Peony

I came home last night for a day between workshops and conferences. I sketched this peony from a magazine.

I think I'll add a few more to keep it company!

Sketching Under Stress

My workweek has been and will continue to be overly busy with a very late night, workshop, students, conferences, travel. I find sketching when I'm racing around like I've had to do to be a bit less relaxing than it is at home when there are fewer demands on my time and attention. Still, I do think, regardless of how well the sketches have been completed, that sketching and moving my mind from FRANTIC to AWARENESS to be very very helpful to both my stress level and my mood!

The kitty was sketched from a magazine as I quickly ate dinner between work and workshop.

The woman with head on arm was sketched AFTER the workshop (11:00 pm -- NOT my best time! LOL) as I tried to relax. A dear friend of mine sent me a gorgeous fabric postcard with this well-known painting. As I relaxed, I tried to capture the restful pose of the model. Though it doesn't come close in facial likeness to the painting, I do like the restful feel of the face.

EDM #50 - Draw your Entryway - Homecoming

While the grands took a nap this afternoon, I did a 'quick' of the view you'd see if you stepped through my frontdoor.

The first thing you'd see is, again, another bookcase - this one twice as large as the one in my workroom. The chair in the corner is my husband's recliner in a dusty rose color. Behind it and peeking from the top of the chair is my old guitar case (I haven't played in 20 years, and C was trying to teach himself.) What you can't see is his mandolin case next to the guitar (this he's learning very well!). The table against the right wall is an antique flour table. Note the curved wooden drawer -- I'm told they used to store flour in it and curved the bottom for storage. The round lamp is an antique glass in the same dusty pink and rose pattern as the one on my fireplace.

This challenge was indeed CHALLENGING with all the perspectives, lines, and curves, and I STOOD to sketch it so I could get the 'view' of someone walking through the door. FUN! I'd like to redo it at a slower pace and see if I could get more details and a bit better perspective.

Interior for Today's Sketch

Continuing with the Interior theme, I've sketched the bed in our guestroom.

This metal bed belonged to my dh and to be honest, was the most horrid shade of brown. The paint was peeling, the frame was rusting -- YUCK! When he and I married and moved to our present home in the woods, I spray painted the frame a textured 'stone' (light gray flecked with black and white textured pieces), and both of us liked the frame MUCH better!

The bedspread is a New England blue, hand-crocheted by my mom. I keep telling her that each piece of handwork she gives me is an automatic 'heirloom!" and she thinks I'm crazy...

I want to publicly thank my dh for the 'perspective' help he gave me. Though my sketch is not perfect in its rendering, C helped me realign the lines so the bed looked long enough for humans taller than my 2 year old granddaughter to sleep in, and I also listened to his STRONGLY suggested line placement so that the sketch looked like one wouldn't slide OUT of the bed should it be used! LOL

What's that about PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE??!!

Art Supplies

Felicity was talking about art supplies we like to use, so I thought I'd add a photo of mine -- well, my SKETCHING art supplies. These are the supplies I travel with during the week and those I seem to use everyday. My COLLAGING art supplies, well, they'll need their own photo album!

Caught

On the Everyday Matters group this morning, there was a small chat about the things that we're attracted to sketch, and I added, perhaps those things we AVOID sketching.

Cully called me on my avoiding sketching my bookcase. GOT ME, thought I. Thus tagged, I deeply sighed and set to work on ONE of the EIGHT bookcases in my workroom. I KNOW now some of the reasons for my avoidance:

(1) The bookcase is a MESS and needs reorganizing
(2) Bookcases, especially non-perspective views, are all lines and angles -- all things I do with great kerwockedy-ness
(3) After sketching the books on the first shelf, I grew a 'tad' bored with all the lines! LOL
(4) Even with the wee bit of perspective in the bookcase, the perspective caused me fits!

It was FUN ... though I think I"ll hold off sketching the other seven bookcases for a while! LOL

MY FIRST REQUEST FOR SKETCHED ART!

I know compared to others who sell their art, this is minor potatoes. But for someone who has never drawn before 7 months ago, this small request made my YEAR!

