Weekly Mind Sketch

Well, I'm almost at hand 30, it's been a fun yet hard time drawing hands almost every day (give and take a few days off).  I have 70 more to go to reach my #100DaysOfHands goal - that's pretty crazy.  Hope I don't get too sick of hands before then (I will keep trying different mediums to keep it fresh)...

I decided to try something different with a hand holding play dough - this was quite a challenge to draw, and I know there are some things not perfect, but I like the direction I've been going with hands holding or grasping things.

Here's a hand grasping a computer mouse...I thought it would be an interesting drawing to show a hand around a rounded object, so this came to mind.  I feel hands are still hard but getting somewhat easier to draw.  Hopefully by the end of this challenge hands will be a breeze to draw and I"ll be much better!

Here's a quick outline pen sketch of the female hand I've been drawing from the previous posts.  I didn't outline this in pencil first to make it more challenging. My technical skills are still not where I'd like them to be but maybe I am starting to feel a bit more confident in pen outline drawings!

Here's my hand again in watercolor - I still don't feel very confident using this medium, but will keep trying painting with it so I continue to get better... I like using bold colors with watercolor, and the black jacket contrasts nicely against my hand.  I am learning that I like drawing/painting hand-punching positions, hands coming towards you look so bold and confident.  I think I will keep drawing/painting hands in fisted-like positions for a little while longer to see where I can go with this!

Here's a drawing of my hand punching at you on day 24 of #100DaysOfHands!  I drew this in a bold and aggressive pencil style layering color upon color to achieve this strong image. 

H'ere's another drawing of the male hand I've been drawing in the previous posts – a hand punching at you...I think it's bold in color and lines.  I like the look of the huge fingers coming at you, and I think I'll try a similar hand tomorrow...

Here's the female hand from the previous posts draped over a couch arm rest.  This was a quick sketch (holiday business making it hard to fit in drawing time)!  Actually quick sketching is supposed to improve your drawing abilities so hope it is true!

Well here's my hand 21 of this #100DaysOfHands project I decided to take on.  I'm back to the original male hand I started with.  I really like the bold, masculine feeling of this hand and I think the gold/grey hues work nicely in this drawing.

Here's the same hand I've been doing for the last few posts in pastel.  This is an interesting look with the waxy bold colors.  I have one more day with this hand and then on to another one!

I'm using the same hand from 2 posts ago with the simple outline drawing style in pen (this is without sketching it in pencil first) so I am not able to erase anything.  Not erasing my mistakes is a good way to hone in on my weaknesses and I notice I tend to stay very focused as I'm drawing in pen. Drawing in this outline style, I am realizing how very expressive lines are. If I make the line thick it feels confident and loud. If I draw a line thin and wispy it feels soft and sort of unfinished.  I may do another pastel hand tomorrow, we'll see...

Today I did a sketch of my own hand on top of my pant leg.  I was sitting in the car waiting to pick up someone and this is how I was looking at my hand in the car.  I wanted to create a rugged sketch without using an eraser, so this is the outcome. It has an interesting feel when I keep it quick and sketchy.  Until tomorrow!

Well here's my hand 17 drawing...the same hand again from previous post in a simple pen outline. I drew this without tracing it in pencil first to make it more challenging. Drawing in this outline style is so far out of my comfort zone but I know it will be good for me to keep working on this type of line style to strengthen my technical drawing skills. I'm much more comfortable using a sketchy drawing style. But my goal during this #100DaysOfHands is to continue to do things that are hard. I know this will only get easier with practice and practice...we'll see what style I decide to draw tomorrow!

Today I took on a new approach to drawing the same hand from the previous post. This is a simple line drawing without shading or hatching.  Simple is not a good word to describe trying to draw a hand using lines only.  I knew this would be a difficult challenge but didn't think it would be as hard as it was.  I started out drawing an outlined hand in pencil, then I basically traced over it in pen.  I really didn't feel confident with pen. I think it's because I know you can't erase your errors...  Well, the only positive thing is that I can only get better as I continue on with this. I will try to do this technique again in the near future. 

Here's my day 15 hand, "hang loose"symbol.. This is again the hand from a previous post that I'm working on.  One thing I like is how the fingernail polish really pops out in this one.

