• Yet again, Tumblr and Bluesky balked at my latest blogpost, posted as-is. HTML 5 support isn’t fully there, so I should probably change how I share on those services, including micro∙blog, and write the full post on my WP blog. Oh, bother! Maybe I should just drop crossposting. It’s too much work.

    A pencil sketch of a person with a headband and a gentle smile, set within a circular frame.
  • Apparently, getting better at drawing requires some attentive drawing practice, and observing what one is looking at before even drawing. I noticed foreshortening in the face, so I tried to draw that (see process video). As an initial sketch it is descent, but I think I need more practice.

    A sketched portrait of a person is depicted with blue lines on a white background, featuring the word SKETCH at the bottom.

  • I found this ornate stapler on Sketchfab and took a snapshot of a side view to study and draw. I wanted to see if I could turn it into 64 x 64 pixel art somehow. The sketch took me 4½ hours, and the pixel art version an hour or so.

    A grayscale sketch depicts a mechanical object with an ornate design and a spring mechanism on a base, accompanied by the word SKETCH below. A pixelated image of a stylized, ornate mechanical object in grayscale.
  • Since this year will be a cat-only Xmas, I bit the bullet and will be displaying pixel art on my wall, where traditionally a TV would be located. I only hope the cats don’t see it as a toy, like they do most new things in my home. So I need to place it strategically. Once figured out it’ll be fixed.

  • I believe this is what happens if I don’t really understand the subject I’m drawing and just draw shapes. I suppose a bit of analysis before putting the stylus to the iPad would’ve resulted in a more solid drawing. Based on a toy rocket I found on Sketchfab, of which there are many.

    A sketch of a rocket launching from a platform with colorful outlines and the word SKETCH at the bottom.
  • Using several steps I created and refined this sketch, based on a wooden toy duck from Sketchfab. It isn’t a copy, but a recreation based on observation. I can see its flaws, and, therefore, I need to practice drawing solid basic sketches before trying this method on drawing portraits.

    A sketch depicts a duck-shaped toy with wheels, drawn in a blue outline on a white background, with a color palette and the word SKETCH at the bottom.
  • I redesigned my blank sketch sheet in a pixel editing app (Pixquare). The grays are obviously for shading, and the four colors are for blocking in straight lines, from big to small:

    • green - overall dimensions
    • red - rough outline
    • orange - inner shapes outlines
    • blue - darkest areas outlines
    A digital art canvas labeled SKETCH is bordered by a color palette and tools on a light blue background.
  • If I want to get any good at blocking in sketches, I probably should start with an easier subject matter, and work my way up to portraits. Here’s my sketch (and its process video).

    A blue sketch depicts a person's face, and the word SKETCH is written at the bottom.

  • I’m going to ignore Nvidea’s CEO charged statement people shouldn’t learn how to code anymore. I think BBC Basic is an excellent language for someone like myself, AI be damned!

    A scenic mountain landscape serves as the desktop background for a computer screen, with several open folders and text editing programs displayed.
  • As soon as I go a little more in the direction of stylized drawing, I find the quality of it increasing. This sketch is loosely based on Preston Blaire’s animation drawing, using a reference photo to get the details in. I’m somewhat pleased with the result, but know I can do much better.

    A monochromatic blue sketch depicts a bearded man with a serious expression, accompanied by the text SKETCH at the bottom.
  • I really should try a portrait tutorial, work on my art fundamentals, and draw a skull from lots of angles to improve my drawing skill. This portrait is from a photo reference, and I think it’s meh, though better than what I’ve drawn a week ago. So there’s progress.

    A blue pencil sketch of a woman with long hair and the word SKETCH written below in block letters.
  • Am I the only one who puts their photo collection on a page instead of in a blogpost? In my case it isn’t for an event, but a subject matter (c.q. sketches).

  • Such a messy messy sketch, with lots of mistakes I can learn from. I’ve redone the nose and mouth, which were placed in the wrong position. They still aren’t correct, though, but better. Unlearning bad habits is hard, yet I will get there.

    A digital sketch shows a person with a short hairstyle wearing a jacket, with the word SKETCH at the bottom.
  • Has it been two years already since @relayfm left Twitter? Original post here.

    Three cartoon characters with beards and glasses are humorously running out of a building shaped like the Twitter logo, with birds tweeting above.
  • Quick sketch of Peter Capaldi as the 12th Doctor.

    A blue sketch depicts a person with short hair and a suit, accompanied by the word SKETCH at the bottom.
  • On my Raspberry-Pi I got a warning my Firefox browser was getting out of date. Updating was no easy task, I had to add an Ubuntu repository, which seemed to fail, then install Firefox. Somehow it all worked after a reboot. Of course, I had to set up my bookmarks, which didn’t take long. 🤞

    A desktop screenshot shows the Firefox Browser window open on a Linux operating system with various application icons on the screen.
  • Forgot to charge the iPad overnight, so I doodled instead.

    A collection of rough sketches featuring various animals, a human figure, and a pyramid-like shape, with a date written as 15-12-2024.
  • Sometimes all I can manage is a wispy sketch, and no more. I don’t want to continue, so I shouldn’t. I guess I needed some distance, and perhaps finish it later. The creative mind is an unpredictable mess that doesn’t listen to time tables and deadlines.

    A blue sketch of a person with short hair and a subtle smile, accompanied by the word SKETCH at the bottom.
  • What to do with circles I took so much care constructing? I know…

    Whimsical is good!

    A blue sketch depicts a whimsical carriage with round windows and large wheels.
  • Trying to apply what I’ve learned in the past days to a portrait from a photo. Though it’s rather “mechanical” I’m pleased with the progress I made in such a short time. Furthermore, drawing longer than 30 minutes doesn’t seem to bother me anymore. So that’s progress too.

    A blue sketch of a man wearing glasses and a collared shirt is featured above the word SKETCH in blocky text.