Gesture Sketch

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"Waiting" Gesture sketch of my son waiting for the bus this morning

Make a Gesture Sketch in your Journal Today.  

What is a gesture sketch?  I found a lot of different people saying different things about them, but here's the general consensus: Gesture Sketches are usually made quickly and simply, with minimal information to suggest a shape, pose or movement.

Well ok.. I had not done that before and when I read that it was one of the first drawing lessons given to students I figured it was time for me to give it a try.

1. So I did a pencil sketch (really have to buck up and start with ink) of my son waiting for the bus. It took less than 2 minutes to draw in the bare outlines and hints of the movement of his clothes.   
2. I liked it but it needed color, so I whipped out my neocolors and scribbled in the suggestion of shading.  The aqua brush smooshed that around and a couple more passes of the colors for depth and it looked like the colors above.
3. Last, I went over it just a bit on the outlines with ink.  Almost the same gesture sketch I did in pencil.  I did this mostly because the pencil lines were lost under the color.  (really need to just start with the ink)

That's it... a 10 minute portrait.  If I get time today, I want to go out and do more of these in public.  Maybe I'll gift them to the subjects.. or offer them for a small supply fee. (on unlined paper of course -- this book just happened to be in my purse when the mood struck)

A note about the lined paper:  I've had a lot of you question me in private about it.  It's not a conscious choice and it's not that I'm out of unlined journals.  (I make them and have a dozen or more finished leather journals in the studio that have not sold)   It's just what I have on hand when I feel like arting and no, the lines don't bother me at all.  In fact, I kind of unfocus my eyes when I'm doing art, so I don't even see the lines.  Sorry if it bothers you guys, but the point is this:  Don't wait till you have the "right" supplies to art.  Just do it.  if the mood hits I'll art on napkins in restaurants.. or paper table clothes.. or my jeans.

Now - go make a gesture sketch and show me yours!