Drawing Challenge September

Daily Drawing Motivation
Drawing ideas and exercises for beginners and intermediates to aid in getting a daily routine. 

September Week 1

  • 01 SEP
  • 02 SEP
  • 03 SEP
  • 04 SEP
  • 05 SEP
  • 06 SEP
  • 07 SEP
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Clover Leaves

In this drawing we have two distinguished sections, one with a high and another with a low contrast. When drawing the low contrast section use a paper stump to soften lines and use only H pencils. 

Cross Hatching Clock

First we apply a layer of a fine 2H pencil all over the image and use a paper stump to soften edges and appearance. Do not press too hard so that the paper is not pressed flat. Then use a sharp dark pencil for the darker sections and last use the 2H pencil to create clean evenly spaced lines with a ruler over the whole image to give it an illustrative feel. 

Antique Car

After you have drawn the outlines add the darker sections with a HB pencil rather flat without many variations. Add a few highlights and then like yesterday but without a ruler apply evenly spaced hatching lines to loosen up the illustration. 

Flower Day

As already indicated, here another flower painting thrown into the drawing challenge. I will do this repeatedly. Use the whole range of pencils from the harder 4H to the softer 4B. Remember to vary outlines in thickness. 

Landscape No 1

In the next two days we will be drawing a landscape. 

Landscape No 2

Here the second part of the landscape that we started yesterday. 

Catch Up Day

Today you can either rest, or try to finish some of the uncompleted work due for this week. ​​​

September Week 2

  • 8 SEP
  • 9 SEP
  • 10 SEP
  • 11 SEP
  • 12 SEP
  • 13 SEP
  • 14 SEP
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Composition Still Life

This week we will be experimenting with composition, that is the placement of objects within a drawing. Before I start with a new picture, I play with compositional effects by creating smaller thumbnails. This type of preparational drawings can be beneficial to develop a dynamic drawing.

​Tomorrow I will introduce an example of a thumbnail drawing page. 

Thumbnail Drawings

Thumbnail drawings are preliminary drawings to determine the best choice of composition for a drawing,  storybook or book illustrations. So today choose any subject matter and play with ideas until you find one that is right. I use an A4 or A3 page with a minimum of 9 sections that represent the surface I intend to use for my drawing or painting. So you can use rectangles, squares or whatever size your paper or canvas will be. 

Still Life Drawing

Here is an example of a simple thumbnail drawing, which we can now use for a more elaborate drawing or painting. 

Bench under Tree

Enjoy this small drawing of a landscape. 

Bath

Even an ordinary bath room can be a subject for drawing as you see here. 

After you have drawn the image add some hatching lines with a ruler for an illustrative effect in some parts of the drawing. 

Horse Head

This week we are finishing off with a simple horse head drawing. 

Catch Up Day

Today you can either rest, or try to finish some of the uncompleted work due for this week. ​​​​

September Week 3

  • 15 SEP
  • 16 SEP
  • 17 SEP
  • 18 SEP
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Portrait Sketch

When drawing a portrait I will create a horizontal line on the top of the head and on the bottom of the chin. Then I check where the eyes are located and also clarify if they are on an angle. Then I compare the width against the length of the face, make a line for the bottom of the nose and one for the middle line of the mouth. From there I observe the rest features. 

Portrait Drawing

You begin the drawing as yesterday by calculating its size,  but instead of using a single line we will use a pure graphite pencil. I break the pencil in three different sizes and draw by laying the pencil sideways to develop a wider line or mass.  It should be fun to create spontaneous features rather than being too exact. 

Coffee Grinder

Today's drawing will be drawing entirely using cross hatching, which are parallel lines that are evenly spaced. 

On its way....