Week 23: JD, Silke and KD - Week 22: Monika

Inktober Week 4 

Only one more week of Inktober to go!  There will be only 3 prompts on Thursday to finish up the list - so if you choose, like Monika did this week, you can pick a subject from any other week. Just make sure you tell me which prompt it is.

JD: Dig

JD has done a lovely collection of old gardening tools to represent the prompt Dig. Arranged on the page companionably the design resembles an old style print. She has used a black Uni Fineliner 0.2 pen to create defined and strong outline drawings of the tools. Then she added colour with a Prismacolor pencil watercolour wash in Terracotta and Goldenrod. To finish up JD has added shading with a Staedtler graphite 2B and HB which is very effective.

I think the design of this works quite well and the contrasting sized tools balance the space nicely. I like the outline effect and the use of colour and graphite shading. Perhaps some thicker/thinner linework and extra crosshatch shading in ink would enhance the work further. As it stands it is a good drawing, well done JD.

'Dig' by JD

Silke: Buddy

Mr. Bulky and his buddy are back this week! Silke said she wanted to do something light hearted and simple this week and this work achieves that beautifully. It's a rather touching little drawing, simply done with a sweet sentiment. And now with the great news that Melbourne is opening up again we can all go visit our buddies at last! Don't forget to see Silke's instagram page HERE for her complete Inktober works. Mr. Bulky and friend make a few other appearances. And there is a great ant's nest drawing!

'Buddy' by Silke

KD: Music

A 1967 Firebird V Gibson guitar is KD's response to the prompt Music. She has used a photo from the book 'The World's Greatest Electric Guitar' as her reference, and she has included the 303 logo from her favourite bar/musical venue. As a little nod to the 60's she added a peace symbol to the guitar body.The guitar body is done in Faber Castell pens - her brand new set - and although she originally planned the drawing to be all done in ink the 12 set did not have quite enough colours. So she has added some Derwent colour pencils and Derwent metallic pencils. 

This is a well thought out composition. It is great that KD has added her own design elements to the work and not just copied the original photo. It's a fun drawing and that is one hot Gibson!

'Music' by KD

Week 22 - Monika: Outpost

Monika has submitted two excellent drawings for the previous weeks prompt Outpost. The first was created using her Rotring pen 0.1 in the A5 Visual Diary and is a very successful work. I will let her explain her process:

When I think of an 'Outpost', I think of stories I grew up with like 'The Alamo'. I found some very nice photos on the internet, and also a youtube demo of an ink drawing by Igor Lukyanov, which I followed / copied and attach below.  The whole demo was accompanied by a rather charming song called "To the Men of Alamo", which sounded strangely familiar even though I'm sure I've never heard it before.

The YouTube video can be seen HERE

'Outpost: The Alamo' by Monika

Monika's second drawing shows a lot of creativity - she is building on all the lessons she has learned over Inktober to create a great interpretation of a photo by the Australian War Photographers Lyndell Brown and Charles Green. Her only reference was a very small image - the actual photo is quite large. Monika has again used her Rotring 0.01 pen and this time added light colour with her Faber Castell Classic Pencils in the WN A5 Visual Diary.

The drawing depicts a Afghan Outpost in Helmuth province that was cobbled together from old containers, barrels and office furniture. Atop this makeshift structure are two Afghan soldiers watching the Taliban forces gathering in the hills - they knew their situation was dire and they would be dead in a few days.

Monika has kept the drawing very simple and rather flat, to better emulate the haunting image of the doomed soldiers. The stark black, thick and thin lines and subtle hatching works really well. She has successfully taken the elements from the original photo to create a simpler version that loses none of the impact. This subject has been handled with sensitivity and compassion. 

'Afghan Outpost, Helmut Province' by Monika after Brown/Green

Original reference