Welcome,
Thank you for being here
It has been quite a week. A recent 700 mile road trip on my lovely BMW 1200GSA to visit family members kept me busy with my son’s house move, new baby granddaughter duties, odd jobs like changing taps, flooring, fixing toilet flushing, moving white goods and even finding time to visit my father and step mum in Wales. Many miles and quite tired, I’m ready for a couple of days at work!
I took my homemade sketchbook with me but just didn’t have the time or mindset to relax and enjoy making much art. This may happen to you from time to time… not that you need permission from me, but it’s ok to feel like that. 👍 You may realise by now I try not to give myself a hard time about too much these days and hope you are doing the same and looking after your mindfulness. Sketching and art definitely help with this.
There is always something to create and if you are ever in doubt or need to free your thinking just get a pen and join in on a sketch. My writing is for anyone but particularly if you are new to drawing/using watercolour or even just want to give it a try you are most definitely welcome
I did manage to get one creative moment with prompt #12 in my sketchbook and thoroughly enjoyed splashing colour on to the page! I explain in my thread, that being so keen to get the paint out I lost my way a little and ended up stopping. I find it helps to know when to take a break, enjoying the progress you have made before it gets out of control or all goes wrong and becomes tedious. It also helps the paper dry and you see the colours change. Perhaps a little plan or value study1 would have helped but, as is typical with me, I dived straight in! I came back to it and found my way forward. A useful tip to remember if you get stuck.
This was a picture that took my eye whilst on a walk last year around the north coast of Cornwall. I find the most inspiration from when I’m out on leisure time around this beautiful county of Cornwall. Where do you find your inspiration? I also enjoy colourful and unusual architecture, townscapes and interesting urban life. I’m yet to seriously tackle people but it is something on my radar when I feel the time is right.
Some housekeeping changes…the Gallery
Some people just like to look at pictures so I have created a GALLERY for you that will be populated regularly with the most recent appearing at the top. I’m hoping you elite stackers share my substack and work if you like it (there is probably a better name for us). also added a pinned post to my bio to show you I am actually real and not a bot! I admit a few years ago I didn’t even know what a bot was!!
Materials
OK, I confess to breaking a promise I made from a couple of weeks ago. I got another small sketchbook and some very cheap, sweet looking ‘Lamy Safari lookilike’ brush pens that take ink from a refillable cartridge. They were a ‘basket top up’ to make minimum order value on Temu, as I only needed a phone case. I feel it doesn't really count does it? That was the last purchase for a good few weeks!
Chat
If you’ve made it this far don’t forget I have an active chat thread which will have regular prompts should your artistic well run dry from time to time. It will be encouraging and should have some tips to keep you active. Come over as a subscriber and say hello. We are at #14 but you can join in any that are still open and I promise to read and view all content.
3 Qs about U & 4U
I have been contemplating some extra functionality and wanted to gauge your potential interest in this. Would you be kind enough to tell me in 3 clicks?
As a guide for the next question:
Complete beginner: No real drawing or paint experience, just and interest and keen to learn
Beginner: Have done some drawing and painting, have limited materials and knowledge but enjoy what I’m doing
Some knowledge and experience: Have some existing knowledge (like colour theory and wet in wet technique) and have drawn and painted for at least 6 months
Fairly experienced: More materials and knowledge with regular practice for at least the last year
Expert: lots of knowledge, materials and experience spanning years, plenty of art produced on a regular basis
Also…
Capture your World in a Sketchbook is a free newsletter. Your Coffee donations are greatly appreciated, they help to support & motivate me to carry on writing and sharing. Click the link below if you feel like donating a little to support my writing 💚
(Sometimes, I may not be able to trace you back to your Substack name from Kofi)
Thank you for reading, I’m always happy to hear from fellow enthusiasts in the comments👇 Anyway ‘till next time, happy sketching. CJ
A quick google of ‘watercolour value study’ will help you if you are unsure what it is.
Wow, that is an epic journey and a very busy trip - no wonder you didn't really have the energy to create. I agree that it's ok to not sketch every day if you are just not feeling it - but always good to get back to it when you have more energy. I often find I go in a new direction with a little time off!
Interested to hear how you like the lamy like brush pen from Temu - they have popped up on my Temu and I have been curious!
Fairly experienced but always eager to learn from other artists.