Character Sketches, Birds, and a New Sketchbook

 So far, since the last post, I've done the following sketches from online photos. I love doing the character sketches better than the perfect glamourous ones. I don't go for a likeness anyway. Again, I've worked these in between company and physical therapy, mostly during my wake up morning coffee. It's my quiet time, kind of.

Loved this lady's straw hat and chicken, and also the joy on her face! Posca paint pen and red colored pencil

I could feel this lady's pleasure and peace while standing on a beach drinking her coffee! I think I kind of captured the feeling. Zig Writer double ended marker

This lady looked like she was dealing with something heavy, and the jacket was a challenge. Posca paint pen in sketchbook

I challenged myself to sketch this parrot with a still life, then colored it in with Prismacolor pencils. The vase is actually more of a lime green than yellow. I think I did ok, considering this is only the second time I've tried a parrot.

Yesterday, after physical therapy, hubby wanted to go in Beales to see if they had any more of the jeans like he bought a few weeks ago. I went in with him, and as we went across the front of the store, this book caught my attention, and I had to have it, especially when I saw that the price was $7.99. This is the front, and

this is the back. It was too big to scan, so I had to make a picture, and the back image turned out a bit sharper than the front one. The word "Sketchbook" is in gold glitter. It's 12" x 12", and the covers are hardback. The 176 pages are very smooth, thin, and acid free. I love the cover photos!

This morning, over coffee, I tried out all the different tools that were handy to me doodling and sketching. Even though it said it's for dry media, the paper handles markers, gel pens, and light water color washes well. Even the Copic markers didn't bleed through. It feels so soft and smooth when writing or sketching. It's a little larger than I usually get, but I love it! Can't wait to try some character sketches on it, and maybe some other things!

The paper was still flat after I doodled all over it with a bit of wet media, but it was standing on an easel so I could take a picture, and it was hanging a bit loose under an overhead light. It's not wrinkled at all. 

The canvas behind it is an oil painting of our dog at the time, which I started in 1997, the year she died. I had to give up oils due to allergies, but I have worked on it periodically over the years and am currently trying to figure out how to finish her face and capture her character. Hopefully I'll finish her before I die!

Physical therapy was a little harder yesterday, and I am still tired from it, so I've rested up today to go back tomorrow for another round. I can tell it's helping me in some ways. I just hope it helps my main problem about not being able to stand or walk over a few minutes.

Anyway, that's it for now. Stay safe, stay well, and stay creative! Prayers for everyone affected by hurricane Helene. So sad, and it can happen to any of us at anytime.