Happy New Year!

Animal Sketches

I challenged myself recently to learn to draw different animals.

I started with collage paper scraps as hats in different shapes to keep it fun:

It helped me to start with animals that I was familiar from my imagination like the pig, cat and dog.

When I started with the gorilla, I used a real image online as inspiration.

I used pencil so I could erase if needed and I erased A LOT!

When I got frustrated, I drew a face of a girl! 😉 It took me several nights to complete.

It helped me to remember to use basic shapes like the circles in my rabbit’s face below:

I think my animal sketches have character! Do you have a favorite?

Happy sketching!

Cheers! 🙂

A Facial

Last week, I started this paper collage from an advertisement image in a magazine:

I started “mapping” the face with light and dark values.  I learned this technique from Lynn Whipple in The Year of The Collage, hosted by Carla Sonheim.

Next, I added magazine patterns and colors by the values (think paint by numbers!)

At first, my gal looked like she was getting a facial! 

But in the end, she looked more like an exotic princess!

She took awhile to complete; many layers of paper, glue stick and patience!

Can you find all four pheasants from the used bird book I showed you in my last post?

Cheers! 🙂

Just Featured…

Sometimes I create drawing challenges for myself to make it more fun…

I created these faces by not filling in all the features with a Micron ink pen:

Next, I copied my original drawing and completed the faces on copy paper.  I created a couple of animals too!

I couldn’t stop at just one sketch, kind of like eating popcorn while watching a movie! Who can eat just one bowl! 😉

Just featured was very entertaining.  I hope you give it a try with your own drawings.

And if you are unhappy with a drawing, you can just cut it out of the picture!

It is a super fun way to develop a character or perhaps tell a story.

Who will you create?

Cheers!

Eyes And Noses

I recently started an online class that is completely out of my comfort zone.

I love the colorful art of the teacher, Ardith Goodwin so I decided to give the class, “Distortion of Eyes and Noses” a try!

I thought you might enjoy seeing how I created a whimsical eye yesterday from one of the assignments.

I started with a watercolor background to give me inspiration.  I drew a quick sketch in pencil.

I used the pencil sketch to get my creative juices flowing.  I added details with a black permanent pen and additional color with Tombow markers.

I finished by softening the watercolor around the eye with gesso and a quote:

I encourage you to change the way you look at things!

Cheers! 🙂

New Year Inspiration

Happy New Year Friends!!

Have YOU put on a your creative thinking cap(s) for 2019?

 

I purchased this art book a few years ago…

It is just the daily inspiration I need in the new year!

I made a book-marker for it… You can see I have a square as part of my design (see yesterday’s post).

What inspiration will YOU use in your creativity in the new year?  I hope you share it with me!

Cheers to new creative discoveries! 🙂

Joyful Music

One of the highlights during the month of December is the special music…

Last weekend, I heard a trumpet solo and today at church, I listened to a violin soloist.

I like to close my eyes and listen, it brings my heart JOY!

What special music do YOU enJOY during the month of December?

I hope you share it with me.

Cheers! 🙂

Her Heart Overflowed

Her heart overflowed with love…

She felt grateful for this gift…

So she gave it away freely!

I think LOVE is a gift that I can give away “freely”…  How about you?

And the funny thing about this gift, the more I give it away, the MORE I get in return!

Cheers! 🙂

Making Masks!

I have started a new art series with making masks!  With Halloween a day away, my timing seems like a scary coincidence! Lol!

Each week, I plan to create masks using a variety of art materials… The ones I’m showing you today were inspired by the Gelli-plate printing method I learned from yesterday’s post.

I love when one idea leads to another.  I call it, “the domino affect!” 😉

I will show you the before and after photos of my paper collaged masks I created and then explain the materials I used after each one.

I collaged other papers I created with the Gelli-Plate for this one.  Some of my prints were made on deli paper so they are more transparent.  Others were done on watercolor paper.  I outlined the features with a pencil and a turquoise color pencil in some areas.  After I outline the areas, I smear the lines with a paper tortilla to give dimension.

The second mask is much different and yet I used the same paper pattern:

Color changes things so much!! I used a limited color palette for this mask.

I added white circles with a Uni-ball Signo white gel pen.  Using tracing paper, I cut out the shapes I wanted from copies of doodles I did previously.  I used a pencil and a paper tortilla to add dimension to my mask.

I hope my process of making masks may inspire you in your art making!

Cheers! 🙂

A Woodland Fairy

I have found new JOY with pencil sketching lately.

It has become a relaxing activity in the evening and my day does not feel complete without a quick sketch!

I find myself focusing on faces yet I am also “drawn” to nature.

This woodland fairy combines a face and nature into one sketch:

My inspiration came from the cover of this book and an oak tree in my yard:

It is one of my favorite books for learning to sketch and paint fairies.  It has so many wonderful ideas to spark my imagination!

These are the supplies I used for this drawing:

From top of the page to bottom:  A Faber-Castell Graphite Aquarelle 8B pencil, Pentel waterbrush, Pentel Graphlet 0.7 mm mechanical pencil, shading stump and a kneaded eraser.  I used a Stillman & Birn Zeta Series sketchbook.

I started with the Graphite Aquarelle pencil and added shading with the waterbrush.  I finished adding details with the 0.7 mm mechanical pencil and shading stump.  A kneaded eraser is wonderful because it doesn’t damage the paper and can be molded to erase small spaces.

I encourage you to draw every day!  Try different pencils, papers and subjects.  It will change how you see the world around you!

Cheers! 🙂