Art Journey

Portrait ala graphite!

2011-03-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

Just practicing what I'm learning in Drawing class!

A New Year

2011-01-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

Things are finally settling down after the holidays--well, maybe! I still haven't gotten any of my new projects started. I did finish one little collage piece. AND it's time for another semester of drawing to begin:)

Jesus Washes Peter's Feet

2010-12-13T12:58:00.000-08:00

My final project for Drawing I from the Prayer Tower in Pittsburg, Texas.

Gingerbread Ornament

2010-12-05T19:26:00.000-08:00

Still playing with paper and glue:)

Let the Season Begin!

2010-11-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

Paper collage!

Playing with Paper

2010-11-19T08:42:00.001-08:00

Next to colored pencils, I love pretty paper. I collected so much of it that I had to start creating collages! I followed a wonderful collage artist named Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson, and through her collage DVD and book, I got the courage to start. It's been a few months since I worked in collage but this week I got the bug and spent a few hours a day working on a piece that will be a gift for someone who has been very generous with me.

I love pandas, too. The first collage I did was a panda, and now this one. I hope the photo is good enough for you to see a little bit about him. I made the mistake of varnishing before I scanned him, and he's a bit shiny to come out very good. I'll remember that next time:)

Patient Kitty

2010-10-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

This little kitty drawing is waiting patiently to be finished! I finally have had time to add some more layers to the background and correct some on the "kissing ear".

So Busy I Forgot!

2010-10-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

I thought I posted this update a few days ago but now I see I didn't! So, here it is for today. I'm not sure if I'll keep after this or not, I really am looking for something new to work on. I just never know when to stop:) I looks a little dull-I'm thinking it's wax bloom but I don't have any fixative.

Fall Update

2010-10-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Not much time for drawing with all this nice weather! I have to enjoy it while it's here! I have collected some more beautiful leaves but have no time to start them. This one is progressing slowly. Since the leaf itself has long dried up, I've having to guess at the shadow areas. If I'm going wrong, please let me know:)

Celebrating Fall

2010-09-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

The thing I like most about fall weather is the cool air and the leaves! I'm not sure how many pretty leaves there will be this fall because the heat of the summer dried everything out and many leaves have already fallen. I did find a few in the backyard that were very pretty; so I chose this one for a little drawing project. Just beginning on the background and continuing to add color in the leaf itself. Maybe this will spur me to post more regularly!!!!

Smokey and the Fish

2010-08-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

I'm going to call this finished for now. A lot of things going on, including the first day of class at NTCC! I am taking a Drawing class taught by Linda Hardy! A whole semester of drawing fun!

It's been a while...

2010-08-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

I took a couple of months off--from everything; I haven't been entering shows, or drawing, or painting, maybe a little art journaling. But now, I think I'm ready to start up again! This past weekend, I went to a one day session on drawing pets with Robin Enneking. I started this drawing of one of our cats, Smokey. I worked a bit more on it Sunday and Monday and here's where I'm at right now. I'm enjoying it and look forward to starting one of the other cats in the family!

A Few More Strokes

2010-06-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

A little bit closer to being done...

Moving Along

2010-06-20T09:57:00.001-07:00

I've spent some time on the music man, trying to get him finished. Even just a little here and there makes a difference. I'm beginning to wonder about the background--or the lack of one. Will he stand out enough on his own? Hummm, not a very clear picture...

By Whatever Name

2010-06-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of days I've been playing around with Ester Roi's technique of heat applied to colored pencil. Since I can't afford an Icarus board right now, I have a makeshift one. I am experimenting with colored pencil right now but intend to try some mixed media next. I was pleasantly surprised that the heat really does soften the pigment and blends well. In this first effort, however, I was fighting the paper as what I used had a definite texture to it and it was difficult to fill in all the hills and valleys. So, I'm going to move on to the next subject and let this one be. Any guesses as to what this is?

An Orange Study

2010-06-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

Taking some time to play with an orange on mi tientes paper. I have never really liked this paper but started using it when I took the Linda Hardy workshop. I have since found that it takes more pencil than I originally thought, a LOT more layers than I thought! So, I'll be trying it some more. The orange looks a bit more like a peeled pumpkin, don't you think?????

Moving Along

2010-05-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

I got really motivated last night and near finished my waterflower. I'm beginning to like the colors a lot, not as dark as I originally planned as it is a night flower. I do see a couple of things after seeing it on the screen so in a few days and a few tweaks, I will declare it finished!

I'd like to hear what you think, and feel free to make suggestions!

How it's going!

