#thelast40days

I've always wanted to learn how to draw cartoons of myself for use in random artistic adventures. I used to create a single-panel cartoon called #candiceadventures using Bitstrips, and recently found out that that app no longer exists. (You can search #candiceadventures on Instagram and see the cartoons I created, most of which are just snarky comments on current events in my life.) Here's a screenshot of me learning how to #draw mini-me, based on my old #Bitstrips Avatar:

App: Sketch Club

Equipment: iPad Pro 12.9", Apple Pencil

This is typically how I learn to drawn new things. I trace them. A lot. And while a part of me feels like that's cheating, it's actually a really important part of my drawing process. By tracing, I figure out what the proportions are. I draw it so many times it seems I memorize it with my pencil. I learn where the shapes turn into forms and where the shading and highlights need applied. I draw the same thing over and over to the point that I am sick of it. And then I go out and make it my own.

If I tried to just look at something once and draw it, it would turn out okay. (I went to school for art, after all -- and after four years and a Bachelor's degree, what kind of artist would I be if I couldn't draw from life or by sight?) But for certain projects, I do like taking the pressure off of the first few rounds of creating a new style by just copying what has already come before. I can put creating a likeness aside and focus on the design elements in the source piece: finding which parts I like and which parts I think I can put my own spin on.

Also (and this is a key point for me), in 90% of these types of pieces, the copied works are not for show. I don't display them. I may post screenshots on Instagram of works-in-progress, but they are never considered a finish piece of artwork that I would want to display or sell. That's not their function. They're learning tools. They exist in my sketchbook as completed exercises that strengthen my artistic ability to find inspiration from work that has come before and then evolving it into my own style.

So, where does #thelast40days come into play?

I have always loved following artist projects on social media. This past year I became aware of #the100dayproject (where a topic or subject matter is interpreted by an artist every day for 100 days, with no repeats. You can view some awesome examples of this here.) and Inktober (graphic design / illustrators look at pen-and-ink drawings or calligraphy for the month of October). For both events, I really wanted to participate, but couldn't find the time or the inspiration to do so.

I was disappointed in myself as an artist that I couldn't get in line with either of those projects, but it made sense. I'm in the middle of a huge transition in my life. At the end of the year, I am leaving my job (due to position elimination) and moving from my home state (where I have been for the last eight years) to a new state and a new adventure of freelance graphic design. I promised myself that I would do SOMETHING huge and artistic for the last 40 days of 2016 and my last 40 days in Ohio. So, what better use of all the space in my brain during this job transition than to start practicing a new art field? Thus, #thelast40days has been born.

#thelast40days is running from today (11/22/16) through 12/31/16. I most likely will not make a blog entry about each item, but they will be posted on Instagram (you can find me there at @candicermcmath). I'm also not going to give myself a hard time if I skip a few days but still end up with 40 drawings. (I do have to move across four states the last week of December, so that's going to take up a bit of time.) The goal here is to look at a new subject and technique for 40 drawings and see how my skills evolve. That's it. No pressure. This is just for me, and just for fun.