Day 212 – a few leftovers?!

February 3, 2015February 3, 2015Leave a comment

I almost have more than I ever post. This is Sketchbookskool homework leftover from last week- Friday. While I was watching Roz’s SBS video where she drew the love bird my cat was looking for that darned bird. He sat on that rug listening and patiently waiting for that bird. So I played it again and I drew him. Often he moved as soon as I started. Sometimes not. Some are complete some aren’t.

Then he moved to the backdoor. He knew there were birds outside that door. That also involved considerable yowling on his part. I made up a story about him as I drew him wishfully thinking about eating and being let out.

Next I noticed my Jack Russell Zoe watching Tom carrying on from a sunny spot in the window. Zoe loves to sleep in the winter sun that streams into the den.

Wish I hadn’t painted the background yellow but oh well.

A quick tiny sketch of Roz that I did while watching the supply video. Has a Rozish quality I think. Painted with Daniel Smith paint which I know she would approve of.

Day 208 – Dr Sketchys and some InK!!

January 30, 2015January 30, 20154 Comments

Every month we look forward to Dr. Sketchys Anti Art School in Augusta. Its always the last Wednesday of the month at Chat Noir on 8th and Ellis in downtown Augusta GA. THE most fun an artist can have all month. Fast sketching, interesting off the wall models – we have had strippers, burlesque dancers, performers, side show performers, automatons, actors and actresses…next month a circus performer.

I arrived with the intention of drawing with my Noodler Creaper loaded with Carbon Platinum Black ink and my Black and brown pentel brush pens plus hmm then I discovered the water brush and the Tombow markers…and it was history! Most are done in my 8.5×11″ Strathmore 500 Mixed Media journal….LOVE that paper. Nice and crispy. Took the water very well.

My Warmup Sketch

First I did a warm up sketch in my Stillman and Birn Alpha with my Noodler Creaper Ahab. I LOVE that pen…such great lines. I like to do a quick sketch before I get serious because no telling what I will draw. I am getting better at quickly sketching body parts…been practicing that since November or so drawing out and about in Atlanta, Key West and Augusta. Looking at her she actually has the right body shape!! I think I have improved since I started figure drawing a year ago.

Waiting

Strathmore 500 Mixed Media Journal

This was a ten minute sketch. I got the figure done quickly and drew in the background…Kind of fun. I had limited pens to use. I drew all the sketches first with my Noodler Creaper. Then I filled in the colors. I only had a red, a green and a purpley blue Tombow and some grey Tombows, a brown and black pentel brush pen and the noodler when I drew this, And two gel pens….gold and white. I used a brush pen to let the colors loose…TOO fun. I had my one and only martini at this time!! I used the red Tombow for all the skin tones. Some of the brown pentel brush pens for the darks.

It was fun not having all the colors though at first I wished I had brought my portable watercolor box….but later I was pleased with what I had done just using pens.

The gold gel pen was used for the necklace the stockings and the table.

The Valkyrie

Strathmore 500 Mixed Media Journal

Loved the horns…and I discovered a few more markers in my bag. Three Wink of Stellas – gold, pearlescent and black. They twinkle with glitter. Another silver gel pen and a pack of 7 Varsity fountain pens in every color but black…thank goodness they were super on the flowers!! I drew the flowers with the varsity pens and hit them with the water brush!! AWESOME stuff.

I twinkled her with the wink of stellas. She definitely has the glitter going on!!! You can get Wink of Stellas at Binders in Atlanta. I had to control myself at $8.95 a marker but oh my is the glitter in them sparkly and wonderful. I used all three of them on her…the black on her clothes, the pearlescent and gold wherever. Silver gel pen on her antlers. A picture does not do her justice because she just SpArKLeS!!

Sarah with whips

Strathmore 500 Mixed Media Journal

I really liked the costumes she had. And this pose was one of my favorites. I get tired of just drawing nekkid people. I like a little fabric to play with….she had a great kimono with alot of gold. And a huge pearl necklace. WoW!! All the pen colors are the same as the first one! I used alot of gold on the kimono both the gel pen and the wink of stella. Also on her necklace. The background is the pentel brush marker and the Wink of Stella Black marker.

Sarah Birdsong

Strathmore 500 Mixed Media Journal

This is my imitation of my friend Ruth’s style. She’s just the most awesome artist with people. LOVE her work. You can follow her at BritPeach on Instagram. Nobody does a better nude!!

Back to the picture. LOTS of red and the brown Pentel Pen. Then wetting them with the waterbrush to let them flow. Gold gel pen on the pearls. Rather like this one the best even though I did it in under ten minutes!

Thanks for looking!!

Day 206 – Fast and Slow 2

January 28, 2015January 28, 20152 Comments

Kind of describes my day. Today I signed up for Fine Arts America. You can sell prints through them. Don’t go look. So far after four hours of trying to scan not a thing ready to upload. Scanners are not usually so difficult. Hopefully problems will be resolved shortly.

