Bryan’s 100 Day Mixed Media Sketchbook

[Bryan Mccabe]

I recently moved to a new apartment and have less space to draw and paint. Therefore, for this challenge I will focus on filling up a 5.5 x 8.5 mixed media sketchbook.

My goals for this challenge are to:

1. Continue to work on the accuracy of my drawings 2. Explore using mixed media 3. Continue studying color theory 4. Continue studying master works 5. Draw/paint from life 6. Practice every day

[Bryan Mccabe]

Day 1. Completed this master study drawing  of a portrait by Euan Uglow. I relatively pleased with the drawing considering it was my first time working at 5.5 x 8.5. Tomorrow, I’m going to try to color this using Crayola crayons. Not sure how it’s going to turn out. 

[Christopher]

Bryan! 😁👍

Didn’t expect you to go for a second challenge but I’m glad you are.

I also like your plan to focus on your sketchbook this time. It’s basically the opposite of a “big” canvas 😅

About day 1: Without the reference I would assume that the forehead + eyes and cheekbones are pushing outside to much compared to the nose, mouth and jaw area. The eyes could also be a bit to high and maybe to big.

I whish you much fun and alot of improvement for your second challenge 👍

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Christopher.

[Bryan Mccabe]

Thank you Christopher 🙂 I actually wasn’t going to come back so soon, but I saw this little Strathmore mixed media sketchbook at Target the other day, and decided it would be a fun challenge to try to fill it up. Yeah, working this small will hopefully reduce the pressure of having to fill a whole canvas, and allow me to focus on getting the details right.

Yeah, I see a problem with the nose/eyes area as well. Thanks for pointing it out. I’ll remeasure and try to fix it before I start coloring tomorrow  🙂.

Here is a link to the original:

https://www.piano-nobile.com/exhibitions/47/works/artworks2533/

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Bryan Mccabe.

[Christopher]

Ah I see … for me it looks like you got carried away by all the bumps of the outer contour. Structural I think it’s the top of the eye sockets and the frontal bone that are pushing outside.

It’s hard to explain but maybe I would have layed that in with a straight and then added the additional mass of the forehead.

Basically something like this:

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Christopher.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Christopher.

[Bryan Mccabe]

Yeah, I see what you mean. Thanks for the drawing 🙂

[Debbie H]

Hey Bryan! Welcome back 🙂! This looks like a really fun challenge. I’m just sorting out what I’m going to do and I’ll be starting again shortly too. I hope you’ve settled in to your new place okay 🙂

[Bryan Mccabe]

Thanks Deborah. I’m glad you’ll be starting again also 🙂. So far, we’ve been really busy unpacking, but we like our new place and area.

[Bryan Mccabe]

Day 2. Here are some corrections from the drawing from yesterday.

[Bryan Mccabe]

Day 3. Here is my progress today using Crayola Crayons. I’m approaching it very slowly and trying to build up layers. I’m also getting used to the 64 colors in the box. 

[Bryan Mccabe]

Day 4. Progress today. Getting Crayola crayons to blend is a challenge. 

[Isabella Borges]

Hi Bryan!
Good work on the master study. The painting you chose to replicate seems like a great reference to study planes and color zones in the face. Keep it up!

[Bryan Mccabe]

Thank you Isabella. Yes, Euan Uglow was an absolute master of precision. He often spent years on each painting, so I can’t hope to  replicate the brilliance of his work in a quick study with Crayola crayons, but I’m pretty happy with the way this one is turning out so far 🙂.

[Christopher]

Hi Bryan,

I also imagine this being a pretty tough study because if I look at his drawing the lighting and therefore the shadows are really subtle which for me would be really hard to replicate right now.

But I think you are doing a good job. Just always be conscious to think about your colors not just as colors but also as values and dont be to hard on yourself if it doesn’t turn out how you wanted it to. I’m sure this kind of painting includes pretty advanced stuff 👍👋

[Bryan Mccabe]

Day 5. Here is the progress for today.

[Author]

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