WISHY-WASHY STRAWBERRY SKETCH

I am still having a bit of a creative block this week, so my strawberries are a bit tepid and lazy.  I used a pen brush for the tinting, thinking that was all the texture that I needed.  It wasn't!  I added a fine tip pen for details, but I can honestly say that I only really like the leaves on the entire picture.  Ahh!!!

OWL FACE

Well, after three days of 'zen'ing out, I am feeling less stressed, and better able to cope.  Now maybe I can get back to creating what I love, which is expression through nature!  This ink sketch is a bizarre little baby owl with a rather prominent nostril area on his beak.  I loved how 'human' it made him look, and decided to emphasize it rather more than it already was.  He is now expressing how I am feeling today...surprise at having survived the week!

ZENTANGLE ROSE

Zentangle rose, and I think it is a good attempt at a drawing, but not a good attempt at Zentangles, which are supposed to have a variety of different patterns and movement throughout.  I may not have what it takes to be a Zentangler!

ZENTANGLE KNOTS

Zentangle sketch number 2 is not free enough in the patterns, but I did find some peace in the continual strands of rope.  It reminded me of when I used to brush and braid my daughters' hair.  It was a labor of love, and time that we both really enjoyed.  I may learn to like this doodling yet!

ZENTANGLE MESS

Well, I promised a sketch.  I didn't promise it would be pretty! A friend introduced me to Zentangles as a way to combat stress, nerves, or just artists' block.  It is a series of doodling with mindless patterns, so as to set your mind free, or occupy it with repetition for a Zen effect.  My first attempt here is not so good.  I think I am doing it wrong!

I WILL PERSERVERE...

 

Sorry, audience...I have been struggling with some seriously depressing depression this month.  I promise that you will see some art coming back online within a few days!  I am even depressed about not creating art!  Statistics tell us (whoever they are) that most artists struggle with depression, so I am sure I am not alone in this.  I will push through it and get something accomplished in the next day.  I saw a glimmer of hope yesterday, when I was inspired by an unusually shaped canvas and an especially funky brush!  Love you all!

FAMILY PICTURES

 

Sorry that I disappeared for a few weeks without an explanation!  Sometimes life, and family gets priority, and I forgot to post my  whereabouts...anyway, I was excited to head to Iowa to our family reunion.  Not being great at getting a likeness, I decided to do a few 'from the back' portraits.  Babies are always the most fun! I also think that these backwards portraits tend to be the most timeless, and not personal enough to be exclusive, so more sale-able.  What do you think? 

FISHING LURES DRAWN IN PENCIL

 It is too hot to fish right now, but the lures are works of art in their own right!

 Some of the hand tied flies are amazing works of art!

I have been inspired lately by several young artist who are making objects leap off the page using a No. 2 pencil.  Talent at such a young age...wow!

DRAWING OF ONE EYE OF A MAN

I wasn't kidding about my continuing problem with drawing the left side only...I was working out the size of the ear and the position in relation to the eye. Maybe I should go into the One-Eye-Portrait business.  Could be lucrative...

DRAWING OF ONE CAT EYE

I don't know if it is just that I am left handed, or what...I usually do the left side of the face or animal that I am  drawing. It is the first sketch that I do, before I continue into a more detailed and finished piece, or a painting.  I guess I am exploring the dimensions of the face, checking on the subject, and whether I want to continue with the project.  Maybe I am seriously needing therapy...

CONTOUR LINE: GIRL WITH GUITAR

My family is a musical one.  I learned to play the guitar at about the same age as this girl.  My nieces all play as well.  Music is the interpretation of the world around you, and I think we want to express that at a tender age.  I loved doing this contour line drawing as an interpretation of that love of music.

HERE'S A QUICK CONTOUR DRAWING OF FLIPFLOPS

I was inspired by the line of my flipflops today.  They aren't in proportion, but just a simple line drawing, in appreciation of the design and function.  I think they would make a great ink stamp for scrapbooking!

HOT PEPPER INKS

With summer comes the wonderful inspiration of the Farmers' Market!  I am able to find lots of drawing material with the seasonal veggies onhand.  I am allergic to everything, so don't spend a lot of time outdoors, nature lover though I am!  I admire it from AFAR! Anyway, I draw whatever I can get my hands on, and explore my world (and interpret it) through my art.  I suppose eventually I will have to dig deep into my psyche and emotionally interpret my peppers, work on a series of deep manifestations...but today I am a surface dweller!

