Category: Graphite

Still A W.I.P. . .

This drawing is really irritating me.  I wanted to try a different drawing technique to get more detail in drawing animals leaning more toward a hyper realism (can that be a real phrase) that is lacking in my drawings.  I guess want the strokes evident  close-up as well as far away.  Usually, when I draw I use my own technique which involves:  Stroke, Smudge, Smear, Squint and repeat.   Yes, I realize smudging and smearing is highly ridiculed and Yes, that’s just how I roll.  I do spend time drawing the fur on the neck following how the hair naturally grows.  But this drawing is causing quite a bit of stress because I’m completely lost.  I have so many graphite layers and not only is the portrait a little more than half finished I have also ran out of tooth on my paper.  I can probably spray a workable fixative  to finish the piece, but its looking no better than what I usually draw in half the time.   And the nose looks like it belongs on Mr. Potato Head.   This drawing has lost it’s romance with me and I think I need to move on to something else and add this to my best intention, to be determined pile.  I guess what works for some doesn’t work for others. 

  To change the subject completely….. I have been wondering how to respond to comments left on my blog.  Although I don’t get many, I like to show my thanks or someone will say something that I want to respond to.   I am going to follow suit and respond in my blog.  I’m just telling you first before it gets aired on Fox News tonight BAHAHAHAHAHA.

Be Well and Happy!

Did I do that?

As you have read we have been working on the house so we can put it up for sale.  It is taking a long time because aside from all the painting that I completed, the rest of the jobs are pretty big and I can’t do them alone.  David works out of town and we have to tackle the big jobs on weekends while David is home.  I am happy to report that the inside of the house is showroom ready.  So now it’s time to start on the outside.  The first order of business was to take down the pool.  We could have left it I guess, it is definitely a nice BIG pool that is only a couple of years old, but we thought it would put buyers off as a liability.  So that was on the list for this weekend.  First, I unscrewed the top caps and started to remove them.   I was very careful for fear I’d find a creepy crawly or a spider, but surprisingly they were really clean.  I said to myself, “piece of cake” and began just to zip them off.  Then I unscrewed the last one and it was full of straw and I saw something pink.  For some reason I thought to myself….SNAKE!!!!!…and I flung the cap across the yard!  Well, come to find out it was a bird nest with 5 baby birds and 3 of them were laying in the yard.  I felt terrible because I just knew that I had killed them.  Thank Goodness they were still alive.  Alana and I wrapped grocery bags around our hands and placed the babies back into the nest and put them in our flower bush.  I sure hope the mama finds them.

Here’s a picture of the babies.   They were moving all over the place…I hope that’s a good sign?

Here is their new home.

  I have been getting some drawing in, but it’s only a few little bits at time.  I am drawing the same Golden Retriever that I drew in colored pencil.  I think it will be awhile before I can get it done but here is my work in progress:

Be Well and Happy!

Bewitched….

Elizabeth Montgomery

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

     After taking a billion pictures, this was the best of the lot.  It’s very frustrating, but I didn’t want to let another day go by without a post.  I was able to sneak away and spend some QT with my drawing board.  It felt really good to lay down some graphite!  I really don’t know if this looks like Elizabeth Montgomery or not.  I like to think it does, but my sister thought it was Grace Kelly, but David knew exactly who it was  soooooo…. I’m not too insulted because both of them are pretty ladies and I mainly wanted to draw blonde hair so capturing facial features would be a bonus.   I still need to draw a man though…is there any beef cake any of you would like to see in graphite?

Be Well and Happy!

 

I turned 2 and I missed it….

Tigerlilly

Graphite on Duralar

     I can’t believe I missed my blogaversary!  I would smack myself but in all fairness it’s been a pretty crappy month.  I have had two family members pass away within weeks of each other  and  my little big girl is recuperating from a nasty cold and a double ear infection.    So thank goodness, I found this drawing in my computer that I could post on this belated occasion.   Drawing on duralar is like taking a chicken bone to a gun fight,   But hey! I did it, it looks ok and I’ll never have to do it again.

