Repurposed

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This new expressive line technique seems so perfect for reinterpreting some of my past sketches. It’s difficult for me to draw the same thing again…even though I feel like that is probably a good approach for refining work. But, I tend not to want to do it. I stumbled onto this idea while looking for a way to “try” out the line technique and have discovered a way to explore the previous sketch in a new way.

I liked the way this turned out, I might try a few more in different color combinations and on different paper stocks. This linen type paper seems to work very well, gives some nice “bleeding” effects.

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.

Spirograph Break

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I have been doing spirographs in EVERYTHING! Time to maybe take a break. They don’t work everywhere. Now that I am getting the hang of them (the spirographs) I need to be more judicious with their use. I tried to do another Cala Lily, but it feel short of my expectations, so I moved on to Darwin’s Orchid. I love the shape of this orchid. Memories of Kauai and the botanical garden.

Flower Break

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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.

Cala Lily Blues No. 3

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I wonder if I have another one of these in me! I am going to try and do two more…a series of 5. Then, I will step back and analyze them and maybe do a couple over. I like using the casein in combination of controlled dots and spatter. I think I will explore how to integrate those better. More controlled “dots”. This piece started with an ink color wash…gives it a different look and thinner ground. I haven’t decided whether to try that again or not.

Cala Lily Blues No. 2

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I was thinking I would do a few orchids, but I have gotten side tracked with the Cala Lily. I think I like the shapes better. The reference photo that I used for this was not super great, but the shapes were all there. I did a pre-painting sketch…something I rarely do these days. I think it’s a good idea. Gets your hand moving and you can think about where you really want things. In the final piece I notice now that I didn’t listen to all my sketch comments! I do think I might add some yellow spatter to the lower right area…maybe even a little yellow spatter onto the petal. I wanted the light to travel around from the top left to lower right…I might have to do this one again.

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After the Challenge

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Well, I was able to do 13 or 14 paintings of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I knew it would be near impossible to get one done everyday. But, I still feel good about it–the challenge kept me motivated and I did more work than I would have done if the challenge hadn’t been there for me.

I had a very nice time in Kauai and captured (by photo) a lot of flowers for future inspiration. I am going to stick with the spirographs for a little while. I like them peeking though the background into the foreground. And, I like the yellow! I think sticking with yellow as well as the spirograph give the work some consistency. The addition of the yellow ochre warms things up a bit, I like that. I am going to concentrate on the flowers for a little while.

Sketchbook Skool is back in session. I am having some difficulty keeping up. I still need to work on two homework assignments: A little illustrated accordion style book about myself and an infographic! Traveling always makes a class difficult–but in addition to that the week we returned home my father in-law passed away. A very sad time for our family.

Day 28

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Plumeria are not only beautiful, they smell delicious. The simple shapes are deceivingly difficult to capture. I love the smallest little veins in the petals that go in all directions defining the petal. The variation in these flowers is so nice. A simple shape that says Aloha.

I was going to do the hibiscus, but somehow the plumeria called me away.

Day 27

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I just realized that yesterdays painting was really a departure! I added color to the main image! Today I have returned to just graphite over my background. It’s whale watching season here in Hawaii. It’s wonderful to watch them breaching from the shore. I am hopeful that we will do a boat ride and get a little closer to them.

Botanical gardens are next.

Day Seventeen

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Dreaming of Gecko’s! Packing for my trip to Kauai has me day dreaming about Gecko’s. I love these little guys. This one isn’t really well proportioned, but he was fun to draw. Day 17 done, onto some grounds to get me going for the next few days. #30paintingsin30days!

Sketchbook Skool ‪#‎sbsexpressing‬ is in session, good Klass on lettering this week. I don’t add a lot of lettering to my journal pages. I have never really liked my own handwriting, and even with a graphic design background I was never really into drawing type. But, this was a nice push into trying something new, I think I will consider adding more lettering in the future.

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