Ready or Not 2007 artistic goals

In a few hours 2007 will be here...ready or not...2007 will be a year of evolving and growing in my artistic life. Some of the things I would like to achieve for 2007:

--Sketch and paint daily in my moleskin or sketchbook.

--Each month focus on a subject:
buildings
landscapes
interiors
figure drawing
portraits
cars
boats
birds
cats
food
wild animals
and anything else that strikes my fancy

--Continue my Venice series completing one 1/4 sheet colored pencil per month

--Continue to work on my whimsical series of dogs using FC artist pens.

--Finally figure out how to do layers in Adobe Photoshop.

--Become proficient with my Wascom Tablet.

--Take a class in Adobe Illustrator.

--Develop my dog illustrations into a children's picture book

--Spend a month in Paris sketching and painting from life.

--Spend a week in Venice sketching and painting from life.

I know sounds ambitious,but I'm up for the challenge!

Happy New Year

Gladioli with leaves

Hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of the year. I've been thinking about this past year and amazed at all the art work I've done. I feel more confident in my art, and I think it's about time I focus and make some goals for 2007. I have a few ideas and tonight will make a plan and post tomorrow.

Having a blog has helped me to stay on track and experiment with markers, artists pens, colored pencils, watercolors, graphite, different size of papers, and different journals..like a moleskin. I've even tried my hand at making a few art journals, that once I got the hang of it, they were pretty cool to make. Also I've been doing more sketching when I travel...my trip to Venice,Italy this past spring really took the fear of drawing in public away. People are so busy rushing by that they really don't pay attention to what I'm doing.

So for now...here is my lastest drawing done with Faber-Castell artist pens on 9.5" x 12" smooth bristol paper. The book I've been working through "Watercolor flower portraits" by Billy Showell has been a good incentive to think out of the box as far as art materials. Gladiolias are one of my favorite flowers, along with Peonies.

Longiflorum Lilies

I always find it interesting to do flowers and learn their names. This Lillie was done on smooth bristol paper 9.5" X 12", with Faber-Castell artists pens.

The disadvantage of using artists pens rather than watercolors are that greys are harder to pull off especially if the grey range with the artists pens is limited to about 4 shades of grey. With watercolor, I could mix up a grey mixture and increase the intensity or decrease the intensity by adding water.

Day Lily

I finally finished this drawing of an orange Day Lily. This drawing was done on smooth bristol paper 9.5" x 12" using Faber-Castell artist pens. I like using the FC artist pens, but I have found that the color range of FC is a little limiting. Once I finish working through the flower drawings using the FC, I'll probably do this whole series again using tradition watercolors. I guess I'm learning to stretch myself with a limited palette and really think through the colors.

Flower Portraits

I recent bought this book, Watercolor Flower Portraits by Bill Showell. Instead of using watercolors I decided to try my Faber-Castell artist pens on smooth bristol paper, 9.5" x 12".

Calla Lily
Amaryllis

Calla Falling

I have found as much as I enjoy taking classes, lately the classes I have taken just seem to be a repeat of things I all ready know how to do. So now I'm going to go through all my art books and practice doing the demonstrations from the books. By doing this, I feel it will train my eyes and hand to capture what I'm seeing, also allow me to try different mediums.

Herding puppy

This guy is a Herding puppy, kind of looks like a German Shepard. He was created on 5" x 5" smooth bristol paper, using Copic Sketch Markers.

The more I use the Copic Sketch Markers, I love the way they handle and all the colors I can use. At the moment I only have about 25 markers. I'm not sure that I'l buy the complete set ...which is 72 markers per set @ $428.40 and there are 4 sets of 72, which translates into about $1714.00.

Yes it would be wonderful to have all 4 sets,but I have found with watercolors,colored pencils, and pastels that I really don't use all the colors. So I'm buying the markers as each drawing dictates;so far 25 seems to be a good number.

Belgian Sheepdog

My latest addition to my whimsical series. This was done on smooth bristol paper 5" x 5" using Copic sketch markers. I've added a black mat, which I'll be including with this guy.

More Whimsical puppies

I'm slowing working my way through the Herding Group of puppies.

Here's two more....a Bearded Collie and a Australian Shepherd. Whimsical style, on smooth bristol paper, 5" x 5" in size, using Copic Sketch markers.

Alpacas and horses

I really like using these Copic sketch markers. I thought I'd take a break from puppies and sketch Alpacas and horses. These drawings will be part of my whimsical animal series.

More Whimsical puppies

Ok, I got carried away drawing these guys. It's kind of like potatoe chips, you can't stop at just one. Another set from my whimsical puppies series.

Whimsical puppies

Here is a batch of my whimsical puppy series done with Copic Sketch Markers on Bristol Smooth Paper. Size of each drawing 5" x 5".

Whimsical puppy drawing series

I decided to try my hand at working with Copic Sketch Markers. I really like the fact that I can do a whimsical drawing in less than a 20 minutes. I was having problems with true color when I scanned the image, but with the help of Joe @http://Josephlacorte.blogspot.com few suggestions I finally think I might be able to upload my drawings with true color.

My birthday present...Happy Birthday to ME

Ok, this isn't me, but I definately have the coat! Tomorrow is my birthday and I got a new reversable fur coat from my husband. The weather has been so cold that he gave me my birthday present early so I could enjoy it now!!! This coat can be worn two different ways...Silk side with tuxedo fur collar and cuffs,as shown, or it can be reversed to the all fur side. I've been wearing with the fur inside.

I guess the only good thing about living in Washington State is that it's cold enough to have a fur coat. I wouldn't be able to wear something like this in California because it's warmer.

So "Happy Birthday to ME"......

