Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Hatch Job (#InkTober2017 First Trimester Review)

10/11/17 Maple Leaf neighborhood
I’m so fickle.

I just got through saying you wouldn’t see my toned book again until our autumn weather turned gray. Although we’ve had showers this week, we have also been getting sunshine – if you catch it quickly before it darts behind clouds again. I saw my chance this afternoon, so I was on my way out the door to look for an InkTober sketch. That’s when I had a “duh” moment: If all I’m doing is hatching with dark ink, why not used toned paper? I had been doing all my InkTober sketches in a yellow Field Notes, but I think I like toned paper better for this. And 11 days into it, I’m finally starting to get into the hatching groove.

Since today is the 11th, we’re one-third of the way through InkTober, so it’s a good day for a trimester review. My goal was to work on my hatching skills, and I chose ballpoint ink because it’s a medium I’ve been fascinated with when I’ve seen the work of others, and I wanted to give it a solid try. A few days into it, though, I was already in trouble. The Uni Jetstream 4 & 1 four-color ballpoint that I’d been using has very fine points, and they looked so pale on the page. In addition, I’ve gotten so used to fountain pens and brush pens – both of which require very little pressure – that I’d forgotten how much pressure ballpoint requires. By the end of week one, I was so annoyed that I didn’t think I’d make it through InkTober if I stayed with ballpoint.

I didn’t quit, though – I just switched to fountain pen, and I kept my goal of working on hatching, which I can do with any medium. It feels much better to have a familiar fude back in my hand. I realized that using a new medium while also trying a new sketching technique was probably biting off too much for one InkTober.

Shown below are days 2 – 10. I’m putting all my InkTober sketches in this Flickr album. 

How’s your InkTober going?

10/2/17

10/3/17

10/4/17

10/5/17

10/6/17

10/7/17

10/8/17

10/9/17

10/10/17

8 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Ching! Believe it or not, I think my graphite class has helped me with this Inktober sketch! ;-)

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  2. I really like that first (latest) sketch, too. And the pencil sharpener. I'm on track for Inktober.

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    Replies
    1. I like seeing the different ways you're doing Inktober, like your journal.

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  3. I like the sketches and your Flickr gallery - just started following you :)
    Have a nice day, Nadja

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  4. The hatching looks really good on the toned paper. Your hatching is getting better and better. Like you, I'm on track with my Inktober sketches. I'm enjoying doing some of them with my twig from KK. It is an interesting method of sketching. Keep up the good work!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Joan! I'm enjoying seeing your Inktober sketches, too. Your twig is quite the challenge!

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