A French Bull Dog

Getting back to basics. I started this watercolor about a week ago, then put it aside, and today decided to finish it. I've been trying to workout in my mind and in my art, what direction I would like to explore.

For the past few weeks I've been drawing and painting Tulips, some of my drawings I liked, some of them I didn't. What I figured out was that I need to stick to basics...meaning...doing a sketch;then a value sketch,and finally sketching my drawing on good watercolor paper, then paint. I think with this approach, which for me is tried and true, I'll be much happier with my work. Also pick a standard size and format that I'm comfortable painting...not to big and not to small.

Having finally worked that out, tomorrow I'll start another Tulip drawing with WIP photos. So I feel relieved and don't feel like I'm all over the map with my art. See you tomorrow!

More tulips

Two more tulips...I'm right now just playing with color and seeing how the neocolor crayons can mix on my paper. Both are 8 x 8" Stonehenge paper.

Tulips of a different color

I keep on asking myself how many colors are there of tulips? I probably will discover that as I continue to draw them. Stonehenge paper 8 x8in; Neocolor water soluble crayons

Tulips

I'm just remembering all the lovely tulips I had in my Washington house. The last year we lived in Washington State my husband planted for me over 400 tulips. It was amazing to see that many tulips in my front side yard. Stonehenge 8 x 8 paper, Prismacolor watercolor pencils.

More tulips...

I guess I have spring on the brain because I did another drawing of tulips. Faber-Castell polychromos on Stonehenge paper 8 x 8 inch.

tulip in crayon

I've been seeing a lot of artist do art work using crayon...the kind of crayon we used as kids. So this weekend I decided I would give it a try. I bought myself a 64 color pack of crayons. I first sketched out just a line drawing of a tulip. Then I proceeded to color each petal, added the shading,and finally the background.

What I learned...Wax build up was a problem. I had to use a piece of card board to scrap off the wax that did not blend into the petal. I must of put at least 10 layers to get a value variation. Using crayons I had to use a lot of pressure when applying the crayon to the paper causing my fingers to hurt.

As I was coloring I kept on wondering if I used just plain newsprint paper if the crayon would go on easier and if I'd get less wax build up?

Finally...would I use crayon again? Probably not. It was an interesting experiment, so for now the crayons go back in the box!

Chinese Brush Paintings

Today was my Chinese Brush Painting Class in Burbank,CA with Nan Rae. The focus of class was cranes and trees. This was a fun class and I was amazed at the number of paintings I was able to paint in 4 hours. Each painting got easier or maybe I finally feel at ease painting in that style.

Three pink tulips

I am enjoying the process of cross hatching on this drawing. Still working out how to make the two top tulips pop. 8 x 8 Stonehenge paper, Faber-Castell polychromes

Jewelry by Irene...that's me!

Back in January I went with a friend that I met on WetCanvas to another friend of ours gallery showing in Ventura. We went early to walk around downtown...which had lots of interesting shops. One of the shops we went into was The Peruvian Bead Company http://www.peruvianbeadcompany.com/. The beads were so colorful that I bought some beads to make two pair of earrings.

After making the two pair of earrings...the pink ones and the aqua ones below the pink, I was bitten by the bug. Recently I found a bead shop in the town I live in and bought more glass beads to make earrings and a necklace. So last night I was up till midnight finishing the necklace. I thought it was really cool to find a leaf shape clasp to match the glass leaf in the middle of the necklace. The necklace is about 20" long.

I'm not sure why I was never interested in making jewelry before. The only problem I have with working with the beads is that I have long nails and it's a bit difficult to pick up the really small beads or spacers. Also I have arthritis in my hands, so working small is a little cumbersome. I also need to figure out a way to photograph my jewelry so anyone can see the detail much clearer.

Parrot Tulip

Ok, I did another colored pencil drawing, this time on good paper. I used Stonehenge paper 8 x 8 and Faber-castell polychromos. I applied the colored pencil by hatching back and forth. There are some areas that hatching didn't give the effect I wanted so I just applied color to give the drawing a more smooth finish. This scan really doesn't show the value changes that are on the Original drawing. I will put this aside for awhile and probably go back and rework some of the areas that are bothering me.

