Animal #30

30 Animals in January

Animal #7

30 Animals in January

Musing on Drawing Portraits

I've been doing some drawings lately, focusing on eyes (pun intended) right now. It's a good exercise, examining the details of the eye, but it's in service to a greater goal. I'm enjoying life sized, detailed eyes, but extremely realistic drawing isn't really my goal.

A friend linked me to some pencil drawings that show every hair and pore, which honestly didn't appeal to me, as much as the skill was astounding, but it got me thinking about what kind of drawing I'd like to produce. What is my goal? I asked myself how I would like to draw. Could I find some samples of the sort of thing I'd like to do?

That set me on the trail looking for pencil portraits that I admire. Emulation is the sincerest form of flattery, you know. (Notice I didn't say imitation.) If a Google search on the topic is any indicator, those hair and pore portraits are most admired and in vogue, but I have something different in mind. It's a visual thought, and not one I can express very well at the moment, so I'm looking for things that bear a certain aspect that inspires me. Below I've placed a few examples that provoke my thoughts.

(By the way, you can do a right-click Google image search on any of these to find the source, if you happen to be using Chrome, as I am. They're all easily found.)

Raphael

Britta Noresten

Britta Noresten

Slmdanc3r

Let's start with Raphael. Whether this example is pencil, graphite, or silverpoint really matters little to me. I admire the soft shading and varied tones. The line work is in service to the values. There is such a delicacy to the touch, even in the boldest areas.

Both of the Britta Noresten portraits utilize value to make form. There's mark making in each, letting me know an artist's hand touched these.

And the last one, by an artist who only identified himself as Slmdanc3r, pleases me for all these same reasons. I notice he's added white into the mix. The background is what pleases me here, especially where he lets the arm merge into it.

All of the backgrounds interest me, for they're often the place where the hand of the artist shows most. From the face outward, there's a looser and looser touch. I like that. Yet the ground is not incidental or unconsidered.

After looking at these and analyzing things, I see that value, texture, mark making, and touch matter to me.

Artwork in April

Sometimes life just gets so full of mundane needs that it drives out creative time. Mine isn't entirely devoid of art, just thinly applied and sparsely done.

***

First, here's a small painting I did one Saturday. It was fun to revisit this familiar scene of the mountains in my old hometown, Albuquerque. I can see that it's becoming a softer memory now, but that's how it has to be. We've been away for 20 months.

It was painted in my little 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine, using gouache, of course.

***

More typical of Amherst, NY, where I now live, is this gouache painting, done in my 5" x 7" sketchbook. During the first couple of months we lived here we walked at Amherst State Park. It was lush, late summer, with so much greenery and mysterious (to me) flowers layered on top of one another. I took a lot of photos, but this is the first one I've even tried to paint. I should do some more.

Sometimes you just have to splash around and see how it looks.

***

I could use a bit more real practice with my gouache, but most of the time drawing wins since I don't have to monopolize our dining room table to do it. At Easter I made some illustrations of Psalm 23, using sheep an online acquaintance shows in his videos. (Enjoy the Shepherd - Ray Carman, on Facebook.)

***

And recently I posted a video in my Facebook group called How to Draw Eyes - Structure by Proko. I decided to practice drawing eyes myself, since they are fun to do. In the 5" x 7" sketchbook using a 0.7 Bic mechanical pencil and my kneaded eraser.

I know eyes come in pairs, but it's easier to do one than both. All that matchy-matchy stuff is such a problem. (grin)

Oh, and if you want to be encouraged, check out our Facebook group, ENCOURAGING ART, and see if you want to join in. There are only a few of us there and we post art and ideas and share and encourage one another, without critiquing, unless someone wants it.

***

I'll try to post a few things here from time to time, but there isn't a lot of art going on right now. God is good, and I know what I'm called to do is more important than painting. That satisfies me, but every once in a while it is really relaxing to just move paint or pencil around, you know?

2016

I always feel like I should start something new in January. I'm resisting that feeling and continuing this blog, rather than launch another new one. I have way too many blogs already!

Here are a few things I'm working on right now.