2010-05-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

You must think I am terribly slow--well, I am! Plus, I have so many other things going on at this time of year. Tonight we will go to my nephew's graduation, and then maybe a family get together for Memorial Day. Next week, I have to get ready to travel to Austin to my granddaughter's graduation! My first grandchild is graduating, I can't believe it! So, I am only doing art things here and there, a minutes at a time. I will be missing a Linda Hardy colored pencil workshop as it fell on the same day as my Sierra's graduation date. That's ok, I will have another opportunity for the workshop and a granddaughter only graduates from high school once!

Musicman is Stalled!!

2010-05-19T08:14:00.001-07:00

I flipped back over to the cps in hopes that I could get some momentum on this piece and it just isn't happening:( So, it's probably going to take MONTHS to finish but I will get there eventually. I think there are just too many things distracting me right now.

Today's Work on the Waterflower

2010-05-11T13:54:00.001-07:00

Here I am today--but where do I need to go with it?? The big question! Once I decide on the top portion I can begin with the paper!

Night Waterflower

2010-05-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

And while I was tweaking the magnolias, I started to paint another flower. This one is a waterflower and I hope to make it look like night and have some water reflections! The background is not painted yet. I'm trying to take my time painting this one so that the individual petals look separated. I'm actually beginning to enjoy the painting process.

Tweaks

2010-05-10T17:57:00.001-07:00

Here it is after a few tweaks and ready to varnish!

Magnolias Finished

2010-05-07T12:12:00.001-07:00

The flowers didn't take very long at all! Here is my finished piece--well, might need a few tweaks! I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions!

Magnolia Update

2010-05-07T07:27:00.001-07:00

I haven't been spending a lot of time in the art room lately as it's been so nice to be outside. However, I got the bug yesterday and completed the background on the magnolia underpainting. I still need to search for some different textured papers and learn a bit about variety, but here's how it looks so far. Maybe I'll work on the flowers today.

I can see some areas I want to change; the blue under the top flower and the color I used for the limbs on the bottom flower. Magnolia limbs are more of a grey than a brown, I think.

New Collage

2010-04-14T14:53:00.001-07:00

Here is the underpainting for my next collage!

Too Little Done

2010-04-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

Painfully little progress on this, it's why I NEVER start anything over. I seem to loose interest in doing things the second time around. But I WILL get it done! And there are so many over things that have my attention at this time of year, I am absolutely loving being outside. That will change soon enough when the temperature and humidity increase to the unbearable range:)

Music Man Continues

2010-04-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

I have already worked a little more on this but it's so cloudy today that I can't get a new photo.

Sunflower Tweaked

2010-04-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

Just a few tweaks as suggested. Continuing work on Music Man. Maybe I can update tomorrow.

Back to Music Man

2010-04-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth St. Hillaire Nelson, my favorite collage artist gave me some valuable feedback on my sunflower collage today! I am very grateful for her help and I'm looking forward to attending one of her workshops soon.

Looking around for something I could finish up, I decided Music Man needed a new start. So, here is my new beginning. This time I'm using a lighter color paper, stonehenge. The image will be approximately 16x20.

Sunflower Finished!

2010-03-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

I do see a few areas I need to cover but finished for the most part!

Sunflower Update

2010-03-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

Just a little update on the sunflower collage. I seem to be "stuck" at the moment so I'm stopping here til tomorrow. Also spent some time working on the workshop pears!

Art Workshop

2010-03-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

Last week I was fortunate enough to attend my first Linda Lucas Hardy workshop! I have known Linda for a long time but have never managed to be at the right place at the right time. It was absolutely wonderful and so is Linda! I had an opportunity to meet lots of artists in my area and had a great time. I'm still working on the project as we didn't get them completed.

Here are a couple of photos from the workshop:)

Catching Up

2010-03-03T21:12:00.000-08:00

I just have not felt very creative lately, moving from one project to another, but completing absolutely nothing! Which is very bad because spring shows are coming up very soon! PLEASE let the sun come out because I know that will help!

Did a little work on the Music Man but seems like all I did was make a mess of it. I'll just have to keep plugging because for right now, I'm NOT starting over! This is most of the image, it is larger than my scanner bed.

Another Mixed Media

2010-02-11T17:03:00.000-08:00

I jumped into something else again--meaning to experiment on an old piece I started in the summer. I had painted the bird of paradise in acrylic on this piece of canva paper and tossed it in the bin. I loved the bright colors but I didn't do the background first so I didn't know what to do with it.

On the second go around, I painted a background by first putting some webbing on the paper and wetting it; then I painted with Jenkins green. I let it dry overnight and then removed the webbing. That took away all that white that was keeping me from being able to start. Then, using painted rice papers, I collaged on the lower part of the flower. Tomorrow, I'll figure out what comes next!

