Thursday, March 12, 2015

PORTRAIT | PENCIL ON PAPER


Over the weekend I had the opportunity to delve into portrait drawing (and will be sharing more photos soon). However, I took a moment (okay, several hours) to play around and do a little extra. I decided to draw my older sister, Maggie. For the first time I tried out actual artist's drawing pencils. I usually end up drawing every picture with my loyal friend, the mechanical Paper-mate pencil. I definitely saw the benefit of higher grade tools.

Now I need to practice a bunch more and understand how to utilize their benefits on a much higher level.


Maggie Jo
S. Thomson
March 2015
Pencil on Paper

This paper is actually beige pastel paper, but due to poor lighting, the color has faded.


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"No sky is heavy if the heart is light."
-Anonymous

Monday, March 9, 2015

JOSHUA 1:8-9 | HAND-LETTERED PASSAGE




After posting last Monday about my hand-lettered verse, I was contacted by a friend about doing another similar drawing, but with a different passage. He chose Joshua 1:8-9, which is a great comfort as well as a challenge to believers...

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Of course I said yes because I am always up for a new challenge, and quickly set to work. First I had to lay everything out in pencil to make sure that everything would fit and would be straight (as well as pleasing to the eye). After that I spelled a word wrong (in pen), and then began again, using my original sketch as a stencil, and drew the sketch again, spelling everything correctly.

After several hours, this is the end result:


Joshua 1: 8-9 | Pen & Ink Lettering
S. Thomson
March 2015
Pen & Ink on 11 x 14" Drawing Paper

If you too have a favorite quote, Bible verse, or saying that you would like to have as a permanent fixture in your house, please contact me! I would love to collaborate with you.

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"Faith is a living and unshakable confidence. a belief in God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake." 
— Martin Luther

Monday, March 2, 2015

HAND-LETTERING | PEN & INK

Hand-lettering is something quite popular right now. In a world where everything is online and/or mass produced, the hand-written or hand-made note is becoming more and more desirable. Creative fonts, designs, and shapes make a certain quote more interesting or meaningful, and even though I used very few of those tools in the following photos, I still decided to share my attempts at hand-lettering.


I wish desperately I had the foresight to photograph all the hand-made/written/designed thank you notes, envelopes, and sketches I have made over the past year, since there are many more impressive drawings I could be sharing. However, I did not, so I will be sharing this drawing I made a couple months ago. 

After listening to a sermon regarding I John 5:4-5, I drew this sketch.


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"Now and then, when I am writing, I have begun some little drawings. It is nothing special but I see it all so vividly before me."
-Vincent van Gogh