Three Hundred and Sixty Five days ago I started a project to do a drawing every single day and now I have completed the task.  I was not alone –  Maggie and Alison (click on Aligeebee to see her drawings) were there every drawing along the way, and it was a daily pleasure to see what they had posted on the site.  We are off for a jolly in January to see the Indian Textiles exhibition at the V & A in London – where Maggie and Alison will meet each other for the first time.

I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the people that have followed the blog and have been kind enough to comment and encourage.

Did I really truly do a drawing every day?  Well…….confession time, not exactly; I missed one drawing in June – I remembered during the day but then forgot to actually do it and woke up with a jump the next morning ‘Arggh I didn’t do my drawing!’.  The second miss was when I had a particularly busy day coming up where I could see no gap for a quiet sit down so I did an extra drawing the day before.

Have there been any benefits from drawing every day?  I would say yes, yes and yes!

I am no longer frightened by the blank white sheet of paper.  I am happy to show anyone any of my drawings –  my ‘artist’ skin has become thicker, OK so it’s not a very good drawing – so what! My skills have improved, I notice when I draw I am looking not at the thing but at the relationships, negative space and shading.  I have developed a ‘style’ or ‘handwriting’ to my drawings and mostly they are wonky and I am happy with that. Having a drawing to do each day gave me a anchor point while everything around me seemed on the move.

Another thought – doing just 30 minutes  a day means that I have clocked up over 180 hours of drawing and I know I have often taken more than 30 minutes with a drawing.  My shortest drawing? Well sitting having coffee at Felixstowe Ferry, I sketched a boat in 30 seconds and the drawing was done.

So what am I going to do next year? I don’t really know right now, I am waiting until drawing 365/365 is done, but I am thinking that my focus should be on composition and I want to start keeping a ‘proper’ sketchbook like real artists do.  I am also keen to do something with the amazing trees that are in the park over the road…………..

Here they are then, the last 9 drawings (now don’t get too excited it is just more of the same).  Happy New Year!

357 Star Candlestick

358 Hands

359 Supposed to be eggs

360 Rose

361 Lily

362 Lily again

363 Andy Titcombs fishy teapot

364 Orchid Leaves

365 Lillies – last drawing!