With one thing and another, I lost my momentum and the drawings from the last 5 days of October were a struggle! I tried to recover the flow that I felt I had achieved in the previous weeks, by going back a few steps but it didn’t work out as I’d hoped!
When I was at college in my middle teenage years, my English teacher in trying to encourage us to write creatively used to tell us not to use the holy ghost method of writing:
I have a dog. 🙏🙄 It is black. 🙏🙄 Its name is Rover. 🙏🙄 I take him for walks. 🙏🙄 and so on!
Now, that’s how I ended up thinking about my sketches! Then, looking up from my desk I saw my reflection in a picture; my own apparition. So I started drawing and the result is below.
If you passed me in the street, I’m certain you wouldn’t recognise me! I would recognise me although in this drawing I think I appear to be younger than I am, and feel.
So, 31 days of drawing are over; now what for November? Well, I think I will continue sketching although perhaps not every day. Recently there has been a flurry of paperwork: banks, solicitor and I still have some carving to do! More on that later.
For now, have a wonderful new week.
Ashley
A Different View 
Truly enjoyable drawings, Ashley, especially the last one! Looks as though you had fun with your daily regimen of sketching in October. Here’s wishing you a happy and safe November. 😊
Many thanks, Mike. Yes fun but every now and then I’d get stuck! Wishing you a happy November. 😊
My dear Ashley, your self portrait is brilliant depicting someone pleased with the work they’ve done, as you should be! 😉 Looking forward to more.
You too have a wonderful week ahead [and Sunday]🌟🌼
Dear Marina, your comments mean a great deal to me, thank you. I hope I can continue drawing as we now look forward to the winter solstice. For now, wishing you a wonderful week. 🤗🌹🙋♂️
Winter Solstice…. how time flies!
Happy Sunday! ☀️🙏😊
I once drew a politcan, out of an article, not knowing who he was.
Yeras later I asked a czech worker in our company and he had a clue who he was.
In fact I foungd he was right.
I used to keep a little sketch book which had only portraits copied from books or newspapers. Perhaps, I should start it up again. 🙏
Go on with your drawings. 🙂
I will try, Gerhard but sometimes life gets in the way!
Drawings faces can be tough! Your final work is excellent! Nice going Ash!
Many thanks, Phil. I’ll keep practicing! 🙏
Me too! Best wishes Phil
No one would recognize me from any of my self-portraits either. I like the air of contemplation you’ve captured. (K)
Many thanks, Kerfe, but do you recognise yourself in your self portraits? 😉🙏
Sometimes, in both good and bad ways. Am I really that old and tired? for instance. Or, looking at portraits from long ago–was I ever that young?
For me, it’s mostly bad so it surprised me that I’ve drawn myself younger! 😉
I draw myself younger as well, a lot of the time. Just leave out those lines..
When my wife saw the sketch the first thing she said was “haven’t you left something out?”
Sometimes we are not our own worst critics….
Yea, what have you left out? I am keen to know too!
I’m 74 and I didn’t think I had many wrinkles! 😉
Lol!
I think your self portrait is very good. I hope you keep drawing.
Thank you, Katelon, I will certainly try. 😊🙏
That’s a very good portrait, though of course I can’t tell if it’s a good likeness. I found the holy ghost drawings interesting too. And I still haven’t begun!
Haha! Yes, those little faces are great fun. Perhaps you could start there! Go on, have some fun! 😊🙏
Great drawings, I love the one of yourself.
Keep drawing up, but not as a daily chore. You’ll get more inspiration again.
Wishing you a lovely November. ❤️
Dear Ute, thank you. Indeed, when it becomes a chore it needs a reset! A visit to a nice garden perhaps. I’m sure to continue but perhaps not every day.
Wishing you also, a happy November. 🤗🌹🙋♂️
Glad to see your own portrait, friend!
Thank you, Indira! I should try more portraits, of other people! 🤗🌹🙋♂️
I see in your big finale, Ashley, you’ve given yourself a halo. Well deserved and keep on at it.
