Meet Jariel

This is Jariel, wow that is 2 men in two days thats a record for me. Drawing men is a challenge for sure. Jariel comes from a land called Abakhan, think the Mongolian Steppes.  He lives in a yurt, rides a magnificent horse and laments the loss of his wife and child. My main character Caitlin will become mesmerized by him the moment they meet.

He came out ok but doesn't have the spark of the picture I drew him from.  Something I'll have to work on. He needs to have a cooler tattoo next time.  Drawing my characters is helping me know them better.

Kate

Sunday Sketches - Bringing Torin to Life

This is Torin, a character in the book I am writing. I am finding that drawing the characters to be very therapeutic.

Posting to Sunday Sketches

Drawing My Characters Part 2

I have mentioned the novel I am working on many times, now I am starting to add some art to keep me connected to the story.  My main character communicates telepathically with a wolf. I have been wanting to try drawing one. I hadn't been successful up to this point.  I found a great picture online and thought I would give it a go. This is on mixed media paper using prismacolor colored pencils. This could be way darker than it is and I will continue to work on it.  Colored pencils is all about layering the colors and it takes a long time.

Posting for Paint Party Friday Check them out here.

A Little River Time

I saw this book at my friend Jolene's house and knew I had to have it.  Combining zentangle like drawings and mandalas, its perfect for me.  There is some good instructions on creating patterns, designing mandalas and even a complex labyrinth.  I can't wait to try some of the techniques in here.

I needed some river therapy on Monday so I headed out for a walk on the Snake River. If I lived on the coast I'd be on the ocean but since I am not I settled for the river.  There is something about water that feeds my soul.

It was very cold out, so I bundled up and enjoyed being out in nature.  It was just what I needed.




Yesterday this little guy hit one our windows and was stunned.  So I picked him up.

I went into the house for my phone to take a few close up pictures. I could feel his little heart beat away. He was still a little out of it and not scared.

Back outside I tried to put him on a branch.  He could cling but then fell over.  Then I found a bush to put him under, hoping he'd be safe from cats.  He ended up flying away after a little bit of recovery time.

I had to head out to a Dr. appointment. while in the waiting room, I drew the pictures on my phone and created a nice little page. Being an artist is pretty cool when you can record events like this.

Kate

Using Distress Stains In My Art Journal

I haven't worked in this journal for awhile.  I decided to play with Tim Holts Distress Inks and just get some color on to the page. I don't use them a lot and I wanted to change that.  I created three backgrounds to work with.  This is the first completed page, others will come this week in future posts. I created a image of a woman as I often do. Then came the doodles and a poem. I picked it for just the color and how it looked on the page. It seem like a New year, letting go type of poem. Perhaps there is meaning inside of it if I look deeply. Maybe there are things I need to let go of.  

Later I added journaling to the page.  All those lines flowing out of her head seemed  Here is the poem so you too can enjoy it.

I am running into the new year
and the old years blow back
like a wind
that I catch in my hair
like strong fingers like
all my old promises
it will be hard to let go
of what I said
about myself
at sixteen and twenty six and thirty six
even that thirty six
but I am running into a new year
and I beg what I love and leave
to forgive me

Lucille Clifton

I have insomnia tonight, so I got up and finished this page. This was created with the same distress stains except for the face. I used Golden fluid acrylics for that.

I have a crisis going on with my novel.  I have to change a big portion of it and frankly I am stuck on where to begin.  I need the muse to visit. To inspire me where to go, to lift a depression I feel myself sinking into. Sometime art journaling helps. Just where do ideas come from?  Its a place I need to travel to this week. Yes, even I lose focus and lose my way.  Its all part of the creative process but on days like this is really is not a pleasant place to be. I have techniques, tools I use in times like these and I'll be putting them to the test this week.

Tell me what do you do to call back the muse, to inspire yourself to keep going when the gremlins arrive to pull you down?

It's NaNoWriMo Time

Its that time of year again.

This year I am going to be a Nano-Rebel. Which means you don't follow the rules. Sometimes that means you are working on non=fiction, or working on a story you've already started, or any other reason you can come up with.  I am going to continue working on my story of Caitlin the Celtic Archer.

My local group always has a theme.  This year its pirates. Here are my home made pirate fingerless gloves. aka an old pair of socks.

Here is a little drawing of my kitty Boromir. With all the writing and such going on in Novemeber I will be posting less, maybe 3 times a week instead of 5 or 6.

A Wonderful Gift

A little while ago I got this surprise gift in the mail from my friend Julie Scott. She is ready to step out into the world as an artist.  Her company Designworks of the Napa Valley sells original art, prints and cards.  She wanted to add Pet portraits to her website.  So she took one of my photos of Belle and painted this.  I love it. She did an awesome job.  Her website isn't up yet or I would share it here. You can find her on Facebook though.

I drew this bird from an image on a file folder. Color was added with Inktense and Graphitint pencils.

This is another exercise from Sketchbook Skool.  Drawn from an old photograph. I am loving doing these studies.

I am linking to Paint Party Friday.  You can check them out here

Kate

Sketches- Selfie's And More Fun Stuff

I have to admit that trying to get my writing done for the week and all my Sketchbook skool assignments have been keeping me busy.

This was done with that blue lamy safari pen. I drew it on a piece of mail by looking in a mirror. Then I wrote yuck on the paper.  Then of course I said, just keep going, finish the drawing.  I am glad I did.  The thing about drawing is you just keep going, keep practicing and at some point you become satisfied with your skills.  Its all part of the process.

My next selfie was created from a photo. A contour drawing where you try to not lift the pen I did it mostly that way but not all.  It was fun. I used a Lamy Safari fountain pen with a fine nib. The hair was incredibly fun to do.

This selfie was drawn from a mirror.  Its kind of wonky but fun.  I am liking how all of them look totally different.

This is  selfie #7 drawn from an old photo before I got my haircut.  Also with glasses on which was its own challenge.  Well I did it, a selfie a day for 7 days.

This drawing was from a magazine photo. I wish I hadn't tried to add shadows to the face with pen. There was no fixing it after that. I like the picture so much I may have to draw it again.




















This is a photo of my sister and my daughter.  The fingers are a little too close together but I think you still get the idea.

I really like the idea of making drawings from family photos. Its been fun. I think I want to do some vintage photos next. Kate