sketchbook episode 21 ✏️ | I finished a sketchbook! (and already started a new one) | lemons, playing with spread layout, houseplants and some botanical studies 🌿🍃+ new illustrations 🍋 (Patreon)

Hi!

The heat wave is still going strong here.

My phone and laptop are constantly overheating so I’m very much looking forward to upcoming days to finally record this month’s video!

I feel quite weird updating you on my sketchbook while I haven’t shared overdue June’s rewards yet but I figured it makes more sense to do that than to not post for weeks!

Rewards are coming this week and if you subscription expire before it happens, don’t worry, I’ll just send you digital rewards via email.

I also have some long overdue things to share, such as step by step pictures of some of my illustrations.

With that being said, let’s take a look at my sketchbook.

Lots of lemons!

 as you already know, this month’s theme are lemons, so I’ve been sketching a lot of them before committing to final illustrations.

I had an urge to draw some profile view portraits!

At least one of them is quite anatomically incorrect, but it doesn’t matter!

Oh, to think that I used to think I’d pursue becoming a portraitist one day.

Luckily I switched to botanical drawings (it was almost exactly 5 years ago)!

A small study of willow gentian!

 I just love this flower.

It looks majestic and reminds me of Tatra Mountains, where I usually spot them.

It definitely needs to be studied further, but I quite enjoyed creating this spread!

Fruits and houseplants! Definitely one of my favorite sketchbook spreads I’ve ever made.

 I used to draw houseplants all the time and now I find myself doing it occasionally. It’s time to change that!

 What I like about this spread is the placement of elements. I like how some of them overlap!

and the last page of this sketchbook!

 This illustration is quite big compared to others but I wanted to finish the sketchbook with something a bit simpler!

Completing this 32 pages sketchbook took me exactly 3 months and I already started another one.

My new sketchbook has 98 pages and is actually a proper sketchbook from an art store, yayy!

I’ll show you this sketchbook and some sketches next time!

(spoiler: most of the sketches I’ve made so far are just lemons)

Now, let me finish this post with some drawings.

I shared a peek of this one on my IG stories but something seemed off about it.

 I added a few more layers of darker yellow and added a blue star and it’s looking better!

It’s just a half of the spread in my square sketchbook but I wanted to share it now anyway.

And here’s an illustration inspired by one of the sketchbook spreads you saw above!

I really (like, really) liked the idea of things in the illustration overlapping.

I’m not quite happy with colors I chose for the plant pots, but other than that I like it and making it was such nice, much needed side quest! :D

Usually when I’ve been focusing on one theme, I find myself feeling the need to draw something different (sometimes unusual) for no particular reason.

Well, I think the reason might be to just reset my mind!

Right now I’m working on lemon themed illustrations and I’m illustrating 3 botanical books (like, field guides!!!), each focused on one plant.

Basically I’ve been drawing 4 plants over and over again, so no wonder I’m drawn to making portraits and experimenting with spread layouts!

My mom is visiting us next week and we’re going to go for some hikes if the weather will be nice!

I’m hoping to gather tons of inspiration there.

Thank you so much for your support even in these quieter months.

I’ll be updating you again later this week!

Love,Marta