366 Daily Sketch challenge - more portraits

I am happy to say that I have been sketching daily 

since my last post so let me get you caught up. 

Up first is the lovely Makenna Stardust, a Sktchy user. 

I used BIC ballpoint pens, 

the Cristal Pocket Scents range to be exact.

For the blacks, I used Faber-castell PITT pens for the blouse and glasses,

and a mixed black in watercolours for her hair. 

11/366 daily sketch
Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 
BIC ballpoint pens, blacks are Faber-castell PITT pens and a mixed watercolour.
© Serena Lewis

**************************************

Next up is Nicola Fletcher, from Sktchy too.

Here is the initial pen sketch,
fast and loose.

I decided to use the BIC Cristal Scents ballpoint pens for adding colour to this one too.
The blacks are Faber-Castell PITT artist pens.

12/366 daily sketch
Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 
BIC Cristal Scents ballpoint pens and the blacks were done with Faber-castell PITT pens.
© Serena Lewis

**************************************

Next up is a sketch of Alexandria Bryant, another Sktchy user.

After the initial line sketch in pen,
I decided to play with some Lamy water-soluble ink.
Below is the first layer.

And the final results

13/366 daily sketch
Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 
Sketched using BIC ballpoint pen and Platinum Carbon pen, 
then brush-painted with LAMY water-soluble ink in black.
© Serena Lewis

**************************************

I had so much fun with the water-soluble ink,
I tried it again with today's sketch.
Subject is Susana Norzagaray from Sktchy.

First, the line drawing in pen

Then the first and second layers of water-soluble ink

Then the final results.
I really liked the painterly feel to this one.

14/366 daily sketch
Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 
Sketched using BIC ballpoint pen and Platinum Carbon pen, 
then brush-painted with LAMY water-soluble ink in black.
© Serena Lewis

I really do enjoy working with the water-soluble inks
despite having two mishaps in the studio today.

One - I actually had a different sketch under way this morning
until I pulled the lid off my Platinum Carbon fountain pen
and it splattered ink splotches all over my sketch. YIKES!
I should have been more careful as I've noticed
this particular pen seems to leak inside the lid,
not sure why??

Two - I had an ink spill while working on the sketch above.
I had reached across the table and
accidentally knocked my water tub over
which then spilled water into the ink reservoir
and it overflowed onto the table. SCREAM!!
Luckily, I have paper towels at the ready
so was able to quickly mop it all up before it poured over
 the edge of the table and onto the carpet. PHEW!
That was a VERY close call!

Black ink can be a scary medium to work with.
That said, I am loving the syringes for ink transfers though.
I learned about them from my pen guru, Rita McGregor.
I highly recommend them.
Easy to use and no mess!

So, that's about it for now.

I'll be back to share more daily sketches soon...

More daily portraits for the 366 Daily Sketch Challenge

After seven days of sketching my own face, 

I was a little over it so decided to move onto 

sketching other females. 

I'm thinking that I've already done seven days of me, 

I'll now do seven days of female portraits, 

seven days of male portraits, 

and perhaps seven days of children's portraits
in the last week of the month,

or maybe just a mish-mash.

There is a mobile app called Sktchy 

especially for artists who can upload photos 

of themselves to inspire other artists
to sketch or paint them.
It's such a great idea!

The app is only available for Apple products, iOS 8 or later.

I have it on my iPad and I love it! 

So, on Friday I was inspired to sketch Ashley Goeltz, 

a Sktchy artist/member. 

I love her uniqueness! 

I've always admired people who 

march to the beat of their own drum.

8/366 daily sketch

Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 

graphite and watercolours

© Serena Lewis

Yesterday (Saturday), my chosen subject was 

Susana Norzagaray via Sktchy. 

Another unique young lady.

9/366 daily sketch

Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 

graphite, Platinum carbon pen, and watercolours

© Serena Lewis

Today, I didn't have much time available 

so it was just a quick pen sketch of another Sktchy member,
the lovely Valerie Torres.

10/366 daily sketch
Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 
Platinum carbon pen, Faber-Castell PITT pens, and watercolours
© Serena Lewis

**************************************

I'm back to participating in the Sunday Sketches group.
You can check out this week's participants HERE.

**************************************

Bradley (son) and I have been watching the Star Wars movies
to get caught up before we see the latest one.
I've never watched Star Wars before,
except for The Phantom Menace around 14 years ago,
but Aaron, my youngest, went to see the latest one
and just had to watch all the rest. hehe
We're enjoying them so far.

I'm managing the daily sketches just fine at the moment
but the daily blogging was making me feel pressured so,
from here on, I will be posting two to three times per week.

Stay tuned....

Day 7 of the 366 Daily Sketch Challenge

Funny story -

I sketched this self portrait 

while looking in the mirror. 

Here is my simple line sketch 

Then I added watercolours
without looking at the mirror and,

like magic, 

this sultry vixen appeared instead of me! 

So much for the self portrait. hehe

I do like how she turned out though. 

I'd like to think that there is a hint of me in there somewhere.
The ear, perhaps? hehe

7/366 daily sketch

Hahnemuhle D & S sketch journal - A5 size, 140gsm, landscape format 

Platinum Carbon fountain pen,  watercolours

© Serena Lewis 

So that's it for today's portrait.