January 2016 Sketches

January's focus was on referenced figure studies, concepts for new illustrations, and quick microfashion studies.  The majority of these sketches were completed with Prismacolor pencils in my Blick Studio sketchbook- both are affordable, accessible materials that don't require much mastery to use.  I highly recommend sketching in cheap sketchbooks- it removes almost all of the performance anxiety that many artists and crafters feel with more expensive materials.

Many of these sketches were referenced from SenshiStock, a fantastic reference resource for artists.  There's a couple ways to use SensiStock's stock, my favorite being their timed study tool.  You can also view the static poses on their DeviantArt account.  If you enjoy this resource, or use it regularly for your own work, I highly recommend you show your appreciation by contributing to their Patreon.  Backing a creator's Patreon allows the creator to continue making work they (and you!) enjoy and is a fantastic way to show your support while rewarding creators.  You can contribute a little bit monthly, and many creators offer fantastic backer incentives- sneak previews at work, backer only content, and sometimes physical rewards like charms, stickers, sketches, and mini comics.  Patreon is designed to pay creators who consistently produce new work, whereas Kickstarter and IndieGoGo are designed to raise funds for a specific project.