December 2015 Sketches

Sailor Jack the Mansfield Matelot
9 December 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook
14.0cm x 20.3cm (5.5" x 8.0")

It's hard to believe, but I completed the challenge to draw on every day in 2015. These sketches are the highlights from December.

The character at the top of the post is Sailor Jack the Mansfield Matelot.  Elaine's dad (Pete) made plaster casts from Elaine's sailor toy and the Mansfield Royal Naval Association presented them to visiting dignitaries. Jack has appeared on previous posts (see Modelled Drawing and Modelled Drawing in Water Color).

Angel Cat
10 December 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook
14.0cm x 20.3cm (5.5" x 8.0")

Angel Cat is a Marie Prett sculpture and another regular visitor to the blog. There is a photo of her/him/it on Farewell Modelled Drawing in Water Color and drawings on May 2015 Sketches and Outlines and Blind Contour Drawings.

End of Year Plug
31 December 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Winsor & Newton A6 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
14.8cm x 10.5cm (5.9" x 4.1" )

On 31 December I was unsure what to draw, so I bookended the challenge by drawing a similar subject (possibly the same) to the one I drew on 1 January (see January 2015 Sketches).

Sailor Jack, Angel Cat and End of Year Plug were all painted using Marc Taro Holmes' (Citizen Sketcher) three pass watercolour technique from The Urban Sketcher (see September 2015 Sketches). When I started the challenge I didn't imagine it would evolve to include so much painting.

Mill on Kneeton Road
27 December 2015
Ink
Daler Rowney A6 Ebony Sketchbook
14.9cm x 10.5cm (5.9 x 4.1")

The two small landscapes were drawn from practically the same spot in the Trent Hills, but facing in opposite directions.  The ink sketch is a back view of the mill on Kneeton road and the pencil sketch is No Joke plantation. I've not idea why it is called this, but a different view of it it has appeared on a previous post (see Summer Landscape).

Windy Day Drawing
27 December 2015
Graphite Pencil
Daler Rowney A6 Ebony Sketchbook
14.9cm x 10.5cm (5.9 x 4.1")

I drew the pencil sketch on an incredibly windy day. At some points I was struggling to stay upright and keep hold of the sketchbook and pencil.

Waiting for the Santa Satellite
24 December 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Daler Rowney A6 Ebony Sketchbook
14.9cm x 10.5cm (5.9 x 4.1")

This last sketch was started outside in the dark on Christmas Eve, but I came inside to finish the painting.

I've had a couple of days off since completing the challenge, but I intend to keep up the habit of drawing on most days. I'm convinced regular practice is the key to learning to draw and paint.