Obsessed with faces
Thoughts on spooky portraits, course platforms, and a daily drawing practice.
Hi friend 🖤
My week started out looking pretty bleak. Brainfog, PMS, low energy and no motivation. I procrastinated away all Monday, could neither work nor exercise and just ate chocolate instead.
But then luckily, my mood turned around and I managed to get a lot of work done. Both art wise and otherwise.
I'm just about to launch a standalone version of one of my most popular courses, Pencil Sketching for Beginner Artists. I've been wanting to do this for a long time. I still love Skillshare and am not leaving it any time soon, but I am feeling increasingly vulnerable relying too much on it. And from a student's perspective, I always prefer to purchase standalone courses from the teachers I really want to learn from. And so I want to offer my students that option as well.
I have some issues with the subscription model that more and more course platforms use. This "all-you-can-eat-buffet" of hundreds of classes, for a monthly or yearly fee. It might seem like a great deal, since we always tend to think that more is better. But what I've noticed in myself when using these platforms is that I just fall into a rabbit hole. I get stressed out by how much content there is and just end up hoarding classes and binge watching them instead of actually practicing. (Anyone else the same?) This is why I don't use Skillshare myself and prefer to hand pick the courses I want to take and then focus on one at a time. But even with the course I'm taking at the moment, Nathan Fowkes charcoal portraits course, I have to discipline myself because it's hosted on Schoolism and they have a similar model. I had to pay for a subscription, and now all this other content is pushed on me, but I really just want to do this one class and then I'm out. 😅
So, anyways! The Pencil Sketching for Beginner Artists course is nearly done. I'm excited to make some updates to the content, and to make it an even better version than the one that's on Skillshare. Courses on Skillshare are essentially just video playlists. On my own course platform, I have more creative freedom. I can combine video with text and images, add assignments and invite discussion for each lesson, and much more. I will launch the course next week and see if there's interest. If there is, I will do the same with my other courses. So if you've been wanting to take this class, but haven't been too thrilled about getting a Skillshare membership, stay tuned. I will have a special deal just for my email friends. 😊
Other than that, I've mostly been filming, recording voice overs, and editing videos. And drawing a lot of faces. I should be finishing my Birds In Flight collection. Am planning to release art prints of them in time for the holidays. And I am slowly making progress with it. Made this new Magpie the other week for example:
A video is coming next week where I show the process of painting that one.
But my inspiration really lies with my charcoal portraits right now. I can't stop doing them. Love sitting in my studio for an hour or so each night to practice, something I haven't had the energy for in a while. This week's YouTube video is an art vlog/drawing process where I talk about what my practice looks like and how I approach these portraits.
I also talk about a little challenge I'm planning for myself. October is my favorite month of the year, the month of horror and spookyness. I always get very inspired. And so I'm going to draw as many of my favorite villains as I can, and release them as timelapse drawings on YouTube, and possibly prints as well. I already have a list I'm working off of, but suggestions are welcome! Feel free to request a character that you think would look good as a creepy-looking charcoal drawing. One that might hang in haunted house and follow you with their gaze… No monsters, masks or elaborate makeup, just (sinister-looking) human faces for now.
And that’s my week in a nutshell. My back is aching from too much sitting, and the autumn cold is already seeping into my bones. So I think I'll get into a bath now. This weekend will be all about those charcoal portraits. Going to draw 'til my fingers turn black and my wrists start aching. 😌
With love,
New video: My new daily drawing practice (chill art vlog + charcoal portrait process)
Reading:
Finished The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith. I give it a 5 out of 5. Can't remember when a book kept me this enticed for weeks in a row. Now, as expected, the separation anxiety is killing me and nothing else measures up.
But, to ease myself out of it, I'm giving a Swedish crime thriller a chance. Been a long while since I read any of Lars Kepler's novels, so I'm reading Spegelmannen (The Mirror Man) right now.
Watching:
A lot of drawing tutorials... Apart from the course I'm taking, I'm also watching some of Nathan Fowkes's YouTube videos. Here's a great one that will help you draw/paint shadows better:
Listening:
Mostly Swedish documentary podcasts lately. But I know I have a lot of fellow swedes here, so... I really recommend P3 ID's episode on Carrie Fisher:
And this 3-part series called "Simma med delfiner" by Lars Berge:
Your letter this week has had a number of resonances with me, I started the week in much the same way as you with a brain fog that made doing any form of work such as drawing an uphill struggle, but managed eventually to get something done. Another thing that you said that struck home was the accumulation of courses either due to the subscription practice, or the tendency of some sites to offer courses at reduced prices prompting me to buy them during the offer period, but not start them.
Finally by a strange coincidence I have just stopped reading The Ink Black Heart as it’s 4am and I really should go to bed and I thought that I would read your letter before turning in. As you say it is very addictive and I find it is difficult to put down, I am slightly ashamed to say I put off my drawing practice today so as to keep reading it. I am full of admiration for your self discipline in managing to make it last over weeks and not binge read it in a few very long sessions.
So I must really go and get some sleep now, I hope that you keep well and avoid further bouts of brain fog.
All the very best,
Keith
Autumn is my favorite season as well. Drawing becomes such a cozy activity rather than a constant battle against humidity drain.
I get what you mean by feeling overwhelmed by all the class options. I think its especially tough for us creatives who have a lot of different passions and interests. I really depend on the option to make lists out of my saved classes so I can at least feel organized 😅