Anybody do pencil or pen sketching? And now with digital drawings

thecolourbox · October 2020

Saw a video of somebody sketching people using a mechanical pencil recently and it reminded me I used to be ok at drawing but got a bit bored. I used to get annoyed at using pencils as you have to keep sharpening them and stuff but the thought I'd using a mechanical was appealing, so I went and bought a metal one and some technical drawing pens as I used to like pen drawing too. Thought it might make a good mindless activity in the evening which I can do on the sofa so I didn't have to be anti social playing guitar.

It's only for me (and people who I give them to do I don't end up with loads of sketches nothing to do with them) but thought I'd post them here, for any tips or feedback and for others to do the same if you're into it.

Here are the ones I've done so far, in time order

My mom's dog

Nymans House in Sussex, slightly cartoon style

Me and the Mrs

Mom and her dog but I couldn't get her face right so still haven't finished it!

An attempt at Van Gogh's starry night with my pens and only a few kids pencil crayons (weren't even the right colours haha

Jeff Buckley, but couldn't get his nose right sadly so just looks like a random dude playing guitar

Johnny Depp for the mother in law, she's a fan. Happy with his face and shoulders but not sure why I ended up giving him a little pigmy arm and a Simon Cowell waistline!

Still a lot of work to do but hoping to get adequate again over the next few months, like I used to be

Let's see yours

Funkfingers · October 2020

thecolourbox said:

a good mindless activity in the evening which I can do on the sofa

Ooh, er, missus.

munckee · October 2020

Haven't got a drawing to share but your pencil fu is strong.

EricTheWeary · October 2020

I am truly terrible although I rarely try/ practice. Shame really as I drew a lot when I was younger ( although my cartoons in the student newspaper weren’t exactly high art - Eric the Social Worker and Thomas the Drunk Engine).

My father had a lot of drawing pens and mechanical pencils as he’d been a draughtsman when he was younger. When I cleared his desk out after he died I thought there would be a bunch of stuff I might use but it was all knackered and rusted up. Bit sad. One of the joys of my youth that he could do quite cool drawings.

VimFuego · October 2020

I can't draw a dot without screwing it up, but mrs f was really good at sketching, but she never really did much in the 29 years we were together, just the odd bit now and then. Shame really, I think it may have helped her.

thecolourbox · October 2020

VimFuego said:

I can't draw a dot without screwing it up, but mrs f was really good at sketching, but she never really did much in the 29 years we were together, just the odd bit now and then. Shame really, I think it may have helped her.

It's a strange one, because in some ways it's quite a "brain free" way of passing some time though it can also be a bit frustrating when you're short of subjects or if you are struggling to get something right. I've tried to force myself to complete stuff but I could not do the mother in law's cat at all after about four different attempts. It's different to playing music or painting where people tend to enjoy it and want to stick at it because they want to express themselves or have something to say - this literally has no point to it really other than being slightly satisfying for yourself when you finish something.

That's a problem to some people, because there's no real output. My other half prefers making cards and crafts because she enjoys the outputs and giving them to people, but I personally find the reduced pressure of just doing something for the sake of it that nobody else will see most the time. Maybe your wife was the same as my other half in that respect?

LastMantra · October 2020

I loved drawing when I was younger. Usually weird cartoon doodle stuff like skateboard type graphics and the like. My school books were full of drawings.
I got a pad and a few nice pens and pencils a while back and did a few simple superhero drawings for my son but have forgot about it again now.
Think you need to do it all the time to get any good.

Sassafras · October 2020

I used to do loads of pen drawings, now I just doodle in the margins.

VimFuego · October 2020

thecolourbox said:

VimFuego said:

I can't draw a dot without screwing it up, but mrs f was really good at sketching, but she never really did much in the 29 years we were together, just the odd bit now and then. Shame really, I think it may have helped her.

It's a strange one, because in some ways it's quite a "brain free" way of passing some time though it can also be a bit frustrating when you're short of subjects or if you are struggling to get something right. I've tried to force myself to complete stuff but I could not do the mother in law's cat at all after about four different attempts. It's different to playing music or painting where people tend to enjoy it and want to stick at it because they want to express themselves or have something to say - this literally has no point to it really other than being slightly satisfying for yourself when you finish something.

That's a problem to some people, because there's no real output. My other half prefers making cards and crafts because she enjoys the outputs and giving them to people, but I personally find the reduced pressure of just doing something for the sake of it that nobody else will see most the time. Maybe your wife was the same as my other half in that respect?

now oddly enough, that was something she did a whole lot of. She always had the half baked idea of selling cards etc, but I think she just enjoyed playing with them. She bought a fancy pants printer (that I'm now struggling with, it's way more printer than I need) and she'd happily spend hours mucking about with it. All my birthday and xmas cards for about 10 years were made by her.