 I love my blog and I’m really blessed for my virtual artist friends and  family members for their love and support…then I would like to thank the Academy…(hee hee just kidding).    It means a lot that I can go to an artist’s blog and ask ,”Hey, could you tell me how you did that?”  And they tell me with no hesitation.  Another example is when I  bought this drawing book and I didn’t understand some of what author was trying to get across, so I emailed her.  She took time out of her busy schedule and she explained it to me again,  breaking the instruction down more for me. She didn’t have to and could have easily told me to shove off or buy another one of her books, but she didn’t.  It’s many many little things like that has kept me going for the last two years  and makes me want to keep going, keep drawing, and keep learning….  I hope one day that I will be able to pay it forward.   

 Thank you!

Be Well and Happy!

New Look and a Sad Dog

Dog

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

    First, We’ll talk about the dog.  He is the last portrait that I had hidden away from Christmas.  I wish I had something cute to share about him, but   I don’t know any of his history and  I didn’t even find out his name or the names of the owners.   I was asked to do the portrait and I drew it and there it is.  The only little tidbit I got was a he was a beloved member of the family and he had passed away.  The owners were very pleased  with the portrait though, which is always good news.

    Now my new look.  As you know,  I have wanted to change my banner and come up with a name for my blog.  So, I was completely ecstatic when Alana gave me Photoshop Elements 8 for Christmas.  I know my banner is too busy…I tried, but I could’nt get that background out.  So I decided that for now I will just leave well enough alone.   I would probably change it a hundred times anyway, even if I thought it was perfect.

Be Well and Happy!  

Jacob….

Jacob

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

     This is another portrait that I worked on that was a Christmas gift.  The original looks so much better than the image above, but at least you have an idea of what he looks like.  I was asked to draw two of him in the same pose.    Drawing people is still pretty scary for me….Sometimes they work out and most of the time they don’t.  So as I write that I am extremely proud of this portrait, it’s a huge understatement.   I still have a hard time with blonde hair  though, but I’ll worry about that another day.  

      I have been breaking in my new easel and painting like crazy!  Not that I have anything remotely nice enough or finished enough to show…but I am really having fun making a complete mess:)  So even though it may not be good for the eyes, it is definitely good for the soul.

Be Well and Happy! 

   

   

     

Khaki….

Khaki

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

   This portrait is of our childhood dog.  He was a sweet, loving dog and Genghis Khan of the neighborhood possibly fathering hundreds of  pups throughout the surrounding area.  He bears a very strong resemblance to this dog and most certainly could be Khaki’s granddoggie.  He was closer to my little sister than the rest of us and was she devastated when he left one afternoon and never returned home.  I  don’t know if he went away to die (he was really old), or he got shot, but we hoped that another family adopted him.  Anyway, my mom asked me to draw this for her for Christmas and of course I was more than happy to do it.   She loved it and I think it was her favorite gift!

Be Well and have a Happy New Year!

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 Colored Pencil on sketch

       Well, I guess this is my last  entry until after the holidays.  I haven’t completed any new artwork, so I am posting this candy cane that I drew and colored in with crayola colored pencils a long time ago.  This is one of my favorite sketches and is certainly relevant to the upcoming season.  I do have a few pieces of art that I will be able to share after the pieces get to their homes.   But other than that, I’ve been shopping, wrapping, baking.  Then I had to give Sam his Christmas shave.  I had to get him handsome so he could see his girlfriend…It’s true love…really!

The drawing on the top is Sam and the one on the bottom  is Shasta.   A beautiful couple huh?  NOT!

      I’m going home for Christmas  and as it turns out I will also there for my birthday on the 23rd.  I am sooooo excited.  I haven’t been able spend Christmas with my family  for the past couple of years so I can’t wait! Oh, and did I say that I was excited?  

    I guess that’s about it for now.  I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Christmas!

    

 

My IPod…

 

EDM #97 Draw a present you have received.  Why is it special?

Graphite and ink on sketch

David bought this for me a couple of years ago for Christmas and it is still a very special gift.  I always keep my IPod in my purse and whenever I’m bored or stuck in the car traveling  I am able to pull out this little piece of technology and I’m instantly entertained.  I guess I’m like a three-year old in that aspect and I always have to have something to do in a car or I will get really cranky.  Cars make me claustrophobic after a while and I have to take my mind off  of being in a metal box rolling at high speed.  I have lots of music, movies, games, books and a few photos that keeps me perfectly content for hours so it’s the coolest thing ever,  except maybe the ITouch….