Letters from Somnolescent August 16, 2022

(not so) recent sketchbook drawings

by devon

I always had problem with my sketchbooks. Sometimes I couldn’t really draw in them and ended up filling them with garbage that I didn’t like in the end, stuff which basically was forced than done for fun. Even first sketchbook I started this year, ended up being exactly this and I kinda rushed to finish it and start one over. Which was actually great idea! I finally had fun while doodling and doing semi-finished pieces inside it, so there’s some of my favorites so far.

I needed to start this one with something I know, I like and it’s easy to draw. Since I’m finally comfortable with Devon, I doodled her first. I used my set of col-erase pencils I forgot about (though I want to try to use up all of art supplies I don’t use and have less of clutter in general) which were really smooth on this paper, it was joy to use them. Filled rest of page with random cats and trying to figure out my cat furry proportions again.

Next page was already looser and I tried to draw something more polished, but also less boring. These two Devons are one of my favorites. I think about my older drawings of her from this year and I still wonder how I progressed so fast.

When I compare her to very first proper ref I made back in January, lot changed. She’s more comfortable which also reflects my own growth, it’s more dynamic and less wonky for sure.

Another page of Devons. Mainly was brainstorming for illustrations for new devon.somnol layout on which I should start working soon…

For a bit of change, there’s a page of Setters, a fantasy Cammy and a Lince. I wanted to figure out snoots more, since I felt like I want to draw Cammy again and I forgot how I actually used to draw him. I tried to draw a flat-faced Setter again, to see how I prefer to draw him. I prefer a snooty one though.

And finally appearance of some humans, I drew sushi’s character Liz. Kinda as a revenge for a Deb he drew while ago, but also because I love young Elizabeth’s design. This outfit looks very comfy and is my kinda thing. I hope to draw more of sushi’s lads, but also I’d like to finally get to draw some of Savannah’s lads since I planned it for a while.

Additionally, random Deborah in light gray brushpen.

Back to animal people, figuring out how I draw my friends sonas again,,, Caby’s head shape was always challenging for me and I couldn’t really get it right so I decided to doodle her and some cabybabas to figure things out. I liked two of them a lot and polished them a bit more. Had to featured classic three wolves and moon t-shirt, kinda similar to one that Caby owns in real life.

A Penny without markings and surroundings around me, some random doodles. Needed a bit of change and drawing objects instead of people and animal people helped.

Continuing Pennverse theme! I doodled Jen, my swamp rabbit girl who’s working in Apricot Bay post office. I remember how I came up with her in the morning just to find out that Caby and Cammy were pondering about similar type of lad for post office. She’s a young window clerk who usually spends most of her time on the phone, very chatty and is fond for gossip. I still need to write her bio, but character related doodles are always great…

Additional Jen and hairless Pennyverse Devon. Figuring out my take on Pennyverse style, though I kinda want to give them my usual big anime eyes.

More Devons! Sitting ones this time.

This sketch page is way later than stuff before, a Deb doodle I want to revisit and make a proper piece. There’s also a Tyrol Miku, probably my favorite (and wildly underappreciated) iteration of her.

Finishing off with my friends’ sonas again. Few Cammys, one is more on vintage 70s side inspired by lovely Chirstmas pic from last year. Another Caby, I intended to put wolves on her t-shirt but it ended up not being finished. Should draw more Linces though, really want to draw new Somnol group pic since last one I drew was a while ago.

I hope to keep up regular sketchbook updates, over here or probably on devon.somnol. Will see how it will turn out, since next two weeks will be pretty much busy for me. Alongside season starting at my work, I’m moving! As of writing this post, I’m still sitting around and figuring out what I should take first and what will be sorted later. Uhhh, CDs, DVDs, my books and magazines, art supplies and documents, other important stuff? Some of my old tech hoards? I got so much of this and I just got so damn confused.

Still, happy about this. More freedom, more comfort and this means more Devon content. Really looking forward to getting things moving again.

Tags: art, sketchbook,

About devon

An exotic housecat, local fanatic of TDR™ and anything from so-called turn of the millennium. I love to draw boxes and graphic design is my passion.


4 comments on "(not so) recent sketchbook drawings"

  • fiveducks says:

    Your objects are always super impressive—plenty of detail while still looking clean and a great grasp on perspective and proportion. 10/10 with rice

    • devon says:

      Thanku >>:3c I still wonder where my fondness for drawing objects came. I used to do still lifes when I still gave a shit about preparing portfolio for art school. They are less tricky than humans and animal (people) and I don’t have to worry about fucking things up too much. They are pretty important things too and I’m glad I enjoy drawing them since they can show you bit of setting and more about character for which I’m aiming nowdays.

  • caby says:

    loving all of these sketch pages, is always interesting to see what people doodle or don’t finish, lots of fun ideas you wouldn’t otherwise see. I especially love the page of jens, I love that bun girl and I look forward to seeing more of her! absolutely a perfect fit for the role she ended up in,,
    and thamku for all the cabys >>:3c
    sona art in general is great fun, definitely up for another group pic

    • devon says:

      I was ashamed earlier to show my sketchbook pages since I felt they aren’t good enough but it’s better to show them, because they are important part of progress and how ideas form which are things I love to watch. Jen is great, I love her and it was one of lads that just came up instantly and just sat right when I her. Character related doodles really are important, since they are way more telling than just a static ref.

      Cabys were really fun to draw, np >>:3c Sonas are great to draw, especially since Somnol got some of best sonas around. They are good lads, full of personalities and their desings are simple yet effective


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