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!

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! 🙂

Drawing Faces…

I continue enjoying drawing these quirky faces…

Experimenting with different drawing materials such as a Pentel Sign Pen:

I messed up her neck a bit so I gave her a high collar.  Hehe! 😉

I used same pen over watercolor for this gal – I like how this pen bleeds a little with water:

When I went to my local art supply store recently, I met Linda Schneider (LindaSchneiderArt.com) who does beautiful calligraphy.  I used to do calligraphy when I was in college.  Linda self-published a book using calligraphy flourishes to create women’s hair, hats, etc; called, “Designing Faces, Figures, Florals and More!”

She inspired me create the faces I’m showing you today.

I used a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen for this drawing:

What I like about this pen is the ink is permanent.  It is a little harder to control than the other pen however.  This pen also comes with refills.

And here is a mixed media piece that is a bit wild:

I started with a light background in watercolor, added her face with the outline using a black Micron pen, added Neocolor watersoluble crayons and more scribbles with the Pentel Sign pen.

Who knew that drawing faces could be so fun!

Cheers! 🙂

“Berry” Quirky…

We were challenged to make a quirky character on any surface using any material from my online class, Drawing Quirky Characters…

This assignment was just what I needed to get my creative juices flowing again!

I started with a previous drawing and folded the paper in half vertically.  Using the white gel pen sketch as my guide, I cut out my quirky gal with scissors:

I don’t think I could have invented this hat without my scissors… (It reminds me of a hat that Wilma from the Flintstones might wear!) 😉

Lucy Cooke suggested I use it as a stencil so I did in my sketchbook with fluid acrylic paint:

Next, I drew details with pencil, added watercolor pencils, pan pastels to soften her features, black pen, white gel pen and color pencils:

I think she is “berry” quirky!  How about you?!

Note:  This was a fun way to create my own stencil.  I look forward to using this idea with other subjects too.

Cheers! 🙂

More Quirkiness…

I don’t think we can ever have too much quirkiness, do you?!  I love drawing these whimsical faces.  🙂

I created these drawings in the Dina Wakley sketchbook that I told you about in this post: A New Art Journal

The first drawing is extra scribbly.  I started with a black Micron pen and added the white gel pen afterwards:

A young man in an extra tall quirky hat!

I’m really liking how the white gel pen pops on the brown kraft paper:

I added a little color and shading to these quirky gals with color pencil…

I am so enjoying Lucy Cooke’s Quirky Characters online class!  Lucy recently did a short video of the quirky character drawings from the class – I hope you check it out at:  ArtcyLucyStudio.com and go to her “Blog” which will lead you to the class artwork.

Cheers! 🙂

The Paper Clips…

Sometimes you become attached to a simple idea and it just makes you laugh!

The office was slow the other day so I photocopied paper clips and started drawing faces with them.

They made me laugh out loud!

Yesterday, I drew my family… my hubby, myself and Jack, the cat…

I think we are attracted to each other’s magnetic personalities! HAHA!

I hope you try this silly idea some time and it gives you a giggle or two!

Cheers! 🙂

100 Days Of Drawing Faces

I posted my 100th face on Instagram yesterday!  WHOOT!  😊 I accomplished my goal of drawing 100 faces in a little over 100 days… Phew!!

Maybe some of you recall my first face I posted on April 4th – it was a quick sketch in one continuous line:

100 days is A LOT especially when I am working full-time… (What was I thinking?!) and yet having limited time helped me to accomplish my goal because I didn’t have time to fuss over it.

I didn’t post everything I did like this one:

I would have liked to have more time to do more like this one, where I mixed collage and acrylics:

But I enjoyed trying a variety of art mediums:

Sprinkled with a little humor:

I think this one is one of my favorites – Picasso style:

And this one I did in watercolor with drips for hair:

I found I could draw more realistic looking faces and even my own – or at least my better half!  Lol! 🙂

I think the greatest lesson I learned is that it isn’t perfection that matters but PRACTICE!!  Daily practice does make a difference….

Especially in finding ones “style” in art!  I found I really liked creating “characters” rather than REAL people:

And yet, drawing a variety really is the best teacher!  Here is my 100th face:

I’m sure it won’t be my last…

Yet, let’s FACE it, I need a little break from drawing faces!

Cheers! 🙂

Sail Away

It was a windy day at the lake yesterday – good for sailing! 🙂

Sailing is something I have only done once but I think I’d like to go again.  How about you?

I discovered a wonderful artist on Pinterest named Sandi Fitzgerald.  You can find images of her art on Pinterest, Facebook and Flickr.

I loved Sandi’s whimsical style.   She inspired me to create this watercolor face in my sketchbook yesterday:

“Mary dreamed of sailing…”

Wishing you a day to sail away… even if only in your dreams!

Cheers! 🙂

A Face Haiku

Is it possible to create a face with just 7 lines?  Yes, I say!! 😄

 1.  It starts with a line

2.  And connects to a feature…

3.  They are easy and fun –

4.  But may look like a creature!  Lol! 😉

And here is a step-by-step example:

I hope you give one a try!

Seven lines for a face…

Is all it takes!

Cheers! 🙂

A Party Gal And Night Owl

Funny how one idea often leads to another!

I recently created this paper collage for the 100-day project on Instagram (I’m doing 100 days of faces).

“Dottie hoped someone would ask her to dance at the party…”

I found a photo of a face and cut it in half to challenge myself to draw the second half of her face a little differently.  I added collage from a magazine for her dress and a hat from paper I purchased to give her a little zing! 🙂 The background I created with watercolor.

This led me to create today’s weird bird:  “Her friends called her a night owl.”

This one is a bit weird – even for me… but you have to admit, it is quite a hoot to look at!  Lol!  😉

I found an image of an owl, cut it in half and found an image of a gal’s face and matched the two images together.  Next, I traced part of her dress using tracing paper and then cut out a piece of my gelli-printed paper.  I liked the striking contrast with the black and white image with the red.

I found another gelli-print to paste my image to – it looks a bit mysterious with a moon shape in the upper left corner.  The image at the bottom I cut from a piece of collage paper.

I hope you enjoyed learning how I created today’s collages.  These were like a puzzle for me and so fun to do!

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

Cheers! 🙂