Let the pinking continue...

Lips - a recent EDM challenge. I'll have to go back and look up which one. I did these -in pink- using just a water brush and pink watercolor - I wanted to see what I could accomplish without pre-drawing, as I usually do. It turned out better than I had hoped for! (Especially the top one). The rest of the images here are just more doodles in the pink book, working without a roadmap of pen...

Tomorrow is the last pink day - I really hope to have something to post, but if I don't, well...I don't. :-) March will roar in like an orange lion - ready to devour some paper...Now that Linda has shared about the liquid watercolors, I may have to investigate the oranges... I've already purchased my orange Tombow pens - trying to plan ahead a little...

For those of you following along - I'll make sure the mango chairs are the first March post - we'll start off with a bang.

Man, are they ever orange...

How much pink...

...can a pink pen ink...

Pink pen with pink watercolor (plus a little orange as a preview for March)...

Sketchbook updates...plus pink

I had one of those rare days about a week ago where I dropped the boys off at school and really had absolutely nothing pressing to do. So I went home and turned on the TV, got in my favorite recliner, and watched some nonsense on the tube. I didn't last long before I grabbed my Moleskine and started sketching. I tried to see if I could capture the essence of some people in the few minutes I could see them. This is what I came up with:

New baseball hats for the boys. We went to a Tennessee basketball game, and they wanted to fit in. As an Alabama alum, it pained me to purchase these hats. Luckily, they were on sale. I decided to sketch them for my pink book, just so I wouldn't have to use orange...I actually love orange - one of my very favorites - but spend some time in Knoxville, and you'll see what I mean. Okay - I just decided...March is going to be orange month. I'm going try to overcome my Vol orange overload...

A hibiscus in pink, red and orange. This was for the WDE last weekend, although I never did post it on WetCanvas. No reason why - just forgot, I guess. Oops. I really am enjoying these watersoluble crayons. They are a lot of fun to play with.

Another WDE item. This cat reminded me of our dear departed Shmoo kitty - gone now about 3 or so years. I know...it's not pink, but oh well - sometimes I find it hard to follow the rules. Even my own.Happy sketching everyone!

Oh - by the way - any of you that remember the mango chairs in one of my posts this month - I'm heading down to Birmingham this weekend to pick them up...talked the store owner down to a reasonable amount -

Just in time for Mango March Madness...

Keeping the tradition alive...

...art and science, that is. DH is an engineer, I am a geologist (technically - not practicing :0) and artist - and DS #1 is following in our combined footsteps. This is his take on one of the Apollo mission command service modules. He's doing a project for school and we found this a picture - he drew it by looking at it!! I'm so excited!! He added in all the little details and everything. So - here it is - the Command Service Module, by Derek, age 6...

Card #4

My 4th card arrived safely in Liverpool, England!


I have two more done, and will mail them out soon - I'm trying to mail them out in bundles, so I don't make quite so many trips to the post office!!

EDM #13 - Draw your Telephone

I got a new cell phone the other day - one I've been wanting for a while - so I thought I would use it for the Everyday Matters challenge #13. I'm still in my pink mode - so it worked out perfectly - the actual phone is pink!!

I also completed a Weekend Drawing event this week - my first one in ages. All four of these images were done in my 9x12 sketchbook with ink and watersoluble crayons.

More From the Pink Book

More pink sketches. Still fairly basic - just sketching, hatching, etc. Haven't tried really hard to get any real shading done, except in the chair sketch. All of these are done with a Tombow fineline marker, some with the brush end, on shadows, etc.

It does make me feel a little conspicuous in public though - hard to hide all that bright pink! I went to a meeting Monday night at my kids' school, and we had to check if we were interested in particular classes - supposedly anonymous. Mine was the only bright pink mark - so I think everyone knew that I would like a class on disciplining the 5-10 year old set.
This is a sketch of our 20 year old, 6 pound cat, Pugsley. She's not 6 pounds because she's 20 years old. She's always been that size. She eats like a horse and drinks a ton of water and will probably outlive me.

In bed sketches. Everyone was sleeping except for me. That happens a lot around here.

And one very wonky marble. But - I like it. It's very pink.

Card #3

...arrived in Washington, DC...

Elephant, 5x7 acrylic paint and pen & ink

Postcard Exchange

I'm participating in an art postcard exchange, sponsored by the folks over at WetCanvas! . 25 members signed up and agreed to exchange postcards - so I have to create 24 postcard sized (5x7 for me) works of art to mail to the other participating artists over the next year. I've received 4 so far, and my first 2 were received today! Here they are - both in acrylic ink.

Fire Kitty. If you've been following along, you may have seen something similar. Same reference - different crop. This card ended up in Bozeman, Montana.

Yellow Rose. This one is in Avis, Pennylvania.

I've sent out two more, and haven't heard if they've arrived or not. One went to Washington, DC (so I expect to hear very soon) and the other to Liverpool, England (so I don't expect to hear very soon!)

I'm still working on my pinks - I'll update tomorrow, I hope!!

It's February - Think Pink!

Having been inspired by Laura, and all her many colors over the last year, I decided to give over a month to one color and investigate all it's many gradations. I have decided to start with my favorite - PINK. In particular, I am totally in love with dark shades of the color - my quinacridone magenta paint tube is constantly running out. Can't get enough of it! So - here's the beginning...

On a resolution update - I have been doing a little sketching in public. I was out at Big Ed's Pizza in Oak Ridge and managed to sneak in a couple of sketches of the (very 70s) decor. And - Linda and I met (hi Linda!) at a local coffee shop to do some discreet sketches. We did, however, talk a whole lot more than we sketched, and so I really have nothing to show from our efforts. But - there is hope for our next adventure!

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!