Pines and Fall Foliage

Pines and Sumac 8 1/2" x 11"

Tombow pens on sketchbook paper, memory 

Fall Foliage, 8 1/2" x 11" photo by BeeG on WetCanvas

Tombow pens on sketchbook paper

Yesterday was a good day, sketched in the morning with another lesson for my email student on pine structures skeleton and loose rendering, plus some red sumac from memory because I love it. I used the Muted Palette again for this one and liked how it came out. These full page sketches are bolder and a lot of fun.

Then in the evening wrote not one but two short chapters in my Nanowrimo novel, a vampire non-romance titled Forever Mine. Basically it's about a bad relationship and in the early chapters of their hazy limerence, some warning signs are already there. I'm about one day ahead already and that's great, the novel writing challenge is well in hand.

This morning I decided to work from a reference and liked the scattering of bright leaves in BeeG's Fall Foliage photo reference. Changed it to add more pines behind the tree and in the far distance, another demo. Love the way these big bright pages go fast and bold, it's not like doing little sketches in pencil that don't always show up on camera.

Today is Voting Day and tomorrow I've got my appointment, that's going to be a lot of exertion without enough rest in between. Plus this week the exterminator's supposed to be coming to fumigate and clear up the bug problem in my room. That'll take a lot of prep and everything on the shelves needs to get bagged and set aside, some serious disruption both in art and life. Not going to be fun and I'll very likely lose some days to stress and exhaustion in it. There's a limit to what home healht care people can do to help with my art supplies, some stuff I need to pack down myself and hope to get it done before they show up.

So wish me luck on all the overexertion. I may wind up sleeping like my cat when it's all done.

Animals ATC Exchange Project

This post won't have images of my art. Only the images of eleven beautiful small pieces friends have sent me in the "Animals" ATC exchange. It was limited to 15 people and started January, 2015. I've gotten eleven of them and am still waiting for three more. Sadly, life interfered and the project of doing mine to send them out got held up by health and some money problems. It's not the first time that something got put off by forgetting about it till reminded. I meant to do and send all of them at the same time for that reason, not play favorites.

 Some ATC supplies - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" watercolor paper, archival soft sleeve

and an Ultra Pro archival Top Loader protective display envelope.

Six "Animals" ATCs from friends, top left a lion, below that a cat's face

center row a cormorant on a rock, center bottom a sea turtle

right top a cheetah above a card with a seagull. 

Five more "Animals" ATCs - top row left two chicks, right a tiger,

bottom row a raven, Ari Cat's portrait and a male lion profile.

So at long last, I've gotten started on doing mine. I'm sure the other three latecomers will do theirs too or have done some but just not gotten to me yet. All of these are much brighter and richer in person than the photo. I love them and spread them out to motivate me.

So far I've finished six cards, nearly half the set. My goal is to finish and mail them out this month. I was getting close anyway, finally got to eBay to get the Top Loaders for sending them when I got a gentle reminder from the organizer. 

Mine are all in water media, so far one dog (pet portrait) and one white egret, plus one cat portrait, two Ari paintings and today's is a painting of my daughter's enormous black cat Armand. He's a 20lb long hair who likes camouflaging himself on black furniture or floating around the house like a small bear. I might add some big cats to it or some other animals, just doing whatever creature I think of next. But it's going well and while I can't post them, wanted to update and let y'all know I have painted steadily the past four days! 

Lots of sketching too. I participated in a Weekend Drawing Event on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with Tombow dual tip brush pens in 8 1/2" x 11" sketchbooks, one my good Stillman & Birn hard bound Beta, te Tombow ones in a Target drawing book I got in my Christmas package.

 Black cat from a reference and red geraniums from memory, 8-14-2015

This is the one in archival markers on S&B Beta journal.

Greek waves from a reference by Qty on WetCanvas 

Ionian Sea rock near mouth of Acheron, Qty reference 

Some Greek street cats in an abandoned campground, Qty ref. 

Character "Musky" from my Pleistocene animal novel, Elder's Pride. 

The book is still in editing stage.

White Rose on green foliage from Qty reference, Ari sketch at bottom.

I should have posted the sketches as I did them, but didn't think of it at the time. Will start updating more regularly as I do other projects. Once the ATCs have all gone to their respective new homes I'll post those as batch. I'm having fun laying them out as a group, they vary a little in style and technique butt so far all are in archival pen with watercolor on the same Stillman & Birn "Beta" paper. It's now available as loose sheets as well as in the journals, which rocks since it's my favorite watercolor paper.

Sketches New and Older

 Back to Basics Sketch Page, with Ari Cat from Life

Conte' Pierre Noir pencil on paper, 8 1/2" x 11"

Well, today had daily art again, at least a page of some basic sketches from a video I watched on ArtistsNetworkTV. Sometimes it's good to go back to basics. Ari Cat and all the pears are from life, since I finally found my plastic pear ina drawer and took it out. The apple is from life too but it's a real one. I'll eat it soon. 

The following are all the sketches I forgot to post in June! About half a month's sketches and paintings! Lots and lots. I wasn't skiving off even if I didn't remember to keep up the blog. I'm now keeping the tab open the way I used to as a reminder to post!

 Three pigeons from life in Derwent Graphitints.

 Ari Cat walking, stomping along in a grumpy mood. Fast gesture sketch in motion! I've wanted to capture a moving cat for some time! Got him!

Brush pen on paper.

Page of tree studies in Burnt Umber brush pen 

 Page of Ari Cat sketches mostly in brush pen or pen.

All from life, includes Ari Stomping one at top.

 Ari Cat washing his thigh in pen and watercolor

on a red coverlet, Stillman & Birn journal 7" square. Life.

Ari cat life sketches and a horse from my daughter's photo. Horse looks a bit young and attenuated but recognizable. 

Page of shell, cat, shark tooth sketches from life

8 1/2" x 11" charcoal pencil 

Green Tyrannosaurus Rex in brush pens, Ari cat from life sleeping and 

contour drawing of the same horse, better proportions. 

Landscape in Winsor & Newton Watercolor Markers

Large pine, distant mountains and green hills. 

Tyrannosaurus Rex in brown brush pen, mostly contour. 

 Ari Cat life drawing on small page.

 Ari Cat drawings from life with fine Pigma Micron pens

detailed washing thigh, detailed sleeping head pressed to pillow cute.

Majungasaurus in brown and black brush pen walking at angle.

Daspletosaurus profile in green and brown brush pen. 

Camptosaurus looking around behind a browsing Stegosaurus.

Toward the end of June I binge watched a lot of dinosaur documentaries. I sketched the dinosaurs watching them over and over, mostly didn't pause the screen. I especially wanted to get some more natural poses and sometimes, like the last one, put them in something resembling scenery.

I had a lot of fun with my sketchbooks and worked on a pastel landscape that still isn't finished. I'm all set up to finish it now and have the right pastels handy next to me for the last layers.  Wanted to work on it today but health issues interfered.

Now that I'm all caught up, enjoy! And say hi to your sketchbook. Daily drawing is good for anyone, reduces stress, improves your skills and improves observation. Even easy forms you've drawn over and over help develop observation, coordination and composition! If you don't have much time or energy, work small or keep it simple!