100th Post!!!! IF - Cocoon

When I started this blog in September I never imagined that I would reach 100 posts so quickly. What shall I do to celebrate... Hmm  guess I should draw something for today's EDiM. In the meantime, here is my picture for Illustration Friday.

Despite the challenging quote provided with this week's topic, I thought I would stick with a traditional cocoon image, which matches my drawing style. This is the quote:

A child-like man is not a man whose development has been arrested; on the contrary, he is a man who has given himself a chance of continuing to develop long after most adults have muffled themselves in the cocoon of middle-aged habit and convention. ~ Aldous Huxley

The other reason is that I have neglected one of my art-based resolutions for this year which was:  

"Do what I love ...I would like to focus on getting better at... pen & ink".

I found the great reference photo of a Monarch Butterfly on: www.worldofstock.com

EDiM - #2 Lamp

For the 4 months I'm working in Khartoum, I am staying in an apartment hotel. This bedside lamp has to be the ugliest thing in the apartment and cried out to be painted for challenge number 2.

Osman smoking shisha

Yesterday I had the best day out! I was taken south of Khartoum, by some of my trainees and their friends, where we had a picnic beside the Nile. At one point Osman smoked some shisha and I did this quick sketch in my moleskin, that always is in my bag.

Osman is in the middle of this group picture.

Me beside the White Nile

Everyday in May (EDiM) #1

This is part of the Everyday in May challenge - drawing something every day in May. Led by Liz Steel, a group of us thought it would be fun to do an Everyday Matters (EDM) challenge each day using EDM 1-31. The list is here. Liz is an amazing artist, so go and check out her work. The group participating can also be found on Liz's blog here.

I think this is a bad start as I had a brilliant, but very busy day and did this quick sketch as I kicked off my shoes before heading for bed. Check out everyone else's shoes - they are FAB! Now I've posted this, I am off to tackle challenge #2.

Exam portrait

This morning I started drawing Amar leaning on his hand as he read the exam paper. He moved moments later and I confess the hand looks strange, but as he didn't replace it, I didn't have the opportunity to continue. I am pleased with the expression.

EDM #84 - Draw some bread

I'm not sure whether to work this up some more or to leave it. I don't want it to get too dark and the plastic bag loose its transparency, but then again at the moment the bread rolls look rather insubstantial. I shall leave it for now, then think about it later.

IF - Ahead

 I always think a sunrise not only heralds a new day, 

but brings the promise of unknown possibilities ahead.

Watercolour  on W&N Cotman 300gsm 200x125mm

Inspired by Raena

On Monday, Raena posted this post feet and hands and I was inspired to sketch my feet whilst watching a film on tv. I must confess that the inspiration came with a tinge of guilt as I'm usually to lazy to draw anything rather than nothing.

This was drawn in very poor light as I sat on the sofa with my feet up using a 2B pencil.

Don't forget to check out Raena's brilliant sketches by clicking on the link above.

AbdulAziz

 I really wasn't feeling in the mood to draw today. I forced myself as I only have the time during the weekly tests to practice drawing portraits. The result is this small pencil sketch of AbdulAziz who was concentrating hard on the mid-term test in front of him.

IF - Detective

 I haven't participated in Illustration Friday for awhile, but thought this week's theme sounded fun. Using my old watercolour pad, which I discovered on Thursday has deteriorated, I thought it could produce any interesting fog-like atmospheric background. I've ended up with quite a naive painting I think, but as I had fun doing it I thought I would post it regardless.

Although I am sure the Guy Richie / Robert Downey, Jr. version is great (I haven't had the opportunity to see it yet), I wanted a more traditional image of Britain's most famous detective. I found my reference photo on the Private Investigators forum. Can you believe there is such a thing?