“Get a sketchbook,” a friend said.  I grumbled silently when she said this because I had to keep a sketchbook once for school and I detested it…probably because it was required.  Every month or so, I’d realize that my sketchbook had been neglected, so I’d go on a sketching binge to catch up.  And inevitably, because I was rushed, my sketches were THE WORST.  At the end of the semester, I’d hand it over, head hung in shame, hoping my professor would give it only a cursory look.  Now here I am, doing this sketchbook thing voluntarily.

A few days before committing to this experiment, I picked up some drawing mediums at the art store and did a trial run.  This first one is a beanie baby.

Charcoal.  Sketchbook.

And this is the Liberty Bell which was drawn while looking at…surprise!…a forever stamp purchased a couple of years ago.  I knew that investment in $0.44 stamps would pay off one day.

Soft pastel. Sketchbook.

And this is my hand, holding my sketchbook.  You could say it’s a sketch of my sketchbook.

Conte Crayon. Sketchbook.

Yes, the knuckle on my middle finger is actually short and stumpy like that.  I broke it in high school playing basketball and it hasn’t been the same since.

This one is my husband.  And another blasted hand.  Oddly, last week someone told me that hands are difficult.  Today, I get it.

Charcoal.  Sketchbook.

Lastly, a boot.

Charcoal. Sketchbook.

I learned that I really love charcoal.  There is something really striking about the contrast of charcoal on white paper and the looseness of the medium keeps me from focusing too much on details.  While I’d love to be able to produce beautifully detailed drawings, ultimately I don’t think this will be my style, so I foresee using charcoal a lot in the future.

The earth tones of conte crayons really appeal to me, but they don’t smudge as easily and mistakes were harder to fix.  I imagine using these more as I become more confident.

As for pastels, I’m not sure what to think about them yet.