No Reference Sketches

Hi peeps,

How are you all?

✦ First things first : The stickers have arrived! I posted some footage of them in my Instagram stories if you want a sneak-peak (I tried Lense too but, as usual, it crashed on me and laughed in my face XD). I'm very happy about how they turned out, and I am excited to send them out to all of you with physical rewards! As usual, I will be keeping a small stock of them for Patrons, and the rest will go on my shop.

✦ I have also finished working on my latest sponsored video, and it is now up on my Youtube channel. I share 3 exercises I like to do to learn and improve on my human anatomy, and you can watch it here.
(It's sponsored by Skillshare, so there is also a discount link in the video description).
I'll be honest, I feel a bit demoralised about that video, as I put a lot of work into it, spending 4 straight, intense days researching, writing, filming, and editing it, but my videos of that nature do not tend to do well, so I am feeling rather exhausted and mentally drained by the effort. I think that I might keep such topics for Skillshare (and here also) in the future...
At least this video is done, and even if it doesn't do well, I am happy with it, and I hope it can helpful to some.
The main thins is that it now means I have time to get back to creating, and I cannot wait to get back to the piece I was working on before moving, this one :

For some reason, this concept is proving very tricky, but the exploration and experimentation I have to do for it really excite me, and I can't wait to share it all with you.
I will also start work on this concept, as August's big piece and process PDF. 

[Get to the point Myriam...]

✦ Anyway, I wanted to share some scans of an exercise I have been doing more of recently, and one that has helped me a lot in improving and seeing my progress.
That exercise is drawing without references.

And by drawing, I don't mean full pieces, but quicker, smaller, more casual sketches, on a regular basis. (The goal is daily, but it's a work in progress, haha).
I was heavily inspired to start doing this exercise by an artist I highly admire, Claire Wendling. She is incredible, and does this sort of sketches very often. 

I started doing this very recently indeed, maybe about a month ago. The first page you can see below was my very first attempt, and the last one was only a couple days ago (the scans are chronological).
That is not to say I had never attempted to draw without reference before, I often start my sketches with no reference, but then, when I want to take them to the next level, I always do some research, use myself as a model, and/or create a moodboard and patchwork my references to make my piece more rounded and coherent. 

This exercise however, means I use absolutely no guides other than my brain to draw. The constraints I out on myself are
- The sketch needs to be quick, and with as little thinking as possible and a loose wrist
- I try to stay away from my eraser (a work in progress, haha)
- I try to do it as often as I can

So far, I feel like it has been incredibly beneficial, and although it was very difficult to find the desire to do it in the beginning, the more I've been doing it, the more I want to actually do it, if that makes sense. 

I have felt both my ability to retrieve information from my brain, and my confidence in drawing without any exterior aid grow, evolve, and improve, even in this short amount of time. 

I couldn't recommend doing this more.
I pair it with learning about anatomy more in depth, and use it as a sort of complimentary exercise, to put what I have learned into practice. 

It is scary, it is daunting, but ultimately, doing things that scare you is such a great way to not be scared of them anymore... :)

I hope you're all well,
I'll be back to sketching and posting some WIPs hopefully next week as I get back into creating,
Love you all,
M