Around the World in 60 Seconds

March 5, 2021March 5, 2021Leave a comment

Drawing each icon of their country for 60 seconds each with Danny Gregory today on YouTube. He had a slide show of each of the icons that let you view it for 60 seconds. Then on to the next one.

Quite the challenge. Also trying to get them all on one page was a challenge. Eeek. And no time to plan. Double eeek.

So not bad considering EXCEPT the first time I didn’t realize it was suppose to be on ONE page. I used SIX!!

These are quite large. The sketchbook – a handprint journal is 5 1/2x 8″.

This set was drawn with my pentel brush pen which is always fun but makes a big thick line. I only used two colors. Quin gold and cobalt teal. Together they made a great mucky green.

So second time around I used my Namiki fude. Love drawing with them making thin or thick lines easily. Check out the weird tip on it. Does a great job.

No I didn’t cheat. I didn’t pause the video either time except to get the dog in. And then I started it right back up.

It’s time for pot kitties again. They have grown a lot. Halley looks gorgeous with an orange glow from the sunset on her back.

Margaret xoxoxo

Every day a sunrise

March 4, 2021Leave a comment

Making mist in the blue ridge. Arches 280#cold press. Cheap Joe’s American Journey paint.

Took photos of the process today. But it might be easier if you wanted David R. Smiths YouTube videos. This is the short one. Then the longer more involved one. Or you could sign up for his online class next Tuesday. Should be fun. His students give him rave reviews.

First layer wet the paper add yellow sun red ring and cobalt. Spray it with a spatters spray. Dry it.

First row of trees. Wet under the trees and spatter again. Lift some color form the bottom w a thirsty brush. Aka dry brush which will suck up the paint making the mist. Dry after the colors run and mix.

Repeat on the left.

And so on and on. Repeat repeat. Repeat. Getting darker with each layer. Load bottom of trees w water. Paint the trees. Spatter tops w water. Lift some off bottoms w a thirsty brush. And dry.

Last layer is the darkest. It’s wet here.

I lifted some with my thirsty brush and this one is dry.

On the Adriatic

February 25, 2021May 19, 2021Leave a comment

Croatia. Paint along #three with Vlad Yesileyev. He’s taking a group there to paint this summer he hopes. Covid willing.

Done for now and maybe forever.

The photo

The value sketch.

The sketch. 140# rough Hahnemuhle Cezanne great paper. Only thing I don’t like abt it it buckles when soppy wet but dries flat. Paint and paper from Cheap Joes. Love them.

First washes. Looks very ghost like. This photo was taken when it was wet. See the buckles?!

Adding midtones.

Adding darks and the water. Painting those darn boats. Hmm they were the easiet thing to paint. Actually this was not a hard painting. Just a lot to do.

And done. I need a nap now after the paint along. Work slap out!! 😂

Margaret whose ready to tuck up on the sofa with a blanket. Xoxoxo

Wild and Wet

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021Leave a comment

Winter Petersburg: Blue bridge, Moika Embankment

With Tatiana Asinismova. She was speaking Russian and was on St Petersburg while Vlad Yesileyev translated. When his internet went south his wife Marina who is in Moscow visiting family stepped up and ably continued translating.

This painting was done completely wet on wet using Paynes grey, burnt sienna, sepia, cad yellow, yellow ochre, white gouache. Period paragraph. I added some ultramarine because there was no blue in my Paynes grey.

Draw fast the paper is suppose to be being soaked. Times like this all the sketching I do comes in handy.

Soaked both sides of the a half sheet of 140# Kilimanjaro cold press paper first w a hake brush. No taping. Cheap Joe’s American Journey paint.

A few swipes of yellow ochre. Next we used a cat’s tongue brush loaded with layers grey. Swoosh swoosh the sky was done.

Dabs of burnt sienna across the horizon line.

Smidges of black verticals. Hmm what are those?

Next knocking out the bridge all the while painting into this wet morass. Burnt sienna and paynes grey.

What are those things poking up we are painting?! 🤔🤔🤔 A light!! Zip zip done. (It’s really pretty straight but the paper has a ripple because some sunny stood it up and let it dry standing up making a ripple. Duh!)

On to the river and the snow. Oops I didn’t draw it so I winged it. A little rewetting of the paper. Very interesting making the light and dark areas, fuzzy and sharp edged.

And don’t forget to leave some ice chunks.

Painting the right hand side of the bridge. My least fav part but we soldiered on. Burnt sienna and Payne’s grey. Are there any other colors?! Oh a dab of ultramarine. Splatter splatter. Paint faster. Splatter with white gouache.

Finally use a tooth brush loaded with white gouache to make the snow. I am sure there are 89 YouTube videos on how to do this. Looks just like snow. Hoping this is as close as my house will get to snow this year.

Tatianas class sample. You can follow her on Instagram at Tatianaasimova6056

She’s also teaching a class with Vlad Mar 7. The painting will be similar to the above photo. Can’t wait. Click the link to check it out.

If you want to try this technique Vlad or Marina is going to post this class on YouTube soon. Was really so much fun. I love splashing paint about. Paint flinging c’est moi!!!

Margaret exhausted because she finished another painting today too but that’s for another day. Hugs. Xoxoxox

Otterly fun

February 4, 20214 Comments

I got a little heavy handed in a lot of ways with this little guy. Too much masking fluid and it was in lumps. No clue why it did that. Then I made his body too fat.