A new journal has inspired this drawing. See, this idea of new things is quite compelling. I bought it from a missionary to China who visited our church. A paraplegic Chinese man makes them to support himself. I have no idea what kind of paper it is, but it's quite thin, has a fine tooth, and erases beautifully. It's 5.25 x 7.25". I figured I could practice in it, since I haven't been doing much drawing recently. I'm using an old #2 pencil and my kneaded eraser. A recent photo of my granddaughter provided the subject matter. Not a ringer for her, but getting there.





This is an odd point of view, but a painting that's dear to my heart. My son's dog died last year and this was the last picture taken of him. Such a character, he would often be found snuggled up to my son. Inverted on his lap...of course. I'm working on some PastelMat, which is extremely absorptive paper. I think I may just use this one as practice and do another one on watercolor paper. Of course, all you're seeing here is the ugly stage, the first hour of slopping gouache onto the paper. But I like the start, so we'll see where it goes. It's about 9.5" x 8.5" now, but I intend to crop it down.





Another one in the Chinese journal, just playing with a view of my old home town, Albuquerque. There's a web camera on the west side of the city that I watch. Occasionally I grab screen shots from it. Here I just had some fun with values. I like the angles. You can see how thin this paper is in the strong side light in this photo. I only consider these practice pieces!





I have an idea for a project I might make for my granddaughter this Easter that would involve drawing some sheep, so I thought I'd practice them. This is a very quick sketch done in a small Moleskine pad, about 3"x 5" in size. It's hard to get the skeletal structure of these creatures beneath the wool. I'm going to keep sketching and see what comes before I decide on this gift idea. I always try to give my grand some little handmade things.

Time for the Ruby Slippers

My Winter Wear, in my 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine sketchpad

The weekly prompt for artwork in the Facebook group was winter clothes, but I just couldn't find any inspiration. For years we had an 8 foot peg rail that hung in various places, which offered the merest hint of an idea, but I couldn't find any photos that had winter wear on it, so I put that aside. I looked at drawing some of the people I see around here bundled up to the max with only their eyes showing through, but again I found little inspiration. I'm about maxed out with winter... Drawing mittens and hats seemed depressing.

And then I caught sight of a screenshot I had on hand showing the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy clicked her heels and was whisked away, saying all the while, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

Now don't get me wrong, I am at home. Anywhere my husband is will always be my home! But it was predicted to get to 25° BELOW ZERO with the wind chill here in Amherst, while our son was enjoying 60° at his home in Albuquerque! I longed to click my heels and go back to when we lived there, too. That's my kind of winter wear!

It struck my funny-bone, plus I figured it would be interesting to explore how to draw the sparkles. It's all a matter of contrast. The image is iconic enough that almost everyone who sees it will fill in some of the blanks. For instance, do you recall what color socks Dorothy was wearing with her slippers?

Favorite part: The star! I caught the jewel encrusted sparkle there without using too much detail.

I like that I managed to get the shapes right, too. It encourages me that I'm more able than ever before to see and record overlapping shapes somewhat accurately, something that eluded me for a long time. There's something to be said for practice increasing such skill. Obviously.

A dear friend reminded me that repeating "there's no place like home" should also keep me focused on heaven. This is not my home, whether I'm in Amherst or Albuquerque! I'm just traveling through and really looking forward to my heavenly home to come. I'm sure it will sparkle.

Tomatoes (showing process)

Tomatoes, Moleskine sketchpad 5.5" x 3.5"

I have a small private group over at Facebook where we decided to put up a list of topics to draw weekly, just to get folks moving again. This week we're supposed to draw or paint something you find on the kitchen counter or dining room table. These lovely tomatoes were right there at hand, so I plunked them on the dining room table.

I knew I wanted them to go out of the frame on three sides, but I started drawing without much planning. As I got further along I realized that there was a lot of information in this very small space! Frankly, I started to get tired of all that drawing, so despite the fact that I usually blend my pencil drawings far more, I decided to leave it relatively unfinished looking this time. I carried it to slightly more finish on the right side, less so on the left, as you can see. As a result, you get a peek into my process. I do a lot of cross-hatching followed by blending, both with my ring finger and with a Q-tip cotton swab, and I clean up edges with my kneadable eraser and use it to pull out highlights.

