Art: inktober2023

I drew again in my small sketchbook Canson art book universal (14×21 cm / 4×6 in), using individually or together a black Pentel brushpen, a grey Pentel Brushpen, Sakura Pigma Micron 003 black fine liner, Kuretake light grey Brush Writer, and a Staedtler 0.3-2.0 black pigment liner.

6 drawings are tributes to Moebius, 4 were Japan-inspired. I had fun doing all of them. It was a bit tough the last week, and for the first time I think, I was counting the days until the end.

inktober2023 prompt list
inktober2023 prompt list

#Inktober2023 week 4-5

inktober2023 prompt list

It’s the 8th year in a row I’m participating in Inktober. The rules are simple: A different prompt every day. Use ink. Enjoy. Learn new techniques, or not.

Some choose to not use the prompt list, or create their own, or follow a different list. I prefer to stick to those proposed by Inktober creator Jake Parker, because I find it easier, even though some prompts are less inspiring than others!

Day 22: “scratchy”

Grey ink drawing of a cat with closed eyes being scratch under the head

A tabby cat being scratched under the chin, basking in the moment. I used a light grey Kuretake BrushWriter, a Sakura micron 003 black pen and Pentel black ink and grey ink Brushpens.

Day 23: “celestial”

Black and grey ink drawing of a cosmonaut seen from behind next to a flag with a peace sign, on a small planet, waving at the dark space and a distant planet or moon.

A tribute to Tom Haugomat. This represents an astronaut on the moon next to a peace flag, waving at a planet. I used the Sakura Micron 003 black fineliner, the Kuretake light grey BrushWriter, and the Pentel black ink and grey ink Brushpens.

Day 24: “shallow”

Black and grey ink drawing of a Japanese crane standing in shallow water next to a branch laden with snow

My second least favourite in the series. This is a crane in shallow water next to a branch laden with snow and some reed. I used the Pentel black ink and grey ink Brushpens and the Kuretake light grey ink Brushwriter. And I touched up the feathers with white acrylic.

Day 25: “dangerous”

Grey and black ink drawing of a tiger crawling forward

A very graphic tiger. I used the micron 003 black fineliner, Kuretake light grey BrushWriter, and the Staedtler black ink 0.3-2.0 pigment liner.

Day 26: “remove”

Black and grey ink drawing of the top of a marble sculpture by Bernini, of Pluto abducting Proserpina. The woman is being held at the waist and thigh and her arms are raised in protestation.

This is the top of a marble sculpture by Bernini, of Pluto abducting Proserpina. I used again the same light grey Kuretake BrushWriter, a Sakura micron 003 black fineliner, and Pentel grey ink Brushpen.

Day 27: “beast”

Grey and black ink drawing of the top of the body and head of Toothless, a silly-looking dragon, with tongue sticking out a bit.

This is Toothless from the movie “How to train your dragon”. I used the Sakura Micron 003 black fineliner, and the Pentel black ink and grey ink Brushpens.

Day 28: “sparkle”

Black ink drawing of a night scene of the Statue of Liberty seen from underneath. The torch is shining like a star.

The Statue of Liberty at night seen from underneath it. I used the Pentel black ink and grey ink Brushpens and the Kuretake light grey ink Brushwriter.

Day 29: “massive”

Grey ink drawing of a character in military costume and helmet, with a hand in his pocket, standing in front of the fallen head of a very large statue.

Another tribute to Moebius. I used the Sakura Micron 003 black ink fineliner and layers of the Kuretake light grey ink Brushwriter. Contrary to the theme, the size of the character is really small (as tall as the last knuckle of my little finger.)

Day 30: “rush”

Black and grey ink drawing of a young woman surfing. She has long black hair flowing after her and wears a white bikini.

I had a lot of fun drawing this surfer girl. I used as a reference a travel poster advertising Ceylon, Sri Lanka – Ceylon ‘A Wave of Your Own, Talpe Beach 1970s. I used the Pentel black ink and grey ink Brushpens and the Kuretake light grey ink Brushwriter.

Day 31: “fire”

Grey ink drawing of a slithering dragon

A graphic dragon. I used the Pentel black ink and grey ink Brushpens and the Kuretake light grey ink Brushwriter.


(See the posts for week 1, week 2, week 3)

Art: Toothless gulping fish (step by step)

I made a habit these last few years to hand-make my son’s birthday cards. This year I did something new: asking HIM what theme he wanted me to explore. Toothless, from the movie “How to train your dragon”, he said. Ok! I love this character: he’s in fact a cat. With scales and wings.

