Paper and Threads

We were in Washington DC over the holiday weekend visiting our grand daughter Annabelle.  When she was born, I decided to keep a separate watercolor journal just for my daily sketches during the days I was visiting her. 

This journal page shows the helicopter magnetic puzzle - the smallest Christmas present that we brought in her big, full Christmas gift bag and a window seat that houses her toys in a group of storage baskets.

Some of Annabelle's clothes that I wanted to remember - and her special infant backpack - that she put on and took off repeatedly over the weekend.

On Sunday morning we went to the Air and Space Museum at Dulles - an amazing place with an incredible number of planes, helicopters, missiles, and space vehicles.  Annabelle loves to run through the gigantic hangar, so this sketch was done from a photo that I took as we ran with her.

On Monday morning we took the Metro to the Commerce Dept - and the National Aquarium.  It is a lovely, small collection of tanks - and I was captivated by the seahorses.  Their tails were so much longer than I had imagined and were wrapped around the tank plant holding them all in position.  Annabelle wasn't nearly as interested in fish as she was in airplanes!

Posted by Shirley at 9:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

As I started 2010, I finally overcame my block in the chapter 2 exercises in the Bert Dodson book Keys to Drawing, and now I'm working on Chapter 3.  This is a great set of exercises re: measurement since I often have trouble fitting figures onto the page. 

Here are two figures drawn by marking the top, the bottom, and then the midpoint.  Then a quick drawing was done and the actual midpoint measured by sighting before working further on the drawing.  This is very different than my usual technique of starting with the head and then hoping that the feet fit on the page!

Posted by Shirley at 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

While reflecting on my progress for 2009, and setting art goals for 2010, I re-energized and finally worked through my block in the Dodson Keys to Drawing book.  More specifically, I was stuck at Exercises 2D and 2F - making a tonal value strip and then using it to reproduce a black and white photo from the book.  I know that I should make quick value sketches, but never do.  And almost everything I draw or paint could be improved to increasing the darks and lightening the lights.  I also really don't enjoy working with pencils (except watercolor pencils) for a finished drawing.

But I was motivated to get over my block and move on, because I really, really do want to work on the other chapters of this book.  I did all of the other Dodson exercises in my daily sketchbook, but probably should have done this exercise on smooth drawing paper.  Oh well!  It's done, as is Exercise 2F and more experimentation with all of my pens and inks doing the same head over and over, and all of my pencils using the same figure over and over.  These changes didn't change my preferences - and I discovered that I CAN'T draw with a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and I still hate charcoal and Conte pencils because of the scratchiness!!

Posted by Shirley at 9:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I went to Figure Drawing last night, in spite of the incredible cold in the City.  We had two models during the entire time, one of whom wore an elaborate head dress with devil horns and 3 large silk flowers.  I'm posting a few of the 19 sketches I made - all were done in graphite in a 9 X 12" sketchbook. 

This is one of 10 two minute sketches: 

These are 3 of the 4 Five Minute Sketches:

This is one of 2 ten minute sketches:

You can probably tell that I was sitting in a place where I couldn't see the models' feet.  But my skills sketching hands and feet are so weak, that is OK with me for the moment.  I'm still concentrating on drawing the basic position - head, shoulders, and hips. 

 There were 3 twenty minute poses - but I don't like my drawings as much as the shorter, less overworked poses.  I just purchased a new figure drawing sketchbook that will take water media and may try to draw with a watercolor pencil and then add water for shading during the 20 minute sketches in the future. 

Posted by Shirley at 7:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

My days were full the month before Christmas, with Holiday preparation and activities, and Kate's wonderful Artist's Journal Class.  I still love completing EDM Challenges, but had enough art to do each day without them.  So here are 4 that I wanted to post before the end of the year (#250, 251, 253, 254).  The only one I completed during the week it was assigned was "Draw a Pine,"     (#252)and that was possible because I brought home a pine bough from the Christmas Tree lot where we bought our Christmas tree. 

EDM #250:  Draw Something You Got for Free

I received a Christmas t-shirt last year when I made other purchases, and this is the embroidered design on the front.

EDM #251:  Draw a Perfume or Perfume Product

This is my absolute favorite body cream and I need to use it daily during the winter months.

EDM #253:  Draw a Sock

This is one from a pair of Christmas knee socks which I haven't worn in more than 15 years.  Why do I still have them??

#254:  Draw Something Joyful

We had almost 11 inches of snow last week and my husband and I walked into Central Park by 8AM to enjoy it.  I love to be out in the snow and couldn't wait to bundle up and explore our area of the Park.  This drawing is of my husband in his sheepskin coat and mittens.  I still draw and paint family members from the back ONLY!  And I love how recognizeable they are!

Yesterday I took care of two of my grandchildren in the morning and then went to W57th Street area to see the fabulous Bergdorf Goodman Holiday windows.  They are really not to be believed!  This composite page has the reindeer design from Zach's pjs that I put in his Christmas stocking and one of the very small paper cutouts from a Christmas window in the jewelry display.

Posted by Shirley at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)