IFJM hatching experiments

Here's a sketch I did in my "other" (not the one intended for IFJM) sketchbook, just fooling around one day. It grew and grew and I like it more and more. It isn't a finished product but it is going in the direction I want to go in. This is part of my International Fake Journal Month exploration of hatching. Comments are welcome of course. This is not intended to be a realistic portrait. It was done from a photo of my dad when he was a little boy, I neglected to include hair, so it's hard to tell the age. I am getting away from caring if I get a realistic image. Although a part of me still notices whether it's a likeness or not. Another part of me is bored with trying to achieve perfection and realism. The content matters more. Done on Mohawk Superfine text, with a Noodler Creaper pen and Lexington Grey ink. Also a grey squeeze brush pen. The paper isn't really strong enough. All in all I like the image very much.

Drawing

I debated whether or not to post some of these next drawings - I am doing them from the Sketchy app. There is no real "content," it's just practice drawing. Some are part of my International Fake Journal Month project, which has morphed into me practicing hatching with different pens. However, here is one, done in ball point on Arches 90 lb watercolor paper. I don't totally like ball point. The pros are - you can get very light lines, to fairly dark ones. The ability to build up slowly and to get delicate areas works well for me. Of course you can always find a ballpoint pen around, we all have dozens in our drawers. They work nicely on most cheap papers, anything fairly smooth seems good. They don't bleed through the paper. The cons - I am a lefty and tend to smudge things that I drag my hand over. I smudge ballpoint ink a lot if I'm not careful. Pen and ink is nice because it usually dries very fast. As do Posca markers, brush pen and of course things like watercolors. I am not sure how well the ballpoint will scan and print. I don't know that it's good enough for an artist's book because most inks in ballpoint pens are not light fast. Mostly I try to restrict myself to materials I could use in an artist's book.

I have to add - It's spring here. The sky was blue today and we had a high of 70. Portland is so beautiful in the spring. I pulled weeds, fertilized raspberries and rhubarb and generally enjoyed being outside. I love the snow in winter (we don't get much) and don't even mind the grey days and rain. In a month I'll be overwhelmed by the weeds and tired of the warmer weather, but for now the burst of green, spring blooms and warmer temperatures are giving me a real mood boost.