Written by For our Doodlewash prompt of “Candy,” combined with the Inktober prompt of “Catch,” I opted for a sketch of Philippe catching candy as a companion to the one of me grabbing for chips at the beginning of the month. Sketching humans is not my normal thing and sketching humans I actually know, or are indeed are married to, is quite terrifying to me. So, like I’ve been doing all month long, I decided to tackle that fear today. I made my drawing on a break at work from a reference photo I’d shot last night. You know you’re married to the right person when you point a camera at them saying, “reach out happily like you’re grabbing for some candy,” and they just shrug and do it. I’ve only attempted to sketch Philippe once before and the result looked nothing like him. This one looks quite like him, or at least far more recognizable, so it felt like a huge step forward. With humans, you can’t be as far off as you can with animals. A cute puppy with eyes that are off just a touch remains a cute puppy. A human with mismatched eyes becomes something that will haunt you in your sleep. This terror is why I’ve always avoided sketching human faces, but once again, I’ve proven that my fears are best tackled head on.
When it comes to snacks, my downfall and preference goes to those of the salty variety like chips and well, more chips. Philippe, however, is a huge fan of chocolate and other candy. Don’t get me wrong, I love it as well, but I can easily stop after tasting a couple sweets. Philippe, however, will devour every piece of candy in sight until it’s gone. This is why we don’t have any Halloween candy in the house.
And, it’s also why you won’t find any bags of chips laying about either. In December, we each get chocolate advent calendars so there’s no risk of having more than one piece each day. It strikes me that all candy should be packaged this way, every month of the year. If I knew I was going to get my candy for January and that I would only get one for each little sketch I made, then that would be so much fun! Yeah, it doesn’t work with chips, as that would just be pure torture.
Tomorrow is Halloween, so that will also mean the final day of this month’s challenge along with Inktober. I’m rather sad to see this one go as I’ve learned so much in the process. I set out to practice as much as I could when it came to drawing techniques, but the fact that I was quite literally spooking myself out all month long didn’t occur to me until late in the month. It’s funny that though my “look” was all over the place this month, I still ended up with some sort of theme that holds all of my sketches together. Courage. This is that wonderful ability to DO things we consider difficult despite our fear. I couldn’t call it bravery as that would mean that I did it without any fear. And that simply wouldn’t be true. The reality is that each time I did something this month that I’d not done before, it scared the hell of me. But, like walking through a haunted house at Halloween, it was a “good” scare. It’s okay to be afraid sometimes, but that fear should never stop us from trying new things. Instead, we should always be courageously ignoring fear and grabbing for that something sweeter that always awaits just beyond our reach, like catching candy.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Aureolin, Benzimida Orange, Opus (Vivid Pink), Ultramarine (Green Shade), and Cobalt Turquoise. Staedtler Pigment Liners in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop! |
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Fantastic job with this one Charlie! Isn’t it a great feeling when you successfully stretch outside your comfort zone? I know that feeling.
Thanks so much, Karen! 😃💕 Yes! Truly stretching outside my comfort zone for once has been the best feeling in the world!
What a great sketch!! A fun-loving treatment of our relationship with food, especially snacks. Having a sense of humor when it comes to our attachments to sweets or chips is necessary because without it we are too hard on ourselves! You put a spark of life into Philippe’s portrait; I hope he likes it. Seems as if your courageous effort really paid off!
Thanks so much, Marsha! 😃💕 Yeah, I’m all about humor when it comes to my snack cravings! hehe And yay to the spark! I hoped it showed there. Philippe actually did like it and totally recognized himself which is a first!!
Fantastic sketch!
Thanks so much, Zertab! 😃💕
How good the expression on the face of Philipp’ face, excellent sketch 😍😍
Thanks so much, Silvia! 😃💕 Yay! Glad you liked the face… faces are the most terrifying thing for me to sketch!
