{"id":265,"date":"2017-11-08T15:00:33","date_gmt":"2017-11-08T15:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/?p=265"},"modified":"2017-11-08T16:14:01","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T16:14:01","slug":"my-3-years-of-inktober-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/2017\/11\/08\/my-3-years-of-inktober-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"My 3 years of Inktober &#8211; Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-version=\"7\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:8px;\">\n<div style=\" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:28.125% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;\">\n<div style=\" background:url(data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC\/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5\/P8\/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo\/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI\/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf\/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Ba8D5ZSgIA0\/\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Tracey Thompson (@traceythompson)<\/a> on <time style=\" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;\" datetime=\"2017-11-01T04:04:20+00:00\">Oct 31, 2017 at 9:04pm PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async defer src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What I learned from 2017<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Comparing 2016 to 2017, there were a few surprises:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Working on a larger paper was much easier than I expected. 2016\u2019s drawings were between 3&#215;5\u201d and 5&#215;8\u201d. 2017\u2019s drawings were 9&#215;12\u201d. I thought I\u2019d be struggling to fill so much space with ink, but I found it much easier to make fluid lines on the larger paper.<\/li>\n<li>I loved using the brush pen. That said, I found using only the brush pen to be a real challenge. Last year I used Copic markers to add value to my drawings. This year I wanted to keep things simple. Even with that goal in mind, I struggled with whether or not to add values with cross hatching. Some drawings felt like they really needed it. Some felt overworked once they had it.<\/li>\n<li>I found I liked using black square to help simplify backgrounds. The ability to focus the composition on one area helped me from getting overloaded (and it saved on ink!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/br><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s next?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With a few Inktobers under my belt, I see that my process keeps me on track to complete 31 drawings in the month. Now I\u2019m starting to think about how I can improve the quality of my work for the month. I want to experiment not only with how I work, but what I draw.<\/p>\n<p>For next year\u2019s Inktober, I know I want to keep the nature science theme. I want to keep managing my ideas in Trello. I&#8217;m happy with how these two elements are working out. As I look back on the last 3 years, there is one very clear area where I could challenge myself.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>I could stop relying on photos and create all original work.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">?\u00a0[screams of terror]<\/p>\n<p>For some artists, this is no big deal. Heck, they\u2019ve been doing that this whole time. I\u2019m someone who draws what they see. Although I draw from life regularly, drawing from photographs is a way to draw conveniently on a schedule. Now that I have 2 successful years (and one semi-successful year) under my belt, I want to push myself to do more than what&#8217;s convenient and comfortable.<\/p>\n<p>I could draw my 2018 Inktober sketches from life. That means practicing sketching in the wild. We have many great resources in the Bay Area like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calacademy.org\/\">Academy of Sciences<\/a>, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sfzoo.org\/\">San Francisco Zoo<\/a>, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.oaklandzoo.org\/\">Oakland Zoo<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aquariumofthebay.org\/\">Aquarium of the Bay<\/a>. If I were to create thumbnails from my museum experiences, I could put those thumbnails in my <a href=\"http:\/\/trello.com\">Trello<\/a> board instead of photos.<\/p>\n<p>Another idea I&#8217;ve had is to try to focus less on realism and really experiment with different mark-making techniques. How little can I draw and still communicate a recognizable plant or animal species? How can I add an element of chance to my work? Does this inkblot say \u201canglerfish?\u201d Can I keep on schedule if the subject of each day\u2019s drawing is left up to chance? There\u2019s a lot to think about, but I\u2019m confident I\u2019ll be ready to take on the challenge next year.<\/p>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_284\" style=\"width: 359px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/inktober-inkblot-fish.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-284\" data-attachment-id=\"284\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/inktober-inkblot-fish\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/inktober-inkblot-fish.png?fit=359%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"359,300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"inktober-inkblot-fish\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Less realism, more element of chance!&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/inktober-inkblot-fish.png?fit=359%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-284\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/inktober-inkblot-fish.png?resize=359%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Angler fish made from an inkblot\" width=\"359\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/inktober-inkblot-fish.png?w=359&amp;ssl=1 359w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/inktober-inkblot-fish.png?resize=215%2C180&amp;ssl=1 215w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-284\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Less realism, more element of chance!<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/br><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ink-conclusion&#8230;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A big thank you to Jake Parker, for starting Inktober and thank you to all the artists who participated. Your work is inspiring! <\/p>\n<p>Many thanks to everyone who followed along. I appreciate your support and all your feedback. Did you have any favorites this year? Do you have suggestions for animals or plants for my 2018 list? I&#8217;d love to hear from you in the comments.  <\/p>\n<p>If you haven\u2019t yet, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/2017\/11\/06\/my-3-years-of-inktober-part-1\/\">Part 1<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/2017\/11\/07\/my-3-years-of-inktober-part-2\/\">Part 2<\/a> where I talk about my Inktober process in more detail. Otherwise, stay tuned! I\u2019ll have news about upcoming shows as well as more blog posts with my in progress work. <\/p>\n<p><\/br><br \/>\n<\/br><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><\/br><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Updates on Upcoming Shows and Sales!<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><\/br><\/p>\n<h5><strong>I have work in the upcoming TINY show at STUDIO Gallery<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>I&#8217;m proud to announce I will be exhibiting work at the \u201cTiny\u201d group show at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.studiogallerysf.com\/\">STUDIO Gallery<\/a>! The exhibit runs November 10th &#8211; December 23rd, 2017. There will be an opening reception on Sunday, November 12th from 1-6pm. The show features all local artists with works of art under 7&#215;7\u201d and on sale for under $500. I hope to see you there!<br \/>\n<\/br><\/p>\n<h5><strong>I have prints for sale at The Great Highway Gallery<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>I have two signed, limited-edition prints for sale at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thegreathighway.com\/\">The Great Highway Gallery<\/a>. The prints are of of the Sierra Valley and the Bolinas lagoon. The gallery also has prints from several local artists for sale. Stop by and check them out!<br \/>\n<\/br><\/p>\n<h5><strong>My Etsy Store is up!<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>I have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/shop\/traceythompsonart\">select originals and prints up on my Etsy Store<\/a> with more work on the way for 2018.<br \/>\n<\/br><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><\/br><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Let&#8217;s keep in touch!<\/h5>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For the latest updates, sign up for my <a href=\"https:\/\/tinyletter.com\/traceythompson\">TinyLetter<\/a> or follow me <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/traceythompson\/\">Instagram<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A post shared by Tracey Thompson (@traceythompson) on Oct 31, 2017 at 9:04pm PDT What I learned from 2017 Comparing 2016 to 2017, there were a few surprises: Working on a larger paper was much easier than I expected. 2016\u2019s drawings were between 3&#215;5\u201d and 5&#215;8\u201d. 2017\u2019s drawings were 9&#215;12\u201d. I thought I\u2019d be struggling&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,8],"class_list":["post-265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-process","tag-inktober","tag-process"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p91V5n-4h","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":388,"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265\/revisions\/388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traceythompson.com\/art\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}