With it being exam season, this week I’ve drawn a little point-of-view sketch inspired by all of the late-night study sessions I’ve been having in my dorm lately. I’ve always enjoyed doing point-of-view sketches; even though the perspective in this one is quite unrealistic, these sketches offer a great opportunity to practice drawing people and characters interacting with their surroundings instead of my typical drawings of characters existing in front of their environment. Overall, I really did enjoy this sketch and I’m happy with the result : )
One of the biggest draws to Ann Arbor is the food- the city is home to hundreds of restaurants and is a huge center for culinary diversity. This week, a few friends and I decided to try a restaurant that none of us had been to before. We headed to the south side of campus and wandered briefly before deciding on Lan City Noodle Bar. The restaurant had very modern decor, and two of the walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in abundant natural sunlight, both of which made for a very bright and serene environment. My friends and I all ordered different dishes (similar to the one I drew below) and we enjoyed taste-testing all of them and comparing flavors! This was my first time trying a new, non-chain restaurant since I moved to Ann Arbor a few months ago, and I’m really looking forward to trying more local restaurants throughout the rest of the school year! It’s a very fun break from doordash and dining halls : )
Hello! The past few weeks have been full of traveling for me, so this spread was drawn in the car. It’s a synthesis of some of the most notable changes and symbols that I associate with the month of October: falling leaves, warmer clothes, pumpkin spice lattes (although I’ve never actually had one .ᴖ.), wool hats, digital cameras/retro technology, and pumpkin carving! Dressing in layers and wearing puffy coats is one of my favorite parts of this time of year, and I’m really enjoying meandering through campus as the leaves change and fall.
Hi everyone! Welcome to the first post in my blog: A Side of Sketching! Each Monday, I will share a page or two from my current sketchbook, along with some explanation as to what inspired the sketches or where I was while I created them. I love exploring new places and experiencing new things, so many of my sketches will revolve around that. As a college student, I also take inspiration from campus events and the more mundane aspects of student life. So, whether it be trying a new restaurant, going to a hockey game, or having a late-night study session in the dorms, my sketches will provide a glimpse into my life as a college student!
A little bit about me: I’m currently a freshman at the University of Michigan! I have been creating art since I was young, and have experimented with many different mediums. Usually, I tend to gravitate towards acrylic painting and pencil sketching. When I’m not studying or making art, I enjoy hiking, yoga, listening to music, going to sporting events, and having spontaneous adventures around campus! : )
For this first post, I wanted to create a page that sums up a highlight of my school year so far, and I felt that a page inspired by Saturday football games in the Big House was the best way to do that! I’m not a huge football fan, but I love the atmosphere on campus on game days- from the student section chants to the marching band performances and head-to-toe maize and blue outfits. I made this page while in the car on a road trip, so it is fairly simple. Still, I’m happy with how it turned out!
Hi again! I’m not sure how much this drawing counts as “people watching”, but who says “people” has to mean “strangers”? I’ve been spending a lot of time this past week opposite my friends just studying and I think today’s post portrays that rather accurately. Drawing on notebook paper instead of my sketchbook felt particularly fitting. The top image took place in the LSA building (where I spent six and a half hours today), and the bottom was in my friend’s apartment. I loved noticing how much stuff we surround ourselves with while studying: laptops, tablets, water bottles, my two indispensable pens, so many notebooks, planners, and… a french press? I suppose caffeine is a must. Good luck to everyone taking exams this week (I know I’ll need it)!
Can you believe that the Winter 2023 semester is already almost over? I’m personally gearing up both for Sophomore Year Review and for the upcoming convention tabling season, which means that I’m running around like a headless chicken trying to delegate enough time to all of the projects I have going on (concept art portfolio for my sophomore year project, new prints and branding materials for my convention tabling business, applying for internships…). What has remained consistent is that I’ve been diligently practicing my figure drawing skills in ARTDES 269 twice a week for this whole semester. That means that I have more figure drawings to show of more masc-aligned bodies, both in charcoal and in ink, that show how I’ve further developed my sense of anatomy, value, and constructing 3D forms. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in drawing humans or simply improving their draftsmanship skills, and I’m also interested in seeing how many UMich students would be interested in some kind of figure drawing club or weekly session that would make figure drawing more accessible and regular for both art students and non-art students!
Warning for depictions of artistic nudity under the cut:
