Saturday, January 14, 2012

when we got to the top of the hill

This, ahem, 'lovely' ashtray was a present from Rome (who'd have thought it, eh?). In fact I got a big bag of goodies from there. Including one of the more unusual souvenirs anyone has ever brought back from their travels for me; butter. Yes, I did say butter.

Here's a question, a little quiz actually; can you guess the what I used to create this drawing? Yes, obviously paper. And, of course, the trademark ballpoints were used but how many? Do you think anything else was used? Pencils? Crayons? Paint? There's a copies of How To Draw Like A Nut & Loon in for the winner, that's the person who guesses the closest (because I cannot actually believe anyone will get it spot on). Comment here, Flickr, FB, Twitter, all the usual places. And you might want to click on the drawing to get a better look.

Thank you for all taking part in this little quiz. It was hard to judge (again, I hadn't thought that through), in the end I made a little bar chart marking each item you got. The winner came up with the most correct items.

So, this is how I did it;
I used six blue ballpoints to draw in the ashtray - yeah, six! I drew around it but I went straight in with the pen instead of , as a few of you thought putting it in with pencil first.
I used two red ballpoints - actually no black, which a lot of people guessed.
The outline was made with a dark blue fine liner, as was the stippling in the centre.
Then I used two blue pencils - one was an indigo blue which can give the opaque look to the drawing.
Two red pencils.
And a touch of graphic tint pencil for the shadow.

That's it! Fourteen items in all, I believe. Yes, I know; totally obsessive. The person who got the most correct items (they guessed nine) was Maureen. Zines on their way to you.

31 comments:

Mary Walker said...

Okay, what the heck, I guess the ballpoints were four blues, one black and one red. For the added media red colored pencil.

T. Roger Thomas said...

Egg whites?

Lisa said...

Two ball points, black and red.

Robyn said...

Love a shot at winning but no clue on what you used except maybe blue and red ink and gel pens? Maybe a little colored pencil too?

Abigail said...

red and blue ballpoints and a black fineliner. then I'm going to guess either colored pencils or graphitint pencils in blue (2 different shades i think?) and red

dinahmow said...

Ballpoints(obviously!) and maybe a touch of silver gel?

Zoe, ontheroad said...

Possibly out of your comfort zone of pens and used watercolour or watercolour pencils.

Jennifer McLean said...

ok, I'm up for the challenge! I see at least three blue pen colors, a black pen and two reds. I also think you used a liquid red, so I want to guess blood, lol but I'll say watercolor pencils liquified. I'm still stumped about the unusual item. I've thought shoe polish, or calligraphy ink but they don't seem unusual enough. You seem to be hinting that it's unusual so that no one will guess it.
So here's my official guess...
4 blue ballpoint
1 black ballpoint
2 red ballpoint
blood. lol (I just had to say it, probably stupid!)

I sure hope I win!!!
Best,
Jenn

Margeor said...

yeah probably blue and red watercolor pencils..??or maybe chalk? Hmm tricky one :)

MsGabija said...

How about some powder eyeshadow?

MsGabija said...

How about some powder eyeshadow? or other eyemakeup?

Anonymous said...

I think you threw in a little dash of red Prismacolor colored pencil. Two ballpoint pens otherwise.
But who am I to even grasp how you do your magic, Andrea.
LOVE!

Beth said...

I'm going for two ballpoints: red and blue. That's my simplistic guess.

Beth said...

I'm guessing simply blue and red ballpoint. The end.

Vicky said...

OK, I'm going to go out on a limb here: 3 ballpoints (2 blue and one red) and some red lipstick!

mo said...

well, i think 2-3 blue ballpoints, plus black and red. AND i think you used part of a paper plate for the center ;)

Carol Wiebe said...

I'm going to guess Pan Pastels.
LOVE your work.

lee kline said...

Three blue ballpoint pens
three red ballpoint pens
One black ballpoint
three graphite pencils of varying weights
a dab of cadmium red
white opaque

lee kline said...

three blue ballpoints
three red ballpoints
one black croquille (India ink)
a dab of cadmium red
something opaque white (tempera?)
three soft graphite pencils

katzenjammy said...

Derwent Inktense pencil(s)?

Scott U said...

Besides the blue and red ballpoints, I see blue crayon and maybe a blue marker.

Regardless of how you do it, I am always amazed at your works! You are a wonderful artist.

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Okay gang, so I didn't actually mean that there is one unusual surprise medium. I'm not great at explaining things. I just meant who'd get as many of the whole bunch of tools used (damn, thats an even worse explanation, this is why I draw!). I'd say that there were a couple of people out in front.

Make as many guesses as you'd like. I'll close it and tell you tomorrow.

Cheers, my dears.

Jennifer McLean said...

Ok, new guess, now that you say there isn't anything weird that you used! Hehehe.

1 black pen
5 blue ballpoints
2 reds
1 red watercolor pencil (I noticed a tiny bit of "bleed" over a line so you have to have a "liquid" red in there somewhere.)
That's my official guess. Damn I wanna win!
JEnn

Danielle said...

Well... since it's an ashtray... maybe some ash for those nooks and crannies?

Chip said...

Well you probably did the initial outlines in pencil - maybe using the thing itself, a compass, a tin, a bottle or a cup to draw around to get the shape. You probably rubbed the pencil out though, after you'd got the outline using a pen so I don't know if that counts. On top of that, I'd say you used one of those four-colour bic biros (you know the type) using mainly the blue and red ballpoints in it, maybe with a splash of the black. In some parts it looks like you've used a pencil of some kind - either regular, or something that you just happened to have at hand. Grey and/or blue... An eyeliner maybe?

Anyway, I can't wait to hear what it was - I love finding out how other artists work.

CHRIS MURRAY said...

who knows-I can never figure out what you do to make the awesome drawings you create. I already bought your new zine so you don't have to put me in the pot.

Caroline B said...

Pencil, HB and maybe a thicker, 2B
Blue biro
Red biro
Red watercolour pencil
White gouache/white pastel pencil
and a Sharpie....
That's my measured guess, but as someone who uses anything that comes to hand to get the desired effect, I could be way off!

Maureen said...

Okay, I'll give this a shot.

4 blue ball points
2 red ball points
2 blue color pencils
1 red color pencil

9 items total.

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Thanks everyone! That was a lot of fun. The winner is Maureen, the last person to guess. Please contact me with your address as I cannot find a email addy for you. You can find my email addy in my profile.

A couple of you were close second with eight correct guesses each.
I really enjoyed that and will make it a regular thing.

Cheers!

Maureen said...

WooHoo!!! I'll be emailing you shortly!! :D

I of the "I-never-win-anything!" :D

Anonymous said...

do you use pencil before you add pen? your drawings are amazing