Sunday 15th November 2015
Digital drawing, Time-Tested
30 Comments

Time-Tested: 1:00

timetested-30-2timetested-30-1I’ve been a bit drained today, not least with the awful events in Paris (of course, my thoughts go out to all who have been impacted by this absolute nightmare), so this challenge is coming very, very late. It’s also actually the second go this week. The wheel originally gave me 30 seconds for this week’s time trial, which I was initially quite excited to get into. To be honest with you, though, they really didn’t amount to much at all (what was I expecting?), and they certainly weren’t very good, so I didn’t think them worth uploading and stringing out into a post.

timetested-30-0

See what I mean? I think the Reddit guy who offered that shot would chin me if he saw that. So yes, with that in mind and a bit of a quandary thrown my way, I basically broke the law and cheated the wheel (!!!), doing a couple of 60-second drawings instead – one Reddit, one not.

The dog is the wrong shape, but still looks canine, so that’s good, and I seem to have given it a cool foreshortening which the photograph doesn’t have. I did rather forget about the fact of facial features, though, and had to do that in the last few seconds.

The man you see at the head of the page is actually meant to be Freddie Mercury. Did you figure that out? Gold star for you. It was all going terribly until I added that little stroke below the eye, which seemed to lift it enormously for me. Not quite sure what went on with the arm, though… I guess I just got a little frantic!

Well, I’ve not a lot more to say about these, really – basically, drawing at this speed wasn’t as fun as I have memory of it being at school and college. Perhaps I’m just out of such practice, or need to loosen up. Bah. It was worth a try – let’s put this to bed hastily, and soldier on. Until next time!

30 comments
  1. Lee Hesketh said:

    That dog is amazing for a minute!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Jacob said:

      Thanks so much Lee! Ha, it looks nothing like the actual dog I was drawing, but I was pretty pleased with it looking moderately canine!

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Lee Hesketh said:

        He sure looks ‘moderately canine’ to me !

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jacob said:

        Thank you, mister! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Geke Hop-Wassink said:

    He looks like Freddie in a sad mood, that was the first that game to my mind, and like the dog as well, but don’t know what to say about the last drawing, it’s just a man. Like you already mentioned, it’s a sad day……The day after the horror that happened in Paris. Today with all the news that was about France all day, I could only think of 2 songs that just were in my head, Is This The World We Created and Imagine. So maybe that’s why you draw Freddie, I don’t know, but the world is a scary place right now and so close to home. There are no words that can discribe what hit Paris, the city of love and my thought and prayers are with the people in Paris and France #ParisAttacs
    Hope there be a cheerful Timr Tested next week Jacob ❤

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    • Jacob said:

      Thanks Geke. This was the photograph I was drawing from, presumably from a Magic concert. They do both look a bit sad, don’t they, the dog especially so – I didn’t even realise that and it certainly wasn’t a conscious decision. I’m sure it’s not all a coincidence and indeed, perhaps I chose to draw Freddie for a sense of comfort. Equally, it might just be because my parents went to see Queen Extravaganza this evening, celebrating forty years of A Night At The Opera.

      I’ve got a fun picture lined up for next week’s, actually.

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Geke Hop-Wassink said:

        Happy to read you have a fun picture lined up for next week. Also I think we all feel a bit of sadness, with the news from Paris, it effects us all. I hope your parents had a great night at Queen Extravaganza and they had a great celabration of 40 years of A Night At The Opera. You were raised with Queen music, nice to know and I love it. Well we wait for next week and you are a great artist, so thank you for sharing your drawings!! 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jacob said:

        Oh most definitely – I think anybody with a heart will be affected whenever these terrible things happen. A lot of people have hearts, so surely we’ll win eventually.

        They did have a brilliant time! I was annoyed I couldn’t go myself. It’s my mother who’s the Freddie fan, really – father not so much, though he does listen to Queen now and again. My mother’s biggest regret is never getting to see Freddie perform live, though she thinks she might have seen the others in London when they were Smile.

        I’m sure there will be more to come throughout the week! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  3. I actually love the top two – the angle and the lines, you said just enough with your marks. Very well done in my opinion.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Jacob said:

      Thanks so much, Cynthia – I’m glad you think that as I never really know where to go in these frantic timed sketches once I’m beyond the eyes and nose!

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Maybe a cool background or be really mod and add another element that you can tie in (for instance, if a woman, flowers in her hair, or deer horns on the dog, lol!)

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jacob said:

        Haha, great ideas! Our dog actually had a headband with reindeer antlers on, we used to put it on him at Christmas. It was hilarious! 😛

        Liked by 1 person

  4. itsmyhusbandandme said:

    I know how you feel. I went for a long walk yesterday and just felt thankful to be alive. Perhaps that’s why the simplicity of these sketches are nice to appreciate.
    Jean-Paul

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Jacob said:

      That’s a nice way of looking at them – thanks very much. Freddie supports me often, so it’s not really a surprise I found myself drawing him.

      Indeed it’s that luckiness and the sense that it really could have happened anywhere that gets to me the most. I think I’ll take myself out for a walk this afternoon.

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  5. Rebecca said:

    I agree with Cynthia – so much shown in these sketches with just a few quick lines.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Jacob said:

      Thanks, Rebecca! Quick drawing really is a bit alien to me, so I’m glad you like these!

      Liked by 1 person

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  7. Tori said:

    Love these Jacob, I’m really into the simplicity of them. It’s amazing what you’ve captured with just a few lines.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Jacob said:

      It’s made me smile to see you back. Only this afternoon I was thinking how it’d been a while since you posted, and wondering if all was OK. (I hope it is. I’m aware WP isn’t everything, but I’m often curious when people drop silently in and out.)

      And then here you are, and being as kind and encouraging as ever. Thank you, very much!

      Liked by 1 person

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      • I am fine, thanks for missing me. Just immersed in day-to-day life/work and suffering from a bout of writer’s block. Four years of blogging left me questioning “what more have I got to say” :)! Three posts in various states. Hope to finish at least one soon. Keep up the good work.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jacob said:

        Great to hear – I’ll look forward to reading them, whenever they may come!

        Liked by 1 person

  9. Okay….these are actually brilliant! I wouldn’t be able to even show what happens in less than a minute when I draw. 😳 It’s frightening and nothing looks recognizable!! So these are great! 👍🏻😃

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Jacob said:

      Thanks so much, Charlie! For the record, I filtered out the frightening ones. 😉 I learnt a lot from studying Teresa’s drawings… how she does those Jeopardy players in a nanosecond or however long it is, is beyond me. Awe.

      I’m certain this is a lie – I couldn’t believe any drawing of yours could be branded unrecognisable, Charles. But no matter, go at your own speed – you’re lucky. You haven’t handcuffed yourself to these high-risk, death-defying (moderate overstatement, granted) challenges!

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Haha…yeah I couldn’t do those challenges well …I did a 2 minute challenge awhile back, and it stressed me out! Not that I spend that much time on these, usually less than an hour, but I still need more than just a few nanoseconds to make something! 😊Lol

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jacob said:

        Yes, you see – you’re already plenty swift enough! 😉

        Speaking of stressful, though, you’ll never guess what I found when tidying my room this morning: watercolour pencils! Oh my. Did you leave these for me? Are you Santa?

        I believe I bought them when I started university, though I don’t think I’ve ever actually used them. Maybe now’s a time to try.

        Liked by 1 person

      • If I were Santa, you know I couldn’t tell you! 😉 Very cool find!! I’ll be watching to see what you do with them! 😃👍🏻

        Like

      • Jacob said:

        Your secret is safe with me 😉

        Liked by 1 person

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