EDM #s 51 and 52 TV and Dog

As always, behind on my challenges, but I managed to eke two out in the last two days. I didn't actually draw my TV, but I did draw what was on it last night. We watched our new DVD of The Sound of Music, one of my favorite all time movies. What fabulous scenery, music, storyline - ah, to escape to one of my first loves - musicals. In my childhood imaginings, everyone should break out into song in response to a question, or dance in unison in the street with no rehearsals. I was always very disappointed with reality. sigh.

There are some really scary sketches here. People on TV and in movies just move too quickly - and you factor in the dancing, and well - this is what you get...

I also did challenge #52 - draw a dog. I drew my two pups napping on the red couch this morning.

Oscar, the wonder-dog. Not so active as those tv people.

Chico. The name really says it all. Actually, we call him "Princess" alot. Yeah - we know he's a boy dog. But he acts like a Princess.

Art is for the Babes

...oops - I meant for the Babies...

My friends, Josh and Becky, took their darling daughter, Hannah, on an art adventure yesterday. Hannah is, at the ripe old age of 9 months, obviously a prodigy in the making. She has a tremendous sense of color, composition and movement in her work, making them priceless and undeniably genius. But - you can see that for yourselves...

Peas and Carrots in the Food Mill acrylic on 8x10 canvas board

Chili's Dinner #5 in the Food Mill acrylic on 8x10 canvas board

What Do You Expect, I'm 9 Months Old, acrylic on 9 month old baby

Adventure, Destruction and Mayhem in Sketching

The boys and I took a walk late last week to check out the amenities in the apartment complex where we've been living this past month while our house is being built. We found a nice playground, a basketball court and a cute little barn that I hadn't even realized was back between apartment buildings. I really like old barns, especially if they are dilapidated, as this one was. So, having brought along my trusty Moleskine and a 2b pencil, I decided to sketch the barn.

One of my goals for the year was to start sketching in public, so I was feeling pretty happy at attempting it - wasn't really thrilled with the sketch, but that's all part of the process. I never intended to even post it, as a matter of fact, except for what happened the very next day...

DH called and asked us to meet him at the house construction site to check on the progress in building, so we hopped in the car and headed out. As we neared the entrance to the complex, I came across 4 fire trucks and 1 ambulance blocking our exit. I got out to look at what was going on, and lo and behold - the barn, which I had sketched only the day before was engulfed in flames!! We got out and watched the firemen work, being stuck completely now as other neighbors had plugged up the way back.

Well - the old barn is nothing but a concrete block rectangle now. I'm feeling strangely responsible, as if my sketching it caused it to ignite. Maybe I have some strange telekinetic powers I've been unaware of so far. I guess I'll find out on my next sketchcrawl...

Bella

I finished this last week, but couldn't post it, because it was a surprise for my mom. This is my niece, Bella, in acrylics. The painting is about 8x10 on a 12x16 canvas board. She is "bella", no?

First Show

Well, I've gone and put some paintings in a show. I dropped them off in Chattanooga last week at the Association of Visual Artists gallery and offices. I was pretty nervous about it - it's a member-only show, and the first one I've participated in. They will be displayed (and for sale) from January 17-June 6 at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga as part of a show called "Art of Inspiration".

So, if you're in the Chattanooga area, swing by Memorial Hospital and have a look-see!

Here are my entries:

The Talented Ms. Rowe

My friend and fellow WetCanvas devotee, Angie Rowe, from way down south in the great state of Jawjuh has delighted. tickled and honored me with a beautiful pastel portrait. She is an amazing artist, whose use of color and line always amazes me, especially when I consider how quick she is, too.

So, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Angie! I will be breathless in anticipation of my mail every day until it arrives!!

WDE 1.9.06 Mr. Forbes

The WDE challenge for the weekend -- my first one back in a couple of weeks. This week was sponsored by "Lisilk" and all the pictures were taken on the tiny island in the Bahamas where she currently lives. This man, Mr. Forbes is the groundskeeper at the field station on San Salvador.

This portrait is in graphite on 11x14 matboard with a watercolor wash in the background.

Finished Portrait

I believe I'm done! Yippee! This has been a wonderful journey for me - I've been amazed to watch it develop. Any other artists out there who feel sometimes like you just sit back and watch everything happen? Sometimes, I suppose when I jump over fully to the right brain, I feel a little like a passenger on the art train - just watching and marveling at the form taking shape. Of course, I've always been a little bit odd.

Anyhow - then when Mr. Left Brain kicks in and starts telling me how this or that doesn't quite look right, I get all tense and a little breathless and start second guessing every stroke of the brush. I think Mr. LB comes in handy when balancing my checkbook or filling out the grocery list, but other than that, I would really like him to leave me the heck alone!

So - I'm done. I like it. Mr. LB even likes it. I think I'll buy a really expensive frame and hang it up - my boys deserve that!

Hands II

Hey, Wow - this is my 100th posting on this blog - seems significant. Where's the confetti???

The second in my series of hands, and the second in 2B graphite on matboard. Much more complex arrangement of fingers, and of course size, but such a sweet captured moment. I'm considering doing the next one in color - maybe acrylics, maybe something a little more loose, I'm not sure.

I had to take a break from portraiture for a day or two - I'm on the verge of overworking it. One son is done (nice rhyme, eh?) the other is off just enough to make me unhappy, but I consulted with my DH and he's helping put me back on track, I think. I'd love to work on it tomorrow, but it is a homeschool day and we also have to take the dogs to the vet, so - maybe not. We could just have an art session after math and all of us get to paint to our hearts content! Who needs social studies, anyway??

