Using A Sketchbook Again

Many of you know that google reader is going away.  I have used Net News Wire which is only for the Mac and Bloglovin which I think works for both systems.  I am sure there are others out there.  Lately I have just been putting all the blogs I read in my link list and just go to them from my own blog. It doesn't tell you about updates so that won't work for everyone.  If you've found an awesome reader please share.

My journal is full of backgrounds and often I don't know what to do with them. The backgrounds are so beautiful I think simple is best.

This page started with a spray ink background with the birch trees stencil.  I added decorate tissue around it and then some images. I am not sure if this is done yet.

This was painted newspaper. I saw this turtle and butterfly in my stash and loved it on this paper.



Another shot at the painting, I am sure you are getting tired of seeing this.   I promise the next pic will be the last.  I added the tree, made the square stones round and covered up the barn. I am not sure what I will add in that green area, more animals, flowers, my hammock nothing seems right yet so I will sit with it for awhile.

For awhile I have been toying with the idea of doing a sketchbook again.  Inspired by my friend Lynn's book, "One fish taco and a half an order of guacomole" I thought of drawing in public again and trying people this time. About all I did was think about it though. I am in a group on Facebook with April Cole and they are going to do a sketchbook challenge in April. So I thought I might take part. There is nothing like a challenge to get you moving to do something you keep thinking about. Then my friend Connie did this post on her sketchbook and I took the plunge. I had a book I got at Hobby Lobby last fall that is perfect.  Its like a moleskine with sketchbook paper, it opens flat has a pocket and all that jazz.  So I decided not to wait till April and begin now.  I am using pen like Connie suggests, these are rough drawings, just a part of my day.

What was on my messy desk was my first sketch.

The next day it was my mug at a coffeeshop and a quick sketch of my kitty sitting on my lap.

A kitty again and some scenes from my yard that I might eventually add to a painting. I am really enjoying doing these simple sketches.  Maybe its time you picked up a sketchbook again.  Why don't you join me and share bits of your sketchbook too!

Painting In The Morning

I should be working on something else but the studio grabbed me.  I started playing with soft pastels on an old book page.  I haven't worked with them on faces very often but they are a fun medium.  She is kind of sour looking but maybe she is having a hard time finding the magic. Then I had this background made on tissue paper already glued down in my journal.  They seemed to want to be together, add a few words and here were are, completed.  This page went together easily.

I also worked on the painting again.  It seems to be about my life so I added  myself. I liked keeping the background as my dress. There is still so much I need to work on but I like the way it is evolving.

I forgot to post this yesterday but now I can add another pic of the painting.

 

I added the tree and played with the sky some more. I have worked on this three times this week. Whew, still more to do though.I have been doing my painting in the early morning. 7-9 am and I am finding it very strange because I am a not a morning person. I am finding this time to be very creative, who would of thought that, certainly not me. Have you ever tried to mix it up, create at a time when you normally wouldn't. You might be surprised at the results.

Another Portrait

This drawing is on vellum bristol using a 2B pencil. One more exercise in my drawing class.  I was not happy with the nose, I have the hardest time with that part of the body/

I've been playing with backgrounds but they are in various stages of incompletions, so I will wait to post them later

The latest changes in my 6 week painting.  I worked on the area behind Flynn, first time painting sheep.  I like the brown one, he looks sort of whimsical.

21 Secrets Give Away

Hali Karla, one of my fearless painter friends is having a giveaway on her blog for 21 Secrets, the great online journaling class, puto n by Dirt Footprints Studio, How can you not be inspired by 21   amazing teachers.  She gives you five chances to enter, you can enter here.

Sunday Sketches 3-17

Its time for Sunday Sketches again.  I did these in church and it was an extra long service so I had time for two.

This one is for more practice drawing faces. She was rendered with a 2B graphite pencil.  I did not have a tortillion with me so I had to use my finger to blend. Now that I am using the right tools for drawing I miss them when I don't have them.

I have been wanting to try drawing a great horned owl. A couple other times I gave up but this time I just went with it.  I drew this with Graphitint water color pencils on fabriano paper.  I added water with a niji water brush. This was fun to do so I think I will keep drawing them to I am satisfied.  I want to paint an owl on my drum. I don't want to start that project until I am a little more confident.

To see more wonderful sketching, go here

Face to Face

Signed up to take Misty Mawn's Face to Face course. It started in January but you can sign up any time.   I had the paper taped to cardboard and was dismayed when the cardboard showed through.  It does make for a interesting texture.

This was done in charcoal. I had really a lot of problems here. The porportions are all off. I kept trying to fix and then putting my hand in places I had already worked and then having to fix that.  It truly became a nightmare after awhile.  I decided I had done enough and it was time to work on something else.

Here I am using a desk pad to draw face parts and more.  This course is pretty incredible. I know I will be a better artist when I complete all the exercises, plus I am having a great time. This course is pretty expensive but I think worth every penny if you want to improve in drawing and painting faces.

Under Construction

Excuse the messy look. I am in the process of changing the blogs look, can't say how many days this might take me.

Fearless Painting Journey

I was not going to post this painting till it was truly done but that was mainly because of fear, that fear gremlin keeps raising his head. First though I want to talk a little about Fearless Painting. After taking BIG I became part of a tribe of fearless painters.   Fearless Painting is intuitive painting, if you are called to paint an elephant you paint one. The goal is not about the final project but the process you go through as you paint.  Oh there is so much more but that is the basic tenant. Sometime Fearless Paintings can be ugly. Which is where the fear gremlin comes in. Do I share the process, the ugly parts as well as the pretty ones. In my desire to be more authentic person I fell that I need to.  The critic tells me what if someone comes to my site expecting to see art and sees this ugly painting.  They won't come back, they  won't be inspired. Pah what a load of rubbish, right. Yes I think that at times and at other times the gremlin wins when I think oh I cant show that because it isn't pretty.

I don't know about you but I know I love it when other artists show their work, all of it.  The frustrating pieces and the glorious ones.  I like hearing their stories of their lives, even the not so pretty parts. So what makes me think that no one would want to hear mine. Those who don't want to will just leave and that is ok because not everyones story will appeal to everyone. That doesn't mean we shouldn't tell it. So part of being authentic is putting yourself out there, sharing your story even one little bit at a time.

Now on to Deep and the reboot of this class. I mentioned before that the class was stopped last year and we are doing a do over.  Actually the class this time is completely different.  We are painting on the same painting for 6 weeks. The painting will be evolving over that time. So I am  going to share the first 3 weeks.

This is after the first week. I started with two pieces of paper. I painted a lot of this with my left hand. I think the left side either looks like a garden or a french market stall. I am not sure what was going on in the right side. There are bits of a house, some stones and not much else.

In week 2, I worked on the right half of the painting. I added flowers, the barn and raven. I still didn't like it, felt like it was 2 paintings.

On to week 3, I added another piece of paper. Finished the bird, put in a background and added Flynn. Never having painted a dog before I found it a challenge. I was not that happy with the way he turned out. So I decided to see him as a representation of Flynn, rather than looking just like him.

Later in the week I added grass and worked on Flynn some more. The green grass under the raven wanted to become poppies. They need some more work but I kind of like them. I think the painting is evolving to be about my life, dog, birds, garden. It will be interesting to see where the next three weeks take me. I hope you will enjoy going on the journey with me.

At first I made his eyes way too big, they are a little better here. I now see him as a work in progress. I will probably fiddle with him until the painting is done.

Pulling out sections of the painting is always fun. I like this little sweet spot.
















This little row of abstract poppies make me smile. Its like they are "saying look at me".