A Few Quick Figurative Drawings from Life - pen and ink drawings

I love doing these kind of drawings - maybe a minute or two.  They're fun and helpful in quickly 'estimating' where the different body parts are in relation to each other - plus they can be entertaining to look at.  The pens used were by Derwent and Itoya - such different creatures from each other but both great to draw with. The paper I drew on is actually white, but my photography skills. . . oh well.  😕

Thanks for stopping by!

"A Little Ink Drama" - original ink drawings from life with a bit of white chalk

 Here are a few drawings from a life drawing group that had a great model.  All of her poses were so good and she could hold the long ones as well as the short ones, too. 

 The thing about drawing from life using ink is that it's a great drawing teacher - the marks are there to stay and we can learn what we did wrong - well maybe not wrong, just not what we intended.  While they can't be changed (although marks can be modified in interesting ways with non-waterproof ink) I always learn something from my ink drawings.  Mainly, though, I love ink drawings because they show what you're thinking - or how you react to the model - at the moment you put pen to paper.

I used Itoya calligraphy pens and Derwent Line Makers on Strathmore Mixed Media paper and added a little Derwent Chinese White drawing pencil on the front figure because I thought I got the shadow under her neck a little dark.  Did I cheat a teensy bit? Artistic License😉.  Thanks for stopping by! 

"Three Guys" - pen and ink drawing from life

 I was running out of room on my page so just drew over previous drawings.  I love doing this sort of thing.  The drawing is on 6 x 8" paper from a Strathmore Bristol board sketchbook.  It's useful sometimes to use a smaller piece of paper than usual and crowd everything on it. A big piece of paper can be a bit intimidating, so for warm-ups I often use a sketchbook this size or maybe 8 x 10".  Plus you never know what will develop when there are overlapping figures. 

On this one I used an Itoya calligraphy pen with two tips (mostly used the smaller one), an ultra fine Sharpie,  and a Derwent Line Maker that was included in a little painting/drawing kit that I received as a gift.  Mine is a 0.3 and I really like it, and would like to try a couple more sizes.  

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Black and White Variety - drawings from life

Here are some of my life drawing efforts - mostly quick pieces, which are my favorite.  I learn a lot from this kind of work even if I don't finish and there are mistakes because it sharpens my drawing skills.  I used Sharpies and charcoal on these fun pieces.  Thanks for stopping by!

 

Ink Dancers #3 - original ink drawing of tango dancers

 Here's a quick ink drawing that I did with ink pen and brush.  The ink was water soluble of course, which made it so much fun and totally unpredictable.  I don't remember the nib I used to do the lines - I love using different nibs - then went over it to restate some of the outlines after it was dry.  And not "finishing" it also appeals to my art senses.  This piece is 8 x 6" on mixed media paper.  Thanks for looking!

Jive Scribbles No. 7 - how I draw jive dancers

I've had this drawing for months and finally decided to post it since at the moment, all I have are pieces in various stages of finish.  This drawing was a lot of fun to do - just scribbling gestures all over the paper with smaller scribbles on the bottom.  I used an Itoya Calligraphy pen, along with fine  point Sharpies.
 I was lucky to be at a jitterbug exhibition where it would have been so awkward to pull out my pencil and paper, plus it was really dark where we were sitting.  And anyway, I've decided that in these instances, memory is better, even if you can only remember one bit of the dance.  (The reason for that approach is that when you're drawing - unless you're doing a blind gesture - you'll miss lots of the actual dancing because it goes so fast.)
So when I returned to the studio, I streamed some oldies jitterbug music like "Tutti Frutti","Whole Lot of Shakin Goin On", "Rock Around the Clock" - great jive music.   And, using the fine point pen, drew just a bit of what I remembered from the dancers' movements and then keeping my pen on one part of the gesture, began another drawing of the same subject in a slightly different position.  I love that layered look for drawings!  And having the jitterbug music on is kind of an inspiration and helps me to remember more of what happened on the dance floor.  It reminds me not to get tight and to just let the lines flow.
Worked my way across the page - only drew a couple of gestures before the main drawing, but sometimes I do a lot more of the fine line gestures - and then end up doing a bolder line drawing.  I added a few smudges of charcoal in the center.  The little gestures on the bottom are there because I was just fooling around while listening to the music - I never meant to post this - it's just a stream of consciousness kind of thing.  This drawing is on 16 x 20" Canson board.  Thanks for stopping by!

Line Jive - ink figurative drawing of dancers

This ink drawing is really the inspiration for the previous post, although I did make some changes when I did the painting. Just letting your pen go a little crazy is a good thing and results in the most interesting outcomes.  I used two pens  -  Sharpie and Itoya.  While I like using these kinds of pens, I also love dip pens - they don't give the same results, but their line quality is often fascinating.  This drawing is on Strathmore Bristol, about 5 x 5 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by!

Workingman - original ink/acrylic figurative drawing

I couldn't seem to find this drawing on my blog and it's one of my favorites.  Did the piece a few - or maybe more - years ago.  This young man's wife was scheduled to pose for a drawing group I attended, but she couldn't make it, so he came in her place.  He was a great model, although I could tell he wouldn't be repeating the experience.  He was dressed for his job, and as soon as his stint was over, he made a beeline for work.  We were all very grateful that he spent a couple of hours with us.  I used a brush with ink and acrylic on greyish-white paper and loved drawing the plaid flannel shirt and the work boots.  Thanks for stopping by!

