Category: Graphite

November 10

This morning I decided to draw a Zentangle for AEDM (Art Every Day Month).  Being in this AEDM group has given me the opportunity to see some pretty diverse stuff by some pretty awesome artists.  I have to admit coming up with something to post everyday isn’t easy, but it’s a lot of fun seeing what everyone comes up with and I can’t wait to see more:)

 When I went to my art/craft room I had such a cute little surprise waiting for me.  It’s a little present from my one and only masterpiece.

 Have a great creative Wednesday!

Be Well and Happy!

November 8…

  

This is my contribution for today’s AEDM and  is just a snippet of a piece that I’m playing around with.  I don’t know if I will complete this because it’s  just an exercise in an effort to expand my graphite art work.  It’s a lot of fun to try different things, but unfortunantly it isn’t colorful enough to be exciting to anyone except me.  On top of that, this scan is so horrible and grainy and my camera skills are just as bad.  I wish I knew the secret of taking good graphite artwork pictures.  If you have the “key to the mint” could you please make me a copy?  I know it’s possible, but I haven’t the foggiest idea how to do it.  In all I have played with every setting on my camera and scanner, I’ve used fixitive to cut down the shine,  I have set up a white photography station with lights coming from the left to the right.  I’ve backlit the artwork, I got close as possible to take the picture as well as far away, I’ve used natural daylight indoors, and outside and taken the pictures with the art at an angle, straight up and down and laying flat…So what the heck is left?  GRRR…. okay, I’m finished now:)

Be Well and Happy!

November 5

     Today I added more detail and added to my rock collection.  I’m not too impressed and I think this is as far as I’m going.  I was drawing this in a sketch pad and I think the paper is just too rough.  I have tried with all my might to grow a love in sketch pads.  But I just can’t get over the texture of the paper. It’s a shame too, because I have lots of them in all kinds of sizes. …what a waste!  I think I may try to make my own sketch book with a smoother texture of paper…This is Art Every Day Month right? So anything is possible:)

  

Be Well and Happy!

November 4

     It is a bit overwhelming thinking about tonal values and different elements in drawing a landscape, so I decided to break it down in small pieces: sky, grass, trees, rocks, water and possibly architecture.  Since I’m still under the weather, I thought I’d start with rocks because they are so easy, right?  Wrong!  Rocks are extremely difficult to render and this little tad bit is about 4 hours drawing and shading and is nowhere near finished.  I think my reference was a little ambitious for me to start with, so I don’t know if I’m going to finish this or draw something a little simpler tomorrow.

Be Well and Happy! 

Black Lab….

Black Lab

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

   This is the latest drawing from my drawing board.  I like this little lab very much and it was alot of fun seeing how far I could push those darks. 

Well, I guess this post is going to be short and sweet.  

Be Well and Happy!

Alana’s Zentangle…

Zentangle

Ink/colored pencil/graphite  on Bristol smooth

     I made my daughter a happy camper Monday morning when I finished this for her.  She picked out the colors,  the patterns and kept watch to see how it was coming along.  She was a little disappointed when she went to bed Sunday night and her Zentangle wasn’t done.  So, I stayed up and finally completed it a little after midnight then I popped in a frame and put it on the counter. When she went to the kitchen that morning, she had her little surprise waiting for and I hope that it was a good start to her Monday. 

   I wish the image was a lot better, but I’m nothing if I’m not consistent, LOL… 

Be Well and Happy!

 

Vicki’s birthday gift…

Zentangle

(click on photo to enlarge)

Ink/Graphite on Bristol Smooth

      Oops…I had some perfectly good art work to post and I had forgotten all about it.  This piece measures about 10.75 inches in diameter and it has about 32-34  patterns in it.  I have wanted to draw a round one for a long time and when Vicki (my sister-in-law) asked for a Zentangle for her birthday, it gave my the perfect opportunity. I like the look of the bigger zentangles better than the smaller ones.  I think she liked it, I hope she did.