Favorite part: the leaves around the stem on the far-right, front tomato. I like the way they curl and that I caught the light inside two of them.

Snowy Lady

Snowy Lady, 2-4-2015, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5" x 5.5"

This tree looked like a snowy lady standing in the forest. I enhanced the slopes in front of and around her, to give subtle action to what could have become a static composition due to all the strong verticals. I think these slopes enhance the interesting angles of the branches weighed down by snow. 

I live in snow country now, although I'm a recent transplant to Western New York. This is my first winter here. Recently, as the snowfall continued into the second month, I caught sight of some pine trees garlanded in snow. It popped into my head that all those Christmas cards with snowy trees on them weren't just made up, they were really draped in snowy mantles like that! It's particularly beautiful when the sun shines, adding sparkle to the view. 

Favorite part: where the lowest branches on the left-hand side kiss the snowline, which then obscures the branches to the right side. I had hoped for that but it seemed to happen almost despite me. 

Hamster

Hamster, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5" x 5.5"

I like this little hamster's jaunty air. He seems like he's about to say something witty.  He's part of the collection of animals I'm slowly sending to my granddaughter. I find these furry or fuzzy critters are fun to draw.

Favorite part: the hair overlapping his ears. I think it really worked to give him softness.

I like his little turned-in paw, too Those paws are hard to draw. They're really odd little hand-like things with tiny claws. I recall what it was like to have them scratching at my hand when I was a kid.

Aged Apple

Aged Apple, 1-11-2015, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5" x 5.5"

In early September, not long after we moved to the Buffalo area, we found a lovely place to walk, Amherst State Park. Many people visit Glen Park Falls near there, located right off Main Street in Williamsville. The park is just slightly north of there and accessible by trails.

We found the parking area on the far north side of the park just beside a lovely old convent (now senior housing) and strolled down into an old, old orchard, where a few apple trees were still growing. Left to themselves, the trees were definitely senior citizens, much loved by the locals--the squirrels!

Favorite part: The trunk is really what it's all about, and I like that, but I guess the foreground shadow pleases me most.

Amherst Park is a nice place to walk. You'll find a lovely stream, a beautiful bridge, fields, rocks and trees, even a swimming hole with big trees, where we found some boys performing amazing feats--or so they thought.

And summer will come again!

Sage

Sage, 1-10-2015, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5" x 5.5"

The challenge prompt was to draw a medicinal plant. I wasn't too inspired by it until I discovered that sage is made into tea, and is used for soothing poultices and to sweeten breath.

I love the big, open plains in the northern areas of New Mexico where the sage scents the breezes with a heady perfume. Walk across such a field and the aroma will cling to your clothing for a good, long time. I usually grab a good sized chunk to place in front of the air vent--it's the best possible car freshener!

Favorite part: the angled dark shadows and bright little highlight on the distant mesa on the left.

How refreshing to visit this place in my memory. I think sage and pinon will always be the scent of heaven to me.

50-50

50-50, 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine drawing pad 

The challenge prompt was coins or banknotes, but I just wasn't inspired by the subject. Money troubles me too much to want to depict it, and circles and rectangles are so basic that, aside from angular variations or stacks, they seemed fairly mundane visually. I eventually visited Morguefile, where I sometimes find photos that are free to use, and tucked away there I saw this shot. It appealed instantly.

I don't believe in luck. As a Christian, I know that the Lord has His hand on every coin toss, but that doesn't mean I don't toss one every now and then, especially when I sense that there are two perfectly acceptable paths I could take and I simply need to choose one. I like the repeatable odds: 50-50.

The drawing is in my brand new Moleskine drawing pad, this one the same size as the one I've been using but without the detachable pages. The image inside the border remains 2.5" x 4.25" in size.

Favorite part: the glistening edge of the coin and the shadow cast on the hand, which is all one shape defined by values.

