Today’s assignment is to make a very small 3-5 minute sketch of this owl (or bird, or creature, or whatever you think it is).
Materials
– pencil
– index card (or paper cut down to about 3″x5″)
Instructions
- Spend a moment or two just looking at the above image.
- Now start drawing in a loose, sketchy manner. You can draw lightly at first as you make your first marks, placing the head, body and tail on the paper.
- Try to place the bird in the center of the paper like the photo above. However, don’t worry if your creature is too big for the page…. Rather than erase or start over, just continue the drawing “off the page.” (In other words, don’t try to “squish” the entire bird on the page, but keep the proportions as true as possible and let the tail, or whatever, just go to the edge — and off — of the page.)
- How does your hand feel right now? If it feels tense, take a moment to shake it out, take a deep breath, and continue with a lighter touch.
- Don’t erase on this one… if you make an errant line, just go back to where you went astray and redraw it.
- Keep building your drawing, adding more and more detailing (button eyes, fabric creases, etc.). You should look at the photo reference about 60% of the time and your paper about 40% of the time.
- In this photo it’s unclear how the top of the creature’s head is shaped… make your best guess!
- Scribble in shading in the darker areas (if you have trouble, try squinting your eyes).
- Stop when you feel finished, or after no more than five minutes.
- Try not to judge your results, especially if you are new to drawing.
Extra credit: Ask yourself if you were comfortable working at such a small scale. If you have time, try drawing it again twice as large and see if it’s easier for you.
* * * * * * *
ART GIVEAWAY: Drawing from page 45 (Lab 13: Eyedropper Faces)
I’m giving the above drawing away, but you have to DO THE ABOVE ASSIGNMENT before you can leave your comment! (However, you don’t need to upload it or show it to me… I will believe you!)
You have over the weekend to draw your creature and leave a comment… I will pick the winner on Monday, July 12th at noon Pacific Time! Happy, happy drawing!
Irena said:
I’ve been reading and doing exercises from your book Drawing Lab, so drawing this guy was rather easy for me to do. Working small wasn’t a problem either. I just wanted to tell you how much I really have been enjoying your book.
Irena
Peggy said:
Drawing the little creature was interesting and fun because I didn’t really worry about what it was, or why it looked the way it did, I just drew it.
That’s real freedom for me; I’ve been a “professional” freelance illustrator for several years, and have forgotten how to draw for fun.
Thanks to the ongoing downturn in the economy, and my own refusal to create digital artwork, I find myself with lots of free time. So, in addition to dog-sitting, I’m working through your book. I’ve also started drawing the dogs, just for fun.
Thanks, Carla
Peggy T
Michele Unger said:
That was fun! I needed a break after a long, hot and stressful day and doing a 5 minute drawing was just the perfect activity. Thanks for the prompt. LOVE the owl/bird/creature or whatever it might be. It’s friendly!
Melanie K. said:
I did it! I am really enjoying your book (doing it thru ART). You have ME drawing! And I like it! Thanks so much for a great book!
Jaime Morton said:
I have been wanting to start drawing again for a long time. My kids are all raised and gone from home and I have been stalling and wondering what to do next. I bought your book Drawing Lab and started drawing cats but I don’t really like cats and was not enjoying it and I am one to go from the front to the back of a book, and do everything in an orderly fashion so being creative is a hard thing for me to do. I need to know I am doing it right! But I did this drawing assignment and I had fun! It was totally non- threatening and I loved the small format because I could throw it away if it was awful and not feel badly about it. Thanks!
Carla Sonheim said:
Thank you for your comment! And please feel free to make substitutions in the future… If you don’t like cats, but DO like birds or whatever, then go ahead and draw birds. I tell my workshop students, “You are the boss of you.”
Xoxo
Carla
Pat Upton said:
Hi Carla, I have done this exercise. I am not one who has ever thought she could draw. I cannot do photorealism. I have enjoyed Drawing Lab and joined the Artists of the round table yahoo group to take the drawing lab workshop. While that group has just I am really enjoying it! Thanks for the book and the opportunity!
becky s said:
just drew the owl…so much fun to do a quick draw. I did put my owl on a branch, he was crying so…just ordered your book can’t wait to get my hands and mind on it 🙂
stephanie-deliberately creative said:
YIPPEE! I got it done. I am used to working small. Zentangles on ATC sized cards. Though I did this one all in pen. I didn’t allow myself an eraser. It’s fun to work out how to “make it work when you put pen to paper.
