This past September, I set a goal of drawing outside at least once a week. It was the second year I did the plein drawing challenge, and I ended up with six plein air drawings that month.
That challenge was open to all who were interested in taking their colored pencils outside and drawing, too.
When September ended, I decided to continue with a personal challenge until the end of the year. I’d gotten into the habit, enjoyed sitting outside to draw, and because I was learning a lot. Setting a goal for the rest of the year looked like a good way to keep myself drawing, and to put more fun into the drawing process.
There are twenty weeks in the last four months of the year, so I should have ended up with 20 drawings.
While I didn’t always draw every week, I did end up with 23 plein air drawings!
2017 Plein Air Drawings
The drawings are arranged in chronological order. All of them are 5×7 inches or smaller, and most of them are colored pencil drawings, though I drew several of them with three colors or less, and three pen-and-ink sketches (ball point pen) are also in the collection. Those are very small. The pad of paper is about 3×5, just to prove you don’t need expensive tools to sketch!
Will there be more plein air drawings next year?
Yes, there will, if only because I’m already planning to do a third annual plein air drawing challenge, and it will be open to anyone with an interest in drawing outside with colored pencils.
I haven’t yet decided whether to continue the personal weekly challenge.
Having said that, I have to admit to a certain feeling of satisfaction in seeing all of this year’s drawings together. Seeing the seasons advance drawing by drawing also has a certain appeal.
Don’t you think?