PHEASANT INK DRAWING

Normally I use a basic cross hatching technique in my drawing, but today I decided to use a scribble style, especially for the funny texture of the pheasant cheeks.  I am enjoying the experimental feel of it...I don't know if you can actually tell it is a pheasant without the distinctive colors, but hubby knew what it was immediately...and I don't think that he cheated and peaked at my reference ahead of time!

PAINT CHIP DRAWING #2

 I did a few more paint chip drawings, and found that some pens don't work well on the slick texture.

 The wildflowers were nice, but they didn't have the same impact of the mushrooms.

I am planning on framing these tiny drawings sort of dimensionally...with spacers to raise them up from the matt board.  I hope it comes out like I am visualizing it!

DRAWING ON PAINT CHIPS

I spend a lot of time in the hardware store, for various reasons...and my favorite section is the paint swatch area. 

The colors are so inspiring, and I wanted to use them in some way.

 I had read in my "Draw Like Da Vinci" book that a good way to get the silverpoint drawing look was to take a paint chip and draw on it with a brass key.

I didn't have much luck with that, but started using a basic Pilot fine tip pen, and I am so pleased with the color background for my mushroom sketches!

TENNESSEE WILDFLOWER MANDALA

This mandala I chose to do for the colors.  When it is complete, I will have a wonderfully balanced piece with a variety of lights and darks, lots of color, and an enjoyable experience of the creation!  I worked especially hard on varying the lines, choosing flowers for their shapes, and movement.  I added background leaves for some, and took them away where I wanted the negative space.  I forgot about the meditational values, and I think that is where I succeeded...I lost myself in the project, and it became meditational in it's own right!  I can't wait to watercolor this one...

LEAF MANDALA

 I am continuing my nature mandala explorations, and this time divided my circle into 8 sections.  I also altered my paper to a slick, watercolor paper so that I can use some washes of greens and browns on this particular piece.  I also went just a bit more abstract, having read a bit more on the mandalas, and the process of adding structure and rhythm to it for the mindlessness of working, opening up the brain to allow thoughts to flow (yeah, I am trying to figure it out!  I really want to do this right!)  I did add a few shade lines with a Copic Cool Grey pen, just to add a bit of depth to the leaves.  I am looking forward to getting the color in!

LIZARD SKETCH

I enjoyed doing the linework here with this lizard.  I wanted to draw him with only a few indications of his scales, yet enough to show the elegance of his pattern and form.  I found his 'inner' ear a bit strange to draw, not really knowing the anatomy of it, so I will definitely be doing a bit of research to understand it better.  Isn't he cute?!

MUSHROOM MANDALA

The more difficult my life becomes, the harder I search for peace, serenity and a way to cope with it all.  I have been doing a few nature mandalas lately, and found a way that works for me. I used a 6" saucer and traced around it with a light pencil.  I then divided the circle into 6 sections, and started drawing in ink, the 6 different types of mushrooms that I like.  I then erased all of the pencil lines and started adding in simple details to distinguish the different mushrooms.  During the process, I made sure to have a 'safe' place to draw, with no interruptions, and concentrated on only positive thoughts (this is what they suggest you do when drawing any mandala).  I will complete the mandala in the next session when I find quiet time, and will be doing the color pencil work to give the mushrooms dimension.  They say that working inside a circle helps you to complete a thought, find balance and work through things.  I am sure it takes quite a bit of practice!  I have troubles just quieting my mind!  I will be doing more of these, though, simply because I LOVE CIRCLES!!!

MUSHROOM LOVE

I am so happy to do a mushroom drawing!  I love that it is earthy, it grows into all of it's flaws, splits and stains, and there is perfection in all of it's gills and growth lines! This was drawn with a Pilot Fine Tip Pen, and I did a lot of light line work to show the delicacy of a mushroom.

CHIPMUNK DRAWING

This is an Eastern Chipmunk.  I do not feel that I captured the essence of this little guy...something is missing from his eyes, and the angle is all wrong.  Just goes to show you, not all ideas work out well.  I will have to try again...

PINE NEEDLE WOVEN EDGE ON GOURD

And now for something completely different...I had started a few gourd creations last year, and did some wood burning on this particular one, with a bit of paint and leather dye.  I knew that it needed something special to finish of the top edge, and when I found a long needle pine tree, felt that was the route  to go.  Keep in mind, I have not done a lot of pine needle weaving (or any), so my edges aren't the most perfect!  I used waxed twine and a beading needle to work the edging.  I think it came out beautiful, especially with my constant sneezing throughout the process!  Well worth it. I plan on doubling up my allergy meds and doing some more of this!