New Collage Underpainting or...

2010-02-03T18:32:00.000-08:00

Started this new collage underpainting today but got side tracked along the way. My background looks a little yucky so I decided to try using something besides paint (I am NOT a painter). This is the first time I have tried colored pencil on this wood surface. I liked how the pencil went on but not necessarily what I was looking for. Then I remember that I had a box of inktense pencils that I've never used. Wow, I had a great time "painting" this with the inktense. I may keep playing with it a little BUT them would I want to collage. Stay tuned to find out!!!!

Graphite Drawing Workshop

2010-01-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

The first week of January I took a graphite drawing workshop. The workshop was a good distance from home and I didn't get to attend the last two days. But I learned a lot of what I had been doing wrong in my drawing and some new things that will help me do better. So, after finishing up the flower collages and wanting a few days break from having sticky fingers, I started on this drawing of my nephew Collin. What you see is only half of the drawing due to the fact that it's 8x24 and won't fit on the scanner bed.

The paper is Stonehenge. I use this paper for colored pencil all the time so I was disappointed that I've already managed to "damage" the surface of the paper in a couple of places. I'm also using Derwent drawing pencils for the first time, and who would have thought that a different brand of pencil could be so different! But I will continue working, hoping for improvement.

Flower Project Finished!

2010-01-24T13:16:00.001-08:00

OK, so I finally finished all four of the collage flowers and now I'll have to figure out how to put them all together in a frame. I'll need some sort of moulding to go down through the center to camoflauge the fact that these little pieces were not exact, just little scraps that I used to experiment! I will frame them all together as one if I can; if not, I will make some individual frames. Do you think they will look better together or separate?

The Third of Four--Orange

2010-01-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

One thing about these small pieces, they go fairly fast. And it's becoming easier to figure out what goes down first, etc. For instance, in the orange flower, because it was a top quadrant, I wanted to have some leaves showing. But I forgot about them until I was nearly finished and now I can't add them in. So, in the last flower, which I hope to start tomorrow, I need to do the leaves first!

Blue Flower Finished

2010-01-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

Here is the blue flower (the 2nd of my planned four) tweaked a little. I think it's finished; so I have started on flower number 3, which is orange!

Flower No. 2

2010-01-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

Here is the second of my four flowers; I love the blue color! And they look pretty good together. It's a good think they go together pretty fast because I usually don't like doing the same thing more than once! At least changing the color of the flower helps with that:)

Now, it's time to figure out how to put them together so that they look good as a composition. If I flip the next two so that the flowers all come from the center, two of them will be upside down, unless...

6x6 Finished

2010-01-14T08:11:00.000-08:00

Working on this little piece was a lot of fun! And I think it was much easier working on the wood. I have three more pieces of the 6x6 so I intend to do three more flowers and frame them all together.

The Beauty of Flowers in Collage

2010-01-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

I don't know if the rooster is finished yet but he's being put aside for the moment. I got up early this morning and went straight to my work room and I only just now looked up--I worked right through breakfast and lunch--what a great diet!!!

Yesterday I was able to get a piece of 1/4" birch; I have a piece cut 6x6 for my trial piece. I coated it in gesso, both sides, and then used Jenkins Green for the background. I got a couple of runs which I like, and in the end actually look like stems! I put on my flower sketch and had a great time using some of the rice paper I painted with acrylics. Here is my little collage to date--I'm not sure if it's finished. I like the background as it is mostly. I'm not sure if I need to add more yellow pieces for the center of the flower. I'm going to look at it a while and think about it!

Cockadoodle Two

2010-01-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Well, I got sidetracked by all the housework I need to do--it's January, the month to organize! I've rearranged and reordered my art room so, hopefully, I have a little more workspace. If only I could figure out how to store my large sheets of paper so they don't get buckled or dented!

So, I have worked on the roo a little more, though I have to say it's mighty "busy" Very bright, maybe too many colors for such a little subject! But it's been very interesting and fun! Need to figure out how to keep my fingers out of the medium!

I was at HD and got a nice piece of 1/4 birch and I'm ready to see how I like painting and collaging on that for a substrate! I have little 4x4 tile pieces to practice on and I'm waiting for the gesso to dry on the first one. Now, to find the subject...

Cockadoodledoo

2010-01-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

OK, put your shades on because this might hurt your eyes! I'm not happy with those bright colors but will tone them down with paper. This has started out really ugly, hence my reason for not posting sooner! If I had started over as I thought I would, I would have used greens instead of that blue. Your input is welcome!

