All levels of drawing are encouraged to participate!

The goal of this thread is to enable and encourage individuals to practice their drawing skills, learn new techniques and have fun! If you just want to sketch that’s fine. If you want to create a complex, detailed drawing, that’s great too. You will get out of this what you want. The references used are from my own personal reference library of images that I have photographed and I release them here as not under copyright, meaning you can use them as you wish for drawing.

You will be challenged by some aspect of all references most likely as you all will have different strengths and weaknesses in your ability to translate the images to paper.

Reminder:

This is a DRAWING challenge. Therefore please confine your artistic endeavours to some form of drawing: graphite, coloured pencil, pen and ink or charcoal.

There is no ruling on what size your final drawing or sketch should be. Smaller, sketchbook sizes will provide a smaller file size which is easier for loading onto the thread.

If you would like assistance or advice, please ask for it and I will be more than willing to try to guide you.

This challenge will last for one week. At that time, all challenge drawings should be submitted to this thread.

I have offered 3-5 reference images to choose from. The images are also provided in greyscale. Seeing the images in black and white gives a better sense of basic values.

I have kept the images to simple shapes that still provide challenges. Block out your basic shapes first then work the details into them, rechecking proportion and measurement against other reference points in your drawing.

If you have an interest in hosting a challenge, please see the list in the pinned area of general discussions.

1 -George our Macaw acts like a teenager is really fun
2 -My Daughter (cost me 50p to get her to sit for this pic)
3 -A pic of part of the Malvern hills a beautiful place to walk all year round
4 -A baby bunny from back in the summer
5 -A rotting tree stump in chicken run
6 -Suki rotti cross doug de bordeaux my best buddy (hates her pic been taken was lucky on this one)

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Hope you like them and enjoy

Nice pics, Slaine. Good one of the dog! I'll give the bunny a try.

Thanks Mindy

the bunny cor now that is the one i saw as hard :/ good luck an look forward to seeing it

Nice pictures!
i'm hard trying to draw the lessons on this site... but know i wanted to try one of this drawing challenges...
it's awfull.. but maybe i will learn from this one...

i'm looking forward to see your drawing of how it should be

Good vivid sketch, AnimalLover ! I like it !

Here is my contribution for this week. Charcoal. Very quick! Pb with the eye! Can't change. Sorry!

[quote name='animallovertje' date='Dec 20 2009, 01:35 PM' post='139083']
Nice pictures!
i'm hard trying to draw the lessons on this site... but know i wanted to try one of this drawing challenges...
it's awfull.. but maybe i will learn from this one...

i'm looking forward to see your drawing of how it should be


Welcome to the challenges

Great Drawing the bunny is to fluffy for me to take on lol i fail at fluff at the min

im tackling the Malvern Hills with a touch of colour (not used it before :/)

Hey NVA

really nice sketch good going

NVA:
Wow! great drawing!!!!!

Qutie enjoyed doing this

thought the close up leaves would be a pain but worth it

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That's a nice landscape drawing, Slaine, great job.

NVA, wonderful parrot!

Animallovertje, good sketch of the little furball.

There is no "right" way to draw something like this, and if there is then I certainly don't know it yet. I'm not very good with fluffy animals either. But I hope it's ok if I share my thought processes when starting to draw this bunny. There's still a basic form under all that fur, and it's important to establish at least the head shape for placement of the ears, eyes and nose. Here's a quick 5 minute WIP preliminary sketch, very light, just to approximate where the edges of the fur will be, and the eyes and such. I'll post more later today.

I think this is a great start to you drawing skills. Don't be so hard on yourself. At this stage, remember it is about practice, not perfection! Keep up your efforts, I have a feeling you are going to be very good at this.
Trish

Slaine,
Thank you very much for hosting and providing some great challenge pics.
Trish

Mindy you amaze me more and more,, not only are you talented but talk in a language i understand

always learning from you

Thank you so much Mindy and Trish!!!!

Mindy: thanks for showing your WIP!
I can learn Very much from that drawing!

