random pix

How is this for something different for me?  I have a large collection of random photographs and I took a picture of this dog several years ago...why?  Well I didn't really know at the time, but recently when looking through said photos...he spoke to me and I had to do a little sketch...so that's why I take pix and save them.. for a rainy day of sketching :)

permanent ink

Tulips are everywhere now, except out in the garden....yet!  This coming week the temps will rise..yahoo!  I've been sketching a lot and trying to fill my sketchbooks.  I'm calling it my artistic exercising to keep my brain and way of seeing in shape.  I do these sketches without drawing in pencil first...I go right in with a permanent marker...like doing the crossword in ballpoint ink!  No guts, no glory!

Book news

Hot off the presses..this painting "Letter Sweater" was selected for inclusion in the next Splash publication, "Splash 15, Creative Solutions".  The book will be out next summer!  Super excited and super honored.  She will follow in the footsteps of my other painting "The Storyteller" which will be out in Splash 14 this year!.

blooming

Back to a floral image..we've brought spring into the house in the form of tulip bouquets, an Easter lily plant and a total find at the grocery store...a gardenia plant in bloom and with tons of buds ready to open!  So the scent of mixed blossoms is in the air!  And captured in my sketchbook!

pencil sketch

The figure sessions around town are expanding and that finds me with more opportunities to sketch on a weekly basis.  The models have been new and different as well, so that keeps me on my toes.  I still wish we had a Dr. Sketchy's session here.  The closest one is almost two hours away!  Oh well..

End of journal

This concludes the Marilyn sketchbook..the top image is the back of the journal and the bottom image is the whole book unfolded... Will try this again with some other subject...maybe another icon...artist, actor, musician, model, band, athlete?? sky's the limit.

Glamour pose

Second to last sketch of Norma Jean...but this was one from her Marilyn days.  Her nose was the best thing to draw...well maybe her mouth as well.  As I'm learning teeth are hard to draw, but take close observation and are just shapes like everything else with shading and contours etc...

7 and 8

These are number 7 and 8 in the Marilyn sketchbook...You can see a little bit of the ribbon that I use to tie the accordion fold sketchbook closed with.  I make the sketchbook myself and use my favorite Fabriano watercolor paper.  I don't know why I didn't finish her face in the left sketch..but decided I  kind of like it.

Marilyn 5 & 6

The iconic Marilyn pose in her white dress.  I chose to only capture a small part of it and then the opposite page is another unfinished sketch..choosing to taper her dress down and not draw her feet.  One was done in pencil and the other in permanent marker.

sanguine ink

More Monroe...as you can see..this one was done with a sanguine marker that was not waterproof..so I softened the edges with some water..the grey cast is from the pencil marks I made before adding ink.  I think she looks a bit like Scarlett Johansson...maybe she was up for the role in MWWM?

sepia and red ink

The third image in mwwm (my week with Marilyn) sketchbook..this doesn't look much like her, but the pose was interesting..the words around the outside were taken at random from the book I was working with...things about Marilyn and her life.  I tried for another technique, working with a red sharpie and sepia watercolor.

climbing the curve

The second sketch in my week with Marilyn journal...I think this one really looks like her..It certainly helps with proportions and just learning how the face is laid out..you think you know..but the eyes are wider apart than you think..the mouth is closer to the bottom of the nose etc..etc..a constant learning curve to climb!

new sketchbook

I just finished a new project...just for fun.  I made a little accordion fold sketchbook and decided to call it "my week with Marilyn"...I used several books about Marilyn Monroe and chose a few images to draw in the sketchbook...it did take me a week and I tried to go for different looks.  I think this first one looks like Michelle Williams in the movie where she played Marilyn.. (the book measures 6.5"x5.5")

fresh palette

Peony portrait...always a favorite subject.  I have tons of photographs of peonies and always look through them on a dark, snowy or frosty day to get that hit of early summer and to get inspired for another painting.  January is a good time to clean your palette and squeeze out new color or chisel out old, dried up or cracked bits of color.

organizing

A quick unfinished sunflower study...trying to organize my photo references and in doing so finding inspiration for future paintings.  Luckily tulips are popping up in stores already so I can buy some bouquets to have "live" models around!

highlights

I like the way the white of the paper indicates the strong lighting on her cheek, nose, forehead and eyelid.  That's been the hardest thing for me to train my eyes to "see"...the lights and darks, but that is what it's all about...value.  That contrast between, in which form takes shape.

summer photos

A small little pop of color to spark the winter season.  I will be figuring out when to have my annual peony painting workshop this June..the last several years the season came early..so I'll keep that in mind this year.  Now it's working from photos of summer blooms in the studio!

New goals

Happy New Year everyone!  Thank you for checking out my blog, following my work, taking workshops, commenting or sending me nice emails in 2012!  2013 is here and I will continue with my figure/portrait work and try for increased drawing and sketching time...I also have a solo show to work for in June so I best get started!