Michael Nobbs

Tag: Selfietember2026

  • Not putting my mirror away just yet

    An open small homemade sketchbook rests on top of a much larger red-and-white patterned Fabriano sketchbook. Across the two pages is Michael’s final Selfietember drawing: a black-line self-portrait reflected in a round mirror, alongside his Stanley flask mug and milk jug sitting on his morning tea tray, which is covered with blue chicken-patterned fabric. “Thirty days of drawing myself” is handwritten across the top. Beside the sketchbook is a small collection of drawing materials, including black and brown pens, pencils, a blue-tipped pencil and an orange pen. Above the drawing, the corner of the actual tray, mug and chicken-covered fabric are visible.

    I feel less bone-deep weary today and even a little celebratory to have reached the thirtieth and final day of Selfietember.

    I’m probably not going to put my mirror away just yet. I’ve been (mostly) enjoying these early-morning encounters with myself over a pot of tea, and I’m not sure I’m quite ready for them to be over.

    A wider view of Michael’s early-morning drawing setup on the bed. The finished pocket-sketchbook drawing rests on a large red-and-white patterned Fabriano sketchbook, with several pens, pencils and an orange pen beside it. Above is the tea tray, covered with blue chicken-patterned fabric and holding the round mirror, an orange Stanley flask mug of tea, a brown-and-cream striped earthenware milk jug and a small white reading light casting an orange glow. Michael and his yellow phone are faintly reflected in the mirror.
    A closer view of the open pocket sketchbook lying across the large Fabriano sketchbook. The two-page drawing shows Michael’s face in his round mirror on the left, with his orange Stanley mug and other objects from the tea tray drawn on the right, all surrounded by the blue chicken pattern. A group of pens and pencils is lined up alongside the sketchbook.

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  • Easier to draw than not to draw

    Early-morning drawing setup on a crocheted blanket. An open sketchbook shows a loose self-portrait in black ink with blocks of red and dark blue Neocolor II. Above it is a round mirror reflecting Michael holding a yellow phone. To the right, a tea tray holds a bright yellow teapot, glasses and a small light. Drawing materials lie beside the sketchbook.

    After feeling so tired yesterday, I went to bed telling myself that I wasn’t going to draw this morning.

    But after waking up at 3.00 am, putting some washing on, feeding a couple of expectant-looking cats and making some tea, I found myself in front of my mirror again, reaching for my lovely red Neocolor II crayon.

    In the end, it was easier to draw than not to draw this morning.

    I’m planning a day mostly in bed to see if I can placate this bone-deep weariness a little.

    Close-up of the finished early-morning self-portrait in an open sketchbook. The face is drawn loosely in black ink, with large round glasses and areas of muted blue across the eyes and face. Bold red fills the background above the head, with dark blue at the right. Three drawing tools rest alongside the page, which is dated 29-9-26 and marked 3:56 am.

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  • Out of a sense of obligation?

    Early-morning drawing setup on a colourful crocheted blanket. A round mirror on a tea tray reflects Michael holding up his phone, with a green teapot and an orange mug beside it. In the foreground is a small black-ink self-portrait lying on the red and white patterned cover of a large Fabriano sketchbook, with a black Kaweco Sport fountain pen lying alongside it.

    I’m very tired this morning — ME tired.

    I dragged myself through my morning drawing out of a sense of obligation. To who, I wonder? Me at the beginning of the month, when I decided to draw myself every day for a month? Me today? Future-me?

    Now that it’s finished, I’m not sure if I’m glad I made it or not. I wonder if future-me will be pleased it’s here, or think I was foolish for pushing through…

    Close-up of today’s black-ink self-portrait: a bald man wearing glasses, drawn with loose, uneven lines and small areas of hatching, wrapped in a high collar or blanket. The drawing is dated 28/9/26 and lies on a red-and-white patterned cover of a Fabriano sketchbook, beside a black Kaweco Sport fountain pen.

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  • Drawing before bed (and then again this morning)

    An open sketchbook showing a loose self-portrait in black ink. The face fills most of the page, with round glasses, closely cropped hair and facial hair drawn in energetic, uneven lines. Areas of red and pale blue crayon surround the portrait, and the date 26-9-26 is written at the top right.

    It’s probably not surprising that, after nearly a month of drawing myself daily, my energy and enthusiasm are waning a little. Yesterday that meant I almost didn’t make my Selfietember drawing.

    But as I got into bed, I reached for my mirror and sketchbook and quite enjoyed the different energy that was around for drawing at the end of the day — not something I’ve ever really done before.

    It was nice to get back to my normal routine again this morning.

    A morning drawing setup on a bed. An open sketchbook holds a self-portrait in red and dark pencil, with a round mirror, green teapot, orange insulated mug, drawing tools and a small light arranged behind it. Michael’s face and yellow phone are reflected in the mirror.
    A close-up of a self-portrait in an open sketchbook, dated 27-9-26. The face is drawn in reddish-orange line with round glasses and small details of facial hair, framed by a broad dark arch of pencil around the head. The drawing rests on a large closed red-and-cream patterned sketchbook.

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  • A nice change of pace

    Black pen-and-ink drawing across an open pocket sketchbook. On the left is a loose self-portrait of a bald man wearing large round glasses, seen close-up from the shoulders. On the right is a large teapot with its lid, handle and spout drawn prominently. Patterned fabric and small surrounding objects fill the background. Across the top is the handwritten text, “5:10 am — I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” The drawing is dated 24-9-26.

    I’m noticing that since starting Selfietember I’ve increasingly been waking up feeling excited about the day; looking forward with a hint of pleasure at the thought of tea and drawing, and then what the day might hold.

    That’s a nice change of pace.

    Close-up of a self-portrait drawn in dark red Neocolor crayon across an open pocket sketchbook. The bald head and large round glasses are strongly outlined, with small dark eyes, a moustache and short beard indicated with loose marks. Broad, heavily textured red strokes form a dark background around the head, especially along the top and right side. The lower part of the drawing loosely suggests the shoulders and the front of a T-shirt.
    Photograph of a dark red Neocolor self-portrait in an open pocket sketchbook resting on a red-and-white patterned book on a bed. The drawing shows a bald man with large round glasses, moustache and short beard, surrounded by broad textured red marks. Behind the sketchbook is a round mirror reflecting the artist, with an orange insulated mug, a white jug and other morning drawing materials arranged on a blue patterned tea tray.
    Photograph of an open pocket sketchbook resting on a red-and-white patterned book on a bed. The sketchbook contains a black pen-and-ink drawing of a self-portrait beside a large teapot, with the handwritten A. A. Milne quote, “I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” written across the top. Behind it sits a round mirror reflecting the artist holding a yellow phone, alongside an orange insulated mug, a white jug and drawing pens on a blue patterned tea tray.

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