*This photograph shows a slight reworking of the image I posted on FB this morning, since I then noticed some things that still needed work. I reworked the shadow on the top of the thumb, the shaping and shading on the palm and a bobble on the deep shadow beneath the coin on the outside of the knuckle. Picky? Yes, totally. I have the time to be picky, which is nice, but it isn't my nature to work this way. Looseness shall return!

Chinese Teapot

Chinese Teapot, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5" x 5.5"

As I mentioned here previously, there's a challenge going on in the Artist's Journal Workshop on Facebook. The prompt for Day 8 is a fancy teapot. Well, this one is anything but fancy, but it's the kind of teapot that pleases me most--a beautifully rounded ceramic pot with a lovely sheen.

For several years, I've painted Miniatures in Opaque Watercolor,which are 2.5" x 3.5", so this size seems quite roomy to me. I love using color and will return to it from time to time, I'm sure, but pencil is a straightforward, tidy medium that I quite enjoy exploring for now.

Favorite part: The curved spout with its hollow opening. I composed carefully to feature this part. I think the simple composition, excluding the handle, expresses this teapot to my liking.

Bridge

Niagara River Bridge, 1-5-2015, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5" x 5.5"

The prompt for the Artist's Journal Workshop Day 5 challenge on Facebook was a bridge. I recalled this photo I had stashed away from a visit to Niagara Falls a few years ago,

It seemed like a fun idea to draw such an impressively large river in such a small format. That river is frighteningly swift and energetic! You would not want to fall off that bridge because it's very close to the Falls. I almost felt like the logs were holding on for dear life.

Favorite part: the little cataract in the middle left. I think it serves to catch that fast movement.

Owlet

Owlet, 1.5.2015, Moleskine 3.5" x 5.5"

There's a challenge going on over in the Artist's Journal Workshop group on Facebook. I just joined the group so I came in a bit late. The prompt for Day 4 was an animal. Since I drew all those animals for my granddaughter recently, I thought I'd just keep right on drawing them and send a few at a time to her.

Favorite part of this one: the blurry fluff on his breast. It really worked to soften the pencil there before adding the lines indicating the feathers. I tried not to make him look too intense or scary and would appreciate knowing if I succeeded!

Lucy's Portrait (in progress)

Lucy, 4" x 5" on mystery card

I found some cards in my paper stash and used one for this drawing. I was pretty well into it by the time I decided I really don't like the aggressively striped texture. (And, by the way, it isn't crooked--that's my lack of photography skill. Sorry!)

I shot a couple of quick pictures of Lucy before she left, seating her in the light from the nearby window. There were interior lights on, too, so I have a cast shadow and a secondary source of light.

Her long black hair is so beautiful. I haven't done it justice. I only used one pencil, a Bic #2 0.7mm, which is anything but fancy. It only goes so dark. It might have been better to use the Faber-Castell pencils that have a wider range of darks, but adding it now won't work.

I have another shot of her smiling that I might also try to draw, but it always seems odd to portray an open mouth. When we stick a camera in someone's face, they smile--it's a conditioned response--but if I were to draw her face as she sat before me she couldn't possibly hold that expression for long. Hence, portraits done in the time before cameras traditionally depicted a more relaxed face.

I can draw a big open-mouth smile, but I've never liked it as much as a more traditional portrait. But, to be frank, maybe it's just indoctrination/tradition that makes me want to fool you into thinking I did the drawing from life! Silly.

Favorite part: the shadow sculpting her cheek.

Last of 2014

Fir, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5: x 5.5"

I admire the evergreens I see everywhere in western New York, especially with the snow decorating their branches. This one seemed almost like a sculpture standing atop a pedestal, posed to paint.

I actually used two different photos for this one, grabbing the line of background trees from a shot that was exceptionally boring. I keep such photos for just such a use. Let me show you.

Not exactly inspiring, is it? But I bet I'll use some of the various parts of it in several different drawings. I always start with what will stand behind the subject. After all, you have to draw what's behind first! I don't detail it much, but I get shapes and values in place to some degree. 