Grey toned paper taped with masking tape and the pencil sketch of a sitting dragon with a fish in his mouth

I started with a pencil outline on toned thick paper, the size of a postcard.

Dark blue gouache paint applied in the background

Then I mixed my Holbein Artists gouache paint: Prussian blue and ivory black and added titanium white (just a teeny bit), which I laid on the paper. I made sure to be as precise as I could

Darker blue and lighter blue applied on the dragon and where there is light on him

I mixed further my blue mix: more blue and black for the areas of the dragon that were in the shadow, and more white for the parts of the dragon that were illuminated.

Yellow paint in his eyes and on the ground around his feet

Then I used leaf green mixed with with to paint the grass underneath and his eyes.

Thinner yellow in the background to represent light rays

Here, I had a very precise idea of what I wanted to achieve and it turned out I just could not! I wanted rays of golden light falling in the background. I mixed some yellow watercolor paint (I don’t have yellow gouache) and white. And there was no way I was able to get the yellow to play well with the blue background. I had thought that once the background was dry the new layer was never going to be change by it: big mistake.

Brown and light brown added to the rocks

So I ignored the yellow rays mess, mixed a bit of black and white and painted the dark parts of the rocks. Then added more white to the mix and painted the light areas of the rocks. I used some of those mixed on the ears. I added details using black for the pupils, white to accentuate the illuminated areas.

More yellow added to darken the light rays

At this point, I had wasted both time and yellow paint 🙂 None of the strokes would produce the gradient I wanted because either the moisture of the paint turned the layers to green, or the new layer was unblended and it was going to look bad.

I covered the yellow rays after all and now the background is shades of blue

So, I returned to my early mix of blue, black and white and covered as much of the yellow rays as I could. It gave some texture to the background. I painted the bit of the fish that sticks out of the dragon’s mouth.

Masking tape removed, white lettering added to wish my son a happy 13th birthday, dated in signed.

Final result with lettering done with a white Posca pen. I hope he likes it! His birthday is next Monday.

Drawvember 2020 days 1-5

This year for Drawvember, I compiled my own list of prompts, to ensure that I wasn’t going to use “not inspired” as an excuse for skipping days. Drawing actually brings me joy and satisfaction, and as it’s in rather short supply at this time of year for me, I have much at stake.

I picked words that appealed to me, rather randomly, without any clear idea how I was going to develop each prompt. So far, I’m having fun.

Day 1: “Dragon”

Indigo ink drawing with grey ink shadow of a dragon with big eyes

This is Toothless from the movie “How to train your dragon”, which is a family favourite. This served as a rehearsal of sort for my kid’s 13th birthday card which I will draw in a few weeks: he has requested a Toothless themed card.

I used my indigo ink Cambio Tambien brush pen from Kuretake. One limitation is that so much ink flows from that pen that the rather small format of my sketchbook does not allow for optimal spread of the ink, including more nuances, and I regret that I didn’t draw it bigger on the page because I could have gotten thinner lines.

Day 2: “Robot”

Grey and black ink drawing of a robot in the position of the Rodin sculpture The Thinker

Meh. I botched the head, the face, the hatching.

This is a robot in the pose of The Thinker by Auguste Rodin.

One thing I liked, which I developed further a couple days after: using my finger to smudge the grey ink from my Brush Writer to achieve an interesting effect in the contoured background.

Day 3: “Fur”

Pencil drawing of a fluffy cat

This is my cat Jack, and I used a photo of her as reference. She has the fluffiest tail!

I used pencils only, a medium I very seldom use, so I was very tempted after a while to erase everything and pick up an ink pen. Also, it was the first time I attempted to draw fur. The trick is to manage the shadows and contrast that bring out the light on the hair. I can only improve 🙂

Day 4: “Cherub”

Grey ink drawing of a child angel

My favourite so far!

I used the technique I discovered while drawing the background of the robot Thinker: finger-smudging. I used my light grey Brush Writer by Kuretake and smudged small strokes until achieving the desired shading effect.

Day 5: “Carnival”

Black, grey and red ink drawing of two costumed characters wearing white face masks and red headdresses in the foreground and a gondola and church from Venice in the background.

I have been to Venice, Italy, but never during the Carnival. I am fascinated by the costumes and masks. Here are a couple of rather evil-looking women wearing white masks and red head scarves over dark gowns, with the canal in the background, a moored gondola and the Duomo.

I used my Geranium Red Brush Writer by Kuretake, a grey felt tip pen, black ink 0.05 mm Graphik line maker from Derwent and Light Grey Brush Writer by Kuretake.