Well spotted, quite unintentional but then seeing myself reflected in a picture at the side of my desk was a bit spooky. I intend to keep drawing. 👍 Thanks Graham for your encouragement. 👻👻👻
No problem Ashley. Still it isnt as spooky as seeing a different reflection in the mirror.
Aquí tienes un comentario escueto y afectuoso en respuesta a tu mensaje:
—
Querida Ashley,
Entiendo cómo a veces la creatividad puede fluir y luego estancarse; es parte del proceso artístico. Me encanta cómo transformaste la frustración en inspiración al reflejarte en tu dibujo. A veces, vernos desde otra perspectiva puede revelar más de nosotros mismos. ¡Tu compromiso con los 31 días de dibujo es admirable! Estoy segura de que tus bocetos seguirán evolucionando, y estoy ansiosa por ver hacia dónde te llevará este nuevo mes.
Te deseo lo mejor en tus próximos proyectos, y que la creatividad continúe acompañándote en este viaje.
¡Que tengas una maravillosa semana!
Un abrazo 🌷
I have translated your text with Google, I hope it is faithful to what I understood. a hug, dear friend.🌷
Dios mío, qué maravillosa respuesta a mi publicación. Comencé este viaje hace posiblemente más de 60 años, pero viví la vida con muy pocas salidas creativas. Desde que me jubilé del trabajo hace 10 años, he estado tratando de volver a lo que realmente quería hacer: dibujar o ilustrar y escribir. Ha sido un proceso de muchas paradas y arranques, algunos días mejor que otros y, por supuesto, la vida y la existencia siguen apretándose. Ahora tengo 74 años y no puedo creer cómo he llegado hasta aquí, especialmente sin dibujar. Gracias por tu increíble comentario.
I was using Google to write my response. I also hope it says how much I appreciate your comments. Thank you. Ashley 🤗🌹💓
Querida Ashley.
Me pareces una persona muy valiente y muy valiosa.
Adentrarte en el mundo de un aprendizaje nuevo y tan difícil para mí y para muchos, como es dibujar o ilustrar, es algo de gran valor.
Ya no por tu edad, porque eres joven, y además opino que no hay edad para aprender.
Nos enseñas aquí, que la vida es un camino donde siempre nos podemos ilustrar o formar en algo nuevo.
Te aprecio y te valoro mucho.
Un besito😘🌷
Tus palabras me dan ánimo. Te envío mis mejores deseos desde una Irlanda del Norte gris y húmeda. 🤗🌹💓
Tengo una muy buena amiga que vive en Galway, si algún día voy a visitarla te lo diré por si tú estuvieras cerca, poder conocernos.
Un besito 😘
🤗😘
Seems like you were ghosted by your mirror image 🙂 Who is that guy, asks the face looking back at him.
Haha! It’s the right time of year for apparitions! 👻👻👻
😀
I’m impressed with anyone who can draw someone even with a glimmer of likeness. 🙂
Thank you Sharon! However, I’m still a beginner and learning! 🤗🙏
I really like the drawing of your face, Ashseed. Excellent job! You need to put it in a frame and display it…seriously. Nice work. I like your idea of drawing often, maybe not every day, though, like you said. Please keep writing hokku, though. I think that’s important, but only because I love the art. I may try some tanka, which I’ve never written. Stay healthy and keep moving, Ashbark,
Your hokku friend, 不具
Many thanks, hokku-bro. Funny, Carol mentioned a frame so she could put it on a dart board! 🎯 We’re now a few days into November and I’ve not drawn anything however this afternoon I’ll make a start on a few ideas for the solstice. A Tanka: 5/7/5/7/7 or will you aim for a more relaxed version? Interesting. Looking forward to seeing your work. Keep safe and well, Edo-san.
Your self-portrait is full of life and character Ashley – a good way to end, though I hope you’ll continue as long as you enjoy it!