Trish its a pleasure

glad everyone seems to like the pics i was a little nervous being my first host

I feel he is tired. Me too. It's late now, 24.05! Must go to bed.
Charcoal. Very quick!
An

Nice one

great job

thanks for hosting, some great pictures here ive got a feeling I'll try a few of them,

as always 1hour, pencils H HB and 9B




thanks

Hi Slaine, looks to me like you had no problem putting up great pictures!
Thank you for hosting this week.

loving seeing everyone enjoying the pictures i have put up

but its fantastic seeing these things which wonder around my house being put onto paper

Great work every one im really loving it

Wow, everyone's drawings look really great!

An update on my bunny WIP. By working from the background in, I'm drawing around each puff of hair. Later I'll darken the background so that the white hairs really stand out.

All done. This was around 3 hours total, using 2H, HB, and 2B pencils on sketchbook, finished size 5" square. Thanks for the challenge, Slain.

Mindy that is brilliant

thankyou for doing a WIP for this one for me it really helps alot

hi Slaine and all the other artist

nice picture and great drawings !!!

her my attempt in pencil B2 on sketchbook-paper

= not finished , have to go to physical therapy

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Wow! that bunny looks Great!!!!

Raidor: you can already see this will be a masterwork!!!

I'm looking forward to see the finished one!

many thanks animallovertje

now - I think so - it`s finished

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Hey Raidor hope all is well with you and your treatment

That drawing of Lacey is amazing again great to see the WIP to

really it

Hello my friends! I'm new to the forum and new to the drawings too! Drawing for a month... I'm from Brazil. I'm taking courage to participate of a challenge, and here they are my first attempt!
To be honest, it's my first painting with watercolors. Hope you like it! I don't know if watercolors are permitted in challenges... Sorry if don't.

Watercolors
2b pencil
2 hours of work.

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P.S: Sorry about my english.

Hey Takezo

Great painting really like it

and your English is fine

hi Slaine:)

Many thanks!

I have a little bit pain but it `s okay

healing is good ! physikal therapie is a "horror"

OMG! Everyone's work on this challenge are wonderful. We have quite the talent pool here! I am proud to know so many great artists.
Trish

I should have been travelling down to my daughter's today, but the roads are really bad with snow and ice - hopefully tomorrow! I felt a bit fed up with myself, so tried to draw this noble dog. I just took a couple of hours with coloured pencils and then I blended it with Zestit on a small paint brush. About 8 ins square.

That is really beautiful it

Hello again my friends! Merry Christmas!

Here my second shot with watercolors. I try to draw the beautiful Slaine's daughter, but I miss a lot... In perspective, in a ton of details... I need to pratice more portrait drawing. Hehehe. I hope getting better soon!

Pencil HB and 4b.
Watercolors.
4 hours of work.

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This is a great effort Takezo really like it

and good to see your bravery in taking her on , i thought about doing her but passed on it

Hi, everybody: Happy New Year!
Another contribution to Slaine's challenge (direction of the head modified):

Hey NVA really nice to

love the intensity of her eyes so her

Had to do a fast Parrot.. I promised I would get in on this .. Whew.. barely made it.. Guys I am so impressed with this Challenge .. I am seeing new faces and tons of talent !!! I am going to have to get my colored pencils out and do some more.. I think the Parrot would have been a great Challenge in CP.. Time !!! Hasn't the Holidays been wild .. We had a Blizzard in my area and a Whole Lot of travelers had to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day stranded in their cars .. Bet next time they will think twice and listen to what the weather man says .. Sometimes they are right.. My Christmas was very Quiet but safe..
Hope you all had a wonderful day.. Oh I forgot .. Football !! tomorrow looks interesting.. !!
POLLY WANNA CRACKER ?

Carol, that's a beautiful parrot!! I'm always eager to see what new artwork you've done, as it never fails to impress. Hope you and everyone had a nice Christmas holiday. Ours was very nice. Not much snow here, somehow we lucked out and missed all the big snowstorms.

Thanks Mindy .. hope to see more of your Art .. You impress me so much how small you can get detail.. ever thought of China Painting ? You would be so good at it.. !!
Cabin Fever is setting in .. Hopefully tomorrow this Texan can get out of the Ranch House.. I am going Nutzzzzz.. I'll send you all this white stuff.. Ya'll can probably handle it better than we can..