Today I took on a different hand(s) for a project I'm working on.  This is for a family Christmas booklet symbolizing peacemaking / working together / not holding grudges.  I liked the outcome of this, it has an expressive, rich and peaceful feeling.

Here's a " rock on " hand gesture for a twist on the drawings. This is the same hand as the previous post as I continue to study it in different poses for a few more days.

This was an interesting experiment to use oil pastels.  I have a set of them (not the best quality) so they were more like crayons, but they have a bold and smooth kind of look. I'm trying a new series of a female hand.  The hand also has a claw-like angle that makes for a somewhat eerie look.  I'll try this same hand tomorrow but a different angle!

Day 11 done.  I finished my first series of the same hand...and that was hard!  I am so ready to start a new hand (or series of a different hand).  Keeping up with my #100DaysOfHands is a huge effort but I'm gaining more and more experience and yes having fun most of the time :)

Well I'm 10 days into my #100DaysOfHands project!  I am still drawing the same hand just so I can keep honing in on the details. It's amazing that each time I draw this hand I see a new nuance or detail I missed before.  I am happy I'm keeping up with my drawings!

Day 9 is done. I look at the previous hands I've drawn and don't see much of an improvement yet but I am hopeful still I will see change soon.  One thing I think we all need to do is realize true change does not come quickly, and that computers don't help us get there any faster.  I am convinced that true change still requires blood, sweat and tears...and patience. 

Veterans Day • 11-11-15 A handshake seems a small gesture of appreciation to those who sacrifice their own lives to serve our country every day, but here is my small gesture of appreciation on this Veterans Day 2015.  I hope to have the opportunity to shake one of your hands soon but until then I give you this heartfelt handshake, thank you...

Here is day 7, one week of hands done!  This is the same hand again, really hard to draw the same subject matter each day, but I'm associating it with practicing scales on the piano...pianists often warm up their fingers every day doing scales before practicing their regular piano pieces in hopes of playing better pieces.  This theory seems to make sense with art too.  I sure hope so! I will be able to see if my theory works soon.

Day 6 complete!  This is still the same hand in colored pencil.  I'm drawing/painting the same hand in a series so as to focus in on all the details.  I know art is a slow process and takes a lot of discipline, and it's a good thing to keep drawing the same thing over and over to become more fluid and confident in your subject.  It's a super hard thing to keep drawing the same thing over and over but I am hoping my hand drawing weakness will improve.  Tomorrow I will focus on the outside of this same hand.

Well here is my day 5 hand, I went a new direction with watercolor :)  This is very different for me since I haven't done watercolor in probably over 5 years!  It was great to try it out again, even though I don't particularly love the medium.  I do like the free-flow feel it has, very clean and fresh. I started out doing the outline of the hand in pencil, so technically this started out as a hand drawing and became a small painting.  I like how this feels bold and almost statuesque if that makes any sense. We'll see where the hand goes tomorrow!

OK here is day 4...I'm feeling like I am officially getting deeper into this #100DayProject.  This is the same hand, but in color.  I think I'll continue on with this same hand for a little longer, I learn to see more and more details working on the same hand.  This looks like a male hand to me (which it is)...so that will work for now - until tomorrow :)

Here's day 3 hand drawing. This is the same hand as yesterday but a different hand pose. Even though it's the same hand it looks really different from the previous hand.  The thumb looks larger and the palm smaller. I think it will be fun to see the differences in drawings as I continue on with hands!

Day 2 of my #100DayProject of drawing hands for 100 days... done! It is interesting to compare the angle of this hand to the angle of the previous post. This hand is stretched out and pointing downward while my hand on the previous post was cupped and pointing upward. This hand is foreshortened so the palm looks really large while the fingers look smaller. It made for an interesting drawing at this odd angle! Until tomorrow...

Here's another drawing of my hand I finally had the courage to draw today. I think hands are deceivingly difficult to draw and I never feel satisfied with the end result. I want to keep on correcting shadows and lines and angles but then I just have to stop! I took on another angle of my hand (the palm side). This was a different feel than drawing the outside of my hand. The skin is thicker and more rounded than the outside of the hand.  After finishing this hand I think I will challenge myself to #100DayProject of drawing a hand (not always my own hand but all different hands). This may happen once a day or if I a miss day or two I'll just keep going until 100 days are complete. I may even paint hands sometimes.  O.K. stay tuned...99 days more towards self-improvement!