Venice Cat

When walking around Venice didn't see too many cats,but one day poking around a door was this beautiful prussian cat. She was very intent on watching the people walk by. This was done on cream Fabriano paper 1/4 sheet using Prismacolor colored pencils.

Vegetables of Venice

While in Venice, Italy back in May it was quite common to see these wonderful arranged vegetables at the little markets that were all over Venice. I was attracted to the vibrant colors. This drawing was done on Fabriano paper 1/4 sheet using Prismacolor colored pencils.

Rocks in watercolor

Back in September I took a one day watercolor workshop with Susie Short where she demonstrated how to paint rocks and leaves.

Mr. Ed

Life has been crazy for the past few weeks. Between having company, helping my husband set-up his consulting business, and designing his website I haven't really had time to work on my paintings or drawings.

This week I finally got to catch up on paintings that needed to be finished. So my Not-Mr.-Ed is finally done.

Horse of course...his name is Mr. ED

Ok he's not Mr. Ed! I grew up watching Mr. Ed and like any little girl always wanted to own a horse. It wasn't until I was an adult that I took English saddle riding lessons for almost a year. But like all good things coming to an end, so did my riding lessons. I fell off my horse and injured my already injured sciatica. So if I wanted to continue to ride I would have to get a chiropractic adjustment after each lesson. Needless-to-say I had to make a choice and said goodbye to riding.

This is my first horse watecolor I've done.

French Fruit Gateau Watercolor WIP Finished

I think I'm done. This was a rather quick watercolor for me to do. I used gouche on some of the berries, something I've never used before. Anyway, I'm pleased the way this painting turned.

French Fruit Gateau Watercolor WIP #1

I seem to be in a food painting mode. Last week I made a special trip down to Le Panier Very French Bakery http://www.lepanier.com in downtown Seattle which is located in Pike's Market. I went to take pictures of their pastries and cakes "Gateau". This little beauty caught my eye, so I bought the cake to paint. So for $25.00 you can say I'm definately into my art! I wasn't sure if it would last as I quickly sketched the Gateau.

This painting seems to be going rather quickly. I'm finding that if I have a good sketch worked out and a color swatch of the colors I plan to use, I move around the painting in no time at all. I've only worked on this maybe a total of 3 hours, considering this is a rather detailed painting.

Daniel Smith Watercolor Palette

When I took my 3 day watercolor workshop with Susie Short last weekend I could not find my box of watercolor paints. I moved last year and packed them away and have looked hi and low, but couldn't find them. I know I have them;it's frustrating knowning there in one of the boxes in garage. I must of had over a hundred tubes of paint from Winsor-Newton,Daniel Smith, Daler-Rowney, and Holbein. So for Susie's class I needed to buy new watercolor paints and a new palette. I can't complain because I love Daniel Smith's watercolors. And the fact that his store front is only a ferry ride away.

So here is a picture of my watercolor palette. I have the following colors going from right handside corner:
Hansa Yellow Medium, New Gamboge, Pyrol Orange,Quinacridona Coral, Alizarn Crimson, Quinacridone Rose, Quinacridona Violet, Cobalt Teal Blue,Indanthrone Blue, French Ultra-marine Blue, Colbatl Blue, Phthalo Blue, Sap Geen, Quinacridona Gold, Quinacridona Burnt Orange,Perylene Maroon, Under Sea Green, Burnt Sienna, Perm Brown, Raw Sienna,Yellow Ochre, and Naples Yellow.

I ran out of space...I still have 6 more tubes of paints...so I guess this means I need to go back to Daniel Smith for another palette!

Watercolors that I did at workshop

These are the two watercolors I did at the 3 day workshop.

The grove of aspens was done by masking out all the white areas I wanted to save. Then using a 1" flat brush loaded with watercolor paint I start dabbing the color in the various areas of the watercolor. After I layed in all the various colors, I went back and fine tuned the painting. The technique I used to do this painting was wet-on-wet. I'm not a big fan of wet-on-wet, but I can see how this method, one could produce a fast painting.

The 2nd painting of the Orange calla lilies was using the method of finding the different values using my value study. This painting was also done using wet-on-wet and then going back in adding the details.

Susie Short watercolor workshop .....New way to develop a watercolor painting

Last weekend I took a 3 day watercolor workshop with Susie Short.
http://www.susieshort.com
She taught the class a different way to find the different values of a photo and then paint from those values.

Using tracing paper...

1. Start with a line drawing.




2. Next find the darkest darks in photo and leave white and blacken everything else.





3. Third step is to find all the medium values of the photo and blacken everything else.





4. Fourth step is to find the lightest lights of the photo and blacken everything else.




After doing those 4 steps I was able to find the different values and to produce my watercolor.

This is a different way of finding values, a little labor intensive, but I can see how this can work.

Apple tart

Never paint a picture from a bird's eye view. If anything I've learned is apple tarts are hard to render. This was done on 9 x 12 arches 140lb watercolor paper using Daniel Smith watercolors.

Casa Priori Finished

I think I'm finished with this piece. I'm going to put it aside for a few days and revisit to see if there is anything thing else that I need to fine tune.

Casa Priori WIP # 5

Learning a lot from doing this drawing. One thing is I don't like doing brick or cement floors. I'm hoping to finish this drawing in the next day or two.

Casa Priori # 4

An update on Casa Priori. This drawing seems to be taking longer than I thought. The brick work has been challenging trying to figure out how to make them appear broken and old.

Faber-Castell Artist Pens

I just love Faber-Castell products. Today I got in the mail my new box of 48 FC artist pens. I love the fact that their waterproof. So today I've just been playing with my artist pens to see what they can do and how I can blend colors.