Parrot Tulip

Another colored pencil practice piece done in my 5.5 x 7.5 plain paper moleskin. I was playing around with different ways to add color. On the bud in the right corner, I applied cp to give the appearance of smoothness. On the two larger buds and the back ground,I cross hatched using large strokes. I think I like the cross hatch buds,so I plan to do another parrot tulip using this technique. I will also use better paper.

Pink Tulip

In all the years I've been working with colored pencils I usually just do a line drawing and build up the values. So with this drawing I decided to do something different. I started with a line drawing and then did a grisaille in pencil, then added laying layers of colored pencil. I ran into some problems using this method. Using the grisaille, I probably made the dark areas to dark, so when I applied the colored pencil on top, it came out too dark and looks like mud. Also,using this method, trying to keep the light areas light became a problem. Since this was just a practice and learning piece, it made me see what I would have to do to work with this method. I probably would shade the dark areas with a lighter touch using pencil, then come in laying the various layers of colored pencils. Because I ran into some problems, I wasn't able to develop the various layers of the petals to make the drawing appear more 3 dimensional.

Chesnut sided wabler

Still not feeling great,but finding working with my colored pencils while in bed seems to work. This was done in my plain paper moleskin.

Hydrangea

I've been away for the past week. Went home to the San Francisco bay area to visit my sister,visit all my favorite art stores, and do my taxes. I haven't been doing any art. I came home, only to come down with the flu. So I've been in bed playing with my colored pencils, working out the details for a watercolor I plan to do when I feel better. I probably will do a still life setup of hyrangea's in crystal and take some photo's for reference for my watercolor painting. I'm hoping to do a full sheet watercolor. It's been so long since I've worked that big. But in the meantime, this is what I've been working on.

How many penguins do you see????

I can't remember the name of the movie that I saw ...I think it was called the "Walk of the Penguins," that I became interested in these beautiful creatures.

Three Penguins having a coffee break! 9 x 9 watercolor

Ralph, Jr. ATC Copic Markers

Many faces of Penguins ATC Copic markers

Swans sleeping

I think these are swans, not sure. Anyway watercolor wet-on-wet, 9 x 9, Aquabee sketchbook.

Lop eared bunny

My friend's lop eared bunny Regie.

Wet-on-wet. Burnt Sienna,Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Colbalt Blue, FUB, Perm Rose. 9 x 9 aquabee super deluxe sketchbook. Daniel Smith Watercolors. I think the more I work doing wet-on-wet, I've figured out how to control the water and I can actually complete a small painting in less than 15 minutes.

Four colors

I thought I'd try doing a watercolor only using 4 colors...burnt sienna,burnt umber,raw sienna, and colbalt blue. With this watercolor I applied the colors wet-on-wet using my Isabey size 0 round mop brush. I'm just amazed the way this Isabey wc brush holds the color and point. Aquabee super deluxe sketch book 9 x 9, Daniel Smith watercolors.

Do you ever feel this way?

Do you ever feel this way? I seem to be floundering with my art work. I feel like I have no inspiration and can't seem to settle on a direction I would like my art to go in. So lately I've have been looking at various pictures from magazines and interpreting
my take on the subject. I'm hoping
this will jump start me in a new
direction.

So all of these drawings have
been done in my plain paper
moleskin journal using colored pencils.

Colored pencil abstract

Sometimes it's good to do something out of my comfort zone. Not everything I draw or paint needs to be true in color. I've been reading a book on drawing and experimentation. Out of the many helpful hints the book talks about carrying a sketchbook to doodle,catch ideas,map out drawings, and just play. This is something I don't do too often when I'm creating art...is play or let my imagination explore color. This drawing was done in my plain paper moleskin 5 x 7 , using Prisma color watercolor pencils.

Four cars

This watercolor was part of my car series that I was doing. Arches cold press watercolor block 12 x 16", Daniel Smith Watercolors.

Birds nest

I guess I would call this drawing a mixed media. I started a new journal ....Aquabee 6 x 9, using pen and ink, Prisma color watercolor pencils, and Cretacolor watercolor sticks.

ATC size drawings

I've been doing small sketches using my Prisma Color watercolor pencils on card stock paper. I cut the paper to 3.5" x 2.5"(ATC) size. I wasn't sure I'd like working in this size since it's rather small for me,but after doing several of these drawings I was able to adjust. I've also figured out if I do a contour drawing in pencil and then come back in with waterproof ink, I can correct misplaced lines. After I've added the ink, I erase any pencil marks. Then I lay in the various colors of my Prisma Color watercolor pencils. I finish the drawing by using my Pental water brush to release the color.

