FAMILY DRAWING TIME

Despite my best intentions, writing up my Project Soane exertions is still lagging behind the work itself, and this past week I've done a few digital sketches in the evenings on my phone, while lying in bed.  I don't wish to claim there is anything special about these.  It's just me, trying to re-ignite the intuitive, "sketching" side of my makeup, and reflecting on the outcome.

The first two were done fairly quickly in a flat, graphic mode with no post-processing.  The subjects are my son & youngest grandson, and my daughter (looking cool in silver wig and shades).  We live on separate continents  (typical "WhatsApp" families) &  I've been sharing these sketches as part of our regular chit-chat.

The drawing style is fairly crude, but choice of colour  balance and deciding how far to simplify, make these personal images.  There is an element of creativity, and at times (Joe's necklace for example) I am rediscovering the vitality that my linework had in my younger days.

The second pair benefit from "time spent practising" (John again, and his older brother Jack dressing up in WW1 uniform at the local museum).  I am relaxing a bit and becoming more ambitious.  Perhaps because of this, I felt motivated to add some digital trickery that results in altogether more impressive images.  Is this a good thing?  Does slicker imagery beat honest error?  I don't have any simple answers to these kinds of questions.

 
The processing is not just "pushing a button" There are subtle choices going on, mostly at a subconscious, "intuitive" level, to arrive at a colour balance and unity of texture that feels "right".  Once again, these are "my images" despite the assistance of two or three different "apps"  So I'm not really concerned about the "honesty" argument.  As long as I'm letting my emotions blend with my conscious thought processes while practising hand-eye coordination ... it has to be beneficial.

Now I just have to integrate this into Project Soane :)