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Description
And the tradition lives on.

Every time I start a new sketchbook I redraw the same image and have been doing this for the past eight sketchbooks (this is the ninth). Every single time I think "what's the point, I haven't improved?" and every single time I look at the two side by side and think "Whoa - when did THAT happen?"

I absolutely recommend this to anyone who does illustration and keeps a sketchbook. It's not only a fantastic reference point for progress but it also helps eliminate the stress of trying to find out what to draw for the all-important first page.

The redraws are based on a photo of my ball jointed dolls so that way I'm not looking at and recreating the same mistakes. I'll occasionally glance back to make sure I draw the same clothes but that's it.

While I don't think I did as well as I could have with this rendition (I still have Covid-Brain and am prone to mistakes), there is marked improvement from the last one (which was done just before surgery), so I'm pleased. I'll just have to rush through this sketchbook so I can do the next one sooner.

I like the shirts on both Sams pretty much equally. One's fitted and one's loose but they both turned out well. I didn't have the brain power to do proper hair on this one but I'd still say it's better than before. Mouths feel a little funny. Forearms are getting a little chonky again; I'll have to watch that. Don't want to revert to my old Popeye ways. This is the ninth rendition and I don't think any two have both coffee cups in the same place. I think this is the first time in four or five sketchbooks that I actually lined it with black. Coloured ink for life.

We're finally back to using real paper again.

Renditions 1-6 (we don't talk about 7):

Description
And the tradition lives on.

Every time I start a new sketchbook I redraw the same image and have been doing this for the past eight sketchbooks (this is the ninth). Every single time I think "what's the point, I haven't improved?" and every single time I look at the two side by side and think "Whoa - when did THAT happen?"

I absolutely recommend this to anyone who does illustration and keeps a sketchbook. It's not only a fantastic reference point for progress but it also helps eliminate the stress of trying to find out what to draw for the all-important first page.

The redraws are based on a photo of my ball jointed dolls so that way I'm not looking at and recreating the same mistakes. I'll occasionally glance back to make sure I draw the same clothes but that's it.

While I don't think I did as well as I could have with this rendition (I still have Covid-Brain and am prone to mistakes), there is marked improvement from the last one (which was done just before surgery), so I'm pleased. I'll just have to rush through this sketchbook so I can do the next one sooner.

I like the shirts on both Sams pretty much equally. One's fitted and one's loose but they both turned out well. I didn't have the brain power to do proper hair on this one but I'd still say it's better than before. Mouths feel a little funny. Forearms are getting a little chonky again; I'll have to watch that. Don't want to revert to my old Popeye ways. This is the ninth rendition and I don't think any two have both coffee cups in the same place. I think this is the first time in four or five sketchbooks that I actually lined it with black. Coloured ink for life.

We're finally back to using real paper again.

Renditions 1-6 (we don't talk about 7):