HUMMINGBIRD SKETCH, INK AND PENCIL

We are getting less and less hummingbirds at our feeders every year.  I am always excited to do some 2 and 5 minute sketches of them in motion outside my window.  This one was very territorial, and hovered at the feeder a long time, taking breaks to drive my 2 cats nuts!  I started with a 5 minute sketch, and then expanded it in my studio, adding a few extra details, and coloring it in with watercolor pencils.

BEETLE BUG IN PENCIL

I discovered this beetle bug in an old insect identification book, and was amused by its' shape and expression.  It is true to form, but is comical to look at, and great fun to draw.  I can see turning this drawing into a children's book with fun characters!

BORED,BORED,BORED, SO I DREW AN EAR...

Yup, that's an ear.  An old man ear, with a bit of a droop to the lobe.  Possibility of hair growing out of it in the next year or two.  Yup, an ear...Ahhhh!  I need a life!

STAG BEETLE IN GRAPHITE

 

It has been so long since I worked just in graphite, and it is one of my favorite mediums, so I decided to get back with it.  This Stag Beetle was the perfect study, as it is a solid black insect.  I used 4 levels of hardness in the graphite, and really enjoyed trying to get some depth out of them.  I look forward to doing some more.

IMPRESSIONISM THE HARD WAY

I painted this particular impressionistic landscape while living in Great Falls, Montana.  They have a lovely park in the center of town, as well as a river running through.  I was taking a weekend art workshop, learning to paint impressionistically.  The first day was frustrating for me.  If you have perused my portfolio, you know by now that I am a detail oriented person.  Crisp and clear is what I like!  But I was trying to branch out and grow a bit.  So here I was, struggling with the entire concept of NOT painting details.  Obviously, my instructor was frustrated as well...with me!  By the second day, he stomped up to me and told me to 'unfocus'.  When I couldn't do that, he grabbed my glasses and walked off, saying "You will get your glasses back at the end of the day".  Well...I cannot see 4" in front of my face without glasses, so squinting at the garden, I began to paint what I saw.  Eureka!  No wonder Monet painted his waterlillies impressionistically!  He couldn't see the darn things!  Hence, 'impression'.   As you can see by the results, I got the concept and painted the garden.  Pretty good for a blind woman!  I am pleased with the results, and it taught me how to loosen up (at least for the backgrounds of my paintings).  I call this 'Braille Gardens', after my experience.  Hope you like it!

 

ARE YOU READY TO TAKE A COMMISSION?

TAKE A COMMISSION...ARE YOU NUTS?!

By taking a commission, you are promising to create someone else's vision.  Do you know how hard that is?!  To give you an example, hubby took a commission to carve wooden beads that look like specific foods for her toddler at $2 each.  Not much pay for all that work, but he thought it would be fun.  The client thought the broccoli looked too much like cauliflower, the cheese had too many holes and the T-bone should be a rib-eye.  She thought the egg was too oval, the apple too round and the milk cartons weren't one gallon ones.  AAAAH!!!!  The frustration of it all!  You have to be really skilled to crawl into someone else's mind and 'see' their vision.  And they don't realize how much work is involved with it.  They want it at Wal-Mart prices.  Being an artist is hard enough without having to be clairvoyant as well...

On the other hand, I did a commission piece just recently, and it was a wonderful experience to be able to bring to life that person's vision.  When they choose the right artist that already has a similar vision, it really works out well, and is satisfying for both parties.  If you choose Rembrandt to paint like Jackson Pollock, you are not going to be happy with the results.  If your patron wants something that is out of your realm of art, speak up...tell them it isn't a good fit, even if you really want to try to force yourself into their vision.  Otherwise, you will be unhappy, they will be unhappy, and your reputation will suffer. I had to turn down a commission recently because the person loved my wildlife art, but wanted a portrait.  I am VERY uncomfortable with painting people.  I am comfortable with wildlife, and I knew that no matter how hard I tried, we were both going to be unhappy with the results.  Instead, we came to a compromise...when she wants a portrait of her dog, I am ready!

TRIAL AND ERROR GETTING A GOOD DRAWING

 

In working on my contour lines, these are some of the many rejects for finished pieces.  I thought you might like to see that it is not always easy for the lines to come out properly.  90% of the time, they come out meandering and wayward, straggling about like a little lost soul.  I do a LOT of drawings to get the few that come out in a way that I like!