      While I was drawing the zentangle,  Alana sat with me every chance she got.  She would watch me draw and would ask me every little bit, “Can I have this?”  I had to keep telling her that this was for Vicki, but I did promise that the next one would be just for her.  So, today we went to Michael’s Arts and Crafts and picked out a frame and she even went through my pattern notebook and wrote down each little pattern that she wanted.   Umm, I wonder if she’ll make me sign off for each pattern to make sure it meets her specifications.  Nah, I like to see her get excited and it makes me feel good that she wants one:)

Well, I guess that’s about it for now,  Happy Labor Day Everybody!!!!

Be Well and Happy!

 

   

Another Golden…..

Jake

  photo by klricca at Wetcanvas

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

     I have to say the tongue was the most fun to draw on this one.  I guess it’s because I haven’t drawn many animals with the tongue out like that and it was something new.  I need to work on eyes more BUT  I am doing much better on noses and fur.  See, if you find one thing negative in your work make sure you find two positive things so you don’t feel so bad, heh.  I have a bunch of reference photos for dogs to work on, but I can’t seem to find more exotic animals to play around with or even the domesticated oddities that people choose for pets.  At least I have my doggies….

   Things have been pretty quiet here so far this week.  Alana is back home spending the week with my family and David is still working in Danville.  So it’s just been me and the dog.  After having a house full, being alone 24/7 is pretty hard to get accustomed to again and Sam (the dog) hates when things and people aren’t where they should be.  I think the Samoyed breed are herding dogs and some of Sam’s sheep are missing, lol…..  I guess that’s about it for now.

Be Well and Happy!

Retriever completed…

Retriever

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

      YAY!  I just knew that I wasn’t going to go back and finish this and it would get lost in my stacks of  TBFL (to be finished later).  But I did it and I’m very pleased.  I’ve been drawing with a 2b mechanical pencil and use a 4b for my darkest blacks.  This time I went back to my few months of art training and used 4H, 2H, H, HB, B, 2B, and 4B.  I really don’t see much difference between this portrait and any other portrait that I’ve drawn, except maybe an increase in the total of hours.  I’ve never timed myself, so I really can’t say for sure how long a portrait takes to draw as I only draw in 1 – 2 hour sessions with plenty of stops in those sessions.  In the future I may just have to time myself. 

    I’ve been researching tutorials on acrylic painting.  I think the internet is both a blessing and a curse.  Sure you can find whatever information you need, but there is A LOT of it and A LOT different opinions on techniques.  Each artist claiming to be the top authority.  It’s kind of overwhelming, but I had obvious problems that need to be reconciled before I develop a bad habit and they are:  

1.)   I get lost in color choices, and I often times wonder why an artist chooses a particular yellow over the 50 other yellows. 

2.)  Warms and Cools are irritating me also.  I mean, I  know the obvious Red-Warm and Blue-Cool, but there are also the not so obvious…like a cool red or a warm blue?  Seriously? 

3.)  Strokes.  I had no idea that this was a method to madness type of thing.  I thought you just slapped paint on the canvas  the best way you could. That’s the way I did it anyway…who knew?

      I found two tutorials on Jerry’s Artarama website by Dick Ensing that I found very interesting.  I just may incorporate his palette technique.   If I were a wealthy woman, I would most definintely fly out to take one of his workshops.  He is just an awesome artist!  On the tutorial he shows you how to make beautiful grays without being muddy,  intensify colors, color complements and how to adjust your mixes properly.  I’m sure it would work with any medium you choose.  You’ll have to scroll down from the website  for the videos, because I couldn’t upload the video to my blog.  

 Dick Ensing – Color Intensity

Dick Ensing – Color Wheel

 I really wish I could’ve uploaded these videos…both together are less than 15 minutes and I promise you that it’s worth watching.

Be Well and Happy!

Zentangle

        This Zentangle is bigger than I what I’ve been drawing and I am a little bit rusty.  My intention was to draw Zentangles more often, but like everything else…didn’t happen.  BUT with this Zentangle I think I may have too many conflicting patterns and it looks a little heavy on the left side.  I really don’t have a clue what  the Zen Guru’s have to say about this, because I’m self-taught and I really didn’t think that a Zentangle COULD actually be messed up.  Who knows….It was therapeutic and I guess that what counts, right?

   Well, that’s about all I have for now….Have a fun and safe July 4th!

 

 

 

 

Be Well and Happy!