Category: Uncategorized

Beamer…

BeamerBeamer

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

     I guess summer is officially over now as today is Alana’s first day back to school.  It makes me a little sad and lonesome.  We had a fun time together even though her idea of learning to draw was to color drawings that I completed! She’s a slick one!  I hope she has a great year!  Well, enough of being melancholy, on with the drawing!

   This is Beamer the dachshund.  I have never met a more camera-shy dog in my entire life.  Beamer would be playing along happy go lucky then when the camera came out the only shots that I could get were of his backside!   I didn’t use a flash, so couldn’t have been the light.  This was a really strange situation  because even though I ended up with this shot, there was a lot of unnecessary stress that was put on the dog by me.  I don’t like that.   I really don’t know what to do if this comes up again, maybe I could let the dog sniff my camera  or something… Beamer is a sweet loving little dog.  What if I get a big, not so sweet, not so loving dog who is as camera-shy.  I don’t want to get my arm taken off to the shoulder!  Maybe I should talk to the vet when I bring Sam in for his shots.  Better to be safe than sorry.  

  Thank you Beamer’s Dad and Sorry about that Beamer!

Finished!!!!

SANY0002

Bird of Paradise

Acrylic on 7 x 9 Canvas Panel

     Wow, this took a while but I am very pleased how it turned out.  I used thin washes, so there are many many layers to this piece.  Using thin washes is time consuming, but it adds a lot of depth.    AND  I didn’t have any trouble mixing color which was a great surprise.  I do need to work on blending and I  need lots of practise with brush strokes.   I’m still very excited that I finshed it!  I am going to live with this for a couple of days before I varnish it just in case I want to change something, but I am calling this done and I’m ready to move on to something else.

      I wish I had some words of wisdom for painting in acrylics, but this medium is still  foreign to me.  The only thing I can say is just to paint and if you mess up just throw on some gesso and try it again!  

 

Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!!!!!

  

 

Back to Normal…

Zentangle 8-09-2009Zentangle  8-9-2009

Pigma Micron Pen and Graphite in small derwent journal

  This little Zentangle is the only thing I have completed since my last post.   I haven’t had much time for art with my niece in from Bassett.  To tell you the truth I spent most of my time in the kitchen.  The girls were hungry 24/7.  Then Friday Alana had a slumber party that lasted until Sunday morning.  We went to VA. Beach Satuday.  It was really hot and the water was ice cold…It was kinda wierd.  Oh, and while the girls were playing in the ocean, three dolphins were playing in the water about 20 to 30 feet from them!  And me, as usual, without my camera!   I feel certain that when the girls got home they were good and tired.  I know I was, and still am!

     I still have an itch to paint though.  The library books were horrible and of no use… (the poor trees that died for that garbage)  Like always, I guess I’m going to have to do it the hard way. 

      David leaves tomorrow and won’t be back home until Tuesday.  I hate it when he goes out of town, but I am going to use this time to my advantage.  First, I’m going to get him to fix my easel and then I’m going to drag out every brush, canvas, every bottle of paint that I have, throw it on the kitchen table and paint until I come up with something.   Sound like a plan?

It’s Friday…

Zentangle 7-30 Zentangle 7-30-2009

Pigma Micron and graphite in derwent small journal

  This is another Zentangle that I threw together while watching TV.   It’s a little odd looking but who cares:)

Nothing goin’ on this week really, except for cleaning out somethings.  I did go to the library and checked out a few books on Acrylic painting and one on abstract landscapes that I am really excited to dive into.  But we’ll see.  Abstract is on my “Art Bucket List” so I will atleast have to try it again (the right way) instead of this way and this way.

We are picking Alana up Sunday, and I’m pretty excited.  I miss the little thing terribly!  My Grandma use to tell me that the reason I had her was to have somebody to play with and I’m starting think she knew what she was talking about.  I’m sure she had a great time.  We will have Somer next week, so I don’t know how much time I have for art, but it will be a good time none the less.

Have a great weekend!

No Art Just News….

scan0001  For the last couple of days I have been cleaning out closets and such, and by the time I am able to sit down and draw I’m too tired….  But I do have a couple of things to share.

   My nephew Richie has had some local fame this week when  a reporter was gushing over his “mad skills”  on the skateboard and was put in Sunday’s paper.  He’s the one on the left about 10 feet in the air.  The boy has no fear what so ever and thankfully hasn’t broken anything (knock on veneer).  

