Inktober update

5 days into the Inktober challenge and things are going well. I have set my own rule for the challenge to not use pencils, just straight ink drawings onto paper. I have this particular simple style in mind that I've been trying to achieve. Partly inspired by my 7yo son Elliott's new found love of drawing and also from playing 'Draw Something' on the iPad which forces you to simplify your art. There is a certain amount of happy accident feel to the style, and something that hopeful is a bit more direct and truthful in the art.

It's funny, as looking back at my work I have noticed this tendency to lean towards this simpler style, however I have this notion that I have to draw more realistic. That line doesn't really make much sense, but it's because it's all a bit new to me as well. As I mentioned in this previous post, I have found my drawings to be more interesting when they aren't planned in pencil first, they are also more enjoyable to draw, as you really don't know how it is going to work out. If I want to proceed down this path then I have to accept the charm of wonky and inconsistent drawings. But if you look at the work of people like John Porcelino, Ron Rege Jr or even australian comic artist Leonie Brialey, I can see there is value in the imperfection.

I have also made this Pinterest board which I called Geometric Art, which looks at drawings that have that simple, shape based quality to them. The board leans more towards an illustrative style, but there is a simple and direct quality to the work on the board.

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