I used ATC sized watercolor paper, drawing supplies and a travel-sized Cotman watercolor paint set to create these two expressive drawings. I experimented with the w/c, dripping, tilting and scumbling paint around in many layers, getting a feel for it.
Creating my bear creature: it was a few marks in the face and ear that suggested the bear, plus, I am easily provoked to see bears. I had no idea what to do but I went with pen marks as inspired. He’s got black drawing pen and white Sharpie®paint pen, of course. Everything is better with anything Sharpie®. Just sayin’.
The other one screamed “Fish Face”. There was a gaping mouth and one eyeball. I put the mouth in and it looked like the inside of a vacuum hose. Not what I was going for; perhaps thinner lips would have been better. Perhaps this fish had botox lip injections? That could’ve been a story all to itself but I just thought of it now. I drew in eyes next, then drew what was meant to be fins alongside the mouth, but they looked like a mustache. Vacuum cleaner botox lips with a mustache. Where to go now? Not up, for sure; just downhill from here.
I outlined a forehead area because, what the hell? A mustachio’ed fish definitely needed eyeglasses, so I drew those and intensified the eyes a bit. He needed something under that mouth so I drew a teddy bear smile because, what the hell? I got the black and white Sharpie® paint pens, which make everything better, and added pointillism which always makes everything better as well. These are two tips you will thank me for if you follow up. I wrote the word ART on the forehead because, what the hell? I couldn’t think of another word and I was sick of the whole thing.
With some distance on the process I see that I like these drawings a great deal. I like the imaginative creatures. Mostly, I like that I pushed myself past my comfort level in drawing them. I had average ok drawings and didn’t know what to do to make them better. That’s where additional embellishment took them to another level. It’s hard for me to do that with drawing, I lack the confidence. I’m worried about ruining what I already got decently drawn. Practice pushing past comfort is what improves drawing skill. Remember, its only paper.
Crickyn 
Oh no – so sorry to hear about the alternate litter box fiasco! But your under-table shelf idea is brilliant. I’m especially thankful to have double-hung windows in my studio – it’s those little shelves I use for my bead bottles. Serves the double purpose of getting them off the table and being able to see them – yay! Even so though, I keep so much on the table anyway I end up working within a 2 inch square area. I fail to understand why the physics of Dr. Who’s TARDIS don’t seem available to my table space.
I love your ATC-sized art, and that’s a very clever way to play outside the studio. I’m always changing my mind about watercolor paper finishes – but the truth is once I discovered Fabriano’s soft press it was all over for me. I used it once to make a journal and fell immediately in love. If only I had a budget to always match my tastes. 🙂
I totally agree with your Sharpie love, and whatever did we do before white pens? And of course everything, and I mean everything is better with dots.
hey, thanks for commenting. space is always a problem, isn’t it? i struggle with the Want to See It with the Hey, I Have No Room To Work. We are the Queens of 1 sq ft workspace, evidently. I’m not a Dr. Who fan, but if it buys me real estate, I’m down with it. love you tl