The photo which was twisted a bit to the right.

Doing the face. Colors used. Burnt umber, opera pink, grey, burnt sienna, quin gold, ultramarine. Lots of wet on wet.

Adding the body.

Done for now. I think he may need some more splatters. I may give it another go. But first a nap.

Hugs xoxoxox

Fly away to Old Havana

December 17, 2020May 19, 20212 Comments

Old town Havana Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev. Fabriano 300 lb rough paper which I have decided I now hate. It kept holding edges. Put paint on and there was a hard edge. What the heck. It’s not suppose to do that at $16 a sheet. This is a half sheet.

The photo

Vlad’s value sketch.

The drawing and what a pain it was.

First washes just three colors yellow ochre alizarin and cobalt blue.

Midtones. Adding I burnt sienna neutral tint dioxzine purples cad orange.

Adding darks. Burnt sienna burnt umber ultramarine vandyke brown

Almost there.

Done doe now. Who knows what it will tell me in the am?!

Margaret tired of looking at it.

Here Kitty Kitty

December 10, 2020December 11, 20203 Comments

A Torbie aka tiger cat w orange on it. Took an online zoom class with Liz Chaderton on shopkeeparty.com the photo

Tacking the paper down. A half sheet of Kilimanjaro 300. Have to order more from cheap Joe’s.

The drawing You would think as many cats as I have drawn this would be a piece of cake. Nope.

The palette opera rose, perlene maroon, gamboge, Quin gold, Thalo blue, Cheap Joe’s Andrew’s turquoise, and ultramarine blue. My fine mister spray bottle.

The eye first. Painting wet on wet. Keeping the edges wet so they won’t get hard edge.

Starting to look like a cat. Trying to keep those edges wet. Eeek

painting fast w an 8 sable to keep the edges soft. A fine spray mister to soften edges of ears.

Almost done. Adding the dark layer.

Touch up time and then add whiskers with negative painting and white gouache using my saber brush. Hmm I actually used my loosely goose brush from cheap Joe’s a skinny saber brush.

So far for now. Let’s see what I think in the am.

Big thanks to That’s What Friends are For for $30 certificates to spay neuter and rabies shots for the kitties and to Dr Bagshaw and his fantastic staff at Edgefield Veterinary Services for doing the job for that price. I took them some fresh home made banana bread. Still have to catch one of the tigers and take her.

Margaret whose kitties are mad at her since she had them neutered yesterday. Three sore tummies and one sore bottom. Ouchie. Xoxoxo

Parges, France

December 8, 2020December 8, 20204 Comments

Near Paris. 12×16 arches 280cold press. Did a wild hour long paint all with Vlad Yesileyev at shopkeeparty,com. Also on shopkeeparty’s YouTube if you want to give it a try.

The photo

The sketch

First wash

About an hour of painting. Adding darks. I actually painted the people with my brush aka I didn’t draw them first. I think they are some of my better people.

Debating with my self when is it done.

I never know when to stop but time to add some calligraphy marks with the saber brush I think. Feeling totally uninspired.

And as she is now. She may get more torture tomorrow. We shall see.

Have to capture all five kittens and take them 30 miles to Edgefield to get them neutered or spayed. What happens if one runs. I guess I can always schedule another trek to Edgefield.

Margaret xoxoxo

Drawing with Danny Gregory

November 15, 20202 Comments

When you aren’t inspired to draw or paint guarantee Danny Gregory on his YouTube Draw with me show will get you going. Free every Thursday at Noon.

We all drew a pigeon skeleton today. Well the show was last weeks show. I was busy so did it today. That’s the great thing about YouTube. The shows wait for you and ready when u are.

He furnished the picture we drew.

I used a Micro univalve pen and a namiki fude. Oh and a lamy ef. All that cross hatching was eating up the ink. I may add watercolor to it but letting it dry overnight before I do.

Stillman and birn alpha.

Catching up on escape to the Chateau on YouTube then my binge of Killing Eve on Hulu. Love watching the British couple rehabbing a decrepit five story chateau WITH mote in Escape to the Chateau. The jobs they undertake are monumental on a show string budget. Watch it. They are intriguing. A visit there is on my bucket list.

Margaret xoxoxo

Composition- Provence or the Blue Ridge?!!

November 13, 2020May 19, 20212 Comments

I am thinking it’s the blue ridge. I love the views from the tops of the mountains with the towns snuggled in the bottom around a lake.

I think this paintings done. Going to sleep on it to be sure.

12×17″ arches 280 cp Cheap Joe’s American Journey paint.

Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev

I took a class with Vlad Yesileyev on composition today.

Fascinating and educational as usual.

He said composition is THE most important thing in a drawing.

Typically you divide a drawing into thirds vertically and horizontally. And where they cross is your focal point. It’s the place where you should put the greatest contrast in your painting with less detail in the other areas.

MINIMIZE anything not in your focal point. And if you don’t like your value sketch then don’t start painting.

I highly recommend that class. He’s just THE best teacher. Willing to answer any question and stay as late as necessary to help if needed. He explains everything so well leaving no detail unexplained as to why he’s doing what he’s doing. And if you don’t understand he will patiently explain it again.

And he has a GREAT russian accent and a GREAT sensenofnhumor.

The drawing

First wash. I managed NOT ago sticky my fingers in the sky or blot it. My two fav things to do to mess up My sky wash. Yellow Ochre cobalt alizarin and neutral tint