Stories from my Sketchbook . . .
I’ve just started another course at Sketchbook Skool—‘Exploring’. This week’s homework assignment was to explore the use of hatching (cross-hatching) to define light, and shade and shape . . .
Once your sketch is completed you are urged to upload it to the course site so that other students can see your work and you can see theirs. This is by no means compulsory but I have found it to be a valuable exercise. You see so many different styles and mediums and interpretations—and you get great feedback. (There is only one rule—constructive criticism is allowed but if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all . . . )
On seeing my homework sketch of this small metal owl this week one of my fellow Sketchbook Skool students (Leah) asked me what it was. Was it a toy or a ‘tchotchke’? A what? I had never seen or heard the word tchotchke (pronounced ‘choch-kee’) before, so I looked it up . . .
tchotchke (Origin—Yiddish) a small object that is decorative rather than strictly functional; a trinket
Well okay then. Yes—I guess a ‘tchotchke’ is exactly what this is . . .
When I replied to Leah’s comment I did fess up to the fact that I had never heard the word before which then prompted Leah to also look it up as she said it was a word she had used all her life without really knowing where it came from or why she used it. (I wonder how many times we have all done that?)
So because of my homework this week I learned a number of things . . .
I learned that ‘hatching’ a spherical object wasn’t as simple as I thought it was going to be.
I learned I like adding colour to a drawing after all the shading has already been sketched in.
I learned a new word (from another language).
I learned a new word (from another language) which I really like saying . . . tchotchke . . . tchotchke . . . tchotchke . . .
. . . and I learned that I have a house full of all manner of tchotchkes . . . .
Who knew?
Sally says . . . eat, sleep, work, read, play, draw, bark . . . 
Pam Talbot
April 25, 2017 at 7:32 pm
Love your tchotchke & I’ve learned a new word as well. These courses are paying dividends Sal, as you’re getting better & better! 😍
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sallyinthehaven
April 26, 2017 at 7:29 am
Thanks Pammy – I’m thinking of filling a whole sketchbook with sketches of my tchotchkes! 🙂
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C. C. Cedras
April 25, 2017 at 10:33 am
You really got the crosshatching down! Fab sketch, again!
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sallyinthehaven
April 26, 2017 at 7:30 am
Thanks CC. I find crosshatching quite meditative – although knowing when to stop . . .
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C. C. Cedras
April 26, 2017 at 7:35 am
😁
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Anonymous
April 25, 2017 at 9:27 am
Thanks for the new word Sal! I guess it is Yiddish for ornament, which is what my father in law used to call us as teenagers! It would have sounded far more impressive if he’d said ‘tchotchke’ I was going to say I also leant that you are one talented lady…but I already knew that! 😊
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Judy
April 25, 2017 at 9:29 am
Well I’m obviously still a tchotchke! I lost my identity and came up as anonymous!!
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sallyinthehaven
April 26, 2017 at 7:32 am
Thanks Judy -or should I call you ‘Anonymous Judy’? – I’ve just seen your next comment. 🙂
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S. A. Young
April 25, 2017 at 9:25 am
Always love seeing your sketches. And tchotchke is one of my favorite words!
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sallyinthehaven
April 26, 2017 at 7:31 am
It is now one of my favourite words too! 🙂
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stevetalbot51
April 25, 2017 at 8:22 am
Well Sal, you know you are MEANT to learn things at Skool – but you have definitely over-achieved this time around 🙂
Great sketch by the way – possibly the least wise looking owl I have ever seen!
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