100 days of practice – another week

admin — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 15:50:08 +0000

Here’s the second week of my participation in The 100 Days Project. As I mentioned last time, I’m focusing on copying faces in (Japanese) manga. The second week I am still on a Tezuka Osamu kick.
I switched to the sumi ink during this week: less feathering, less bleeding through the page so I can draw on both sides and get nice double pages ànd use all of my sketchbook (cheapskate that I am). I’m beginning to notice a bit more fluency in the copying and inking. I can tell Tezuka used different tools than I do, but I’m making this work with my self-imposed limitations, and in the process I am getting more skilful with that pen again.

I find facial expressions incredibly hard to copy. I am getting a bit better at copying likeness, but capturing the emotion or the intention of the character with a few pen strokes is a totally different level. Certainly something to strive for during this 100 days challenge!

Like last time: click to open the gallery and get a closer look at the individual pictures:

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And the originals:

And here is the double page “spread” effect. You see how it bleeds through in the second photo… That’s improved in later pages.

First three images (top left is practice with brush pen)

I like how this looks when you get more images together.

Have you been inspired to take part in #The100DaysProject? Or are you contemplating joining an art challenge? In 2022 I joined Kick in the Creatives for Inky April. They have a few options every month if you’re looking to find a little art community online!

100 days of practice

admin — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

I’ve decided to join The 100 Day Project and since it started on 18 February, I’m already well on my way, with 17 small pieces completed.

My chosen project? Copying faces from manga, inking them with sumo ink and a proper pen (Blanzy-Conté-Gilbert — № 423 Plume Atome) and touching up with two small brushes, in a Royal Talens sketchbook. I sketch the drawing with a B pencil first. Here are my tools:

All you need for 30 mins of fun.

At the moment I am re-reading Tezuka Osamu Buddha in the Dutch translation. I love his style: a clear line, exaggerated movements, emotion in spades, humourous details, and impressive landscapes that range from the harsh Himalaya mountains to make you shiver to the humid steaming jungles of the monsoon-struck Indian subcontinent. Oh to be an artist who reaches to his ankles!

I am not sure yet if I will do all 100 days from this series or even from Tezuka’s oeuvre, but he’s certainly not a bad artist to train on!

Here’s my first week so far, and below for comparison the original. The first week I still used Noodler’s ink, but the label has fallen off so I don’t know which one. It feathered too much on this paper, and I switched to the sumi ink shortly after. You’ll see those in a later update.

Click on each image for a larger, full view:

And for comparison, the originals:

I feel I’m getting more comfortable using the little pen, just from this brief daily practice. It does not allow for much variation in line thickness, but for now I feel like sticking it out with the pen I first learned to ink with back when I was 6 or 7. Far fewer blotches than back in the day, I call that progress!

creativity – Radio Blackbird Illustrations

100 days of practice – another week

100 days of practice