My 100 day project - halfway through

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I can't believe that I'm halfway through my 100 day project already! My intention was to fill a page in my sketchbook each day with either a drawing or watercolour painting. I'm really pleased that I've kept it going, and I've definitely seen my skill and confidence improve.

I found that I've been working a lot with blue over the last few weeks, so much so that a few days ago I published a blog post featuring some of my favourite blue watercolour paintings! So here I'll share some of the other pages from my sketchbook as I reach day 50.

First here are some of my tulips. I like drawing these tulips, they are really quick and simple and I like trying out different colour combinations.

I began trying out different ways of painting a background before going over with the tulips. I've done lots of dabbing on with various colours wet paint and then splattering on top. I think that the way I draw the tulips has improved too with practice.

I always intended to take my sketchbook down the beach, which unfortunately hasn't been possible yet due to the lockdown restrictions and the restrictions imposed by needing to take small children with me wherever I go. So I worked on this one from a photograph of Goring beach. I particularly like the way that I painted the waves crashing along the shore, although unfortunately I wasn't able to replicate it when I tried it on my other versions!

Then I tried a quick painting of my vegetable patch . I know that neither of these paintings are particularly skilled works and there's plenty of room for improvement, but I like to think that they capture a moment, which is what I was always aiming for. 

Then finally this week I pulled out a favourite book which I've had for years -The Decorated Page by Gwen Diehn. I was also pleased to discover that there was a sequel - The Decorated Journal by Gwen Diehn - and I currently have an eagerly anticipated second hand copy winging its way to me.

I've loved looking through this book over the years and seeing examples of some beautiful illustrated journal pages. I've always longed to start an illustrated journal, but I got stuck because I never knew what to write about. But then it hit me that we are currently living through such strange times that I would like to keep a record of, and this would be a great way to do it.

So I found a small sketchbook that was lying empty, and I intend to make it my illustrated journal of this coronavirus crisis. I've made lots of notes, and I intend to continue my daily pages in this book for the time being. My first page which marked day 50 - a record of this very project which has been filling my lockdown time, along with miniature versions of some of my favourite pages!