I have only worked on quick sketches, because I haven't had much energy the last few days. I'm fighting a miserable cold.
I started feeling crummy last thursday.
Then, I've gotten considerably worse each day, with an extremely stuffy head and sleeping on the couch for the past 2 days.
Today, the symptoms have become an annoying cough, but at least I have some energy to get things done.
Here are some sketches I did in the last week or 2...
Okay, so I finished one more city drawing.
It's got a bit of wonkiness to it, but that's part of what I like about it.
It's also the one that is most "tight".
Check it out and see what you think, and leave me a comment or criticism.
I think I figured out something I like doing/drawing, that might make a good series.
It's a city scene.
Not like the previous bridge, but like what I worked on for our church's next sermon series. See left.
I actually made 2 dawings.
One which is more abstracted, from imagination.
5x7" colored pencils and pen on sketchbook paper
One that was based off a real place, using a picture for reference, but using quite a bit of "artistic license".
6.75 x9" colored pencil and pen on paper
What do you think?
Would you want it up in your wall?
This time, it was done at a church we visited. The Covenant Live Church.
I drew a couple people but this is my favorite of the sketches.
This kinda thing has been the extent of my work lately.
Nothing finished til today([more about that on the next post].
But I get little drawings in here and there.
I imagine with our move, the drawings and painting will dwindle down as I pack instead.
I've also been working toward my own personal artist/illustrator website, and will make that public very soon. Thanks to my wonderful husband and his awesome programming skills!
I sketched Phoenix the other day, while he was doing his homework. It turned out to be a pretty good drawing session for me.
I was reminded of how good it is to draw from a "live" model, and one that moves as much as him makes for some pretty short poses, and some pretty challenging angles, and that is always nice to incorporate, plus it helps me capture a moment in time because "Everyday Matters" as I've learned form Danny Gregory.
Willik,, I drew the day after.
He was in trouble, and therefore sitting on his own, quietly. It was easier to draw, though I don't think it was as good of a drawing. when out of trouble, and he went and drew too.
Journaling my boys with sketches is a great gift I've been given, and I need to do it more often!
I've been doing stuff, but I've got nothing much to post yet...
I've been working on a scratchboard. It's tedious, as all scratchboards are, and I'm enjoying it. I've been working on it mostly at night, for the past week or so.
Also, about a week ago, I went to a new diner while my mother-in-law was visiting, and since it was so cool on the inside, I just had to draw it.
Yesterday I worked on a bridge painting I've shown here before, but I still have to put in a couple more hours into it before it's finished.
Thanks for checking in, leave me comments. That's the only way I know people are reading, and it helps me to keep on posting.
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.
This is nothing that is an art statement, or something that will be remembered as my life's work.
The reason I am posting it is because I did it.
While everyone was around, the kids were playing, my mother-in-law was visiting, my husband was reading for school, and I still worked on a quick drawing.
It's my own personal victory, because sometimes, I think I don't have enough time, or can't do stuff when too much is going on, and yet, here's a decent drawing done in just a few minutes.
Yay for using time wisely!
Our good friends, The Goubrans, are taking a month's sabbatical starting this week.
I'm glad I captured them, minus Steven who was in the nursery, while in church last sunday.
Guys, hope you have an enjoyable month off. Relax, learn, and come back to us refreshed!
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
I have been working on a bigger scale project, but I've managed to make a few drawings or sketches here and there.
This one was done at some friends' house, when we were over for dinner.
It was really fun trying to capture the reflections on the glass.
Watercolor and pen on watercolor moleskine.
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.
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.
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
I'm still a bit behind on my 30 faces, and yesterday, I thought I'd catch up, and sketch a few extra faces. Instead, I had a terrible time, and only one of them was of any merit.
Pitt brush pens on moleskine
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!
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!
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.
July flew by.
While it was great for the family time, and a nice vacation, there's hardly anything to speak, as far as artwork.
I did manage to sketch this one lazy afternoon, and I really like it.
So though it's taken me a while to post, I am pleased with it.
Now if I can only accomplish a couple things in August, I'll start to feel better.
pitt pen on large moleskine
On saturday, my everyday in may activity consisted of sketching throughout my day, in order to participate in the 14th Sketchcrawl, to help raise money for Emergency (an organization that provides life support for war victims).
Juggling between laundry, parents' duties, helping with the cooking at my parents' house; finding time for sketching was a bit tough, but I managed to squeeze some time in. I think I raised slightly over $100 and I'll be sending that in soon. (Those of you reading this, who sponsored me and haven't given me money, I'll be collecting this sunday!)
So I sketched around the house, and the boys and I went to Barnes & Noble and sat at their Starbucks cafe and sketched people there. It was really fun to capture people before they
moved. I also managed to do some pen sketches in my new watercolor moleskine, and put color in later.
All in all, a very fun day, and it just reminds me of how much I love to do this, and how I should be doing more of it!
You can see the rest of my sketches here.