And this is the snowy fir tree in the original photo. I shot it for the big tree with the snow between the two trunks. Again, not what I'd call a compelling photo, but there's actually a lot there to work with. I bet I'll use the icy driveway in sunlight/shadows in a piece at some point in time, not to mention the other, taller pine, and perhaps the tall tree, as well. 

Presumably this will be the last drawing for this year, unless I get inspired to do another one today. You never know. We're under a snow warning and I'm snuggled down in my chair, tea at hand, a fuzzy blanket over my lap, enjoying the companionable peace and quiet. 

I'm looking forward to what 2015 might bring, as I mull over in my mind the many blessings and challenges I've had in 2014. Sometimes the difficulties bear the greatest blessings, but it takes time and distance to perceive that. In 2014, my husband and I moved to three different locations, shedding layers of possessions each time, finally transplanting from Albuquerque, NM to Amherst, NY with a ten-foot trailer full of our things. We left behind our family and friends, our church family, the ministry we were doing at The Albuquerque Rescue Mission, our jobs, our car (long story), and many, if not most of our possessions and furnishings. May I just say it wasn't easy. But hard things to do aren't necessarily bad things. They're just difficult.

We loved living in New Mexico, calling it home for 35 years, but now the Lord has moved us on to something new. We're taking care of my mother-in-law, who needs a bit more help as her health has worsened. She has relocated to a new apartment we all share. The Lord Jesus has given us grace and peace here, as we settle in to see what comes next.

We've found ourselves reaching out with the gospel to a lot of our new neighbors, all Chinese nationals living here as they attend grad school at the University of Buffalo. The new year may be very interesting.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying little drawings and contemplating some paintings I may do in the coming year. I wish you a creative, inspiring, and refreshing New Year!

Icy Tree

Icy Tree, Moleskine 3.5" x 5.5" 

Another quick little landscape drawn from a screenshot of something I saw during the epic Snowvember storm. This icy little tree looked like a dancer twirling around, arms upraised, casting a lacy shadow.

I'm happy to report that I'm beginning to become somewhat acclimated to the colder-than-I'm-used-to weather. At least I was willing to go out today when it was 28F without too many layers. Of course, the Buffalonians say it's warmer than usual at the end of December. My husband and I will take the blame for that. Both of us have been praying there would be no snow! Ex-pat New Mexicans will do that, you know.

But I will say that from the warmth of our little apartment with the lovely scent of Cranberry Vanilla Tea wafting near, I'm perfectly happy drawing the contrasts in the snowy landscape. It's beautiful!

And if you're interested in more details about depicting snow, check out the chapter devoted to snow in my online book,  Landscape Painting in Pastels. 

Only 2 Feet

Only 2 Feet, Moleskine 3.5" x 5.5"

"Only two feet of snow," said the caption on this resource photo of a house somewhere in Buffalo. If two feet of snow fell in New Mexico the whole state would close down until it melted! Here it's only a little. Well, I guess because 7-8 FEET fell  three weeks earlier it lent a different perspective to things. That and Buffalonians are inordinately proud of the depth of the snowfall here. (Ahem. They are situated very near Canada. That's all I'll say.)

On a side note, I enjoy the little iron fences and gates that are so common in this area. They're rather delicate looking alongside the clapboard siding on the old houses The snow added a nice punctuation, creating visual contrast.

Kitten

Kitten, Moleskine 3.5" x 5.5"

My granddaughter loves cats. I really had a good time drawing the bright little face and tidy white apron on this kitten, as well as the tufts of  mussy fur on her head.

This had to be a tabby. I had a cat that lived to a ripe old age, who was beautiful warm gray tabby. Unfortunately she was also the meanest cat on the planet to everyone except me.

She slept in a box near the fire, where she fooled visitors to my studio into thinking they could pet her glossy fur. She would arch her back, accepting their outstretched hand, and even let them stroke her twice. I always warned them to stop after two, but occasionally that outstretched hand would confidently reach out a third time and receive a well-placed claw hooked quickly into the flesh, a reminder that she was done. Sigh.

I'm sure this little kitten would neve become such a beast.