Face and Hands

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facewithhand

This face was from three days ago (I have missed a couple of days). The challenge for #sktchy was to do hands. I figured that I would start conservatively with one hand! Hands are wicked hard. Great challenge though, and I will definitely start looking for more faces with hands in order to get better at this. #WAXHandy.

This week my goal is to work on faces that are more simplified…this is just based on more limited time available on my part. I think it’s a good challenge for me to try and capture a face with character…with less detail.

Boy With Hat

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littleboywhat

Yesterday’s face! I can’t get away from the “red cheeks” idea from #sketchbookskool yet. It seems like every face I do is begging for a little cheek color. I imagine I will wander away from that eventually.

I am trying to do the face a day as a warm up to my day. Also working on a few painting projects. My vacation time is coming to a close in a couple of days, so all the sudden I am in an art project frenzy of trying to finish things up!  And, trying to have a little fun on the side with some mermaid doodles.

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Today and Yesterday

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heartredcheeks

So far I am keeping up with my goal of a face a day. It’s a challenge for sure!

Really good for practice, and even when I don’t feel like face drawing I am forcing myself to be disciplined and do it anyway. I would like to get to the point where I feel like I can really take more liberty and make better characters.

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Faces

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I think I will stick with faces for awhile. The #sktchyapp is great motivation and there are so many expressions to choose from. I have always felt that drawing people was somewhat intimidating…so it seems like trying to draw a face a day might be a good way to get over that! Trying to stick with using my ballpoint pen.

New App

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I am really loving this new app that I discovered through #sketchbookskool. This is an iPhone app called #sktchy that the users can upload photos to and then anyone can draw them and then upload the drawings. Great way to find some interesting faces and connect with other artist. Drawing faces is a huge challenge for me. I am having fun finding some good expressions. I am going to try and do one a day…that should help me improve!

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Back to the ballpoint

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I am finally getting back to a little #sketchbookskool mini assignment. Quick drawings of dogs. I have a bunch of reference photos sent by friends that I am using to do some “quick” drawings. The Boston Terrier was under 15 minutes–the other one was closer to 30 minutes. I love starting these with no guidelines, just the pen. Forces you to really look and to commit! Super fun to draw dogs! Especially your friends dogs!

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Line Expressions

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It’s been a marathon weekend of #sketchbookskool catch up! I got through my last 3 weeks in two days. However, I am still shy of the last weeks homework assignment. The last week is to sketch a “tiny adventure”. Unfortunately, I have run out of time for even the tiniest of adventures, so this assignment will have to wait a few days.

This particular session has really been my favorite one so far, lots of good ideas to carry forward in sketchbooks and finished work. I was kind of suspicious of Penny Dullaghan’s lessons at first…somehow I just didn’t think that they were for me exactly. But, I was WRONG!!! She gave 3 different lessons on how to achieve some interesting line work…creating ways where you have no choice to let the technique dictate the result (to some degree). I only tried one, but I love it. I plan on trying the others as well. I changed it up a bit…but the end result worked out really nicely.

So, this piece was created by slathering some water mixable oil paint onto a plain piece of paper and then placing my “sketchbook” paper on top, and then drawing right on top with an old dental instrument (she used a screw driver). When you pull it up, you have “transferred” the oil paint to the paper, but it reveals your line drawing (and some smudges that work nicely too). I then went back over it with some watercolor and colored pencil. I think this will be a fun way to revive some of my older sketches and turn them into something different.

Flower Break

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weaselfinal

I was sitting at my dining room table, daydreaming, and out of the corner of my eye a flash of white went by. I stood up and looked down and the cutest little thing was looking up at me! All white with a little bit of sable round his or her head…looked like a miniature mink! And, then gone, quick under the porch! No more than about 5 feet away, so I was able to get a good look–I don’t think this little thing was more than 6″ long. Never have I seen such a creature in my backyard. After some googling I have decided this little cutie is a weasel. I have since learned from many friends that they are nasty little creatures. But, I still sticking with cute!

Fun to have a little visit in the morning inspire a drawing.

Watercolor & Graphite

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The days are flying by! I am working on some oil paint studies, some are working, some not so much. But, I am learning and gaining experience. This is such a busy time of year with the holidays…I find that setting up for oil painting is a little harder to manage.

The great thing about watercolor pencils and graphite is they easily go anywhere. I have been doing the water color grounds first and then drawing on top. Sitting in the living room in a cozy chair with my journal and pencil allows me to visit with folks coming in and out of the house.

After tomorrow I have a few days off, hope to get back to oil painting.

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Like Butter!

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quick study: R&F paint sticks on paper

quick study: R&F paint sticks on paper

So, the quick small study reveals that R&F oil paint sticks are super buttery! Which, in some cases will be exactly what I want. It makes them more difficult to work with on a small scale. The next experiment will be on a larger scale…maybe 9x12ish. I need a broader range of colors in these paints–and I probably should do a little color mixing with them to see what colors I can make. These paints will work very nice using a brush I think.

Next up to try will be the Windsor Newton Oil bars!