Paper and Threads

I still try to practice faces and figures as much as possible since this is one of my goals for 2008.  Here are a few that I haven't posted previously.

 This was a traditional photo that I tried to stylize in the sketch.

A watercolor sketch from another magazine advertisement.  I tried to minimize the amount of ink in the drawing and to work on mixing watercolor skin tones. 

When I was shopping for more watercolor pencils at Pearl Paint, I found the eye, nose, and mouth sketch on the left on the "test pad" hanging on the cabinet containing the pencils.  I had to rip it off to test my pencils and since there was no longer anyone around, I brought it home for my own practice.  I'm in awe of someone who could quickly dash these off - and tried to do the same.

This was a bad experiment!  I wanted to try the Mars Lumograph black pencil and my Cretacolor white pencil on a scrap of brown sketching paper.  The brown color is just too dark to really see the sketch, so I'll go back and buy a lighter tan for more experimentation.

Posted by Shirley at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This is the wonderful used book store where I find my perfect-sized $1.00 books for recycling.  It is a lovely bookstore - well organized and cozy.  There is a cafe and tables for browsing and reading - and 3 carts always loaded with their oldest and most unloved books for $1.00.  All proceeds go for AIDS research and support.  My favorite that I purchased this week was Parnassus on Wheels - a short novel by Christopher Morley - complete with lovely ink illustrations.  Of course I had to read the entire book as soon as I got home. 

Posted by Shirley at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Gill at Journal Craft Inspiration has several "Floor Plan" drawings on her blog for inspiration and I thought I would give it a try.  My first home, from birth through 3rd grade, was a second floor apartment in this house in Clifton, New Jersey.  I had no problem remembering the floor plan and had fun making the memory page.  I am an only child and had my bed on the living room couch.  When I was sick, my blanket and pillow remained there during the day giving rise to the concept of a "sick bed" which I always created for my children on the family room couch when they were home from school.  Now my daughter and oldest son do it for their children. 

Posted by Shirley at 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

This barely qualifies as an award, but I couldn't find the quilt ribbons I received many years ago, and I've been thinking of sketching it anyway. 

In July 2005 I reconfigured my job description and gave up clinical medicine and training of young physicians - retaining my role in the medical school  3 days per week.  I wanted to have more time to spend with my grandchildren and just have fun.  My hospital colleagues presented me with this lovely clock which now sits on a shelf in our apartment library.  I tell everyone that it is the wristwatch commonly given to men at retirement!

Saturday I received the Kind Heart Award from Mellanie - and the award is so pretty that I wanted to post it here and thank her. 

I don't know where the award originated, but appreciate the kind sentiment.  EDM is a wonderful community of fellow artists - all working hard to improve their skills, and support and inspire others.  I am grateful for the advice so freely given on our message board and the comments left on my blog that spur me on.  I'm hoping that everyone who sees this on the EDM Superblog will realize that it is a really big thank you from me to the active members of EDM. 

L  

Posted by Shirley at 6:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

This past Wednesday I was completely free to play - no work or other scheduled activities.  So I headed off for Soho for a visit to Pearl Paint and some of the galleries in the area.  I only had several items on my art supply list, but I always love browsing at Pearl.  It has one below ground floor and 5 above ground floors.  This trip I purchased watercolor paper for my next recycled book and several pencils, but seriously wondered if I should begin to invest in some 5ml tubes of Schminke watercolor paints since there seems to be so much enthusiasm for the brightness of their pigments.  Each 5ml tube (1 tsp) is $12-15 so I would only start with 3 primary colors - but then I wondered if they should be cool or warm primaries since I use both to mix colors with my Winsor-Newton paints.  So I didn't get any.

Gallery-hopping is always one of my favorite activities in Soho, even though many/most galleries relocated to Chelsea and on Wednesday I was not disappointed.  I discovered several new artists and saw lots of "eye-candy."

This sketch was done from a photo I took of Pearl Paint from the other side of busy Canal Street.  It is much too cold right now in NYC to work outdoors - especially in my shearling mittens.  It is on "rough" watercolor paper which I now know I hate!  But when I recycled my NY State Tax Book last year I filled it with many types of paper so I could decide what I preferred.  It didn't take me long to settle on HP 140lb paper. 

Posted by Shirley at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)