sketchbook ep 32 ✏️| new illustrations, work in progress | all or nothing thinking, reflections 💭 | 🌱💙March’s theme announcement💙🍃 (Patreon)

Hi!

Today I’m calling myself out on all or nothing thinking, reflecting on sketching, and sharing some new illustrations with you!

You might remember that a while ago I was reflecting on my sketching habit and the fact that maaaaybe (just maybe) I sketch too often.

Long story short, I found myself always sketching and coming up with new ideas and not executing on any of them (making more sketches instead, lol)

I made quite drastic change in my drawing practice – I just don’t make pencil sketches at the moment! I mean, I made a few on a loose sheet of paper but that’s it. Usually I have a lot of pencil sketches to share with you, today I have none!

I’ll get back to the habit of sketching with just pencil soon (honestly I miss it a little bit!) but for now I enjoy the practice of jumping straight to the colorful illustration and working on a few drawings at the same time.

Speaking of which, let me show you some of them.

Blueberries for the 9257910 time.

 and the sketch :>

If these look like potential stickers to you, well, maybe it’s because I made these illustrations with the intention of turning them into stickers!

I’m secretly working on a strawberry themed sketchbook spread quite similar to this one.

Well, it’s still on very early stages, so I can’t even show you the sketches yet but I will in the next post! :D

If you’ve been here long enough, you know that blueberries and strawberries were themes here already (and I don’t want to repeat themes) which indicates that the stickers are meant for something else… big announcement coming soon hehe! :>

I’ve been absolutely obsessed with drawing chicories lately.

There’s just something about the blue + lilac color gradient.

work in progress shot!

If you’re following me on IG, you probably already saw these, but here’s a better look:

I wanted to make these flowers the theme for one of the summer months but when the inspiration hits, the plans became quickly forgotten! :D

So, chicory is March’s theme!!

These are still in progress, at least the right side of the spread.

Aaaand more designs in the making! Could somebody stop me, please? (no, please don't)

I also started sketching for the print design.

Sometimes I just go with the flow and sketch directly in the sketchbook.

Since these flowers are quite small and the composition will be intricate, I have a different approach this time.

I make the first sketch on a loose sheet of paper.

I measure the size of my sketchbook page and mark it on this sheet of paper (it’s A4 while the sketchbook is about A5), so I +/- know which parts of the sketch will become an actual illustration.

You might be wondering, why I don’t just sketch on a A5 page. That’s a valid point.

I like to have more options, plus I don’t want to draw near the edges of the paper (to make the sketch look more organic, if that makes sense). What do I mean by options? In case I don’t like the composition I made in the “frame” I can always sketch more flowers on the right/left/top/bottom.

Oh, and once I’m done with the sketch (or at least ¾ of it, sometimes I get inpatient), I transfer it to my sketchbook using the light pad and pencils. After that the drawing process goes as usual.

I feel like I didn’t explain it that well, but I can elaborate on it further or maybe show an example in the video (once I’m able to record videos again). What do you think?

Anyway, this is the early stage ugly sketch you won’t be able to see anywhere else hehe :D

Oh, I’ve forgotten to mention that I use the “blue pencil technique”.

I believe I explained it about a year ago.

Basically, I just sketch with the blue pencil first and then make a sketch with a regular black pencil on top of it, so the sketch look cleaner.

More updates soon!

As for the all or nothing thinking, I learned it comes from anxiety, which makes a lot of sense.

I caught myself in this mindset and well, I didn’t like that realization! I don’t have it in every area of my life but here, on Patreon I do.

When I have just one thing to share, I’ll just wait for having more before I share anything, even though logically I know it doesn’t make any sense.

I just end up with tons of content I never share or share super late.

Same goes for some delayed digital rewards – some are ready to be shared but I’m “waiting” to be able to share all of them.

I told you, all or nothing thinking!

Now that I called myself out on that, I’ll stop letting it take control over me.

I’m clearly still catching up on eveeeerything.

Plus, as I said I have a lot of older content to share, like for example some roses (sketch vs wip vs finished illustration).

I’m working on two huge projects in my career (I’ll tell you more about both soon!) and two major projects in my personal life (apartment renovation and wedding planning).

Surprisingly I get much more things done than usual.

Probably because I’ve been kind of structuring my days lately. (opposite to my usual approach: just do whatever and hope for the best)

Maybe I should just have a day/days in a week where I post here, so I don’t get lost in creative mode/all or nothing/depths of depression/not sharing stuff for two weeks.

I don’t want to declare anything yet, it’s just an idea. It sounds like something that would allow me to get back on track.

Everytime I post here I realize how much I missed it and how much I like doing it. I hope you feel that way too, lol!

Thank you so much for your support, as always!

Love,

Marta