Patti listens

A pitt pen drawing at church.
Since it's on my watercolor moleskine, I plan on adding a watercolor wash to it, but even now, I like how it looks.

birthday sketch

Last sunday, it was my sister's birthday. We had a surprise party for her.
Lots of people were there, from my parents' church. After a while, I decided to sketch, and I did this one.
The ladies looking at my sisters new-ish apple macbook.
I think I saw them looking at a picture of some guy.

pitt brush pen on moleskine

30 faces - i finished it!

So, I finally finished this a couple days ago! And it feels great! It's one of those paintings which I learned alot from, and I'm happy with, and so it's a success already, no matter what.
I learned about a limited palette, as well as broader strokes. I learned about acrylic and texture, as well as how not drawing first can affect a painting positively and negatively. It's an exciting new phase for me.
Also, today I scored a great deal. I bought some 50-60 tubes and jars of acrylic paints plus mediums, used of course, for just $70. This about triples what I had in paints, and gives me the freedom to continue to experiment! It's a great feeling! Thank goodness for craigslist!

11x14 acrylics on linen canvas pad







I also finished another drawing...
This one is on the moleskine, with the gray pitt pens and then ending with the sepia for the background.

30 faces - Steve

A face I started 2 days ago, and finished yesterday.
I'm a bit slow this month. Still trying to figure out why.
I'm not entirely happy with this one, but there are some aspects I still appreciate.

30 days - one more face

Another face, a slightly different approach at hatching.
More of an exercise, than a presentable piece, but at least I am putting pen to paper.
Pilot v5 pen on large moleskine

30 faces - liz

While looking for faces to draw, I came across a contact sheet of portrait shots I had taken during college. This was one of them. I liked it because it was an unusual expression, and therefore, challenging to get the features correct. I think I did it. It also was a picture with good contrast.

If anyone has a good photo of yourself or someone you'd like me to draw, please send it my way.
It needs to be clear and have good contrast.

liz
colored pencils on moleskine

sketching on the subway

I used to ride the subway everyday, throughout high school, then college. That's 8 years of riding the subway every week day. All the time, I was going to art school. I could have been drawing on the subway everyday. I don't know if it's the combination of rush hour in the subway, or having too many other things going on, or just not being a good journaler back then, but I spent most of my subway rides either talking with friends, or sleeping. Never really drawing. Now I'm rarely on the subway. I spent most days driving the boys to and from school, and I spend time at home trying to make art, or trying to keep up with my house, so being on the subway, much less drawing on the subway is just not in the realm of possibility. But an opportunity for a meeting in the city prompted me to ride the subway, precisely so I could draw. After all, if you want to draw people, there isn't a better chance around, with the millions of riders in NYC everyday! Sure, it presents it's own challenges, being as you're moving and there's no real steady surface, and there are lots of people around you, looking or trying to look over your shoulder to see what you're doing. It takes some courage to draw the person in front of you without drawing too much attention to yourself. But in the end, it's an awesome drawing session, and it's great practice. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it makes you notice alot of stuff. So, that's what these 2 drawings are all about. I spent time making art on the train and that brings me alot of satisfaction!

last few sketches

Drawing well takes practice. I've always known that, and when I was in school, especially the first 2 years of college, we had several classes in which we would draw from the model, or draw from still life set-ups.
These days, I have to make sure I'm getting practice.
Drawing at church, or some other meeting or training sessions, works out for me as one of the best times to practice. And many times, these drawings can become part of a bigger project.




Not only that, but if I have sketchbook in hand, and I can jot a few notes down, it heps me to
remember more of what the sermon, or meeting was about.
Even if you don't draw regularly, you should try keeping a sketchbook with you at all times. You never know when you might find a chance to sketch. And just taking the time to really look will make each of us better artists!
Let me know what you're drawing!

sergio looks on

A quick pen drawing of an old high school friend, drawn while I had coffee at Starbucks.
It was my first time in about 6 weeks to have a quiet drawing moment at Starbucks. Now that the boys are back in school, I should have these kinda drawings more often.
Pitt pens on moleskine.