Illustration Challenge #51

Why not give crosshatching a try? I've been experimenting with it lately and it's fun! It takes time to build up the marks, but not as much time as you'd think. My method? Create a pale pencil drawing, ink in enough of it to know where I'm going, erase the pencil, then start in with the hatching. Now, you give it a try!

Illustration Challenge #50

Today's challenge is pen and ink. You can go fancy with a micron, or go old school with a ball-point. But give this one some time. Build up dark areas through crosshatching and make sure to create strong contrast.

Illustration Challenge #49

Flowers - today I suggest you draw flowers. Blossoms on trees or near the ground, whatever is blooming around you. You can pick an arrangement and bring it indoors, or take a blanket and find a spot to draw outdoors. Lovely.

Illustration Challenge #48

Draw something that feeds your soul - something that makes you just so darned happy to create it, you can't help but smile. Let your hand GO!

Illustration Challenge #47

In honor of the raptors I recently had the opportunity to draw - I challenge you to draw birds! They can be round little balls of squishy feathers and cute little beaks, OR they can be raptors, with enormous beaks and claws!

Illustration Challenge #46

Is it warming up where you are? Let's play with light today. Choose something that is backlit with natural light - a vase, a friend, a building. What does the light do to the edges, and what details disappear in the front?

Illustration Challenge #45

Draw something in a frame. As in, create a sweetly designed frame and put something in it. It can be simple or complicated, we're going for composition on this one. The frame will be the key focus. It can be lacy, viny, giltish, Rococo, delicate—it's up to you!

Illustration Challenge #44

Is it a pretty day where you are? Just take your sketch book outside and DRAW! Whatever you like - a close up of a flower, or a landscape of a park. The point being, enjoy your time outside!

Illustration Challenge #43

Let's play with texture this time... choose an object that has an interesting surface texture—shiny, fuzzy, bumpy, whatever! Try to draw it and capture that texture.

Illustration Challenge #42

In honor of Janice Hardy's Icebox Challenge over at Fiction University, I give you a similar challenge... Pull something out of your cabinets or from your kitchen counter—fruit, a box of crackers, a can of soup—and render it as realistically as you can. Don't forget to choose some interesting lighting!

Illustration Challenge #41

Try to draw water - in all its forms: rain, river, ice, mist, lake, ocean. Your choice!

Illustration Challenge #40

I have fun creating these for you guys. Are you using them? Let me hear from you in the comments!
     So, this being our 40th challenge (!!!) how about create something celebratory? A cake, a cupcake, a balloon bouquet! Use bright colors, but be sure to use various value ranges of those colors to prevent your piece from looking flat. Because, nobody likes a flat cupcake.
     Want to know more about why you need to mix up your values? Read my article: Illuminating Color.

Illustration Challenge #39

Try to draw something ephemeral - like smoke or gauze or moving water - in black and white. :)

Illustration Challenge #38

Create a drawing or painting with two characters emotionally connecting through eye contact. Harder than it sounds.

Illustration Challenge #37

Let's keep it simple this week. In celebration of my TEDx Talk, see how few lines you can use to express the most emotion possible. See if you can get your drawing down to five simple lines (like for the face of Charlie Brown per this TED Talk by book designer, Chip Kidd).

Illustration Challenge #36

I told you about my homework assignment, which I did at the National Museum of Scotland. How about try it yourself? Go find a public place where you can sit quietly to one side (preferably with a cup of tea) and draw what you see. It can be terrible, nobody has to see what you create but you. Try to capture the motion and energy of the people around you. Personally, I hope to do this a lot more often, so perhaps I'll be joining you!

Illustration Challenge #35

Have you ever heard of a palomino blackwing pencil? Vivian French kindly gave me one recently and I have loved how soft the lead is - especially on a soft, high quality paper. If you can't get your hands on the pencil, try a 6B or an Ebony pencil and draw on some nice paper. I promise it will be a unique experience for you!

Illustration Challenge #34

Use a pen (a really nice pen) and a pencil (a really nice pencil) and switch between them as you sketch your favorite things to draw. How does the tool change your artistic expression?

Illustration Challenge #33

This week lets play with mixed media in different orders. Try watercolor with pen and ink on top. Or pen and ink with watercolor or pastels on top. Or pencil with watercolor on top. Or watercolor with pencil on top. The variations are endless! Experiment and see what happens!

Illustration Challenge #32

For this one, choose an object/person/thing and rather than sketching it with a pencil - cut it out of paper. See if you can get the silhouette down!