Studio Diary- February 2017

I love keeping a sketchbook but sometimes when I am juggling so many things it is one of the first things to be dropped from the long list of things to be done.

Last year I took part in two drawing challenges; 28 Drawings Later Challenge in February and Inktober in October. In both challenges you draw every day for a month which can be tricky to fit in but is so helpful. I tried to draw slightly mindlessly with a vague plan of what I would do each week and it really helped me develop my work. I think it helped me find a bit of direction in my work and the drawings I created also inspired me in my print work, either directly creating lino prints from the drawings or developing them further to work as a relief print.

This year I took part in the 28 Drawings later Challenge again, working in a sketch book to create a page a day. I wanted to work on my mark making and used acrylic ink, pencil and pen throughout the month. I also tried to improve my portrait drawing skills, or at least find a way that I could draw a recognisable face at least! I worked on seascapes and how to communicate the movement and enjoyed working on figure drawings from photographs of days out. I would really recommend completing the challenge next year.

Day 1 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 2 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 3 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 4 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 5 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 6 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 7 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 8 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 9 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 10 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 11 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 12 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 13 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 14 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 15 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 16 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 17 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 18 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 19 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 20 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 21 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 22 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 23 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 24 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 25 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 26 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 27 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

Day 28 28 Drawings Later Sketchbook Challenge by Jo Degenhart

I also managed to get a few prints of the paddling linocuts I was doing last month but I had terrible trouble with the colours fitting together correctly so I abandoned it. I have not yet decided whether to do the print again, to recut some of the design or just have it as an extremely limited print( I think I have about two of each print!).

After my fight with the three colour prints, I decided to do something simple. With hopes of spring hurrying up and getting here, I made a mini series of Spring Lino Prints and printed them on some recycled postcards I had that are flecked with recycled materials.

These three prints are available in my Etsy shop to buy just in time as the weather begins to buck up!

I received my Rollaco Etching Press in February which was very exciting. I am a little late posting this month’s studio diary so March’s will be on the way soon too and I look forward to showing you what I have created on the new press in next month’s Studio Diary.

Jo x

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