Hey Carol

Lovely painting of George thankyou

As Mindy said i to look forward to seeing any new work you do ,, hmmmm but then as you said i look forward to Mindys to

i think i have been very fortunate to get almost all of my fav people joining in this challenge plus all the new people

Well i promised myself today to Draw George today so will see how that comes out

oh and unless someone steps forward today looks like your all stuck with my images for another week

That's okay I think you have enough here to do another week.. Most of us have been on their journeys with family and such.. Perhaps those that didn't have the opportunity can now dig out those pencils and Challenge themselves.. You may get the rest of your Fav People to join in .. If not well I think one can still go back and pull any of the Challenges up and do them.. I Really Really need to Challenge myself more with Flowers .. They have been my Albatross..UGH !!!
Thanks Slaine for giving up some time for us.. Carol

Thankyou Carol i look forward to seeing some flowers from you (drools in antisipation)

ok i have had ago drawing George let me know what you think

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I wish I could paint more realistically with flowers .. My biggest problem is seeing the petals and how they form.. I have tried many times to do tutorials and yet my eyes won't see them.. Perhaps it is the Dyslexia perhaps it is a closed mind ,I will have to get stronger in believing I can.. I have the same problem with Perspective.. Steve tried his best and I failed miserably at his instruction.. Oh to be good at everything is impossible..
I did a quick job on George and should have spent more time .. My details are slathered on without much thought.
I want you to discover more depth with George.. see his feathers in light and darks .. doesn't have to be perfect but just the slightest detail at unexpected moments will bring George to life.. I have to tell you , you did an excellent job on his feet.. You have a great likeness and a feel for value.. ,put a little more depth in a few areas and you will see George in fuller dimension..Hope I haven't discouraged or confused you..we are all here and see things from different eyes.. that is what sets all apart from one another with our own unique Styles.. I want to see more of Slaine's style..

now that I have some time this week I hope to be able to enter the challenge ..wonderful pictures Slaine and I cant wait
Kat

Confused me no i know exactly what you mean i think lol

at the moment he is quite flat well very flat between head and toes

i will play more tonight to get his wings and body to look more rounded and alive and part of the drawing

and cor you discovered my foot fetish rofl

ok i think i have pushed it as far as i can go with it now

i think its much better than the first , i think if i spent more time through out i could get much more life there ....... i think

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The extra work really paid off, Slain! Now it appears more confidently drawn and full of personality. Nice job.

I agree... I can tell you really gave him another look..The wonderful beauty of our computers will let us zoom in on our subjects like a magnifying glass.. actually seeing how those feathers form and overlap.. as well as the eyes on our human subjects and yes even Flower petals that my eyes refuse to see. I think I have the best tool ever in my art supplies with my computer.. we can transform pictures in to Grayscales and resize and sharpen and it is endless.. my eyes fool me sometimes and having the opportunity to see more detail is a real blessing..
Now tell me about George.. Is he your friend ? does he have a vocabulary , if so who does he sound like in your family .. My son had one that they had to put downstairs in a room where company didn't have access to him .. He cussed like a Sailor and every morning for some reason he made sounds like a demon.. They finally figured that one out, as to when the Furnaces kicked on he picked that sound up.. and it only came out early mornings.. They could hear him through the air vents.. I have to admit it was creepy. Okay .. here's the kicker .. They named him Satan.. HA!! Poor thing.. I actually felt sorry for him.. They finally gave him away with hopes this new family could Rehabilitate him.. I often wonder how he's doing. Probably going to church now.

Mindy Carol again thanks for your comments and Carol thanks for making relook at George i was happy with the first effort but now im chuffed to pieces with the end result

Ok Georges story

Well we .... hmmmm no .... the Wife has 3 parrots George the blue gold Macaw , Charlie the African Grey , and cocky the Cockatoo

she works for a parrot rescue and all these 3 have been rescued and come to us for their permentant home

George has a deformed wing so cant fly ,, but all birds have free roam of the house and gardens which considering the rabbits and Dogs are always roaming free they all get on well

George came to us as a DNA tested male whichhey means nothing to me but when SHE laid an egg had us laffing ,

she doesnt say to many things unlike the Grey , but has a few phrases ,they are , "Im a parrot" "hello" and "Crap" which she has said a few times perfectly when i ask her questions ie ,, what do you think of Mommy's cooking .... "Crap"

personality wise is just like a naughty teen into every thing has strops always preening to look good ,, but has never bit anyone which is good as that beak scares me alot