Monday 9 October 2017

#Inktober2017 #Screech

The prompt today is "screech", which was the excuse I needed to draw this small yet mightily voiced creature: Hanifi.  He likes to join in on conversations and uses peoples heads as perches. We have only been introduced once so perhaps with further meetings I might get to head perch status. I was thinking about drawing the serious excitement that happened last night - Egypt qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. But it was not so much screeching but a collective roar of happy people celebrating, and I think it needed to be more of a soundscape than a drawing - think drumming, cars beeping, fireworks, chanting, singing, Sha3bi*, more beeping...I got a little scrouge like by the early hours. But congratulations Egypt :) 

*Sha3bi - Egyptian style music that I think sounds a little bangra like. 

Sunday 8 October 2017

#Inktober2017 no....er, 4.5?

And she's done! I could tinker about with this picture forever but I'm just about ok where it is right now. For my first week of Inktober I'm pleased with what I've done. Four drawings in a week is more than I've done in a long LONG time. Next week maybe I'll do seven, maybe I won't, but I'm really enjoying this process.

Wednesday 4 October 2017

#Inktober no4 - - work in progress

I was a little ambitious today, and don't think I'll finish this one tonight. It's a drawing I had done a long time ago, but had never inked in - had kept it a sketch. I wanted to make it into a proper picture, with a background as well - so this will take longer for someone who hasn't done this in a while. I'm still exploring how to use ink again, and how to do my own style - which is messy, and not that neat. 

Here's a hint of it. 

Tuesday 3 October 2017

#Inktober2017 no3


This needs an explanation. I can't remember when I started doing this, but I compare people to food. Not everyone, before I get enquiries about what food I think you are - but people that it occurs to me they share similarities to a certain food. One of which, is the asparagus. 

Consider the asparagus for a second. In my opinion, you don't mess around with an asparagus. They are delicious just as they are - served tender, with perhaps a bit of lemon and butter - or on a pizza, in a risotto - all excellent. You don't need to whip them up into a mouse, or blitz them to oblivion to have a supposedly Very Good For You smoothie. Leave them be. 

The type of people I think of as asparagus are the people who try too hard to be something they are not. They try to be the asparagus mouse. The Very Good For You smoothie. When all they need to be is themselves, as they are, with no additives.  

I have dated some asparaguses, and come across a few asparaguses in my daily life. Asparaguses need to not take themselves so seriously, and know they are delicious without effort. I mean this in the most light hearted way, and do not wish to cause any upset. 

If you are somewhat affronted by this though, it may mean that you are an asparagus. 


Kept it simple today as I'm tired. Challenged myself to not use a pen, just a brush, which was fun.


Monday 2 October 2017

#Inktober2017 no2



A mum picking up her son from school. It always makes me wonder how the child recognises their mother. They see her at home, without the black, her face uncovered, hands ungloved.  Outside however, a kind of alternative superwoman transformation occurs, and you have just the eyes to go by. I wonder when I was little, and my mother was waiting for me at the gate, would I recognise her just by the eyes? The stance? Her bag? A glint of the shoes?

Using actual ink today. Unfortunately my camera isn't picking up all the detail but I enjoyed all the creases. I also found out there are prompts for #inktober. And then promptly decided I wouldn't use them. Maybe.