Panda Finished

2009-12-25T18:41:00.000-08:00

Well, it may not be Day 4, but my little panda collage is finally finished! Christmas got in the way for a few days, but now that the holiday fun is almost over, I'm feeling a bit antsy about getting back to making art:) I really had a great time making this collage and definitely want to do some more of it, but right now I think I hear my pencils calling me!

This piece was trimmed down to a square format because I felt it had too much green; it also looks better in this cropped format, the yellow running off the page a bit. What do you think?

Panda Collage - Day 3

2009-12-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

This could really be addictive! I found that I forgot about the laundry, the vaccuming, and dinner! However, I do need to stop occasionally and wash the medium off my fingers and work table--everything is sticking to me!

While not a very pretty college, it is beginning to look a bit better. I added some more pieces to cover some of the white edges and I like it better. I'll finish up tomorrow between baking brownie bites and getting ready for another Christmas party:)

Beginning to Collage

2009-12-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

After painting some acrylic on various types of paper, I started tearing the paper into little bits and gluing to the underpainting with matte gel. I enjoyed the process but now have questions about the results. I have white edges around the paper bits, probably because the paper didn't absorb the paint all the way through; I thought because this was a fiborous decorative paper that it would work but maybe not. I might get some rice paper and try that. But, in the meantime, this is a practice run and I will continue to the finish, learning as I go!

As I said earlier, I learned of this method from a Florida artist, Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson. I purchased her DVD from her website and have thoroughly enjoyed it, she does beautiful work. I would love to be able to take one of her workshops. If you'd like to see her collage works, visit her at http://elizabethsthilairenelson.blogspot.com/

Underpainting

2009-12-13T21:46:00.000-08:00

OK, for real, this is the collage underpainting I'm starting on--tomorrow--I'm going to begin gluing little pieces of pretty paper on the background. Keep your fingers crossed for me:)

Collaging

2009-12-12T20:34:00.000-08:00

Today was a cold, rainy day and a good day to play indoors. I started early this morning with paper and gel medium in hand, ready to test out some of the papers I rounded up. You know, I've always been a paper saver--those pretty papers you get in gift bags, tissues, some gift wrap is just too pretty to throw away, so I have a good variety. I cut a large sheet of watercolor paper into 6x6 pieces for practice. Today's lesson was just to see how much medium and what kind of paper works best. So here are two 6x6 pieces. I REALLY love the fiber papers and hope I can get some more soon!

Paper Painting

2009-12-10T21:17:00.001-08:00

I couldn't take the time to do anything artsy the last few days as I've been mailing packages and making desserts for Christmas parties BUT I was reading somewhere, who can remember now, about painting paper to use as collage papers. So, I have all these 5x5 squares of some kind of tissue paper and lots of paints. Here are a few of the sheets I've made so far. They are pretty boring, same color papers but now that I"m getting the hang of it, maybe I'll get really wild, we'll see:) And I guess I should test them to see how they tear or what happens when you add gel medium, etc.

Wintery Scene

2009-12-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas decorations are up, and the shopping almost done. Today I finally had time to play at the art table a little. While I haven't managed to get back to either of the colored pencil pieces, I started before the holidays put them on hold, I have taken a little time here and there to study, practice, try out, whatever you want to call it, paper painting--or collage. I have found that I really enjoy this art form, though I am just beginning to learn something about it. I have researched collage artists and found one in particular who work I admire. She has marketed a DVD regarding her process and I am axiously awaiting its arrival. Til then, I am on my own.

So, here is today's work--an underpainting, in acrylic, that will be covered with bits of paper. The underpainting is very loose, just a base of color to enhance the paper. And, wintery looking, just like the weather today!

I just love having an excuse to collect all those pretty papers!

When Is It Finished????

2009-11-23T20:26:00.000-08:00

Using a smaller piece of paper, about 8x10, I made another attempt at creating a collage. I am still planning this out a little too much rather than it being an "intuitive" process. And--how do you know when it's finished? I love the look of the Unryu paper and will be using more of that.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Something New

2009-11-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a few days since I posted; have been busy going from demo to demo and seeing lots of interesting art things. Our club had a plen aire paint day in the downtown area and I went to take photographs of the buildings for future use. And, of course, all the usual busy work of this time of year, getting ready for Thanksgiving and going through Christmas decorations. I also have my art room torn apart to re-arrange. In the middle of all that, I did finally try what I picked up from the collage demo, which btw, was very interesting and got me all the more interested. So you'll be seeing more efforts along this line. Since this is really different for me I'd love to hear your comments and any suggestions!

The Holidays are Coming

2009-11-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a little project I've been working on to get into the holiday spirit! If I intend to complete many things, I'd better get started! This is a 5x7 scratchboard warmup while I'm trying to figure out what do to!

