Swarm of the second letter in the alphabet

Why did I return to this page?

I sketched a few versions in fine line black ink pen of the second letter in the alphabet. I abandoned the page to make another page of letter sketches. Periodically I would revisit this page. Every time I looked at it I felt a touch of disappointment. It felt incomplete or unexplored or neglected. It just seemed off.

Months later I returned to the page with a fistful of color pencils. I filled the shapes and gaps. I added scribbles and doodles. The page took on a new life. My disappointment turned to satisfaction. I know it’s just a page in a sketchbook where I’m supposed experiment and let go. Sometimes you have to finish a thought even when it takes time to find the end.

Here’s a list of tools I used

• Kokuyo Dual Colored Pencils

• Stabilo point 88 Fine Pen, 0.4 tip

• Muji newsprint sketchbook with preprinted storyboard panels.

Swarm of the second letter in the alphabet with color, scribbles, and doodles