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OneWeek100People, 2025 Day 02

March 4, 2025

So, last couple Marathon’s I made a big deal about getting 100 in a day. But honestly; I don’t really do ink drawings any more? Like simple pen line, or anything monochromatic. I fished out the dip pens last year because I wanted speed to be the essence.

But the truth is, my line drawing had degenerated into spaghetti – because it only exists as a framework for color shapes.

I just love how you have infinite colors in the tiny paint box.

You know why I started with watercolor? Back in first year of Illustration school, they told us to go buy a set of 100 markers. I took one look at the price (and that was 40 years ago!) and said; no way. I’m not buying all these colors! Especially markers. You don’t click the cap down and five bucks worth of marker dries out in your bag.

How many of you have taken watercolors to figure drawing class? You know those timed poses? 3,5,10 minutes. If you don’t work fast, you won’t get accidental blending. And if you don’t have a time limit (like trying to get 33.3r drawings in one day) then you always slow down. (Because you think it makes your drawings better :)

I used to say ‘work one shape a time, so it stays wet and blends’ – but I think it’s more like 1.5 shapes at a time. Start the next one just a little bit too soon, so you can choose – wet-on-dry, vs, wet-on-damp. A hard edge, vs. a chance to blend.

Who’s your favorite today? I have to like the Urban Cowboy, The nurse who didn’t like me looking at her. Or the subway cop who definitely saw me acting suspicious. There is a whole generation of subway cops in Montreal who grew up playing Assassins’ Creed. They love the tied back hair and Viking beard :)

6 Comments leave one →
  1. Giacomo Sardelli's avatar
    Giacomo Sardelli permalink
    March 4, 2025 12:37 PM

    Great sketches on Day 2! I’m attending a figure drawing event tonight (it’s been a year since the last one I went to), and this time I’m leaving behind charcoals to try pencil and watercolor instead. I’ll also use this event to continue with the challenge! Hopefully, during the longer poses, I’ll have some extra time to sketch some of the other artists as well!

  2. Genny's avatar
    Genny permalink
    March 4, 2025 1:35 PM

    I love your commentary as much as your drawing. It’s impossible to pick a favorite, so I’ll go with the subway cop because the comment added so much to the sketch!

  3. Nash Aline's avatar
    Nash Aline permalink
    March 5, 2025 6:37 AM

    I am amazed you can paint more quickly than in ink! Don’t you find composition comes into play more than just a figure and their stance/movement? How does it work with water? Water brush or ordinary brushes. Changing colour would be difficult? Love to hear from you if time and not sketching!!!! Thanks.

    • Marc Taro Holmes's avatar
      March 5, 2025 2:22 PM

      Oh no, it’s not more quickly :) Sorry; meant to say ink would be faster, but I’m so used to working in value and not in line now! My eye has changed completely :) I guess I miss all the subtle changes of color and ink now looks harsh? Which is funny because I used to love contrast more than anything :)

  4. Catherine Diamond's avatar
    Catherine Diamond permalink
    March 5, 2025 2:34 PM

    I love what your do but I cannot get the looseness try as I might. But I keep on plugging away. Thanks for inspiring me to do art every day!

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