Sketchbook Pages: 11

While I had some down time during class at the beginning of last year, I decided to just doodle and play around with some ideas. I'd been wanting to practice drawing hair, unsure of if I'd use it in a piece or not, so I decided to sketch the back of my friend's head. Which is a lot less creepy than it sounds. But then I also wanted to play around with some geometric patterns and mandalas, which I also did! Even though I haven't included these things in pieces and I may not, I still include them in my sketchbook as I play around with ideas.

Charlotte

Currently listening to: "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" by Panic! at the Disco

Sketchbook Pages: 10

Early last year, I really wanted to try drawing realistically again, since I hadn't practiced that in a while, so that's what I did. The sixth season of Doctor Who was just airing as well, so I just had to draw Karen Gillan for starters. I was pretty excited that my drawing actually looks a bit like her, which doesn't always happen for me. I also just aimlessly drew hair from various sources, since I've always had trouble with that, and these pages were born!

Charlotte

Currently listening to: "Foolin'" by Devendra Banhart

Sketchbook Pages: 8

After I drew these different versions of Sydney, I decided to try adding some watercolor. While I didn't really like the end result--it's a little too light so I should have used stronger washes--it was lots of fun to get into watercolor again! I just may have to try it again sometime! I used to use watercolor all the time when I was younger, but it's harder to use with bigger pieces. Unless you use fancy concentrated watercolor, which my school has, and is my all time favorite. Anyway, I also wanted to play with the idea of drawing a sort of kaleidoscope pattern, so I did!

Charlotte

Currently listening to: "Kaleidoscope Eyes" by Panic! at the Disco

Sketchbook Pages: 6

These pages are just full of old doodles that I found on random scraps of paper in school bags and tucked into my sketchbook which I glued down. As you all know, I love patterns, and so I was really playing with them here. The people in the corner was a doodle that completely surprised me, though, because I never draw in that style! I had an old outline that I didn't need and just started playing with the bullet points as pupils and went from there. Kinda creepy, but it was fun to try something new!

Charlotte

Sketchbook Pages: 4

These pages are quite old, and are ones I drew based off picture Sydney posted absolutely forever ago. I wanted to play with stylizing and pen vs pencil (as you probably guessed ;) and thought this picture would be perfect! Also, don't pay any attention to her hands. It's embarrassing, but I messed up with the pen and yeah and now you're probably looking at them and I'm hanging my head in shame. I can do much better! But anyway, I couldn't end up deciding which one I liked better, pen or pencil, but it was a pretty fun exercise!

Charlotte

Sketchbook Pages: 2

These pages are from a while ago when I was experimenting with a few ideas. I was working on a piece with a flower tattoo, which I drew out on the left side, and then I had the idea to draw out a font in squiggles. I loved how both turned out, though I haven't used the squiggle font with anything yet. It was a fun little doodle to do during some downtime, even though it turned out titled at a weird angle.

Have a great weekend!

Charlotte

P.S. By the way, I've just made a Formspring account, so if you have any questions, ask away!

Currently listening to: "Elephant Gun" by Beirut

Sketchbook Pages: 1

In IB, there are various different fine arts you can choose from, including art, which I've been taking every year since middle school. Part of the IB Art class is keeping a sketchbook, but it's a little different from a regular sketchbook. Instead of just including your drawings, thumbnail sketches, and brainstorming sessions, they also really want you to include anything that's inspirational to you, reflections on your own art, why you are drawn to other pieces, and how you want to make your own art better. The way my art teacher explains it is your sketchbook should be your brain. One thing IB is great about is allowing us, as students, to work with very few limitations and filters, and so the art we make is really about us and what we want to say.

Anyway, in the last couple of years I've become very drawn to tattoos and especially the stories that they hold, and so I thought it'd be a cool idea to incorporate into a piece. These were some of the inspiring stories I collected as I was brainstorming with that idea. All images are from this website.

What do you think? Do you like this new Friday series?

Charlotte

Currently listening to: Armistice by Armistice (found via Cassie's Friday links series. This album is full of really perfect summer music.)