Looking back on February I am not sure I have succeeded in dialing back, the moment I put one project on hold, another pops up.

Let’s take a look at what I’ve created this month and plans for the month of March: 

1) Watercolor: Since I picked up Doodlewash challenge I did a small watercolor sketch every single day, plus a couple of extra drawings for various marathons and challenges. Total number of watercolor works this month (not counting mini-sketches in my illustrated journal): 32 plus two more full gouache drawings. Whew. Month of watercolor indeed.

Here are my favorites, most of these are the most recent ones, pardon the repetition. I love the color so much and I am happy to see all the rainbow my watercolors created this month:

Plans for March: I decided to take doodlewash challenge on alternate months and hopefully focus more on weaker skills. I am planning to sketch more on location in March, and of course watercolor will still be present in my art journal. I would like to watch more tutorials, or read a book on watercolor, but I am not sure if this will actually happen.

2) Other:

• I’ve joined Natalie Ratkovski’s sketching from life challenge and picked colored pencil as my material of choice of that. Total number of colored pencil drawings this month so far is only 3, but I am happy how the skill seems to be coming back to me.

Plans: To continue drawing from life, and hopefully improve

• I did about 6 soft pastel drawings, both with instagram group and on my own. Took a very interesting webinar too. I think I am moving in the right directions with those and the number seems right, slower progress but  feeling less overwhelmed.

Plans: to continue drawing, my dream is to take my pastels for a plein air, but maybe I need to wait for the summer to do it. I am trying to decide if I’m good enough to try and enter a judged exhibition, some days I think I am, some days I think I’m not. March is to decide that.

• Markers, ah…I did two challenges this month- finished the travel sketch marathon and a mini to say goodbye to winter, took a webinar and drew for myself  which totaled to 8 drawings, not a lot, but again, the number feels right.

Plans: I am sad I have almost missed another marathon which featured all  flowers and, although I won’t make it to the deadline to participate in a contest/lottery, as I have 7 themes and only 1 week, I hope to practice it on my own.

• My digital illustration suffered a bit, I did a couple of drawings for 52 weeks illustration challenge and one for a special project which I shall reveal later.

Plans: I am going to participate in an illustration challenge that some Russian bloggers set up, I am only praying I will have enough time to do it, it will be analog, but I might add some digital elements. I will also continue with 52 weeks challenge.

3) I picked up another year-long project – and this time it’s embroidery. I have been doing a little bit each day and it feels so right and meditative, I can’t wait to see the final result in the end of the year. Plans: To continue with the project and use more new stitches.

Here’s what it looks like in the last day of February (I did it for total of 23 days so far)

4)Art Journal. I continue enjoying this activity. I am mostly fond of gouache as a material to draw in it, I doesn’t seep through like markers and I need less water to make a good coverage. I am looking forward to more adventures with mini-sketches in March:

My favorites from this month

Regrets: I had to scale back on papercutting because of the lack of time, and since I’m not good enough to afford a couple of weeks off, I am back to square if not one but maybe two…I want to pay more attention to it in March. Same goes for perspective and color theory studies.

Looking back week by week:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

January Report

Hope March is wonderful and sweet to everyone!

Love,

Anya

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