This is a good way for me to draw daily and not feel guilty if I haven't produced any large pieces of art.

Today is my Wedding Anniversary

Today my husband surprised me with a dozen red roses for our 26Th wedding anniversary. I've been blessed with a wonderful husband who is loving, kind,generous,supportive,funny, and brilliant.

We met 27 years ago and I knew on our first date that I was going to marry him. The day he purposed to me was just a beginning of the many surprises I would have with him. He started the day with sending me a dozen yellow roses in the morning and yellow mums in the afternoon, and ended the day by sending me a white Rolls Royce to pick me up at work and take me to one our favorite restaurants. He had given the driver a cassette of my favorite artist Chuck Mangione. So on the 45 minute drive I got to listen to Chuck. My husband was at the restaurant waiting for me. We had dinner and the whole time I had butterflies in my stomach because I knew he was going to purpose. I'm not sure how I ever got through dinner, let alone eat dinner. I kept on waiting for him to purpose, but nothing happened. We walked out to the car and sitting on the seat was the cutest raccoon with a bouquet of balloons and a sign that said "Will you marry me." Of course I said yes. We met on the 23rd of January and got married one year later on January 23rd.

How big is an elephant???

I thought I'd try only using 3 colors on this watercolor. Burnt Sienna,Raw Sienna, and Cobolt Blue. I painted this elephant wet-on-wet with my new Isabey #0 mop round watercolor brush. I'm just amazed at how much pigment I picked up with the brush and how the brush holds onto the point.

Pan pastels

Yesterday when I was visiting Santa Barbara I went into the local art store and was pleasantly surprised to find Pan Pastels. These pan pastels are new and are so cool to use. They are applied with an applicator, they erase, they blend really well, and the colors are very vibrant. You can learn more about pan pastels at www.panpastels.com

So here is my first piece done with pan pastels...I think I finally found pastels that I can work and live with!

Beware of paper cutters!

Beware of paper cutters; they can be dangerous! Yesterday I bought myself a paper cutter that would allow me to cut paper in various sizes. I took the cutter out of the box and noticed it was not sitting straight on the counter. I turned it over to discover one of the little rubber feet was missing so I took off the remaining 3 feet. As I was turning over, the palm of my hand accidentently was pressed against the blade. Boy did that one inch cut hurt and bleed like crazy. I thought I was going to bleed to death and couldn't for the life of me stop the bleeding. I finally managed to get a rather large band-aid on my cut so I could apply pressure to stop the bleeding. After changing the band-aid several times and having my hand elevated, the bleeding stopped. Needless-to-say,it was an experience I don't want to repeat again. So with a lot of attention to the blade I finally got to cut some card stock paper into 3.5 x 2.5" pieces.

I now have a pile of 3.5 x 2.5" blank pieces of card stock paper that I will draw small pictures of items. I thought this would be a quick way to continue drawing and not feel overwhelmed by a big piece of paper. One of things I like to do at night is to relax on my bed and watch TV and draw. With this size I can draw to my hearts content and if I create bad art, I can always toss .

I've been doing a lot of pen and ink with watercolor or colored pencils. I like the bold line of the pen and ink and it is so easy to add a little color with either the watercolor or colored pencils. So here are two ATC size drawings of finches.

A cardinal

I really like working in pen and ink and then using watercolors or watercolor pencils.

Some new art pieces

Here are a few recent pieces that I've been working on. All were done with pen and ink, then I used Neocolor crayons dry and then used a wet paint brush to blend in the color. All were done on Fabriano paper.

Hand - book Journal

I've been sketching in my moleskin trying to get motivated to draw and paint. I'm not sure if I want to work in watercolors, colored pencils, or faber-castell markers. I'm trying to jump start my creativity. So yesterday I finally opened my hand-book journal that is 5.5" x 5.5". I thought I would use this to doodle and see what happens. As I look through other journals the one thing that always catches my interest is drawing and painting dogs.

I really like the paper in my hand-book journal. It seems to take the watercolor and markers with no problem and no buckling. My plan for January is to draw and paint at least one image a day. I have to draw 7 more images to stay on track. I guess I work better under pressure.