Cool Jive - original ink and crayon figurative drawing of jive dancers

I know, it looks kind of crazy, but sometimes my Itoya Doubleheader and my Sharpie get the best of me - and throw in a Crayola and who knows what can happen!  Well, here's the result - could have made it red, but thought that would have been too too, hence the "cool" in the title - lavender - one of my favorite cool colors instead.  Drawn on 5 x 17" Bristol.  Thanks for stopping by!

Lindy Seated - original ink figurative drawing

This ink and stick drawing was done from a pose while sitting outside a sandwich shop on West 6th Street in Austin, Texas.  I used an extremely thin balsa wood stick with India ink - one of my favorite ways to draw - and just let the ink kind of do its own thing.  This is a wonderfully freeing type of art and just good for the soul - or my soul, anyway.  I did this drawing on - I think it's Yupo, about 8 x 5".  Thanks for looking!

Baseball Doodles - figurative ink drawings

Okay, maybe not the most accurate or elegant thing ever, but I love the chance to catch a baseball game and especially love getting in a few quick sketches.  It's on Bristol paper, 9 x 12".  Thanks for stopping by!

Cowboy Fiddler - original pen and ink figurative sketch

He's not the only fiddler here.  I'm another one, but I was doing my fiddling with a dip pen and ink, which I haven't done in years.  I was kind of hesitant, since it's been a long time, but I remembered how much I used to like using this technique.  I drew with a 512EF bowl dip nib and then applied water.  I love the way these kinds of nibs make contact with the paper.  They don't run smoothly like ballpoints and they sort of 'catch' every now and then, which I think gives an interesting look.   Now I'm not saying the lines in this sketch are interesting, since I pretty much covered them up with water, but the nibs can and do provide these textures most of the time.  This sketch is on 12 x 9" mixed media paper.  Thanks for looking!

Sparring in My Sketchbook - original ink figurative drawing with touches of white pencil

I am always interested in drawings on different supports.  Here, I used yellow ochre acrylic brushed on my sketchbook page.  Watercolor would be more traditional - or thinned ink - but was just working with what I had.  It's about 7 1/2 x 7 1/2" - the page seems to be a hot press watercolor paper, which I love to use - it can take lots of abuse!  Thanks for stopping by.

Dancers In Lines - original ink marker figurative drawing

Just about my all time fave thing to do - line squiggles that form people.  Used an Itoya Doubleheader calligraphy pen for this one.  Great drawing instrument, btw - gives such variety of line.  This one is about 8 x 11 1/2"  - thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Ink Folk Dancer - original figurative ink drawing

I was pleased with this one - not easy to draw when someone is dancing - they just go off and leave me working on three or four steps ago.  Funny thing - didn't realize I was drawing on the other side of a jive dancing ink couple that I enjoyed doing - something about her foot that I hadn't captured before, plus a turn in her torso.  I never finished the guy, though, and instead, will probably just use the girl dancer in another drawing or painting.  I love the way these dancers move in and out of my life.  Never know when I'll see them again, but they're always there, just waiting to dance for me.

Both drawings are from my mixed media sketchbook, about 5 x 8".  Thanks for looking!

New Pen, New Dancers - original figurative ink drawing

I have a new black Sharpie that doesn't come through the paper and I'm loving it!  Captured these dancers with it - this pen is a keeper!  It's smooth and the although the ink feels so free flowing, it doesn't make a mess.  Well, of course, no Sharpie I ever heard of, does, so this pen continues the grand tradition.  Still, it does have more of an ink feel that the feel of a marker.
This drawing is also an audition for the dancers on the page.  Some will get to stay with me, but as for others, they will have to go back for a few modifications.  See?  You thought I'd say 'drawing board'.  On 5.5 x 8" mixed media paper - thanks for stopping by!

The Print Dress - original ink portrait drawing

This afternoon I was watching what I guess one would call a 'costume drama', but this 'costume' was definitely not in the movie.  Somehow, though, I just had the urge to draw a print dress and here it is - a little sketch, but very pleasing to do.  Ink is so tricky - this was actually a very thin marker - but you never know until you actually make a mark whether it'll work or not and then it's too late.  Great for drawing training, but still, sometimes best to leave things out, which is what I did here.  Usually, I just go for it and then regret it.  Maybe after all this time, I'm learning that less really is more.  Who knows?  Anyway, it's 8 1/2 x 6" on cold press watercolor paper.  Thanks for stopping by.

Jitterbug in Lavenders and Blues - original Sharpie and watercolor drawing

I have had this brown Sharpie ultra fine point for a long time and just never used it, but am so glad I finally got around to it!  Always a fan of black and white, I am beginning to appreciate other colors of ink and there's nothing better to draw with than a Sharpie, which comes in tons of colors.  I drew this on 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" watercolor paper, then painted with watercolor.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Red Jive - original ink and watercolor figurative drawing

Just fooling around again with ink and watercolor - about 9 1/2 x 12 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by!

Volleyball Shorthand - original ink figurative drawing

I took my sketchbook to a volleyball game and made several gesture drawings - of course, some are a little easier to decipher than others.  I will post a few of them over a few weeks time.  Gesture drawings are made to capture the energy and movement of the figure - they're not intended to be complete or finished, but they can provide so much information that more finished works can be drawn or painted from the gesture.

This drawing is on a Strathmore sketchbook page.  Thanks for visiting my blog!