Wonderful!!! Now I get to see your beloved Philippe. I just had to make my own version of those peanut-butter cup cookies tonight. But i will tell you I learned to cook for a diabetic mom so I learned that they taste just as good with half or a third the sugar of the regular cookies and with the candy add ins its just right. Happy Halloween and thanks for another month of fabulous prompts!!!!:)
Thanks so much, Lisa! 😃💕 Yep! This actually looks like Philippe! YAY! lol And yay to cookies. You would get the Philippe stamp of approval for the less sugar. After he grumbles while trying to convert cups to grams, he then says… “what? no way! Sugar is not a flavor!” Hope you have a very Happy Halloween!
That’s a good size for a candy….good job Charlie. Like the 3d effect on your Sketch, also the candy!!!!
Thanks, Walt! 😃💕 Glad you liked this! Yeah, I think a giant candy is the perfect size indeed! hehe
I’ve really enjoyed your sketches this month, Charlie! Thank you, thank you! Happy Halloween! 🎃
Thanks so much, Linda! 😃💕 I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed the sketches this month! Hope you have a very Happy Halloween!
I would like to see a real photo of Phillippe please. He looks pretty darn handsome in your sketch. 😉 I am glad you have pushed yourself to sketch people this month. I’ve enjoyed all your little characters.
Thanks, Lori! 😃💕 Glad you liked the little characters. As for Philippe… there’s one on the about page, but it’s him being silly as well. I think the only photos online of him on on my Facebook page. 😉 And those he has shorter hair which is normally. He normally doesn’t let it grow out, but I think the curls are cute! lol
Yep, I was right, he is handsome. 🙂
hehe… yep! I think so! 😉
Its superb catching candy
Thanks so much, Adnan! 🙂
This turned out very well! We have some candy for our nonexistent trick or treaters. I’ve had a taste for peanut butter cups, so Joe bought some for me!
Thanks so much, Lisa! 😃💕 I’m soooo jealous!! hehe… I tried to tell Philippe we needed some candy “just in case” but he wasn’t having it!
Lovely sketch 😍. Philippe was really cute in your sketch, Charlie 🥰. I think he love to caught that candy and a warmest hug😉.
Thanks so much, Loan! 😃💕 He’s cuter in real life, but it really did look like him so it’s a win! hehe
Perfect Halloween illustration! (K)
Thanks so much, Kerfe! 😃💕 I finally got a likeness right! The last and only other one was Winston Churchill, though I’ve no idea why that one worked out somehow. hehe Happy Halloween!
Super sketch and painting! As soon as I saw it, I thought it must be Philippe! Congratulations on a month of spooking yourself with challenges. I love all of the techniques you’ve tried and all of them have made really successful drawings and paintings.
Thanks so much, Ellie! 😃💕 I’m so thrilled you enjoyed these. It was bit of wild ride, but glad you liked what came out!!
Fabulous sketch, Charlie!! You do the best job of capturing a smile and this one is wonderful!!! Happy Halloween!!!
Thanks, Mary! 😃💕 What an awesome compliment! Appreciate it! Happy Halloween!
I love the perspective you get in some of your paintings Charlie.
Thanks so much, Gary! 😃💕 Yeah, I wanted to practice perspective, but I also find it really fun and interesting, so I’ll be doing more for sure!
Wow thank you! You are definitely an inspiration..I have your book and now that inktober is over I can start to work on it…Courage hmm thanks! and by the way your drawing is awesome! 🙂
Thanks so much, Priscilla! 😃💕And thanks so much for getting a copy of the book! It’s all about fun and just DOing and going for it without all the technical stuff that often gets in the way! Hope you enjoy it!
Philippe you partner looks so handsome and has beautiful eyes you did so well to make this portrait !Happy Halloween i was a an awesome month!!
Thanks so much, Fatima! 😃💕 Yay, I’m glad the eyes are beautiful in this… they definitely are in person. Happy Halloween to you my friend! Glad you enjoyed the month!