the silence of a falling star and other juicy quotes

Day Four of the post three drawings for five days challenge. Yes, it's taking longer than five days. Way longer.

Today, I chose these three drawings because they are all linked. Obviously, they are, but I thought I'd expand on how they are linked. And, how I work sometimes. So yes, of course, I've worked with the same palette here. Incidentally, blues and browns are my favourite colour combination. I just think they work so beautifully together. They also work great with the cream Moleskine paper which is the sketchbook I worked in here.

I often have a few sketchbooks on the go. Quite a few in fact. A lot are Moleskine, but not all. These days I'll draw on anything and everything. The top page is from what I call a 'spare sketchbook'. It's the kind of book that doesn't have a specific theme, it's just somewhere where I dump all of my thoughts, play around with images and compositions, practice my handwriting, file all those lovely juicy quotes and lyrics - that I happen upon - for future reference and make lists. Lots of lists. I love these kind of books. Everyone should have this sort of sketchbook. I can guarantee if I look through this book (this one is about seven years old now) I am reminded of and inspired by all sorts of things I'd forgotten.

At one time, when I was going through a drawing funk (they don't happen anymore by the way) and whining about it on my blog I was offered a piece of advice that I've never forgotten. I remember who gave me the advice too. It was Felicity Graces who some of you may know - although she doesn't draw, or at least, post her drawings anywhere near enough these days. Anyway, where as other people had been telling me to look through the work of my favourite artists or contemporaries, Felicity said definitely do not do that but look back through my own back catalogue of work. It was good advice. That's where you reconnect with what you love to do and the things you love to draw and why you love to draw.

So, that's why I recommend having a 'spare sketchbook'. You'll find so much in there too relight your fire. And, so to these drawings. Both of the two (bottom) drawings came about from developing themes I played around with in the top spread. By taking the notes and ideas and pushing and pulling them in all directions.

And, another thing, the envelope spread is what can happen when something goes wrong on a page; collage. The best way to cover all of your mistakes.

i drew my friends shoe

Here's a couple of drawings that I made back in the day. When my eyes could see better.

The top one was made with a ballpoint pen and the bottom one with colour pencil.

I'm pretty proud of both of these actually.

There's a little collection of my shoe drawings (if you'd like to peruse) HERE.

and you tell yourself

OK, this is the last thing I am going to say about shoes, from now on. I feel like I've talked about nothing but bloody shoes recently. So, I'm changing the subject. From my next post, of course.

even after all this time

I remember at the beginning of the year, making a whole load of New Years drawing resolutions. I then proceeded to draw loads of shoes. Even though that hadn't been one of the resolutions. I had a big old shoe binge (or should that be purge?), for about a month and half. It seems that I have one of those every six months.

It's totally unintentional. I'm not that obsessed with shoes. I like them, yes, but I don't spend most of my day thinking about them. Despite what you may see on this blog. It's made me think about it. Why? Why shoes? Why do so many people like shoes so much?

Anyway, here's another drawing of a Stan Smith. It belongs to Josh, who has a thing for Adidas trainers. So it's not just a girl thing.

and it just don't matter now

As I've said a million times before, when it comes to drawing with ballpoints (or biro, if you're British) I'll use any old make. I have no loyalty to any particular brand. Biro, Bic, Papermate, Staedtler, unbranded, Tesco Direct. Any. Found pens, old pens, new pens, free pens, chewed pens. I'll use anything. There is just one problem with this. When your pens run out you can't always find replacements. That's especially annoying when a pen becomes a favourite. Like this one. This drawing of Josh's Stan Smiths has finished off my favourite trusty non blotchy unbranded ancient chewed up old biro.

This drawing is now available to buy HERE.

how to draw a shoe

As promised, here is the second method I use, when it comes to drawing shoes. This, it has to be said, is my favourite method of all. And, I use it not only for drawings shoes but for most of the still life drawings that I make. In fact, this is probably how about 90% of them were created. A friend of mine says it's cheating, but I don't think so. This method means that everything I draw is the actual size of the object. Plus, for me, it brings the object and the drawing closer together. I feel that the object really becomes a part of the drawing when I draw like this;

Method 2

Oh, and by the way, I have used exactly the same tools as in the last post minus the tracing paper. You don't need that.
Step 1. Get your Converse boot, or whatever it is you want to draw, and draw around it. Yes, actually put it on the page and draw around it. I've used pencil to get the initial shape in the drawing above. It'll never be true to shape, because it depends what angle you are coming from (in so many ways), but I like that.
Step 2. Then draw around the pencil outline with a ballpoint to give you a ballpoint outline (apologies for the totally bloody obviousness of what I'm saying). It doesn't matter if it differs from the pencil outline, it's your shoe and your drawing.

