Day 33 Never

April 15, 2020Leave a comment

Eat a large chocolate bar. It will keep you up most of the night. But oh was it good.

I took another photo of The Farm using my Ott light to light it up. Much more accurate photo. Can’t wait til Saturday for the next class.

Drawing with Koosje. A corner of the living room really my den.

Lamy Stillman and Birn Alpha.

We drew masks with Danny at noon. Now we have to pick one out and make a paper bag mask.

I had to write down what I thought they were saying. That was fun. Can you find the Covid monster?! Lamy Safari Stillman and Birn Alpha. Only five spreads left but I got a new one from Amazon. Hurrah.

Sweet Ilaina. Missing my painting peeps.

Digging around for my 140 # rough press Fabriano I found this. Always liked it. Still have the photo to finish it. Full sheet on Waterman cold press I think.

Got some decent pics of the Downy that hit the window this am. So pretty.

Not sure what he is but cute. A sparrow?! Where’s the bird book?!

Loves this female cardinal on the thistle feeder. Adoreable.

Distancing in SC

Margaret ready for bed despite my excellent afternoon nap while watching Mary Berry at Highclere Castle on YouTube. Zzzz

Xoxoxox😘

Margaret xoxoxo

Day 26

April 8, 2020Leave a comment

And I thought it was Day 27 hmmm

This am with Koosje. Draw your shoes up close. I actually painted this but no photo and I hate to disturb Zoe whose snoozing in my lap. Micro Uniball Lamy Safari stillman and birn Alpha.

She’s had an exhausting day today. Went for a ride around. No human contact don’t worry.

And colored pencils with Danny at noon. I drew my Nikon. Waiting for a sunny afternoon to take some bird photos. Had to wash the sliding windows too.

Used three or four pencils. Blue orange yellow and red. No five. Purple too. Fun technique. Wild coloring.

And this was waiting for me in the mail box. Woohoo. Bought my pirate queen Comtesse Chloe Le Chat: Corsair Extrodinaire from Juliana Coles who posted them on Facebook. Love the words too. “In Times like this the Heroine takes her place. Batten the hatches. Fly the Colors!! ” perfect for the pandemic.

And look at all the swag that came with it. I might love her – the cat and Juliana. 🤗 Chloe is now in quarantine airing out for a few days but I can admire her every time I walk by her on the kitchen counter near the hall door.

Woohoo.

Margaret watching Maine cabin masters. Batten the hatches!! Fly the colors!!xoxoxo

Fixing the train wreck

January 29, 20202 Comments

The way she looked when I left life modeling today.

The way she looks now. I decided I had really messed her face up and decided to lift a half inch strip down her face as delineated by the pencil mark.

I used masking tape and a mr clean eraser.

The sketch

First break. At this point I was happy. Then down the rabbit hole. Sigh.

As many times as I have drawn Ilaina u would think it would be a piece of cake. NOPE.

No idea how I went so wrong. Still doesn’t look like her but she looks better.

I do really like her hands. Maybe I should just paint hands.

Margaret hanging it up for tonite.

Heading to Brevard

January 23, 2020January 23, 20202 Comments

I past this cute cabin on the way into Brevard over the holidays but lazy me just got around to painting the sketch.

I stood on the side of Highway 64 on a bright cool day to draw the cabin which was so cheery and bright in its field. Not always easy to find a place to draw on the busy windy mountain road.

Here’s the sketch. On some kind of cold press watercolor paper. Probably Fabriano.

I used a lot of white gouache on the tree in the foreground which was fun. Have a rough texture over the grey of the smeared pen.

Sky is Cheap Joes Andrews turquoise. Gold is Daniel Smith quin gold. I mixed burnt sienna and the Andrews turquoise for the trees greens and the greys. Love dual purpose colors

Micro Uniball pen.

Margaret ready to hang it up for the day xoxoxo

In Aiken paintin’

January 22, 2020January 23, 20204 Comments

Don today. Hope you click on him and see him bigger. The background may change tomorrow. We shall see.

The sketch.

15×22 cold press Fluid. Hmm I have a whole roll of gesture drawings too. Was not thrilled doing another reclining pose. To top that off he went to sleep and his head started tipping toward me. And I mean tipped ALOT!! Not just a little.

Next break. I don’t know how I managed to get the holiday in his nose. It’s straight. Hmm.

Really like his hand.

Next break. Or was this when I was done. Not sure. Painted for three 25 min sessions. Since I wasn’t thrilled with the pose I had fun playing and really like all the colors. Lots of alizarin mineral violet Cheap Joes Andrews turquoise. Some cad red and yellow and burnt sienna plus ultramarine.

