Conclusion: RESIDENCY SKETCHBOOK WARM-UP CHALLENGE

Well, my 23 days are up, and I’m on my way to the UK!

If you’ve been following along via Instagram (@amyleesdoherty), you will have seen the almost daily updates.

While the process was really enjoyable, it was a lot of work to do daily, especially while also trying to prepare for a three-month-long international work trip… But we managed!

 

 

Sketchbook

This is a collection of some of my favourite pages from this challenge:

 

 

Conclusion

I have completed the challenge and my sketchbook!

I allowed myself to experiment. I also managed to let go of perfectionism for this challenge, and while there were some pieces I would rather not see the light of day, I believe I have completed the book without sacrificing quality. I feel much looser and more confident going into this art trip.

Actively making art daily actually made the admin side of being a professional artist much easier. I found my ideas came faster and were more refined and fleshed out from the get-go.

Key takeaways:

  • Experiment with mediums as much as possible

  • Work light to dark when you can

  • Make a routine to help get into the mindset and form a habit

  • It’s okay. You don’t have to feel guilty about throwing away that fineliner that’s out of ink and the nib broke off. It had a good life, and now it’s time to move on. Bin it. And don’t panic when you find an identical dead fineliner still in your pencil case; it’s just the art gods having a laugh.

  • Take yourself back to basics. Do observation drawing and explore your elements and principles. It will help reground you and pull you out of some bad habits you may be forming.

  • Put a scrap sheet of paper behind the page you’re working on. It’s always the page you don’t expect that bleeds through.

Until next time!

Amy

Amy Lees-Doherty (She/Her)

Contemporary Gold & Silversmith, Artist and Craftsperson

www.amyleesdoherty.com

www.instagram.com/amyleesdoherty

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which I live and work; and pay my respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging.

'Happy Blue Bird' (2020) at 9 by 5 exhibition

9 by 5 Exhibition

Work Title: Happy Blue Bird (2020)

Year: 2020

Location: Walker Street Gallery and Art Centre, Dandenong, Australia.   

Duration: 3 December 2020 – 23 January 2021

For this exhibition, 9 by 5, each artist was given an identical 9 x 5 inch board as the base of their artwork. 

Looking at my board, I saw a blue bird. 

I cut away the negatives, after a coat of primer, painted the Happy Blue Bird and their surroundings with a pallet knife.