Step 3. Adding 'values'. I'd never actually heard this term before I started drawing-blogging. I think it might be a US term (?) or even a technical term. As I said in the last post, I've had no training so maybe that's why I'd never heard it before. So, for those, not in the know, like me, add some shading. By looking at your shoe you can see where the darker bits are - hatch there.

Step 4. More hatching. More more more. Continuing on from the last step, building it up and adding some texture.

Step 5. Adding more detail and continuing with the therapeutic cross hatching. Really feel those textures. Touch your boots!

Step 6. Finishing touches. Adding the lovely details and, again, for this drawing I've added a bold outline. If you don't want a bold outline leave it out. Not every drawing needs one. Finish when you want to finish. It's your drawing. Let the drawing tell you when it's done.

Well, that's the process I go through. But, hey, don't listen to me. I'm sure you have your own thing going on.

Check out THIS LINK to see the other method I use for drawing shoes.
Plus, you can buy my 'How To Draw...' zines, and other stuff, HERE.

how to draw a shoe

Over the past few years I have worked through many different processes, when drawing from still life, to get to the one that I am happy with. As I'm self taught it's been a process of elimination to find the ways that work best for me. I have narrowed it down to a couple of methods actually. I'll show you both in the next two posts, and demonstrate with my favourite subject matter; shoes.

 Above are all the tools I've used. They are; a cartridge paper sketch book; tracing paper; pencil; rubber (I believe that means something different in the US?!); three blue ballpoints; one red ballpoint. I want to stress at this point, because I'm asked so frequently, I use ANY kind of ballpoint pen. No special makes or brands. Any. As long as they aren't blotchy I'll use them.

Method 1
Step 1. I am pretty obsessive about getting the shape 'right', so if I'm sketching something, for eaxmple an Adidas trainer, I will do the sketching stage on tracing paper. I realised, a while back, that I do not have any 'sketchy' books as such. I only ever produce finished drawings. I do, however, have huge amounts of roughs on tracing paper. Doing things this way means I can work on the shape I want to achieve and then transfer it easily to paper. It also means that, if I should want to, I can reproduce the same image (in different mediums). Which is something I do quite often.
Step 2. When I've got shape I want I transfer it to paper. In the image above you can see the ballpoint outline. I would obviously start with a pencil outline, but the scan I did for that was rubbish - you couldn't see anything. So when the pencil outline is put down on the paper, I go over it faintly with a ballpoint.
Step 3. I have started to add some shading (values?) to some areas. I work out where this shading should be by observing the shoe and where the shadows and light fall. Excuse me if all this sounds really patronising, it's not meant to. It's just how I have learnt to draw. Step by step.
Step 4. Here comes the cross hatching. This is the part where I feel I can really get into the zone with this drawing. I love this bit. The shoe is starting to come alive, and more texture is being added through the hatching.
Step 5. A continuation of the last step. More building, more hatching, more texture. Also at this point I'm starting to add the detail. That's another bit I love doing.

Step 6. The finishing touches. My most favourite bit. Details, a bit of extra hatching and a splash of red. In this drawing the final finishing touch was to outline the shoe with a bolder line, using a ballpoint that has a bigger nib.

I'm sure there are more sophisticated methods of creating drawings but when you haven't had the training you don't get to learn them. That's OK with me, though. I found my way of doing things through practice.

Check out THIS LINK to see the other method I use to make my shoe drawings. Hope it's useful in some way.

it's easy

This is a bit of a departure for me. I know it doesn't look like it, but it is.

Yes they are doodles. Yes it's drawn with a ballpoint. But, let me tell you, the urge to cross hatch the hell out of those doodles was eating me up inside. But, I resisted. Somehow, I resisted. Apart from a little LOVE.

on a quiet street corner

I've been living with this drawing for so long I can't even be bothered explaining it. Suffice to say it was a grower. It grew and grew and grew. Stick your nose in and have a look around. And if you don't know by now, you can do that by clicking on the drawing and then on the green arrows in the bottom right hand corner. Fill your boots.

all or nothing

So, when I said I was not going to plug my children's book blog or draw anymore shoes, it was obviously, a big fat fib. I'm a liar. A liar. And, it seems, my pants are, indeed, on fire.