Art Exhibit

2009-11-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

Today was another georgeous day to be outside, so I couldn't resist taking a drive over to Mt. Pleasant to attend Judy Wilder Dalton's Opening Reception at the NTCC Whatley Center. And I'm so glad I did! I am really drawn to Judy's work and I had a chance to study several of them up close and personal. I also was able to talk with Judy and hear her talk about her process, which I considered to be a mini-lesson in itself! I do hope I have an opportunity to attend one of her workshops in the near future. I have posted a photo of Judy with one of her paintings--and a close up of that painting without too much glare! If you'd like to see more of Judy's work, I'm sure she'd be happy to have you visit her site at http://www.wilderartstudio.com/

Fall Festival Weekend

2009-10-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year! Almost every weekend in October and most of November, the small towns of NE Texas have some kind of fall festival! Every year, on the last weekend of October, Omaha has a Country Fair and Art Show. I have participated in this small show for 3 years now. It offers no money for prizes but they give beautiful ribbons made especially for this show, and it's very enjoyable to get out and talk with the artists and townfolk! This year I won 2 First Place and 2 Second Place Ribbons, but will never top the first year when I received the Sweepstakes Ribbon!

It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be outdoors, too--no rain! The drive to Omaha is very pretty and I saw more interesting things! First, I saw a cow lying (laying?) on a big pile of hay (was the ground too wet for him or was he saying "all mine!"); then down the road a ways, at my cat groomer's place, in fact, I saw two llamas stacked up, whoa!, took me a minute to realize what was going on! Then, over on the right, there is a miniature horse farm, I always love looking at those little animals. Finally, a few miles later, over on the left, is a herd of buffalo--yes, buffalo, something you don't see everyday! Is this what is meant by "stopping to smell the roses"?

Next Saturday, I hope to attend the Winnsboro Art Fest. More about that later!

Some More Winners and a New Start

2009-10-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

I started this new piece a couple of days ago, and already have made so many changes that I may need to start over. It's also larger than the scanner so you only see part of it (but the largest part)! It's approximately 11x14 on Fabriano Artistico, a mid grey. As you can see, I'm having the most trouble with the face. I really could use some lessons in portraits!!!

And, a photo of fellow artists, Mary Liles, Ronnie Slavodnik, and Martha Jordan, all winners in the Mixed Media category at our art show this month. I also didn't identify my fellow winner in the previous photo, Cari Brown.

Great News for Me!

2009-10-22T21:40:00.000-07:00

There hasn't been much time for drawing the last couple of days as there was so much to do getting ready for our annual Membership Show which is held at the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council. Tonight was reception night and I'm thrilled to tell you that my "At the Market" turnips drawing won 1st Place in the Graphics Division. I also received the 3rd Place for "Travelin' Man". (That drawing got me a lot of ribbons this year--and to think I almost passed it over! ) It was a very nice evening and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with everyone who attended.

More Catnapping!

2009-10-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

After a couple of days of adding and fixing, I'm not sure this is going anywhere! The scan is much more yellow than IRL. I'm having a tough time deciding what pencils are best for the flowers on the cushion. The real flowers are reddish but there is already so much red inthe cushion and bright red just doesn't seem right. Sure wish I could find this ref. photo. I think it was on the old computer so I need to get out my backup drive. Still have a lot of details to fix.

Cat Napping

2009-10-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

This is what's going on now! This drawing was started probably six years ago! While looking through some of my old drawings, I picked this and one other cat drawing to do some additional work on. I can't believe at the time that I thought I couldn't get any more pencil down. This is probably on Bristol 300 which I don't use any more. It already looks 100% better than it did, and I have a ways to go. I didn't really finish it in all areas--wow, I think I have learned lots in six years!

Rounding the Turnips

2009-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

More color has been added to the turnips to give them a more rounded look--I hope it worked, I have a tendency to go either too little or too far, so I chose to go a little at a time!! All my photos have been taken with a digital camera on cloudy days, so today I have a second photo. I scanned the drawing so it is only the portion that fits on the scanner, but I think it shows truer color. Let me know what you think! (The top photo is scanned).

Down to the Tweaks

2009-10-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

FINISHED! All but a few tweaks here and there! But the way I work, I'll tweaked it to death, so it's good I have a day or two before I can get to the framer's. I'd love to hear any suggestions that would help make it look it's best. If you see a spot I missed please let me know. I will have one final post as soon as it's "tweaked to death" and has a proper title!

Getting to the Turnips!

2009-09-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

I started working first thing this morning, and before I knew it, the day was almost gone!!

