Don’t be precious with your sketches | TIP 215

Hello ! It’s Chou-Tac

How are you today ?
Last day I was at Panam, a French pub in Ho Chi Minh
owned and driven by my franco-viet friends Khiem and Remy.

I enjoy going there to chill and eat Kebab.
They make the greatest Kebab in town with amazing Belgium fries. YUM !!

The pub is hidden at the end of the small street of 91 Pasteur.
Go in, and you’ll see some light over there that you just need to follow.
It’s like a secret passage to me where only initiate people would know.

When you reach inside,
you can expect a warm gathering of laughing and enthusiast people.
And that night, we were singing Karaoke !

I did not sing myself but I did bring my sketchbook with my Pilot pen. I took them out from my bag and doodle a sneaker.
I felt pretty inspired as I am these days preparing a sneaker course for my members, so I did draw some shoes for fun during my spare time.

My right hand was sketching,
while my left hand was recording the video with my phone.
It was not easy as my drawing hand was a bit shaky
plus I could not turn my paper.
(Turning paper is essential to sketch faster and with precision. To avoid contorting yourself to draw certain line or curves.)

Anyway, it was fun. I was doodling with a loose hand, and I like it that way!

Here I got a Material Buying TIP for you.

Many enthusiast beginners tend to buy a beautiful and expensive sketchbook.
But as soon as they reach home.

They feel paralysed to sketch.

And won’t dare sketching anything on it… worrying to “spoil it”.
In the worst case scenario, they stop sketching or procrastinate.

HERE IS THE TRICK:
A GOOD sketchbook,
is something you are proud
to bring anywhere with you,
and do not feel afraid of making mistakes.

I hope it is making sense to you.
To improve, do not be “precious with your sketches.”

My sketchbook has a leather cover I bought in Thailand a year ago,
and the paper are detachable.

It’s easy to reorganise the documents,
or eventually remove some sheets that I feel not relevant anymore.

The rings are convenient for that,
but they may be annoying if you wanna write or draw on the left page
if you are right handed – as they are “blocking the way” of your hand.

Try a few sketchbook, and see what fit you the best !
Remember that you gonna draw inside your worst
and greatest sketches inside.

Your pen and sketchbook will be your daily companion
with whom you can tell anything. 🙂

Cheers,
Chou-Tac

PS: By the way I am now running a sketching program within a private group of designers. Where all members start with a Design sketching beginner pack.

If you want to be among the first one to join us, send me an email at [email protected] 🙂

Start with the ground line with a straight line

Draw the sole of the shoe with a nice curve

Close the shape of the shoe last

Add the contour lines to give 3D volume

Draw the toe cap

Draw the quarter

Draw the Nike Swoosh with dynamism !

Add some hatching for better contrast