Paul_C · October 2020

I used to do commissions back in the 90s, mostly oils or watercolours, but if I can find it I'll post a picture of a pencil sketch I did of someone's recently deceased father (a lot of commissions were for dead relatives or pets). IIRC the chap who asked me was the son in law of the man and thought it might be a gift for his wife, then thought better of it.

I kept it because I was quite pleased with it . . . for two reasons. It was a passable likeness for what was a fairly quick sketch, and because when I drew it I'd only just got in from the pub and was pretty hammered

scrumhalf · October 2020

I am jealous of those able to draw. My artistic abilities begin and end with holding the pencil the right way round. I could be one of Blackadder's cluster of colourblind hedgehogs in a paper bag.

I console myself by recognising that some of the business plans and reports I have come up with over the years are works of art.

Iamnobody · October 2020

Cool - they look good. It’s nice to do something creative.

When I was very young (under 10) my drawing was pretty decent and advanced for my age. I could copy things well...

Now I’m old any attempt at drawings look like they were done by a child! I think I peaked to soon.

ThePrettyDamned · October 2020

The portrait of you and the missus is beautiful.

I can't draw - I am scientific, not creative sadly.

axisus · October 2020

Nice stuff! Good start there!

I'll tell you who is amazing at sketching - Nick Beggs. He draws with a pen so that he can't rub out and correct anything, and he releases sped up videos of him doing them. There are loads on Facebook and instagram, but here's one that found it's way to YouTube

axisus · October 2020

I'm arty, although I haven't done much for years. Here's some old sketches:

Image: https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/95218318_10157303618644632_4723593319764983808_o.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=3gn5uXCoDj0AX8kbDRJ&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&oh=f70d9c528cbb8f400cf8261c84098c00&oe=5FB425FB

Image: https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/95282399_10157303618809632_3062423480046714880_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=u25rW8RtyTYAX8C_afQ&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=b6c18a51462e40d1915f0456f50c1a22&oe=5FB4F180

Something a bit more worked up:

Image: https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1929504_8467679631_5875_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=7SdScLDHITYAX_rb15A&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&oh=1e7a63d1f8f901117e300ed064240afb&oe=5FB4EC86

And some more technical stuff that I did at work in the 80s:

Image: https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/95092550_10157303619339632_1267642692423122944_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=LNIH4LfTDHsAX-TnnjP&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=dfc9df376ee7439c1140ad066d755242&oe=5FB38FFA

Image: https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/95216701_10157303598909632_8621551937914929152_o.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=VZCBebvVA0IAX-IhsAK&_nc_oc=AQmu9ntHHWQts16mbEGYbI1o0Qr9sESVBzLTfvp7xr7uHlII7ncu-9UUEdy_hLpF3TE&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&oh=6dff16ab6185a60cda44f7592082bfe8&oe=5FB278E2

TheOtherDennis · October 2020

They’re pretty awesome, @axisus, very impressed.

and nice work too, @thecolourbox some good stuff there.

my dad was an exceptional pencil artist and truly terrible in colour. He once did an oil painting which he had framed and then got us all into the hallway to see it unveiled. (I think I was about 13 or 14.) my mum said “why on earth have you had that done? I thought you hated that painting.” “I do,” he replied. “It’s to make sure I never do it again.”

I’ve inherited a little bit of his pencil skills, and all of his colour skills. I can do a passable sketch but am completely hopeless with colour. My father in law was a hugely talented water colourist and I’d love to be as good at something like that, but I am utterly useless. I’ve night half a dozen colour pencil sets or pastel sets and only done one thing worth keeping, let alone showing, in nearly 40 years.

Then again, I only try once every six months so that might have something to do with it.

SPECTRUM001 · October 2020

likewise - really impressed with all the above, and particularly like Nyman's House.

I had no idea that Nick Beggs could draw so well. Almost forgives his crimes against music and hair in the eighties (does also remind me of a Take Hart exert).

thecolourbox · October 2020

Particularly pleased with tonight's effort, not because it's that good, but because I'd tried two other portraits before this and they went wrong, but I did not give up, just decided to do something else. Boom

DiscoStu · October 2020

I used to draw every single day as a kid, but stopped the day I bought a guitar.
Got back into it briefly a few years ago when an idea popped into my drunken head.

Not sure if this will post or not, but here goes

https://i.imgur.com/vZocIkd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5HWlHqX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2Y0Q364.jpg

And I used to cover my school folders in metal sketches...

https://i.imgur.com/WalqjoL.jpg

strumjoughlamps · October 2020

My lad is handy with a pencil, one of my faves..

fastonebaz · October 2020

These are all amazing. Great talent.

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Anybody do pencil or pen sketching? And now with digital drawings

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