Goofing Off Today

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Goofing off with new art supplies

Goofing off with new art supplies

Totally goofing off today. Started with some warm up sketches and then decided to do something using all the new materials that came in my #ArtSnacks box. All these materials are great, but they don’t necessarily work together. I will try to get back to my Jack-in-the-pulpit painting tomorrow.

The sailing vacation was a lot of fun, but I found that I didn’t do much drawing. I wanted to draw, but there was so much going on all the time–I felt distracted. John says that I was just out of my element. I took a lot of photos and I have some good reference material for some drawings and paintings from the trip.

No more time off until the fall. Drawing and painting on the weekends though. Summer in Maine seems to have arrived–we are having some beautiful weather.

Captured with my iPad. Lucky shot!

Captured with my iPad. Lucky shot!

Sneaking a sketch in

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Quick study: watercolor and fountain pen

Quick study: watercolor and fountain pen

This weekend was super busy. We are planning on a sailing trip over the fourth of July holiday, so lots to do to get ready for. I plan on doing a lot of drawing during this trip…so I am trying not to feel sad that I didn’t get to draw or paint this weekend. Oh, wait, that isn’t entirely true, I just finished this quick sketch which made me late cooking dinner! This was drawn from a photo I took on a Maine island last fourth of July.

Looking forward to a sail in just a few days!

Time and discipline

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Acrylic: 18"x24" in progress

Acrylic: 18″x24″ in progress

So, I think I might be over ambitious. I had such good intentions two weeks ago to get a bunch of stuff finished…I am not sure why I feel the need to hurry anyway. I am going to try very hard though not to start anything new until I finish the Jack-in-the-pulpit painting. I am still working on my beetle bug and of course sketching as much as I can. I feel like I have abandoned my shell painting–I am just not that happy with it. Of course I can go back to it at any time.

I feel like I need to give my self permission to move on when a project is feeling good. But, on the other hand sometimes when I push through and just get it done it all works out! And, time or the lack of is probably my most frustrating problem. Time in is what I want. I am just going to have to be happier with the time I get to work on my art projects, enjoy it while it happens.

I am missing the bug drawing. Now that the days are longer, I need to plan to get into the art shed after my day job–discipline.

Warm-up sketch: watercolor pencil

Warm-up sketch: watercolor pencil

Multiple Projects

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Ball point pen study

Ball point pen study

Time to get something finished! Before I am done anything it seems like I am already on to something new. There is an energy and excitement that draws me over to a new project, but I need to discipline myself to go back and finish the ones I have started. So, today, new painting of a Jack-in-the Pulpit (inspiration for painting is the sketch). The ground is done and ready for the subject. This is huge in terms of scale for me…18″ x 24″, yikes!

Also on the agenda, finish the bug and finish the shell. This should keep me busy. Hopefully I won’t get distracted and start anything else!

ground for jack-the-pulpit painting

ground for jack-the-pulpit painting

New Materials

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In progress: acrylic paint and acrylic markers

In progress: acrylic paint and acrylic markers

I never thought I would really like acrylic paint. And, I never really expected that traditional art supplies would really evolve…but they have! After doing the mermaid painting, I realized that painting can be fun…it may not be my media in the end, but it is fun. Somehow I stumbled onto Acrylic markers. These things are super cool, they allow you to “draw” on canvas or wood panels. It’s just a little more comfortable for me, as painting does not come naturally. I am looking forward to learning how to use these and combining them with a brush. I am going to to work on a bug series.

Shells & Bugs

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Acrylic Painting in progress

Acrylic Painting in progress

I think that the bugs are here to stay. They are so much fun, on regular paper, on my Paper 53 app on my iPad…super fun. Why is that?

Just getting back front the beach I have the beach on my mind. After trying the mermaid, I thought I would try a shell in acrylic. Still not sure this medium is for me…but it is quick. I think I will try a little oil painting (I have the kind that work with water) tomorrow. Good to try new things. After that I am going back to watercolor and ink pen. And, of course I will continue to experiment with the Paper 53 app.

