sketchbook episode 24✏️ | September’s theme announcement: sunflowers!🌻 | new sketches – using perspective grid, Autumn mode, doodles 🍂📔✏️ (Patreon)

Hi!

Let’s start with the theme announcement!

If you’re following me on IG you probably already figured that this month’s theme are sunflowers!

Based on the feedback I got from some of you on IG, I think it was a good choice?!!

Now, let me show you some of the recent sketches and first attempts to drawing sunflowers.

It’s been A WHILE since I used a perspective grid in any of my sketches (not to mention illustrations). Oh my, I just caught myself struggling to explain what even is a perspective grid!

Basically, by using it, one can create an illustration where the objects are shown, well, in perspective, it’s more 3D. It’s commonly used in some drawings of landscapes/architecture/sceneries.

Okay, so in this page there are 2 thumbnail drawings for lemon designs (which I ended up not using), sketch of 3 plant shelves, a doodle of money plant and a sketch of a plant shelf (I experimented with an "angle of view" here!)

Doodles of some leaves and branches! Just some warm up sketches I made the other day. I would never ever stop creating such simple and “boring” sketches :D

(by the way, the more I use this sketchbook the less I like it! Oh, I wish I could just scan these pages)

Another attempt on using a perspective grid. This time I KNEW from the beginning that there’s no chance that it’s going to work.

I used 2 point perspective knowing very well that I’m doing it wrong, lol (focal points are too close to each other, which creates very unnatural angles/weird looking perspective).

Instead of starting over, I wanted to create something “bad” on purpose!

 While drawing these I was frustrated with some things I have no control over (in my personal life and business).

You can probably see that even the pencil lines are a bit different than in my other works (less precise?)

After my failed attempt at drawing in perspective, I added some random shapes and played with the pencil pressure! After that I sketched the little palm plant putting a lot of pressure on my pencil.

I wasn’t sure whether I should share this page here but oh well, here I am, using my sketchbook as a tool for processing emotions! (100/10 would recommend)

Back to the nice side of my sketchbook. Oak and sunflowers!

First autumnal sketchbook spread of this year (yayy!)

I find myself drawing oak every Autumn.

 It was my first time sketching sunflowers though. I illustrated these flowers once, digitally (I don’t sketch using this technique). I need to sketch them several more times to really understand how to draw these flowers!

Another autumnal spread!

I really like this one. I mean, pumpkins and sunflowers – what’s here not to like?!

As always, before starting any illustration, I had to find the right color palette first!

I bought a few new markers and colored pencils.

The new yellow marker quickly became my favorite.

It’s literally called “yellow”! (I’ll be sharing more details on these colors in another post).

Then I swatched every color that seemed to be a right fit for drawing sunflowers.

I don’t use brown markers often, so I had to try a lot of them to find the good ones.

I ended up using only 3 brown shades and I just realized I forgot to swatch them again (near the sunflower)!

This time I have a real life reference, which is really useful.

Plus it’s just nice to have such wonderful flowers on my desk!

 (an early work in progress shot)

I hope you like these sketches (even the "ugly" ones :D) and this month's theme!

Love,

Marta