Perched

Bre and I met a entire lifetime ago through our respective neurotic dogs.  We don't see each other much anymore but special people stay with you.  I like this image because it is tranquil and bright...something I know she's worked hard to achieve.  Namaste Bre.

Ink & Digital, 8.5"x12"

Taryn

Taryn's first birthday was this afternoon at Ali Baba's.  She is Connor's younger cousin by about 2 months and her actual birthday was 5 days ago.  I started this as a small study months ago but kept developing the piece with the intention of gifting it to her but I couldn't seem to get the watercolor washes down right.  Kinda shot myself in the foot because: 1. the small size is not ideal for portraits, 2. not enough real estate to lay down complex color washes and 3. didn't use 100% rag paper.


I finally had to adjust my technique and work with the materials at hand instead of against it.  The product resembles more of an egg tempera painting than transparent watercolor.  The hues are laid down thick and opaque.  The scan picked up much more of the paper texture than the actual painting in which the colors appear better blended.

Watercolor on Paper, 4.4"x5.7"

In reality, the hardest part of the project was matting the finished piece.  Once more, I didn't think to start out with a standard size of paper so I could just purchase a pre-cut mat.  No problem right?  I've always matted my own artwork.  Long story short - an hour before the party, I was still wrangling the mat cutter with no time left to run to the framing store.

It's been an uphill battle with this one.  Here are the photos of mat and frame:

Matted, 8"x10"

Framed, 10"x12"

Duckling - Weekly Sketch

Connor was a duckling for Halloween in tribute to his favorite toy...yellow rubber duckie. He was so cute that I had to sketch him.

Graphite on Paper, 5" x 8"

Graphite & Digital, 5" x 8"

La Parisienne - Completed

I know at least a couple of people who have been waiting for this completion.  The problem with any digital piece is that it's so tempting to keep changing any number of different aspect in the artwork.  I'm going to call this the first iteration.  It's easier to consider it complete when I reserve the option of going back and reworking it.

Ink & Digital, 8.5" x 11"

Grizzled

I think I drank about 4 sodas and 3 glasses of tea tonight.  The result is that I'm wide awake at 3:00 am...but fortuitously, I was also able to finish a drawing on the caffeine high.  I must also be a little loopy since I decided to do the piece in charcoal.  I usually dislike charcoal.  I love the look of art done in charcoal, but like pastel...it's messy.  I also hate the feel of chalk on my hands, not to mention that it sometimes causes my skin to break out in allergic boils (TMI?) so I generally avoid both.  I do feel that I'm missing out.


Unfortunately, I felt this character would best be captured in charcoal so I dug out my old charcoal pencils and blending stumps.  Yup - these hands stayed spanking clean!  It's cheating, I know, but they also make pastel pencils these days so some other people must share my abhorrence of chalky media. 

Charcoal on Paper, 9"x 12"

Fall Colors

An exercise with landscape and staying loose.  

Watercolor on Paper, 5" x 7"

Daisies - Weekly Sketch

I'm busy making preparations for Halloween this week - most notably for the Colossal pumpkin carving contest.  The competition is extremely stiff  but I think I have a pretty solid plan this year.  Pictures to come next week.

This week's theme is Fences and Flora.  I wanted to work on some different techniques and atypical subjects for me.  I also wanted to get back to participating in the WC Weekend Drawing Events regularly.  

Pen & Watercolor on Paper, 4.5" x 6"