I had to stop and re-think what I wanted for the upper right corner and as you see I just continued with the black. I finished the greens--YEAH! and did some touch up in spots. Oh, and put in the kraft paper, or paper bags, on the board. So, really all I have left to do is the board and the turnips. And the wording on the paper bag. I have some commitments for tomorrow so I may not get to work on it, but by this weekend, I should be nearing the finish--which is good, I could use a new piece for our club membership show. Maybe I can finish, get it matted and framed, and delivered by Friday of next week!!!!

ps--not sure I'll ever get a really good photo:(

Green, Green, Green

2009-09-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today is going to be a short day because I'm really sick of green!!!! I thought I'd be able to finish the green areas but I have a little more to go. But being tired of it is a good sign to stop. So, I added in a little color on the paper bag on the right side just for fun, and tomorrow, if I have time, will continue with those never ending leaves:)

Yuck--this is a really bad photo. Not enough good light to make a good photo. Tomorrow I will get a better one.

Adding Some Color

2009-09-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

Today's work--some green in the leaves and the purple cloth. I love the colors in this piece! I've never really liked working with yellows and greens but I'm enjoying it this time. This is about 4-5 hours worth of work. I think the re-crop works--at least for the time being.

More in the Dark

2009-09-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today's work finds me with all kinds of problems. My first thought 2 hours into the day was to toss it and start over. But I can just never let go! My initial crop and idea for the top left corner went south on me. I impressed the area where the leeks (those thready looking things) were hanging down; in the photo, I liked the looks of that and the bag. But after putting color in, the impressed area didn't look like I thought it should. So after thinking that toss thing, I decided to crop a bit more off the top--and liked it better than the original!!!! So, now I'm only working with a couple of impressed lines in that area and hopefully I can cover enough that it won't show up. While the problem is not solved, I think I'll keep going on it and see what happens. I'm almost ready to put in some green!

Photo is still not too good because it's too big to scan and it's been cloudy for what, 3 weeks!!!!! The new version is approximately 6x16.

Establishing the Darks

2009-09-23T12:49:00.001-07:00

Trying something different for me--starting with the darks. I have the first layer in and it does make it easier to see what's going on. This first photo shows the ref because the drawing isn't far enough along to tell you much. This is part of a photo taken during the summer at a Farmer's Market. It is on Stonehenge and approximately 9x17.

Time Flies!

2009-09-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

This has been a very busy week and I haven't had time to start my new pieces. Wednesday I dropped off four pieces for the Four States Fair Art Show. Thursday was judging day and opening on Friday. I was there to view all the art and see who got what in awards. Though I think the show may have been smaller this year, it was well represented. My "Serenity" zebra brought me a 1st place in Animal/Wildlife and "Travelin' Man" a 3rd place in Portraits.

Later this afternoon I will be giving a demo in Scratchbord to the Piney Woods Art Guild. Though I'm nervous, I am looking forward to seeing everyone and sharing some art!

Hopefully, I'll be back at the drawing board tomorrow!

Woodpecker Finished!

2009-09-08T15:02:00.001-07:00

This has been a finishing up week! I finished off three drawings, the zebra, Lance, and the Woodpecker! Now I can start something new, or maybe two somethings because I have so many lined up I can't decide which one goes first!

By the way, if you have any ideas about a title for this one let me know. I thought about "Late to Dinner" because the seeds are almost gone or something relating to his size in relation to the feeder. Suggestions????

Serenity

2009-09-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

You saw this zebra a ways back; I pulled it out not too long ago and decided to finish it up for the art show at the fair. I've done everything under the sun on this including putting a coat of varnish on it! I also didn't get a real good shot of it because I forgot to photograph it before matting it. It will be framed without glass.

Back to Lance

2009-09-06T20:12:00.001-07:00

I'm putting Woody Woodpecker aside to figure out how to handle that paper--I probably should start over but I just can't give up. So, here's Lance. I think he's almost finished; maybe some touch up here and there. I like the way his face is a bit loose so I'll leave it that way. I find it very hard to get detail on this paper. If you remember, this is the UArt 600, so I'll be starting something soon on the 800--soon as more pencils arrive!

And Even More...

2009-08-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

I'm still working on the woodpecker, but in my defense, I was gone for 3 days! I have now decided for sure that I will not be using this paper again for colored pencil! Also, I put the Pablos away and went for the Prismas! So, at this point, I am REALLY working to get more color down. It's slow going but I'm still enjoying it. I'm also thinking of what my next project will be and also working on another that needs to be finished for a show. Thank goodness no one cares if my house work is done!!!!

