Well I’m certainly getting practice at portraits with this Drawing August Twitter malarkey. And I’m sticking to my guns having chosen a set of three self imposed restrictions, all of which are personally challenging:

• portraits only – because I mostly suck at drawing people
• pen only – all marks will remain on show
• time limit of fifteen minutes maximum – to focus the mind

Now, after completing twenty four days of the challenge, I am starting to notice an improvement over my earlier attempts. My line is more confident, and I’m starting to get a memory for the curves which make up a face.

Progress however is definitely jerky and not a smooth curve, and I do often make the same mistakes. Even when I can see where I’m going awry I often plough on regardless and regret it later. But at least I know where I’m falling over; things will get better. Wouldn’t be a challenge if it wasn’t difficult!

I’ve also noticed an improvement since I stopped using my fine 005 Pigma micron (the nib split) and jumped up to a 03, a thicker nib. I think the harder, darker mark forces clearer thought and analysis. It seems to have made me work more economically using fewer lines to better effect.

An added bonus is that my colleagues, who have all been so generous in sitting for me, are now less wary of how their faces are going to fare when rendered in pen by me…

With only a few days left I’m looking forward to seeing what my final set of drawings will be like. How about you?