Check out my children's book blog HERE!

it's so hard to wait

I know, I know.

Another week passes and I still haven't produced a drawing that I want to share. So today, once again, I found solace in a ballpoint pen and some Adidas trainers. Predictable but comforting.

it's just a booty call

Remember THIS POST? Yes? Well, they are back. And what' s more I haven't finished with them yet. Come back soon and see them in a whole new light. And, they will kick start a whole new project for me. 'Citing!

(Click on drawing to view)

i'm walking down your street again

You know, I'm in split minds about New Years resolutions. Yes, I do believe that possibly they are a way of setting yourself up for failure. However, last year, with the help of my very talented friend, Caryl Hart, I found out the value of writing a business plan. Huh? Well, in some ways, a business plan and New Years resolutions are pretty similar.

Anyway, I thought I'd go ahead and set out a few drawing aims for the year.

One of those aims is to go in search of my perfect Mod drawing.

The 1960s are my absolute favourite time in history. I'm always inspired by the Mod movement. My love of it started when I was a kid, watching old 60s British black and white films and grew deeper through my father's record collection. The style, the clothes, the music, the art, I love everything about it. So I want to make a special drawing that reflects that.

What does all that have to do with desert boots? Well, for those not in the know, they were part of the uniform of any self respecting young Mod.

So, that's one of my drawing resolutions for the year. I'll be setting out the rest, post by post, over the next couple of weeks.

singing with my feet

Here's the dilemma folks; to buy or not to buy. I really want these shoes. I have them here in my house. I ordered them from the catalogue. Just so that I could look at them. But, if I'm honest with myself, I cannot afford them. I am poor and I cannot afford new lovely gorgeous shoes. Shoes that I really really really really want.

If anyone would like to buy this drawing for exactly £75 that would really help me out with this dilemma. I admit it, I'm a shoe whore.

Lovely shoe in black ballpoint.

(Update: the shoes are mine!)

you been going through changes

I'm happy with this one. I hope you like it, too.
You have to click on this drawing to view it. Stick your beaks right in and have a proper rummage around.

you've got a lot to answer for

A few weeks ago I was going through the registration process for yet another online account. I said to my niece "I've got to think of another password, I never ever remember any passwords".
She said "Use bumhole".
Me: "Bumhole?"
Her: "Yeah".
Me: "Bum? Hole?"
Her: "That way, every time you look in the mirror you'll remember it".
Me: "Thanks for that".
Obviously, I used it.

Cut to yesterday, when somebody was helping me out with some technical difficulties I was having with an online project. They said "I'll just need your user name and your password".
Of all the passwords of all the accounts in all of the world.

Needless to say, I won't be using bumhole for any future passwords. But, she was right, I didn't forget it.

These are her feet. The cheeky bumhole.

don't look back in anger

The sun is out here, in the UK, this weekend, which means one thing. Actually, it means a few things. Across the country people are wiping down the white plastic garden furniture. Back gardens are filled with the smell of burning sausages on disposable BBQs. People dressed completely inappropriately for the time of year and temperature. Oasis tunes blasting from kitchen windows. And, of course, copious amounts of alcohol being consumed.

Me? I'm drawing pixie shoes. It's a worry.

Actually, I'm going to put this drawing away for a little while. You're probably getting as bored with it as I am. I promise I'm going to draw something a little more normal next. I was thinking of that sugar sachet collection. It's all relative, right?

all the things that you've seen will slowly fade away

As I slip into another of those mega drawings it seems like a good time to, once again, do a step by step post.

This drawing has been in my mind for some time. So, let me take you to a place where I go.

I'm not exactly sure where it's heading, but it's where nobody knows if it's night or day.

So stick with me, but, please, don't put your life in my hands.

I'll just throw it all away.

Take that look from off your face. No, I haven't been smoking crack, again.

It's just THIS SONG has been playing in my head ALL day long.

in the dead of night

This was going to be a quick simple drawing of all my black shoes. Quick. Simple. My arse.

foot soldier

Well, this drawing isn't exactly rocking my world but it's one page closer to finishing this Moleskine. I am desperate to finish it and to start the new one. Seriously, desperate. I have an idea, a concept, for the next one but more of that another time.

After creating a highly laboured drawing like the one in the last post(s) I always feel totally wiped out. So it's a good time to do something simple. Basically, a little colouring in. To me it seems like I've spent the last couple of years drawing shoes and socks. Turns out I' haven't actually drawn that many. See the whole set of foot furniture HERE.