Today is Sunday, which means time for Sunday sketches over at Sophia's *Blue Chair Diary*. I have been doing a sketch with pen and ink each day for the *75 Day sketch challenge*. I find pen and ink sketches rather difficult, as you can't rub out or alter, but I have started with small and easy things, and hope to be more proficient at the end of the 75 days! Here are 2 of my first attempts.... my pens, and a little bottle of ink - both with a lot of room for improvement!
And then I made a triptych which I am linking to 2 challenges; *Newspapers* at the Three Muses and *words* at Just For Fun. I have used a page from an old German newspaper from 1900, which has been fixed to a piece of recycled card and given a coat of diluted gesso. Then I distressed it using TH inks in gradient colours, before doing a little stamping and dividing it into three pieces. The pens have been cut out of a sheet of *Graphics 45* paper, and I added some words printed onto acetate and some vintage scraps. To make the pens look more real, I rolled them round a thin pencil and fixed them on with foam pads.
I took lots of pictures while I was out yesterday, and plan on posting them tomorrow. Have a nice Sunday you all, take care, and thanks for visiting!
Beautiful pieces. That challenge sounds fun - you will be very accomplished by the time you finish if you're this good at the start!
ReplyDeleteYour pens look brilliant! Pen and ink is so unforgiving, but yours look really good. The 'Live, Love, Hope' Triptych look gorgeous, the rolled pens is a good idea.
ReplyDeletex
Beautiful blue sky here this morning Valerie, fingers crossed it stays that way! Your sketch of the pens is fabulous and that tryptich is stunning. Wishing you a sunny Sunday! xx
ReplyDeleteI love everything you do, I'm a fan! Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeleteI mistook your pens for a photo at first glace they are excellent. Bottles are the very devil to draw its the uniform sides from the center that are the bu??£r.
ReplyDeleteThe triptych is stunning love the illustrated news paper back ground and those 3d pens are brilliant. Thank you for making and sharing with us at Just for Fun XOXO Zoe
Your triptych is amazing, I love how you have sectioned the images. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLove the pens...great idea..have fun with the ink sketching... I'd be lost without my rubber :)
ReplyDeleteYou have achived a real trompe l'oeil effect with those pens on the triptic Valerier :) supberb !
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing us again at Just for Fun
Von x
blooming raining here :(
You are an incredible artist!
ReplyDelete75 days of sketching! That will really get you in shape. The pens in particular are very attractive. Your tags today I find most appealing. When you said you cut the pens out of paper, My head was racing because they looked so 3D .. then of course I read you wrapped them around thin pencils. How Clever! They look real. Beautiful colours and content on the tags .. love the old lettering. Beautiful. Hope your day is a good one, Valerie. Hugs from Mexico, Donna
ReplyDeleteOh, I love your pen and ink sketches and the fact that it's sketches of pens and ink! and the triptych is awesome! Happy Sunday Sketches! POP ART MINIS
ReplyDelete75 days - you go girl!!! the sketches are great but yeah, can't eraser, smudge - it is what it is...good thing yours are good!!!
ReplyDeletecheers, dana
Love the Pen and Ink ~ you are right it is challenging ~ and your triptych is wonderful ~ thanks for sharing, namaste, CArol (Share the Creative Journey) (^_^)
ReplyDeleteGood Morning,
ReplyDeletewhat a great challenge. I like the idea of pen and ink work -i do like my eraser, though! hee!
enjoy your weather - i hope it lasts....thanks for your continued blog friendship! i ppreciate it! hugs!
heather
You're off to a great start on your challenge - I look forward to seeing more of you pen and paper sketches on your way to receiving your "artistic license"!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link - it sounds like a fun challenge :)
xo
Kristin
Love the first! I have some pens like those! No eraser is definitely intimidating but a great thing to push yourself into and expand! The Rhine! So many of us from the west coast went as kids - ok young adults 19ish to backpack your area and tour the Rhine and the wineries! Great memories!
ReplyDeleteTerrific pen and ink work Valerie. Lucky you for the sunshine, its raining like mad here.......Annette x
ReplyDeleteyour pen and inks look gorgeous and not so simple! Can't wait to see your photos by the Rhine.
ReplyDeleteYour pens are brillianr, they look so realistic that they would be ready to pick up. Yvonne x
ReplyDeleteyour pens in pen are perfect. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat pens Valerie - fab idea to roll them for depth.
ReplyDeleteHave a good Sunday.
Hugs xx
The pens in particular are incredibly realistic, really amazing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work from you Valerie.
Wishes
Lynne
What a VERY nice job you've done with those ink pens. Whoa. And nice detail on the ink bottle. :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks really gorgeous! Love the old newspaper.
ReplyDeleteSuper pen and ink, sounds a fab challenge. Your triptych is brill. I thought the pens were real and I love your overall design. Away to look up triptych now to find out what it means hee hee. x
ReplyDeleteGreat pen and ink sketches (I love pen and ink myself). Your othe rpieces are very cool!
ReplyDeleteWell done,
ReplyDeleteClever, clever, clever with the acetate for the pens. Can't wait to see your photos. ANOTHER creative day for you, Valerie.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
C
Great ink sketches! My tree sprite isn't ready to share this Sunday, but hopefully next!!
ReplyDeletefabulous pen and ink work not an easy medium at all but you did an amazing job. So glad you are having sunshine enjoy !!
ReplyDeleteMarie
Hi Valerie, Well done with the pen and ink drawings they look great and I totally love your triptych, the paper is an amazing background, beautiful colours and the pens look 3D and real.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had good weather, ours was fab yesterday but pants today LOL Gay xxx
The pens and ink are wonderful. Ink is a tough medium to work with but you have mastered it well! :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done ink sketches!
ReplyDeleteLovely work on the triptych Valerie and the sketches are great too. I love sketching with pen & ink but it's a very unforgiving medium so there are many thrown away!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Valerie. Sorry I missed you this morning! Your pen and ink sketches are fantastic. Gorgeous triptych.
ReplyDeleteRegards Florence xx
Wow Valerie, your pen and ink are great. Can't believe it is your first attempt. I will be popping back in to see your progression. Sounds like a lovely walk along the Rhine, can't wait to see pics.
ReplyDeleteAnd the tryptich is lovely. Colours are fab.
Take care friend.
Lesley xo
Great touch with the pens! Brillant creations, but nothing new there!
ReplyDeleteSeriously WOW, your sketches are freakin brilliant. Seriously BRILLIANT! Great tags too and did I forget to mention that your sketches look AMAZING xxx
ReplyDeletelovely val, you are so talented...
ReplyDeletemaria xx