Maybe I felt pretty good about this since I just finished doing some blind contour giraffes. My hand, brain, and eyes were all working together! thanks for the challenge. 🙂
Margriet said:
I received your book Drawing Lab yesterday, it looks really fun!!!! I think I will take it with me on holiday.. drawing in the sun in beautiful France…I can’t think of anything nicer to do LOL
I’m a bit of a novice in drawing, but I enjoy doing it very much! This assignment was really fun to do!! I like working small, big is more a challence for me 😉
leslieb said:
I drew the owl – it was fun ! Did it on a tag nearby. I plan to delve into your book while carting my kids to swim lessons. Thanks for the giveaway !
Alexis said:
Just got your book and I am pumped! I love this free sketching it is so good for me who is obssessed with perfections
Thanks!
kelly said:
Your drawing exercises are always fun. I enjoyed this one! I’m going to work through the book with my son. I LOVE your book. Anything that gets you to draw and then gets you excited about drawing is a VERY good thing indeed!
Thanks for doing the contest. I LOVE your drawings. I own one of the bird stuffies, too. 🙂
Penny R. said:
Love this exercise. You can see my little guy at http://raile.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/07/special-drawing-assignment-1.html
Herm said:
I’m still having problems sketching, but I will give it a try, I like Owls!!!!
Lauri Packebush said:
Working away on little owls just for you and for me!
Sarah said:
I really enjoyed drawing your owl Carla! I didn’t do it small tho’ because I know I don’t like to draw too small.
Your girl is a darling – thanks for offering her on this giveaway!
(I thought I left a comment yesterday but I don’t see it, tho there are others posted after so I’m trying again, sorry if that means you end up with two!)
pat q said:
this was a lot of fun. I even tried it with my eyes shut after studying it. Pic did come out kind of distorted but that was ok. love your book. 🙂
anni said:
okay I’m done,
my 8 year old son was having fun telling me what he thought it was. I don’t do many look and draw type drawings so that was refreshing. thanks
I see other people say it’s an owl, my guy says cat, but then changed his mind and said, a flower with a chick on top and buttons to cover it’s butt.
anni in toronto
Angela Barribeau said:
I just did the assignment. It was fast and fun to do! I have a hard time relaxing and probably will continue to have difficulty until I’m done with my college education. I graduate on July29th and take the Registry for Radiography, to be an X-ray Technologist, on August 17th. I’ve been so busy studying for the past 2 years, I’m really looking forward to getting your new book and going through all the drawing exercises!!!! Thank you so much! Angela
patricia mosca said:
the owl is complete….not quite ready to fly…
flapping my wings as I enter the drawing!
Artfully Yours
Natasha said:
How freeing…I am the boss of me, so if I don’t like cats, do something else…funny because I struggled with that assignment as well because I am not a cat person and it never occurred to draw another animal! I just did the special assignment and it was fun, drawing small is easier for me than drawing big, less space to fill maybe, and I need to loosen up and trust myself with a larger space. A special assignment…I love that!
Joanie Hoffman said:
Hi Carla, this was a fun exercise for me & Brian, my 8 year old grandson. We carefully followed your directions and came up with two interesting sketches.
Brian doesn’t have a blog but I told him I would ask you to put his name in the hat for your drawing. Can you please? If not, mine will do and Brian & I can have our own drawing if I’m picked!
Happy days,
Joanie
p.s. After we finished our Art day, we went to buy your book. It looks really great. Review to follow! lol j.
Xanthe Walker said:
Your book is fabulous. My daughter (12) and I love working on it together!
It was odd for me to work large. I drew on the back of a grocery bag…very different from sketching in my little journal.
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carlasonheim said:
Thank you for all of the comments and feedback! I’m really enjoying hearing about how the process was… thanks!!!
The winner was #3, Michele Unger… woot!
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