More Woodpecker

2009-08-25T19:50:00.001-07:00

Not much progress, I'm afraid. Still adding some layers on the bird now. Improved the angle of the feeder so that it shows the effect of his weight (leaning to the left). Still a ways to go on the feeder. This paper is not going to take much pencil so I'm thinking I'll be using solvent for more coverage.

I'm registered for a color pencil workshop for the next three days so I won't have time to work on this until the weekend!

Woodpecker Update

2009-08-24T20:44:00.001-07:00

A little more time on my woodpecker baby and this is what he looks like. I've decided changing paper AND pencils was not the thing to do. I love the smoothness of the paper but it just won't take as many layers as I'm used to. I also switched back to Prismas hoping a sharp point would help me get more layers on. Not working too well:( So, once again I find myself experimenting to get what I want--using a small amount of alcohol as a solvent; also not working, maybe because the Pablos aren't waxy? I don't know. I'm be adding more color, as much as I can, and another layer of solvent. I'm beginning to like it, so if this one doesn't work out, I'll try again on familiar paper. Tuesday note: I see I have a wrong angle on the feeder that I will correct for next time!

Spring Visitor

2009-08-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

Lance is on hold until I get where I can find some colored pencils I ran out of! In the meantime--I spied this woodpecker baby at one of my small feeders in the Spring. I grabbed my camera and got this shot of him hanging on by his toes (well, his woodpecker toes!) This crop would have gone pretty fast except I'm trying some new pencils (Pablo) and new paper (Fabriano hot pressed watercolor paper). The pencils are harder than the Prismas so I have to watch the pressure or I'll get hard lines. The paper seems to be very easy to work on, it has a smooth texture and the pencil picks up easily--in my case, a big plus!

It has taken me two days to get this far--the Prismas would have been faster--but will reserve judgment until finished!

More Lance

2009-08-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

This is almost finished. I'm trying to decide about the background. After working on this 600 grit I've decided I like it. I'll have to try the 800 first, though, to know which one is best for me.

Watercolor Workshop

2009-08-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been two weeks since taking the watercolor workshop I mentioned! This weekend I worked a bit on the piece I started there and this is what I got. It's not much, but it's bright!! And I learned so much about how to handle watercolor, which, I guess, is why I had so much trouble with it in the past. So, it's nice to know that if I try a new piece, I know how to start and what to expect. I did actually start a floral but it's not holding my interest and I'm not sure I'll continue. Maybe I'll find a new subject and start again!

Lance

2009-08-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week's drawing is more in the portrait category. Being a former Austinite, I am a big fan of Lance Armstrong. At the same time, I have some new samples of UART sanded paper that I've been wanting to try. I actually started this on the wrong piece of paper as I was going to use the 800 grit; this is 600. But, I'm glad I made the error because now I can see what the 600 will do and seemingly, the 800 will do it even better, being a finer grit. I'm going to finish this and hopefully, do another very quickly on the 800 so I can compare the two. I'm not really fond of the yellow color of the paper.

Quiet Afternoon on the Lake Updated

2009-08-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

After looking at this a few days, I decided a little more work was needed. I added some color to the backside of the mylar to deepen some of the areas and smooth out others. I also have been scanning with different color paper underneath and have decided that the final looks best on white. (Mylar is a transparent ground and will pick up the color of the paper it is mounted on). It's on it's way to the framing table!

Sunset

2009-07-28T07:44:00.001-07:00

This is just a quick little drawing that I started sometime back. I lost it under a pile of ref material so today I pulled it out and scanned it. I don't care for the paper, too many specks show through for me. But, the intent was to be a little less detailed and let the color do the work. I'd like to hear what you think!

Quiet Afternoon on the Lake

2009-07-27T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here is an update of my duck! I'm not sure but I think it's finished; I'm pretty satisfied with it and enjoyed the whole thing. I think I'll leave it alone for a few days and look at it again, otherwise I'll work it to death! I think I managed to get three layers on before it got crumbly.

I have something picked out for the next project. I'm going to try it on a small sample of UArt paper. I'm looking forward to trying it.

On the drawing board...

2009-07-25T16:42:00.001-07:00

Something I've wanted to start for a long time. I love the abstract-looking water and I'm enjoying working that part. This is approximately 9x12 colored pencil on mylar. I hope I will be able to get all the color I want before the "tooth" is filled.

Mid-Summer Art Show

2009-07-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

Little River Art Councils Mid-Summer Art Show ended Saturday and I'm very happy! I received a First Place in the Portrait Category for the portrait I did of my husband first part of the year. I named this piece Travelin' Man and planned to do a series (My Man Series). And to think, I wasn't going to enter the show this year!!!!! Here it is.....