My Two Sons - Portrait update

Okay - I've been up late every night working on this, and it is progressing, but at a snail's pace. Layer and layer and layer and layer - that's the name of the game. I'm finished with the skintones and maybe the shirt (although I may add another layer or two of red to deepen the tone). I'm currently at work on the hair and I still have to do eyebrows and eyelashes. I'm not totally confident of those, though, so I'm going to do a little research first! There is a great forum over in WetCanvas on portraiture, and they have a couple of "classes" on eyes, so I think I'll do a little reading and studying and then tackle those lashes and brows.

I've started the next in my hands series - I'll post it as soon as it is "postable". Thanks for looking!

Happy New REAR!

Yet another person to jump on the annual gotta lose some weight bandwagon - but I'm dragging all of you into it - so now you have permission to ask me how it's going!

Valri posted this over in a WetCanvas forum and I thought it was perfect - I don't know the orignal author - if anyone does, let me know and I'll give appropriate credit -

Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt---

I said to myself, as I only can
"You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!"
So--away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won't have a cookie--not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore---
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

My Two Sons

I've been in portrait mode again the last week or so. This is from a portrait I had made of my two boys back in November. It's just such a cute pose, I couldn't help trying it out in acrylics. I'm using watercolor canvas board for this painting - my first real attempt at it. I started with an underpainting in burnt umber and am slowly layering on very diluted washes of color - yellow ochre, cadmium red medium and some white in the highlighted areas. I'm also adding a little payne's gray here and there for extra depth - and to wash over the background. It's a little tedious at times, but I am really liking the results so far.

In the original portait, the boys have on red shirts with blue and white stripes. I just didn't have the patience for that - dontcha just love art?

I'll post updates as it progresses! OH - and the big black shadow at the top is from my easel - sorry!

UPDATE - here's where I am tonight... (a little cropped.)

Happy New Year!!!!

I can't believe it's 2006 already. Where does the time go? Back during the summer, when I started this blog, I never would have imagined I would still be as dedicated to keeping it up to date as I have been, nor would I have imagined the community of artists I have come to know through it. Thank you all for your encouragement, your kind words and for visiting on a regular basis. I'm honored to have you here.

At the stroke of midnight, I wrote down a list of Art Resolutions -goals really - for 2006. Here they are, as illustrated in my moleskine (another thing I knew NOTHING about a few months ago!)

And in type:

1. Draw from life more. Stop relying so much on photographic references.
2. Banish the perfection monster. Remember that it is not about being perfect, but about being true, real and creative
3. Take at least one class or workshop this year.
4. Draw in public, and answer the question, "Are you an artist?" with "yes" rather than with "well, kind of, I mean I like art and..."
5. Develop a series. Build a little depth in something.
6. Have a LOT of FUN creating new things!

Just to start things off right - here's the first in my series of hands in graphite I plan to do over the next month or two. It is from a photo reference, but let's just take one thing at a time, shall we?

Please forgive the very obvious stitch right down the middle - I had to scan in two parts and I haven't figured out all the ins and outs of GIMP yet to equalize the sides. This is on 11x14" matboard - 2B graphite.

May the new year bring many blessings to all of you. God Bless...

Portrait Exchange Update

I finally managed to sit down and rework this portrait a little bit. I lost it for a while in the move. I worked on the left (viewer right) eye and on the width and overall size of the mouth. I think it looks much better now, and I feel like I can sign it and send it off to Colorado to live with its' owner. I'll let it dry a while now, and try to catch a warmish day to varnish it before I send it off. Here they are - before and after...

My Very Own Not Safe but Good Lion

Every year (at least in theory) I go through all my digital photos from the past 12 months and put them on a cd for the archives, delete them from my hard drive to make room for more. I guess I should do this more often, but so far it has worked for me. In any case, I have been doing that this week, and I came across a photo I took back in September when my kids went on a field trip to the Knoxville Zoo.

Every time we go to the zoo, we have two places that we absolutely MUST take a photo - at the tortoise sculpture near then entrance to the reptile area, and at the lion sculpture by the food vendor. We took our usual photos at the lion, when suddenly - my youngest climbed back on and gave the lion the biggest hug he possibly could. Precious picture.

Well, having found it, I couldn't help but draw it. When I got finished, it brought to mind a certain book by CS Lewis that has recently been released as a movie. I haven't see the movie, yet, but I have loved the book all my life, and this is my homage to it.

9x12, 140lb cold press wc paper, sepia PITT pen and wc

EDM #24 - Draw a piece of fruit

I was sitting down last night to draw something, and it occurred to me that we had some oranges in the kitchen that I could use to complete EDM challenge #24! Yippee! Well, I was happy until I saw the outcome! I was not seeing well last night, I think. All those dimples on the orange flesh overwhelmed me and I resorted to my old ways of subterfuge and deception to make it look like an orange. Ah, well - at least it tasted good.

Koh-i-noor stack pack watercolors, and (my beloved) rapidograph pens in the moleskine.

EDM Challenge #42 - Something I am thankful for.

BOYS!! sketch of DH and DS curled up together on the couch - one of them watching TV, the other snoozing. Other DS was on the floor, so I missed him. BUT - I'm the fortunate only girl in the house, and I've gotta say that I love it!

Indigo acrylic ink, rapidograph, in the moleskine.

EDM Challenge #17 - Musical Instrument

Yamaha S08 synthesizer. What can I say? I'm in love... acrylic inks in rapidograph pens - moleskine notebook.

EDM Challenges #4 and #25 - a mug and a glass

The first page of my new moleskine. Went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and thought I'd capture the coffee and OJ - I ate the eggs and grits too fast to sketch them!

EDM Challenge #2 - Draw a desk lamp

In my 5x7 wc sketchbook - acrylic ink in rapidograph pens. Some musings on my favorite desk lamp.