Draw everyday no. 54 and what I have learned

I posted this draw everyday no. 54 on my MerryDay Page the other day and immediately got a feedback from one of my followers that she liked this drawing without colors better. Below is the drawing she talked about. I forgot to take a photo of the drawing without the bracelet. (I took this photo with the bracelet just for fun :)



My first response to her comment was 'oh no, I shouldn't have posted this. I don't like it either'. I got a little worried as before this colored version, I got a lot of good feedbacks on the first line art drawing and someone actually asked if I had this piece for sale. I worried that she might not like this colored version. But then realizing that I was going back to be my old self who thought too much on little things, I pulled myself back and found good things from this little incident.

One is that I seem to be able to worry less about trying to be perfect. I didn't like this color combination but I posted it anyway.  By showing it in public and getting feedbacks, my doubt got confirmed. Although there were also some people who liked it, I knew in my heart that the colors were not right yet and I need to improve it.

Second is that it seems I'm getting more and more valuable feedbacks from MerryDay's followers who care enough to stop by and tell their opinions. I have been with my page since 2010 posting and getting some likes for each post and few comments from time to time. Now I'm getting more feedbacks and conversations in the page. I guess it's because of my everyday post of work in progress. While my followers are learning about how my art process is like, I'm also learning from their feedbacks. It's a kind of happy interaction :)

So, that's what I have learned from my little drawing. I'm going to work more on its color selection and will make it a greeting card and A4 print for my shop. It will be a wonderful addition to my new merry collection :)

Thanks for coming. If you have time, please drop a line and tell me how you like this drawing :)
Wish you have a merry day!

PS. If you just happen to be here for the first time and want to know me better, you can read my post of 'Artists around the World blog hop' here, or follow my 'draw everyday' on instagram or facebook :)

draw everyday no. 51 : Mr. Penguin and the poppy

I just got a new pen and so in love with its smoothness. It's Pentel EnerGel Tradio gel ink. The one I used is black but they also have blue, red and purple ink. The drawing I show here is one of my draw everyday project. I have already got to drawing no. 51. All the drawings are kind of everywhere right now. I will have to put them all in a proper place soon. But you can follow my everyday drawings on instagram or facebook.

The idea for this drawing really came out of nowhere. I love drawing plants and flowers. Then I thought what if I put something totally unrelated in the flower? How about penguin? It must be fun to have him holding a lollipop with fishes flying above ( I got the flying fish idea from a children's book laying beside me at the time).

I have always wanted to draw something whimsical, magical, surreal. Full of details of patterns or background. In the past, my drawings were mostly based on reality but ever since I started my 365 days I draw project and now draw everyday project, I think my drawings have gradually broken into magical realm. I love it. Drawing's getting more fun everyday :D

And here is the color version.



I have to say white paper seems to be more intimidating than kraft paper. I was a bit nervous when choosing colors. I imagined I would have more bright and colorful colors but then I changed my mind and just wanted to have the penguin and the flower popping up from green surrounding. Love how it turns out. How about you?

I used Copic markers for this drawing :) Going to draw more tonight. I told you I was so in love with the pen! :D

Draw everyday no. 48 and Sunday Sketches

My draw everyday no. 48 and Sunday Sketches. I started this having something more mature in mind but ended up with this whimsical piece instead :P Anyway, have a merry Sunday!

draw everyday and the space of freedom

Today I changed the name of my daily drawing project from ' Little brown book project' to 'draw everyday'. I named it 'little brown book' according to the small size of the book I meant to keep drawing on everyday. Then yesterday, on my artist's date, I bought a large nice A4 sketchbook on a whim and drew a large line drawing of the afternoon tea set I was having.



When I got back home, I drew more on another A4 kraft paper sketchbook. Then I realized how much I enjoyed it. I rarely drew large drawings in A4 size as most of my sketchbooks I stored are in A5. Come to think of it, I might have been unknowingly intimidated by large blank space. Today I drew another large one and while drawing I suddenly felt something like freedom.  I didn't think much of the job project I had been doing since morning. There were flashes of things in the future I was worried about but most of the time, my mind was on lines and colors that I smoothly and comfortably put on the large space. I didn't care if people would love this drawing or not. It's enough for me to feel joy with my imperfect lines and I started to truly understand why some artists never gave up their art and why some preferred working on giant canvas. I suspect they might have felt the same freedom I just experienced today :)

If you are interested in my draw everyday project, you can follow my facebook page or instagram. I hope you enjoy it :)

draw everyday challenge : the little brown book project

One night I picked up this little brown book and started drawing then posted it on instagram and my facebook page. I wrote 'draw everyday' in the caption and decided to do drawing everyday challenge again. This is a bit scary to me as I used to do a grand project called '365 days I draw' started in 2010, meaning to draw on specific topic everyday for a year. Sadly, I could manage only 130 drawings. After that I found drawing on topic everyday was stressful and not fun anymore so I stopped it. I missed the feeling of doing something everyday though.

So here I am starting an everyday project again. This time I make it easier by drawing on smaller space (this book is about 4x5 inches), using limited colors as I have only a few markers and no topic. I almost called it bedtime drawings as I only draw at night, after work when I am most relaxed.

It is really a nourishing project. I found myself looking forward to drawing something at night everyday. It's funny that by day I get stressed on drawing something for work, by night the same activity can also make me relaxed :)

I have come to day 13 already. You can follow my everyday drawings through facebook and instagram (@onmerryday or #littlebrownbookproject). I already bought several copies of this little brown book. Let's see which one will come first, me getting bored or run out of ideas or all the books filled up.

I hope it will be the latter. Thanks for coming. Have a merry day :D