And the Experimenting Continues...

2009-07-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Today's experiment--watercolor on crumpled Masa paper. Some of the details were lost in the scan.

Orchid

2009-07-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of days, I've been experimenting with oil pastel, colored pencil and a different kind of paper. I have a pad of Artagan paper that I bought several years ago and was just never very fond of it. Sometimes when I experiment, I start with that. I was reading in the Color Pencil Workshop book about oil pastels and colored pencil so I decided to give one of the demos a shot. I started on a 5x7 size and once I decided I liked the technique, increased it to 8x10. Once I got to the background, I realized oil pastel was not the way to go, so my orchid is oil and colored pencil and the background entirely cp. I'm not sure I'll go any further than this with it, but it's worth trying again.

Meanwhile...

2009-07-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sleepy Kitty is being overhauled and in the meantime...here is a little squirrel! Not a very good photo!

Sleepy Kitty Third Day

2009-06-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

A little more work done and some color added. I will keep scratching into the color and layering. Maybe several days til I have another update as I'm going to be out of town.

More Sleepy Kitty

2009-06-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

A little more progress on the kitty. Once I scanned it, I realized I need to work on the values; and maybe it's time to start adding a little color. I had hoped to finish by this weekend but I have too much going on.

Sleepy Kity

2009-06-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Finally found some time to start a new scratchboard but I already find myself in trouble with it. It'll smooth out tomorrow maybe! This is 8x10 and may be colored.

Two Finished!

2009-06-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is finish up week. I want to complete all the near finished pieces I have laying around taking up space! So far, I've managed to knock out these two--the ballon piece I haven't worked on in weeks and the ball and jacks. The official titles for these are "A Different View" and "Simple Childhood".

More on Simple Childhood

2009-06-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

This paper is really amazing me with the amount of color it will take! I think I have burnished the jacks twice now. The background is getting a little darker and I'm near finished.

I Had a Simple Childhood

2009-05-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this a little at a time until the last few days. All of a sudden I was into it and made a lot of progress, though it is still in the pretty early stages. I have had changes of thought (several times) on what the background will be. First, it was to be concrete, where we obviously played jacks! Then, I started interspersing ribbons of the red, blue, green, violet colors that I used for the jacks. I like that loose background but it needs to be much darker. If that happens, I may lose the feel of that looseness. Stay tuned for the outcome! The photo color is not too good either because it's a digital photo instead of a scan (rainy day). The original is 16x20 and doesn't fit my scanner bed.

Sweet Kitty

2009-05-08T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest project in scratchboard--I think I'm actually pleased with this one.

Some Updates

2009-04-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

I've been pretty busy on these two pieces and haven't stopped to update; the balloon is going very slow but I think it's coming together--maybe not much longer! As a break a couple of days ago, I started this little hummer in scratchboard. It's been a real learning experience! I especially enjoyed adding the color. I'm still making lots of errors but beginning to feel more comfortable with the medium.

Balloon Update

2009-04-17T17:51:00.001-07:00

Not a lot of progress yet as I have been pretty busy. This is a very tedious piece. I have done another 4-5 hours work and it doesn't look that much different. Plan to spend most of tomorrow on it to speed it along a little!

Today I did something kind of special. A friend of mine who teaches art to children had a "Budding Artist" show for her students. She asked me to help judge and I really enjoyed seeing all the amazing work that young people do. It's very inspiring.

A Different View

2009-04-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

I started this piece several weeks ago, maybe longer! It didn't seem to move for me and I stalled. I think that's when I started working on scratchboard so much. But now, as I said earlier, I'm missing the colored pencils and I'm having a go at this again. I posted it on WC to see if I could get some moral support and I think it's working. I've spent a few hours on the color and it's beginning to come to life for me.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

I'm putting this aside for a bit while I figure out how to fix a few things and decide what else needs to be done! I have plans for a small project while that's going on!

More of Cuddles

2009-04-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

This is moving along though it seems at a snail's pace! These pups have thick fluffy fur and it's a trick to make it look that way. I couldn't get a good photo by using my digital so this photo is what fits onto the scanner bed. Just a tad cropped all the way around.

All Cuddled Up!

2009-04-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

I got so carried away with the new project that I forgot to post it! That's ok, maybe now I've been able to correct or cover up some the crazy mistakes I made in the beginning! There are four dogs, count 'em! I have never drawn a dog in my life and now I pick a project with four of them!

Another Finish!

2009-04-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

And here he is complete! I'm already excited about beginning another; thing is, I'm beginning to miss the colored pencils, too. I think the slow spell is over!!