Ladybug: Paper 53 app on iPad

Ladybug: Paper 53 app on iPad

Mermaids & Bugs

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Fountain pen (light blue) and sepia ink pen with watercolor pencil

Fountain pen (light blue) and sepia ink pen with watercolor pencil

I really love drawing the bugs. It seems kind of weird, but I like them. I have been looking for a piece to go in our bathroom–and specifically I want something beachy and thought a mermaid would be fun. After looking around I have decided to try and paint it myself. So, even though the painting will be pretty primitive, I am doing some studies. Stretched canvas is pretty inexpensive and readily available, so I have decided to use canvas. That means subjecting myself to acrylic paint–generally not my choice of medium. So, it’s an exploration piece and I am trying to just have fun with it and not get too caught up in the end result. After all, it’s going to be acrylic to I can paint over it if it turns out awful.

Mermaid study for larger painting

Mermaid study for larger painting

Paper 53 App

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Gerber Daisy: drawn with the pen tool in the iPad app Paper 53

Gerber Daisy: drawn with the pen tool in the iPad app Paper 53

Leave it to #sketchbookskool to open up another medium for exploration. I have had the Paper 53 app on my iPad for a long time. I have never used it, until yesterday! It’s AWESOME!!!! No doubt it is going to take some getting used to, but it is super cool. I am really surprised how nice the pen and pencil tools are. I am using a cheap stylus that isn’t great, but good enough for some experiments. I ordered the Paper 53 stylus in hopes that it will prove easier to use. I am really excited about the possibilities for this new way of sketching.

The pros: 

  • The iPad is always with me
  • Endless color options
  • No need for new supplies
  • Quality reproduction

The Cons:

  • Results are not the same as working on different paper surfaces
  • Spontaneity of splashy unexpected, unplanned color can’t really be achieved

Overall, I am really excited about using this app for different sketchbooks. I have created one for “Learning”, “Bugs” and one just for “Sketches”.

I am also working on the Every Day in May Facebook Group Challenge. Basically just a drawing a day using the prompts from the group. Hopefully I can keep up. May 1 was your favorite food, I couldn’t get the entire image on the scanner–but the eggplant turned out okay. It was delicious roasted for supper. Today May 3 is curtains. Of which I have none in the house, so I will have to figure that one out.

Water-soluble crayon, black & white sharpie

Water-soluble crayon, black & white sharpie

Big Heads

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Fountain pen and water-soluble crayon

Fountain pen and water-soluble crayon

I am now two weeks in to #sketchbookskool #stretching class. Great to be back in class again! The time is already flying by. This second week I skipped over the blind contour and went straight to drawing big heads. It’s harder than one would think! I need to try this assignment again with a live subject. Reggie the boxer was hanging out at Java Joe’s coffee shop in Sugarloaf, he was a great looking guy–so I snapped his photo. The drawing is kind of wonky and I think that I will re-do his tag, but he was super fun to draw.

The think I like most about this assignment was the feeling of freedom from changing the proportions. Figures can be so intimidating…and changing proportions somehow takes some of the fear out of the drawing.

Winged Creatures

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Sepia Pitt Pen, Water-soluble Crayon, White Sharpie

Sepia Pitt Pen, Water-soluble Crayon, White Sharpie

I think I have found a use for the white Sharpie that has been so frustrating for me to use! Wings! I kind of stumbled onto this subject matter…I don’t really like winged ants…but I thought the shapes were fun and the wings were pretty. The sharpie seemed to work well on top of the water-soluble crayon background on my tinted strathmore paper. Maybe I have found my next encaustic series! Winged creatures! It’s just about time to get back to the wax.

So, my plan is to do a bunch of these winged creature sketches that will turn into encaustic panels. Hopefully I can make that work out.