Thank you, Andrea. I hope to continue though perhaps not every day. 🤗🙏
Good for you and love your self portrait. Keep drawing, Ashley. I loved you checking in with Friedrich. what a great mentor to have as well! Happy November 🥰
Thanks, Cindy. It was a challenge and so far into November I’ve not yet drawn again. I’m currently overcoming a nasty head cold, from goodness knows where. We could do with some of your sunshine over here. 🤗🌹🙏
Beautiful drawing! Keep going on with your passion 💪
Thank you, Priti, for your kind words and encouragement.
💐
Your example of the holy ghost method of writing made me laugh out loud! Last week, my 8-year-old decided to write a book and all her sentences are pretty much like that! I love your drawings and your little drawing project which made me think about how we do brush our teeth every day. So why is it so hard to draw every day? As I have two small children, it makes it impossible to choose a fixed slot in my day that I can guarantee is there for me every day to sit down and write, but I still try. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Hello Aiva, thank you for your wonderful comments. I’m over-the-moon that I made you laugh, out loud, as I too often take life too seriously! Yes, a drawing challenge! Another blogger who I follow made the suggestion, and for October it worked, although there were a few days when I had to catch up! Advice? If I was to repeat it I’d say keep it small: don’t have big plans for canvas’s on the wall; try a mini sketch book and just doodle, say one or two a day! I once drew a grid of squares and just put a little drawing in each box every day. Your own Advent calendar! Good fun! Today in Northern Ireland it has been foggy and damp but your comment 🤣 really cheered me up! I will check your blog shortly. 🙏
I remember that when Malcolm Gladwell published his book, Outliers, his idea that it required 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in anything, swept the world.
10,000 hours roughly translates to about 10 years of practice. And I think he was right because skill without practice is like a ship without a rudder, and without it, you run the risk of your presentation running aground, or worse, heading for a collision course with the rocks.
I have a friend who has been writing poems since her early teens. She never gave up and a few years ago – shortly before her 40th birthday – published her book and went on to receive Poetry Book of the Year by Scotland’s National Book Awards. It goes to show you.
P.S. It’s been very foggy for the past few days in Sligo, too! xx
On the same island! 😊 10 years? 1st thing, I don’t want to be an “expert” but I do want to enjoy things….so, I’ll have a go! 🙏
Yes, that’s so exciting – we are on the same island 🥰🥰
Thank you, Ashley, for your self-portrait, very good indeed!
Joanna
Dear Joanna, it is so good to hear from you. I’ve been concerned as I’ve not seen a post from you recently. Hoping you are well. 🤗💌😊
Thank you, dear Ashley, you are very kind, as always! I have been unwell for a while, and in hospital but I am home now, and I hope to publish again in December. I though that I have left a message on your side but as I haven’t, my apologies.
Joanna x
Nice self-portrait. About recognizing or not, don´t worry, sometimes I’ve passed my brother on the street and not said hello. It’s not a problem with my eyesight, it’s just that I’m often thinking about my own things. In spanish we said “estoy ensimismado” Un abrazo 🙋♂️
Many thanks, Sabius. My mother used to say “you boys, always dreaming!” A hug from a bright sunny morning in the Orchard County (unfortunately, gale force winds later).
Nice drawing, Ashley. You’ve managed to knock a few decades off your age too! If you haven’t done so already, try drawing in different mediums and see how your ‘self’ alters. Cheers, J
Thank you, Jason for your encouragement. I’m afraid I’ve let things slip since then but am determined to start up again! In the meantime I have been trying other ways to be creative in visual arts. Also, in the meantime I’m looking forward to thoroughly checking out your own works here on WP. Would you mind if I wrote to you via your contact page? Ashley 🙇♂️
Hi Ashley. Thank you for getting back to me. If and when you get in touch on my Contact page, just add your preferred email. Merry Christmas!
Well done for all the drawings. I really like your portrait. I would encourage you to do more if you find it rewarding. All the best. 🙋🌈❄️
Thank you, Morag, I hope to do more in the new year. 🌞🌞
Every day is a challenge and each feeling takes its course.
Thank you, a very wise thought! 🤗🙋♂️