The owner of the B&B I frequent celebrated her 73rd birthday last week. She has watched me work on my sketches since I began this journey and has been super-supportive. During her birthday celebration, she turned to me and told me that of all the birthday gifts she would enjoy, she would love something I sketched!

Well, talk about feeling HONORED! So this weekend, I sketched and lightly watercolored a half dozen cardstock notecards with flowers. I'll add envelopes and tie these up with a ribbon.

I hope she likes them!

Goose Quill and Stamper's Ink

In the sketch class I'm taking with Cathy Johnson, we got to chatting about various pens and inks. I'm still at the 'pencil' stage in my sketching and have just begun experimenting with a few pens. The discussion intrigued me and got my mind awhirlin'. Since I live in the middle of the woods and the art supply store is an hour away, I combed my hidey-holes and found some feathers I had collected from the college grounds where I teach. (We have a plethora of geese and ducks and when they molt, it's a goldmine of free feathers!) Following Kate's detailed instructions, I cut the quill (as best I could) to try as a dip pen. Now for the ink!

I've been collaging for several years and have collected a small amount of rubber stamps and a few reinkers. AHA, I thought! INK. So, on my Canson 140# CP watercolor paper I began my experimenting. I dipped my pen into a small drop of Adirondak 'Bottle' dye ink (very non-waterproof). I added a bit of waterbrush -- and was SMITTEN! Of all the playing I did (blotching, blotting, smearing, WEARING, drying with a HEATGUN), I liked this wee flower best. The ink wash just delighted me!

My next project was to attempt my 'homework' for Kate and something a bit more serious. Bowing again to Laura and continuing my interiorscapes, I sketched my washstand. I began in pencil and then used the goosequill and Adirondak 'Rust' ink to oversketch the pencil. I found that if if 'scraped' the pen against the side of the cut papercup, I didn't BLOTCH the ink as much. Instead of letting the ink dry (never one for patience!), I used the waterbrush to move the ink around before it settled into the wc paper. I left the pencil marks for texture ... and the result absolutely made me GLEEFUL! I think I'm getting hooked!

Re the washstand. I was with a friend in an antique store in Raleigh about eight years ago. She was looking for something; I was along for the ride. When I saw this particular piece, I FELL IN LOVE and just HAD TO HAVE IT! It cost me more than I've ever paid for a piece of furniture -- but I knew it was just something I'd regret not buying.

I depleted my savings account and brought it home. It has graced my bathroom for 13 years and delights me each visit to that part of the house!

Another Interior

Continuing my fascination with things interior (hats off to you, Laura), I've added a 'quick sketch' of my bentwood rocker. In the time my husband called me to leave my art table and prepare the table for dinner (don't you just LOVE a man that cooks! and cooks WELL!) and when dinner was actually done, I did a quick sketch of the bentwood rocker I've owned for over 30 years. I added ink and watercolor only to the wooden areas; the seat and back are still in pencil. I love the subtlety of the pencil and maybe I'm finally learning how to use it to its advantage. I have a larger learning curve with ink and watercolor! I've included both sketches to show a bit of the process.

The rocker has followed me all of my adult life. I rocked my children in it, and now, I rock my grands! I've had the seat and back recaned only once in all this time. It sits next to my fireplace with a cozy throw tossed over its arm. I happened to be UNDER the throw when I drew this!

More Salt and Pepper Shakers

As a continual practice with various materials for my sketching class, I sketched these crystal salt and pepper shakers. I surprised myself to realize just how many DIFFERENT sets of salt and pepper shakers I own!

The Old Oak Desk

This wooden desk is over 40 years old. When my ex and I bought it, it was covered by six coats of paint and two to three layers of wallpaper -- what a mess! It was the first piece I ever refinished and it's still going strong.

Funny thing. After sketching this desk, which sits in the corner of my work room, it occurred to me -- my ex-husband and I redid the desk -- and our lives -- we both remarried. Talk about redoing.

Squirrely Gifts

These ceramic squirrels in their wee basket were a gift from my son over 15 years ago. He bought them at a yard sale knowing how much I love watching squirrels. He went out to play, and without me knowing where he was going, found these. He returned home, rang the doorbell and surprised me with his gift. Of course, I cried ...

