Soft Lines for Sleepy Rohan
Insider #129 to compare pencil lines against ink.
Dear Insider,
This past month has been all about drawing little Rohan. We have gotten better at sleeping according to his schedule. There is a semblance of a schedule!
In today’s post, I share recent drawings with Caran d’ache colour pencils, the private video of this month’s Insider Hangout, and the link to the April meeting.
The SneakyArt (Insider) Post is written for paying subscribers and patrons of my work. While on parental leave, every Sunday I share snippets of life in early parenthood.
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Drawing with colour pencils has been an interesting/revelatory experience. I have learned more about the process of drawing, especially as I compare it to my ink work.
Pencils can be strong or gentle, defining or suggestive. There is more room for meandering thoughts when working with pencil. There is more room for active thought. What do I want this line to be? Is there something else I can turn it into? How can I add to the effect it creates? Can I dilute or concentrate its power on the page? Questions like these run through my mind, and I take active decisions as I draw.
With ink, every line is a 100% commitment. It is a strong line that defines a sharp border. After identifying the big shapes and elements of my scene, I move with purpose and determination.
🍼 Night Feed
I woke up with a start as Rohan stirred in his sleep. It was 3 am and he was overdue for his next feed. Expecting full-throated cries at any moment, I scrambled to put the bottle to warm, grabbed a piece of cheese for myself, picked up a cushion, and plonked myself on the rocking chair. But Rohan did not wake.
There was no way to know how much time I had. Maybe a minute. Maybe a little more? I decided to sneak in this quick sketch to gather my senses and warm myself up for feeding time!
💆🏽 Every Day is Spa Day
Little Rohan has a good life. Every day includes a luxurious oil massage, followed by a bath given by two attendants and a third to hold a warm towel, before he is changed, fed, and lulled to sleep.
Is he grateful for it? Only sometimes.
💻 Insiders Hangout of March
In this month’s hangout, I shared my sketches from the last 5 weeks of parenthood. We spoke about art supplies and my use of Caran d’ache and Blackwing pencils. Insider Agnes raised a great question about the balance of drawing from observation versus references. I shared my opinion before hearing from Insider Samantha (who writes
) and Insider Samantha (of ). Insiders Kate, Liz, Bev, and Agnes shared their recent sketches with everyone!