade. 2020 – Wine bottle. 2021 – Fountain pen. 2022 – Christmas gnomes. 2023 – Tea cup. 2025 – Pumpkins and leaves.

Foundations 2023

July 2023. I believe this was a group run through, not a live run. It was after the Teacups class, which really energized me and I felt I had really leveled up in my skills. I hit some health issues in August, which is why I fell off with my exercises.

However, despite being done from a photo, that shapes painting of the ruins at Casa Grande is one of my all-time favorite sketches!

Sketchbook Design October 2024

I did this class as an independent study. I’d really looked forward to it when it was scheduled, but then the schedule changed, and I wanted to do the class anyway so I stuck with it. Here is the wrap-up:

Hmm, apparently I haven’t uploaded many of the remaining pages for these either. Interesting. So here is some of it. I may have to edit this page at some point in the future.

Adding Elements pt 2

Adding elements really does round out a sketchbook page. One of my favorite elements to add are maps!

There is a public walkway next to a golf course that I like to walk at when the weather is cool enough. They have a manmade pond that attracts birds and other wildlife. Since the temperature dropped down to 93F/33C (finally!) I took a walk. The one-mile round trip walk from the parking lot to the end of the pond is a perfect map to draw for the sketchbook, and for this sketchbook design element.

Color Blocks are another one of the Sketchbook Design elements we are working with in Sketching Now Sketchbook Design class. Here I’ve used a simple color block to balance and add interest to this minimal page of the stickers I’d placed in my book.

I’m working my way through the seven elements. So far I’ve done one for text, white space, color blocks, and maps. Three more to go!

Adding Elements pt 1

I’m really happy with how the text blocks makes this page look so complete! Without the text these disparate sketches looked adrift in the odd sea of the page. The headings and text blocks really make it look like there was a plan, when there wasn’t!

I realized that the white space on this spread really highlighted the sketch of the pumpkins and that I should definitely leave it alone and let it shine! I tend to struggle with white space, so being able to see this as I finished off the page is something I’ve learned!