    The other news is that my Everyday Matters  drawing group (based on the books by Danny Gregory) has it’s own super blog.  I think it’s a pretty neat.  Anyone can see art from artists all over collected in one blog.  It is definitely worth a look see.  Clicking  the words in bold above or clicking on my pear badge on the bottom right will take you right to it.   Seriously….grab a cup of something, sit in a comfy chair and browse…

A Zen Weekend…

Zentangle 1 Zentangle I

Pigma Micron in Derwent small journal

(Click on the images to enlarge them)

   I came across the Zentangle about a year ago from a twelve year old artist’s blog.  I wish I could remember her blog because she has some outstanding Zentangle artwork.  The Zentangle has been on my “Art Bucket List” and now I can mark it off (yay me). 

    The only way that I can explain it is that it sort of  like doodling with  purpose, and  you have no idea of the outcome.  Well, that’s not exactly true you are guaranteed not to mess it up.  Beware though, they are extremely addictive.  The supplies needed to create your own Zentangle is smooth card stock, and a fine felt tip pen and a pencil if you want for shading.  The directions are fairly simple make a shape fill in with squiggles and fill them in with doodles.

Zentangle 2

If you want your zentangle as a keepsake,  I recommend acid free  paper and use archival ink to keep the paper from turning yellow and your ink from fading.   The second Zentangle was drawn while traveling to Farmville to celebrate the birthday of David’s Mom and Aunt.  Sadly, David’s Aunt and her husband couldn’t make it, but just about the whole family was there.  We had such a good time visiting with the family.   It was just a feel good kind of day and I really hope we can have times like that more often.  

GetAttachment[3]This is a photo of the family.  Thank goodness Vicki had brought her camera and tripod.  Thank You Vicki, for the pictures!  I brought my camera but only took one picture.  Now how pitiful is that!  I should be ashamed of myself because I was too busy running my mouth. lol 

After the party, we drove to South Boston to meet up with my brother and his wife to drop off Alana for a week so she could spend some time with her cousin Somer.  Then we will meet up again and Somer will stay with us for a week.  The traveling is a pain, but a promise is a promise. 

The weekend ended with swimming, dinner off the grill and a movie.   It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Well, for now that’s about it.  I’m sorry this post is rather long winded, but I thought I’d share my Zen Weekend.

Elizabeth Taylor…

Elizabeth Taylor

It is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.  –Elizabeth Taylor
Graphite on Bristol Smooth
 
      Well, here is another portrait.  I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to draw people.   I’m actually drawing eyes, a nose, a mouth and it actually looks like eyes, a nose and a mouth!  And I’m crushin’ on that hair!   It isn’t as black as I would like but the tooth of my paper would not hold anymore graphite.  
    The drawing is a little different from the head shot photo.  In the photo she seemed to be leaning against a curtain with some kinda cord that was in her eye line.  I thought that it competed with her eyes and drew attention away from her long lashes.  The curtain was blurred out but so were her hands so I drew in darker fabric and brought her hand out a little.    I think she is just so beautiful.  I just hope I did her beauty justice.

Marilyn Monroe…

 Marilyn Monroe

Hollywood is a place where they will pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.  -Marilyn Monroe

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

EDM #151 Free Choice

 Well, this is my third  portrait…All I’ll say is that I got a lot to learn, but I’m getting better (hopefully).  I love drawing hair, but drawing blond hair is pretty hard to pull off.  It may not look exactly like her but it was a good learning experience so I’m not going to be too hard on myself.  Drawing celebrities is intimating because everyone knows what the drawing is suppose to look like, but they sure are a lot of fun.  I can see why a lot of artists draw them.   I wonder who I’ll draw next?  

Our Anniversary….

David and Carol

    Today is our 14th wedding anniversary.  I would say it’s hard to believe that we’ve been married that long, but if you figure in that we’ve been together off and on since 1986 it’s about right..lol.   We don’t really have anything planned except maybe getting something to eat tonight.  Which is fine by me….at least I don’t have to cook..YIPEE!!!

    Today would be perfect except for the fact that my nephew is signing himself over to Uncle Sam today.  I have mixed feelings, because I feel the experience will enrich his life but at the same time I will fear for it.  It is something he really wants and considering his mom was is in the Army and his Dad retired from the Army I should have expected it.  Well, at least I won’t have to worry about it until he graduates  or is it I’ll have til he graduates to worry about it.   

Well, enough about that… we can’t keep kids from growing up and it’s my anniversary I’m off to enjoy my night with my hubby!