Journal Page

I began learning to sketch so I could illuminate my journal pages, and so I've spent a good part of a year sketching and sketching (oh yes, and erasing and erasing!) LOL I've focused so much on this learning challenge that I haven't spent as much time collaging or doing daily 'glue pages', or writing as I did before I took up the pencil.

This morning, with the fog cloaking the woodlands and creating a feeling of restive coziness, I decided to try combining those things I love most on one page - sketching, writing, collaging, gluing in my journal.

I like the result and hope that with continual practice I'll get better at the combo!

Fireplace

Laura's challenge to draw interiors and her beautiful sketches inspired me to try an interior myself.

The gas log fireplace in my livingroom sits in the corner, but its heat warms the entire house. A good friend of mine carved the 'face' portion of the fireplace as a wedding gift for my husband and I. He used our wedding invitation and symbol we used of the morning glory. I just LOVE it!

The pink rose glass lamp is an antique my husband bought me one birthday and the blue vase was a wedding gift as well. I didn't realize until I was writing this how filled with symbolism that entire corner has become - warmth, wedding, flowers, remembrances!

Foggy Morning

After a wildly busy holiday season and an equally busy return to work, this morning I am able to sit before my computer, catch up with the many blogs that inspire me, type some notes to friends, chat with my sister, and RELAX into the morning. The fog at my window gives me that wonderful cocoon feeling, while my sweet/bitter morning coffee warms and delights me. I LOVE mornings like this, and I experience them less and less as the world, and my own life, seem to accelerate at an ever frightening pace.

But for today, for THIS morning, I am wallowing in the grey!

Published AGAIN!

In the January/February 2006 issue of "Altered Arts," I've had published a 'how to' article for creating an altered 'triptych clock.' Here are the clocks featured in the article. See this month's issue for directions.

EDM #1 Draw Your Refrigerator

Since I work out of town and my own refrigerator was 80 miles away, I sketched instead the exterior of the B&B owner's refrigator. It's a very 'homey' refrigerator filled with pretty magnets, notes, calendars, photos of her grandchildren, and the detritis of a large, loving family. The B&B owner thought I was a bit crazy to be sketching something in her kitchen, and she had a good laugh at the results (me, too) .. but then again, I'm always glad to help someone smile! LOL

Salt and Pepper / Lighting Fixture

I normally don't go out to eat at lunch, but I'm trying to walk a mile or two a day, and so decided to get away from the computer and find a quick meal. I ate a salad at Appleby's and sketched the salt and pepper shakers as I waited for my Oriental Salad (I LOVE THOSE!). Just as I was ready to leave, instead of looking at my plate and sketchbook, I looked up and noticed (DUH) some awesome Tiffany light fixtures! I could have hit myself in the head! Instead, I'll go back NEXT week for another salad and sketch those!

I wound up walking 2 miles around the indoor medical mall. Having thought to LOOK UP at the restaurant, I did again and noticed some wonderful lighting fixtures throughout the mall. I kept staring at these during my walk; then returned for a sandwich at the Cafe and a chance to sketch those.

(The adhesive tape and dispenser was done quickly as I waited for the rainstorm to ease up enough for me to leave my office and head to the medical mall for my walk.)

My Old Black Leather Boots -EDM #1

I don't know what it is about these low-top boots that I love - they're made of black faux-leather, comfortable as slippers, and even with their cracks and bruises, I can't give them up.

This week to continue my sketch (or two) a day, I decided to sketch the shoe/boot in two perspectives - from the side and front view. Though I haven't a clue how to render them 'leathery', I hope I managed to show their wear! LOL

More pencil testing

I'm finally home from out of town and I'm proud to say I've been sketching EVERY DAY since January 1!! HORRAY!

I scanned and reloaded my pencil sketches, removing the 'photo' I took of the page. I think the scan shows so many more details!

I'm also adding some quick tree sketches testing again the various pencils on cold press 140# watercolor paper.

Continuing with the examples and sketching homework, I'm including a potted tree done with charcoal (both medium and soft) with added water for some of the values. On the same page are two flower sketches doen first in pencil, then pen and watercolor washes in keeping with my resolution to sketch more nature.