Always fun hanging with my Aiken peeps.

Drew Murphy’s. His first nude male.

Eves. She and I had fun moaning about Don going to sleep. Really messed with our drawings. Thank goodness I took a pic before he went to sleep.

Loved Joya Jimenez- Stefanos pastel – that leg coming forward is so dynamic.

And Bills oil- lovely soft pastely colors that don’t show well in the light I took this in.

Wish I had gotten a photo of Amy Lockhard Nesss oh so interesting scribble drawings she made with a weird Mephisto pencil she got in Bulgaria. It only smeared when she used a tortillon. Hmmm.

Well that’s a wrap people. Come join us for some Aiken fun. T or Saturday. Oh and Plein air on Fridays.

Margaret tucked in for the evening. Freezing cold. A high of 39. Whaaaaatttt??

Done well maybe

January 8, 2020Leave a comment

Calling Henry done for now but may mess with his right eye some more. Going to look at him a whole and then decide.

Here he is like he was this morning when I started. I darkened just about everything.

Lifted a highlight or two like the one on his index finger. Added some fingernails. BYTW u add the line denoting the nail ABOVE THE FINGERNAIL not under the it. A little blush of cad red on the nail and you are done.

So what else did I lift. Some weird yellow ochre dots on the background that looked like I hit it with the brush accidentally. Always surprised how easy it is to lift on Fluid hot press. I think it’s easier to do on hot press than cold press.

Added the background wash on the left. It’s made up of Cheap Joes Andrews turquoise yellow ochre has mineral violet with maybe a little alizarin.

So I stayed up til 2 am knitting on this sock. I had to draw a pattern for it first. I know you are thrilled to know that. Calling it Jos sock for the polka dot socks Jo March had on in the latest version of Little Women. Gorgeous movie but NOT faithful to the book. After I watch it a few more dozen times I will I hope get over that like I did with Under the Tuscan Sun.

Margaret taking a nap before Book club. Do I have to go?!! Xoxoxox

It’s Saturday

December 14, 2019Leave a comment

15×22″ coldpress fluid paper

Was having a terrible time drawing Ilaina this am so I turned the paper over and painted her without a drawing. This painting took about an hour.

Here she is after about 40 minutes sooo wet. The paper just rippled. Thank goodness I found a hair dryer under the bathroom sink so I could dry her.

She may get some tweaking or maybe not. Right now thinking her ear needs to be cleaned up with a Mr Clean. It should be similar in color to the rest of her face. and those silly little pieces of hair. I had to play with my Cheap Joes Scroogys loose goose just once.

Colors used alizarin cad orange cad red for skin tones. Alizarin shadows with cobalt mineral violet and Cheap Joes Andrew turquoise. Hair burnt sienna and ultramarine.

Fred’s mondigliani. Told him he should finish it.

Drews acrylic. I made her look younger. I think he made her look older. He’s using a new brand of acrylic paint. Old Williamsburg. Their oil is suppose to be THE best oil.

Only two more people came. Did get photos of theirs.

Capturing friends

December 13, 20192 Comments

Rich Klein listening to Joe Kameen talk at USC Aiken. I am sure one day I will look back thru my sketchbooks and say I remember him. He’s the guy who started buying Lamy pens!! Aka he fell down the rabbit hole with the rest of us. Prof Rich can frequently be seen leaning on his chin while he listens intently or hmm maybe he day dreams. You can follow him at richkleinvisions on instagram. Inside his head might be quite interesting if his art work is any indication.

Lamy EF Noodlers Eelskin Ink handprint journal.

And yes he will get painted if I ever quit knitting. Christmas stocking half done. Did I post this?! For youngest grandson. Down to the heel now so on the downhill run.

Margaret whose glad the icy cold rain has stopped. Xoxoxox

The ladies of the Hearings

November 17, 2019Leave a comment

Ms Val Demings – Fl I think. Such a gorgeous lady.

Ms Jackie Speiers Ca I might need another go round with Ms Jackie. Her face is too wide. It’s really longer and narrower but still a fun sketch.

Ms. Stefanik – NY – I did these ladies because they seem to consistently question the witnesses. There are a few more but at five minutes each tough to catch them. Maybe Monday or Wed or?!

Incidentally the sketch the hearings group is growing. A friend in Aiken has decided to give it a try too. Not seen hers yet but she’s a great painter. Join the fun. Maybe we need a Facebook group?!

Margaret tired after a very busy day watching old old episodes of MASH still just as funny as they ever were. Xoxoxox