This is another fast slow painting I did yesterday. Clutter on my Art Table aka Kitchen Table -This was fun…think I should have colored the letters? I really wanted a neon green to go whang…settled for cad yellow new gamboge and maganese blue which is a brilliant blue.

I knew what colors I was going to use because Lime is my favorite color but I can not wear it. Makes me look yellow. Not a good look!!

Pink goes with lime and so does purple…so picking the colors was easy. Splattered with purple on the pink and a darker blue violet on the bottom.

The pink is quinacridone magenta. The purple is made with the manganese and Quin magenta. Top splattered with the purple. Bottom splattered with some darker blue violet. Aka I added more blue to my purple mix.

Flipping thru my almost full sketchbook I had the thought that I had drawn/written a book. Yes it’s about my life but still a book. People are always telling me to make a picture book and I tell them too many pages. It takes 32 drawings to make a picture book. And I have filled 70 pages. Maybe I will rethink that picture book?!

Thanks for looking!!!

Day 2o4 – Stuck on Birds

January 25, 2015January 25, 20156 Comments

Drawing birds out my back window at the feeder this am. Not many cardinals but a wren that hangs around eating suet and chirping away in the Rose bushes, chickadees and tufted titmice diving in for seeds and those pesky red finches. Red finches an invasive species have run the beautiful purple finch out of this area.

I tried to draw these in as few pen strokes as possible. Looking at the birds as they landed. Thank goodness the wren hung around. Such cute little fat things.

Colors- Burnt Sienna, the greys were made with Daniel Smith Primateks purple hematite and piemonite with cobalt or ultramarine. That combo makes such a yummy grey. The Daniel Smith Primateks are wonderful because they granulate as they dry adding nuances of color. In case you haven’t guessed I can’t get enough color!! 😃

Black was made with burnt umber and ultramarine blue.

Shadows cerulean and burnt umber. Then I went back in with the Piemonite and purple hematite mixes to grey them some more.
Soupy American Journey Orange for the background.

Yesterday when we left life drawing the tree near the parking lot was loaded with cedar waxwings gobbling berries. Instantly I knew what they were because as a child they would descend on our bushes and gobble outside the kitchen windows. And I can hear mom saying the cedar waxwings are back. What a racket they can make.

Here’s the story!!

I also looked them up to write the left hand page. Then I remembered sitting in class in third and fourth grade entertaining myself making bird books from some little bird guides someone had given me. Those involved notebook paper and pencil sketches. I guess I have come full circle!!

Colors New Gamboge and virisian to make that Limey yellow. New gamboge is such a bright clear gold. Once again the greys were made with purple hematite and piemonite with cobalt or ultramarine.

Those Daniel Smith granulation colors!! You guessed it!! The greys were made with purple hematite and piemonite with cobalt or ultramarine.

Here are the greys with purple hematite and piemonite with cobalt or ultramarine on my pallette done. Great colors I think!!

Somebody asked me how I splatters so I took a pic of the cedar wax wing prepared for splattering. I used a soupy mix of cerulean and yellow ochre. Remember that paint will also go allover your table. So cover it up unless you want speckles.

Thanks for looking!!

Day 202 – Time Flies!!

January 24, 2015January 24, 2015Leave a comment

Especially when you have something interesting to do…I seem to draw and or paint something or someone just about everyday now. I am taking TWO Danny Gregory Sketchbookskool online classes at the same time…Beginnings and Seeing.

Lots of fun! Some great teachers. I highly recommend it. Each one is six weeks long with a different teacher every week…and theres that dreaded word HOMEWORK!! aka Assignments….OH MY!! But since I am drawing and painting sometimes all day long it’s not a problem!! All those skies started out as homework…we only had to do one…I did EIGHT!! OPPS!!! And have one more in mind to do…

Today its rained all day. Skies were an uninspiring grey grey grey so I drew this perky violet that seems to resist my best attempts to kill it. A friend gave me a small piece last winter saying it would root easily in water. Hers was huge!! More than a foot across. I thought uh huh…this wont last long. Lo and behold it rooted…I planted it in an old McCoy pot of my grandmother’s it continued thrive. It sits on the kitchen counter where it gets little sun except thru the backporch skylight. So today I drew it…growing against impossible odds…thriving!! I also journaled about my mother and grandmother -both famous for their green thumbs.

Now to get my homework drawn-draw a piece of bread. In my case a biscuit. Near enough!!!

Thanks for looking!

Day 201 – A Sunset and some Ink!!

January 23, 2015January 23, 2015Leave a comment

The contest winners are Karen, Rena Lewis and Peg. Thanks for all the comments. There will be another contest soon!! Please contact me at m c m h u n t @ m e. C o m so I can mail you your prize!! I will also try to contact you!

