Monday, October 31, 2011

Coffee with Cream


My painting "Coffee with Cream" is now hanging with 12 others at Dagny's Coffee shop downtown in Bakersfield.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Sketchbook Project 2012


I finally started working on my project book for the Art House Co-op. It is due in January. I changed the paper to watercolor so don't have as many pages to fill, but at least I can use watercolor.

My theme is "I Remember You". I am doing celebrity portraits. So far I have Vickie Lawrence as Mama Harper from Mama's Family, Elvis which is not my best but I seem to have trouble with Elvis, and the latest Lucille Ball. I am working on Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie.

A list of other celebs will/may be Ron Perlman, Cat Stevens as he looks today, Andy Griffith as Matlock, Barney Fife, Shemar Moore, Michael Landon, and maybe even Michael Jackson.

Since I am actually sketching them from scratch using no grids or outline transfers, some look more like their celebs than others. I am not trying to get a carbon copy but just a general likeness. If I make a hit, that is good too. Drawing directly on the watercolor paper is a little harder than smooth paper but I wanted to do the sketches directly to the book.

On the cover I decided to do something different. There is an old song called "I Remember You". I have printed the lyrics out and will fix that to the front cover.

It took me awhile to figure out how I wanted to go with my theme. I'm sure I had an idea when I chose that theme but I am going in a totally different way from my first thought. Now that I have made my decision, it is going smoothly. I have several photos saved and am anxious to get on with the next one.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Adella



I went out with my plein air group today. It was my first time in a very long time. We went to a Nursery/Statuary/Landscaping place. I decided to paint one of the statues they have there.

In person it is a very clean, pretty white with wonderful gray shadowy areas, I couldn't get the grays just right so I used a blue and gray color. Some mixed, some not.

This statue had the name Adella. I don't know where that comes from but it does seem to fit. I keep wanting to add some pen and ink or graphite on top to give it more definition, but I don't want to ruin the softness of her. This is just about as loose as I paint. I do much better with detail.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Autumn Leaves


We had another person join the Fall Trade at Drawspace. I will stick her card in the mail tomorrow.

Saturday, October 08, 2011

Drawspace October ATC Trade


The ATC trade for October at the Drawspace Forum has the theme of Fall. I finished my cards tonight.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Coffee Time

Odd title for one who doesn't drink coffee. I love the smell and hate the taste. I have tried for many years to get past the bitter taste. Sitting with a cup of coffee on a cold day sounds great...until I get that bitter taste in my mouth.

But this coffee will be on paper. Our local art group (Bakersfield Art Association) is having a show at a local coffee shop. Theme of course is coffee. Coffee cups, breakfast, people drinking coffee, pretty much anything if it has to do with coffee.

Well I wanted to put a piece in the show and finally came up with an idea that I like and would suit my style. I am working on it but can't share until the actual show
is over. It doesn't have to be there until October 31st, so I still have plenty of time. I don't have too much more to do to finish. It is 11x14 in watercolor.

In the meantime, I am donating a gift certificate for a pet portrait to a local dog show. It will be auctioned off as one of their prizes. So I don't know yet what I will be painting. A little exciting but a little scary. I will go to the show for a couple hours and take some of my artwork and some business cards. Maybe drum up some more business. And get to see some beautiful dogs and wish I could bring them all home.