Friday, October 27, 2017

2017 Inktober Sketches - Days 25 through 27 and Other

I've been on a roll with sketching the last few days.

Day 25 -  Photo taken at an old abandoned cemetery.  A section of wall that's still standing.  Not sure what the wall went to.


Day 26 - Opal sitting in a miniature chair I found at Hobby Lobby.  Experimenting a bit with different brushes in Procreate.


Day 27 - was up through the night so I sketched.  I decided to try stippling in Procreate.


Other sketches I've worked on.


This one printed off onto Strathmore Texture inkjet paper (which is 80lb) and applying watercolor.  Think I like the Epson Presentation paper better.  Although a heavier paper, it still buckles and the paper grabs the pigment like the Epson Presentation paper does.   I worked wet in wet for this to help move the pigment around.  Once dry, it's down to stay.


A few of my miniature critters.  Still working to improve with pen pressure.  Procreate went through a major update and it seems some of the brushes have changed or the pressure sensitivity has changed.  Of course it could be my imagination too........lol


Another I worked on through the night.  


And here's one I don't think I posted that I did earlier this month.  A paper twist Halloween witch I made almost 30 years ago.  Back in my craft making days.


I've learned too how to incorporate the gridding method of drawing within Procreate.

I can set a photo up on computer with a scanned grid overlay.


Next I can import a grid scan (I made different size grid/blocks on acetate that I scanned) to work in Procreate.  What's nice is I don't have to worry about pre-gridding paper with a pencil before sketching and then having to erase those grid lines completely or taking care not to ruin the actual sketch.


Here I've added a layer that I tried working what is called a texture brush so that it might look like it was on textured paper.  I still need to practice with obtaining the look I want.   

I'll print this out and add watercolor to it.....one reason I didn't add hatch shading to this.



I am really enjoying the Procreate software app.  The biggest plus to using this sketch app ........... I love the pressure sensitivity of the pen brushes that I cannot easily get with the fountain pens I currently have.  The closest two flex nibs I have just don't quite make it.  My Noodler's Creaper nib doesn't flex like other people who have the same pen/nib.  And my Falcon with the gold semi-flex nib is more or less a medium flex but you have to really press hard to get the wider lines.  Then you have the problem of damaging the tines, if too wide of a spread or working fast, the ink railroads on the paper surface.  If I want true flex ability, I have to use a dip pen and then you have to worry about dipping into ink frequently throwing your workflow off (at least for me), knocking the ink bottle over, ink blobs/splashes, etc. etc. (although I do like facing those challenges once in awhile as well.)

Working digitally is most definitely a nice change of pace giving a different feel and facing different challenges I'm enjoying.  I'm printing off everything I do and placing in an Itoya Presentation Book to have a flip through book just like you do with a journal book or sketchbook :-)

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