I had another go at Tuesday’s sunrise. I was tired of painting the sycamores so I traded them for firs.

I got my bottle of Platinum Carbon Black ink from Goulet today. So excited. I drew this pic to see if it would bleed. Not a smidge. The ink didn’t even lift. Hurrah!!!
Get a bottle at Goulet Pens

Pictures of the box just in case you need them.

Your ink should have INKC 1500 on it. Beware of the one with 1200 on it. It’s not waterproof. Now to get some. De Artmentris (sp?) document ink. Also supposed to be waterproof and comes in colors!!

Day 199 – Two Skyscapes!

January 21, 2015February 5, 2015Leave a comment

Don’t forget the giveaway. Leave a
Comment and a like.

Second go at this post. WordPress crashed after I finished the first one and it evaporated. 😜

This is my fourth go at this early morning view out my back window.
I painted the background a very pale yellow and let it dry. The. I washed it with water. Added cerulean and some piemonite mixed with cobalt for the grey clouds.

The tree line is piemonite and cobalt as is the water and the foreground trees.

The trees are done with my wonderful Isabey #2 I bought at Utrecht dick Blick with my Christmas money. Love it. Long and a narrow tip. I have 1s and 0s that are bigger. I smeared some of the branches to make them look fuller. Twiggier.

Some negative painting in the tree line. A little sponging on the river to make fog.

Tonites sunset. Aglow with pinks and touches of yellow. I laid down lines of Quinacridone red and aureolin yellow. Then I filled I with cobalt and cerulean. The treeline is cobalt violet and ultramarine blue with a touch of burnt umber. Trees painted with the same paint.

I will try to add the other skyscapes. But saving this in case of crashes.

Day 199 – Two more skycapes

January 21, 2015February 5, 20152 Comments

Don’t forget to leave a comment and alike to qualify for the drawing of one of three Watercolors I have painted. They are ok my Monday post.

I have now painted this skyscape four times. This one is on Strathmore 400 series watercolor paper. The purply greys are made with Daniel Smith Piemonite, a delicious granulating color , combined with cobalt or ultramarine blue. A lot of negative painting of the background trees, sponging of the river for fog.

All the tree tops were painted into wet so they would fuzz slightly.

The trees were painted with my #2 Isabey I bought with my Christmas money. Lovely brush with a very narrow tip from Dick Blick. I also smudged the trees a little to make the branches look fuller.

Tonites sunset. Very pink with yellow. Hard to photograph. Pink is Quin red yellow aureolin, sky cobalt and cerulean. The camera picked it up as red. I should scan it but no time.

I laid down the pink stripes first. Then went back in while they are still damp with the blue. Yellow here and there and along the horizon. Cobalt violets and ultramarine blue with some burnt umber for the trees and foreground bushes.

First try

Second try. Really didn’t like this one. Got too dark.

Third try. Too much dabbing of yellow leaving hard edges.

Detail of the third one. Negative painting.

Day 198 – Fixing Mistakes & a giveaway!!

January 19, 2015January 19, 20152 Comments

To celebrate my 200th consecutive blog post and my new blog leave a like and a comment on my blog between now and Wednesday midnite. I will randomly pic three winners for a small original watercolor – one of the three Watercolors at the end of this blog post!!

Good luck!!

Now back to how I fixed my mistake.

I did this great sketch at Key West.

As usual I had to write on it. WHAT was I thinking?! The original lettering got lost in all those great Palm fronds. So brilliant me decided to try a red Tombow. Green and red complimentary colors so red letters would pop. Uh yes they did. They popped TOO much. Tried to black them out with my Pentel brush pen. Nope that wasn’t working either.

Then another brilliant thought use some gouache on the letters. Anything was better than that red. Well better yes but still NOT great. I got out an old accounting register that I have and decided to glue some ledger paper over the offending letters.

I tore it using a ruler. I like the rough edges. Glued it down. Painted the palms over it. Redid the letters and

ThAnK goodness it worked. Lapin who I have been following on Instagram uses ledger paper in his watercolor sketches. He’s right it paints just as well as watercolor paper.

I am pronouncing this one done.

Thanks for looking!!

Day 198 – Fixing Mistakes & a giveaway!!

January 19, 20158 Comments

To celebrate my 200th consecutive blog post and my new blog leave a comment on my blog between now and Wednesday midnite. I will randomly pic three winners for a small original watercolor – one of the three Watercolors at the end of this blog post!!

Good luck!!

Now back to how I fixed my mistake.

I did this great sketch at Key West.

I tore it using a ruler. I like the rough edges. Glued it down. Painted the palms over it. Redid the letters and

ThAnK goodness it worked.

I am pronouncing this one done.

Thanks for looking!!