The week prior to Christmas I began a new sketchbook and titled it on the inside cover: A Book of Sanity. My intent was to try to squeeze out bits of time for drawing here and there, to help maintain some sense of sanity in the midst of the hub-bub of the holidays. The first week went great…lots of drawings, just drawings in ball-point pen. The week after Christmas seemed more challenging to try to find those bits of time, and when I had them, my weariness drained whatever energy I might have had, such that drawing gave way to napping. Not terribly creative, but there it is.
I did manage however to draw what I gave my husband for Christmas. He has always loved star-gazing and planet watching…so this was the Christmas for a telescope. He’s had a ton of fun calling us all outside to see the moon and Jupiter with its stripe and 5 visible surrounding moons. Amazing!
This sketch is of our son, William, reclining on the couch with his beany on INDOORS! I never know whether his beany is a fashion statement or trying to tell me the house is just too cold, (since we try to keep our heating bills low:).
And for this one, I squirreled myself away upstairs to draw Genevieve, my dress form, as she appears right by our window. I’m fascinated with lines these days, as you can tell. Wonderful, squiggly, cross-hatched, layered lines built up to express form, shadow & light, and playfulness. There isn’t time for color. And for some reason, lines-only is quite satisfying. I don’t know why everything is so blue. Someday, I’ll own a different camera…it gives me fits! Oh well. Hope you can enjoy the drawings even so.
If this first week back from “the holidays” is any indicator…I’m gonna need to keep drawing in my book of sanity…A LOT!
i really like your drawing style! it’s really cool to see the potential of a ball point pen.
The sketches relay just where you are. Each one is a treasure. “Book of Sanity” is a good term for all to use. Drawing really does ground us. Certainly I’m more pleasant because I draw, sez me!!
Sez me AND my kids! When I’m grumpy, hubby says, “hon, have you done any drawing or painting lately?” Ha!
I love your wonderfully loose, scribbly lines. These are great ballpoint pen sketches and I don’t miss the color in these!
I love your sketches. You do wonderful things with that humble ballpoint!
Love these sketches! What a great idea to use just a ballpoint. Will it be the only thing you use in this sketchbook? I’m inspired.
I’m not sure if it will be the only thing I use in this book…so far, it is. I have used some colored ink ball point pens. But the minute I say, “This is the only thing I’ll use in this book!”…the next thing I know, I’m dying to use felt tip with crayons, or something else. I’m such a changling!
You make great sketches and with just a ballpoint!
You have a great mastery of cross-hatching. I like your light touch—these sketches are really charming.
Awesome sketches Jennifer! And that’s such a great gift I could only wished that my parents could afford back then when I was in the science club. ^^
Thank you everybodeeeeeee! You are awesome cheerleaders! I wish I had more time to cheer each and every one of you on in your drawing endeavors!
What a wonderful gift – a telescope! I would love to have one … tho then I’d have to stay up late enough to see the stars! lol Your sketches are wonderful. I love that you do them with ballpoint. Well done! nancy