Inktober Week 1

So I'm super late on this due to many reasons, but I'm going to try to do the full 31 sketches. I decided to go with Ink Washes instead of just ink drawings, as a way to get better at brush economy and to increase my perception of lights and darks.

I was told by a personal hero of mine that I need to 'watch my exposure'  -- that is, my work tends to evenly fill the full range of values, which makes for work that's not very cinematic. So, working in black and white, with the permanence of ink seems like it'd be a good way to get better at all of that.

During sophomore year of college I did a few ink washes, and enjoyed them greatly. I happened across some of my older work from that period just as inktober was beginning and decided to give it a shot. So, after coming back from a lovely trip to Italy, where I wished I had done more art, but couldn't because of how quickly we had to move about, I decided I was going to do washes of some of the many photographs I took.

Day 1: Rome

Was an interesting return; I had forgotten a lot, which was discouraging, but I was pretty happy about how this turned out, and after looking at it a few hours after I did it, I got excited again. 

Day 2: Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi

Again, still trying to figure out technique, but was overall pretty happy with the result.

Day 3: Rome

Feeling more confident now.

Day 4: Vatican Museum, Rome

Decided to challenge myself, thinking back to some of Sargent's watercolor work in Italy.  Perspective is a little wonky but I was mostly concerned with tone control

Day 5: Boboli Gardens, Florence

Less happy with how this turned out, made more than a few mistakes, and realized that taping off the paper helps a LOT.

Day 6: Rome Again

Feeling more confident with tone control, still find myself hung up on details though.

Day 7: Vatican Museum, Rome

Another challenge, moving away from architectural studies. This was difficult, but fun. I may return to this subject again in the future.

Lessons Learned:

Best to plan out the image, and think about how you're going to do something instead of just diving headfirst into it. This is the basic notion of brush economy, I think. One thing I'd like to work on in week 2 is composition, and focal points within the image; defined by contrast and control in certain points, and looseness in others. 

I've also begun to use Gouache, which is equally challenging, though perhaps a bit more versatile. Primarily been doing plein air work with that media, but it would seem that era has begun to close as the weather here in Vermont has turned south.

Thanks for reading!