Drawings

Shark variations

25 February 202425 February 2024 patmcg1 Comment

I wanted to do a shark as my next little drawing challenge.

I used an ellipse tool and a ruler with dark black ink for the basic shape, then added some watercolor for an intentional contrast in style and color. I played around with a few background layers; I think I like the medium-blue one best.

This sketch took about 10 minutes on my iPad as a little break after shopping at a Whole Foods, at which point I was happy with it, so I stopped.

It is a perfect shark drawing? No. Did I have fun doing it? yes.

Drawings

Sketching a new logo 🎨

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When came up with a new name for this blog, I needed a quick logo.

I thought my previous downtown Austin sketch would be a natural fit. But alas, it was too complicated and fuzzy. 🤷🏻‍♂️I needed something simpler and bolder for this purpose.

So I myself 10 minutes to come up with a few ideas. The “final” logo (bottom left) was not what I had initially imagined, but it felt right after playing around with it for a bit.

Of course, this being my personal not-for-profit, no-expectations blog, I can change it if I ever feel like it. I like this iterative process. 🙌

Drawings

Sketching: The Coastal Service

17 February 202417 February 2024 patmcg1 Comment

Just for fun, here are a few variations while trying to come up with a “visual” for The Coastal Service.

Rough sketch of my initial idea, using the Tayasui Sketches app on iPad. The first set was a good start, and I liked the colors.

But I wanted to show some “danger” (a storm) and the light cutting through it. So we have set #2.

Drawings

Austin skyline sketch ⾢

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Among other elements, my first sketch of Austin produced a quick and simple downtown view using a ruler tool.

Inspired by that look, I decided to give downtown its own focus along with a more abstract river using Sketches app’s spline, fill, and ruler tools.

Here’s the result. I kind of like it! Yeah, it’s rough, but it’s supposed to be! 🙌

Drawings

Austin river sketch ✍️

30 January 202424 February 2024 patmcg1 Comment

Playing around with this Sketches app on my iPad, today’s goal was a to learn how to “trace” something by hand. But what? I needed something simple to start.

The Colorado River snaking its way through my city of Austin, Texas came to mind for its irregular curves. Using a Maps screenshot of Austin and layers in the Sketches app with my nifty new  Pencil, I got a rough but realistic hand-drawn shape of the river.

Then I used the app’s ruler, fill, and text tools to make a quick, fun sketch of my town by neighborhood.

Here’s the project with the Maps screenshot layer shown.