Armed with a carefully selected reference photo and my iPad Pro + Pencil, today I delved into the watery and powerful world of David Downton.

Swiping through many, many Google Search images, I found myself deepening my love with his work and simultaneously breaking down my confidence to create strokes like his, balance like his, such careful and effective linework like his.

Yeah, that didn't go so well.

So, I took a big swig of coffee, turned up the tunes, and set pencil to screen.

I used the 9.7in iPad Pro + Apple Pencil and the Procreate app for this study. The video time lapse feature is pretty neat, also a nice way to reflect on the process.

What did I learn from today's study? Besides a nice reminder of my tendency to overthink/overcomplicate things, I got closer to what I'm calling Downton's "zen place." His process of observing his subject, interpreting that information, and channeling it through his pen/pencil/brush is no small feat (thus his prolific and stunning body of work).

Since I can't be David, I assume that he reacts first to light and form. Before he makes a mark, he already knows where the focus of the piece will be, where the lightest and darkest parts will be, and how it will move on the page.

Then again, he could just be winging it every time and he's just that good.

He flicks, he shades, he blends, he swoops, and et voila, c'est fini.

Am I happy with my result? Sure, in as much as I was able to get close, not so much that I've created something pretty to look at.

Oh, David Downton. Please don't ever stop making such beautiful lines.