I'm Feeling LUCKY - or HOW I got over my Pencil!

Last week I wrote about getting over my love of using a pencil -- I admit -- I did NOT go cold turkey, and still have moments where a pencil is the only thing that will do. But in my illustration class a pencil is the devil and today I thought I would share my latest little sketch and how I got about doing it without a pencil.

First, I apologize that I forgot to take a picture of it BEFORE I added color, so here's an image of what a different sketch looked like before I added color -- this is how my Lucky Clover sketch looked. From here you might think this WAS drawn with a pencil.

But, actually I used a grey marker (this one is from CLose to my Heart but Faber-Castell makes some really nice ones too). This makes a permanent mark on the paper that can't be erased - but is light enough so I "feel" like I am drawing with a pencil. I think it's about the confidence thing with the instructor -- and having the confidence in your lines. Sticking to what you put down and making the best of each one, even if it isn't exactly what you want.

After color is added, the grey lines still look like they are pencil, I think even more so.

 
Playing with Instagram, hmm. another "thing" I am finding the love for. 

Here's how my Lucky Clover sketch turned out after I inked it.

You can't see the grey marker lines any more. The paper hasn't been "rough-housed" from all the erasing and I've gained a lot more confidence in my plein air sketching than I've ever had in this "An Ant's Eye View" of a field of clovers.

And really, isn't art about having confidence in ourselves. The more confidence we have the more comfortable we are doing, sharing and connecting. Every artist is on a journey -- and we all start out at different levels. I used to laugh at some of the things I had created in the past, because I that thought they were good. Now that I've been teaching Mixed Media Art and mentoring people for quite some time with their art -- at that time in my life and with what I knew about art and my experiences -- it was good.

NO -- it was GREAT. Because that's where I was. And -- you ARE GREAT -- because you are where you are -- and you MUST continue to do it -- whether you use a pencil or a marker or a crayon. JUST make art. You are where you are, and rather than change it -- embrace it -- and make art from that special place inside your heart. Yes. Get outside with your paper and start DRAWING!

Tomorrow is the last of my Illustration classes, and we're going to be out in Portland, en Plein Air -- I am definitely looking forward to that as long as I have my grey marker with me.

That's all for today -- have a WONDERFUL Monday.  Thanks for stopping by.