Zendala

 7 .75 in., Pigma Micron and misc. felt tip on Bristol smooth 

       This is the new thing in the Zentangle world.  It is adapted from the Indian mandalas.  Zentangle + Mandala= Zendala!    The traditional size for the official zentangle is about 3.5 inches (don’t quote me, it’s a guesstimate) but, I usually draw them a bit bigger.  These eyes don’t work as well as the use to, so I like to go as big as possible.  I think the Zendala is very ‘arty” and absolutely beautiful (IMO).  I think it’s because there is a certain order and uniformity to the Zendala  that really appeals to me.  I still like the traditional Zentangling, and still do them often.  I guess that’s all I have for now.  I hope everyone enjoys warm weather and sunny skies for the week-end.

Be Well and Happy!

   For the past month or two I’ve been playing with my pencils.  I’ve been doing exercises out of the books that I hate so much…lol  The drawings on the table are from the exercises in Gary Greene’s book, so this is as close as I dare photograph the artwork.  It’s only to prove that I have been doing something constructive.  It’s just too bad that the work belongs to Mr. Greene 😦     If it was actually mine, there’s about 2 weeks worth of posts, LOL

Also, I changed the looks of my blog.  It’s a big difference from my black and  It’s Psychedelic Baby!  So far I like it, even if it’s a little blinding.

I’m sorry,  but this is about as exciting as it gets around here lately.

Well, I hope everyone has a great Monday:)

Be Well and Happy!

Sheriff Graham/The Huntsman, shepherd, werewolf guy (?) from Once Upon A Time

played by Jamie Dornan

 Graphite on Bristol Smooth

       When Regina Mills (The evil queen)  took his heart out of that little box and squished it together I was P.O’d!  I’m not real happy about killing his character off, but I’m hoping somewhere in Storybrooke there is a wolf running around that’s actually Sheriff Graham…we’ll have to see.

      This is my  first male (grown)  portrait…yep,  finally did it and with a mustache and beard no less!  I’m very happy with how it turned out.  I drew his face first to full completion. I was upset that it didn’t look anything like him, but I pressed on and drew in his facial hair and there he is!  The facial hair was so easy and a nice surprise.  I just drew short little pencil strokes and followed the curve of the face.  Drawing facial hair is alot like drawing animal hair.  Just remember it’s thicker at the bottom, but you can see the skin beneath and sparse going into the face.  I think it is a great likeness, but of course my sister thought it was Ricky Martin.

I hope everyone enjoys some sunny skies this weekend!

Be Well and Happy!

Emma Swan from Once Upon A Time

 played by Jennifer Morrison

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

Well, it’s been a while since my last post, and I’m sorry.  We have been having a time here and most of it not a good time.  Mama went into the hospital with both arteries in her neck blocked and had to have emergency surgery.   Then two days after my mama came home my daddy had to go in for his heart.  Praise God both are fine and doing well!  But it got me thinking about my own health and since I found that there is cholesterol issues from both parents and my cholesterol is a tiny bit high.    So,  I’m going to try to do what I can.  Get into some better habits for me and Alana…poor thing she’ll be doomed too:(

      So I decided to cut down (not remove) the animal fats and strap myself to a pedometer walking 10,000 steps (at least) a day.  I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I do all or most of it at one time.  Last week I walked 26 miles.   I have more energy, my spirits feel lifted and mind doesn’t race at night.  *TMI ALERT:  My digestive system is the best its been since I was pregnant with Alana.  I guess my goal is just to move!  Get out and breath in the polluted air and skip the eggs and cheese , LOL

Now, on with the drawing….

This is another portrait from my favorite show, although Missing is trailing really close.   She wasn’t that extremely hard to draw. I had to give a few tries to the lip though.  I’ve never drawn dimples before and they were really easy. First,  I layered a bit of graphite in this ) shape and blended with a stump. Second,  I used a kneaded eraser and drug it down in this ) shape…thicker,  in front an over a bit to show the small roll in the skin.   (The light will hit the roll area first and the crease is the shadow) And third,  I layered a 4H over the entire area…Viola! You have dimples…  The blonde hair is another story!  I still need to work on that….

Be Well and Happy!

Well, it’s been a while since my last post.  I read somewhere from some blogging guru ( I guess) that you shouldn’t post without some kind of picture.  Well, since usually I’m one for following rules,  I had a perfectly fine mediocre drawing to post with my his and how are yas.  The key word in that sentence was had as in I don’t anymore.   You see, I drew the picture, painted the picture in colored pencil (no less), tidied up the picture, and then got out my can of fixative and sprayed the picture to knock off glare before I took a picture.  Well, in my mind that’s what transpired, but this is what happened.

I drew the picture, painted the picture in colored pencil (no less), tidied up the picture, and then got out my can of black spray paint and sprayed the picture to knock off glare and to remove the image before I took a picture.

I have no idea why I thought it would be a good idea to store black spray paint next to the fixative….. I’m a genius!

If you read this blog you will know that I struggle with color, and to spray black spray paint over my color work?  Oh, the horror!  Now, I’m too mad to draw anything else! I hope I will have something to post soon, and I hope it won’t be graffitied.

Be Well and Happy!

The Evil Queen/ Regina Mills from Once Upon A Time

played by Lana Parrille

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

       On Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. you can count on Alana and I watching Once Upon A Time.  It is one of my favorites even though not one of the main characters has had lived happily ever after so far.  I know, it is part of the curse but it is still very irritating.

     My favorite part of the drawing believe it or not is her hairline.  I was able to get those little baby hairs, and a very nice scale variation up and into where her hair thickens.  And the feathers are a close second.  I draw for people and I draw to learn (gotta a long way to go) But I rarely draw guilty pleasure pieces, and I hope to draw the entire main cast and hang them in my art room.  I have yet to draw a man and I think I’m intimated by all the whiskers….Do people actually put those in?

Be Well and Happy!

20 x 24 (ish)  Commission

Graphite on Bristol Board

   I finally founded the first commission that I did.  It was hidden well!   These dogs were fun to draw and had very different personalities.  The dog with the paw print was posthumous.  But the customer was very happy and displayed lots of tears too.  I love the way the little Yorkie in the top right has his ear sticking straight out.  David liked the Yorkie in the middle and said, “that he’s trouble.”  The Boxer mix in the bottom left had his ear been bitten off by the dog in the middle (poor thing)….but out of all of it, the hardest thing to draw was the pillow that the Jack Russell was laying on…oh my goodness that had me sweating!  I’ve typed before and I’ll type it again…I need to start drawing backgrounds!

   As far as recent work, I’ve been working on another weathered barn front and I’m gathering materials for a collage that I’m making for David.  The collage’s premise is Electrical engineering…. parts, schematics, cords and hopefully a machine or too.  I might do this as W.I.P. and if it works out I will post the results.  Welp, I guess that’s about it for me.

Be Well and Happy!