Painting of Taz

Here is the watercolor painting I did of Taz. I couldn't resist his beautiful face. The watercolor paper it is on is probably 11x14 inches and Arches.

Taz

I was at the groomer this week and one of the groomers had a new puppy. A chihuahua named Taz. He is a powerhouse of energy. He had a new toy. A golf ball, and I got to watch as he tried to catch it as it bounced. He bounced every time the ball did. Sooooooo cute. He isn't much for posing tho. He doesn't stay still long enough.

Here is Taz.

Back in the Day

I joined Wetcanvas forum in 2006, the same month I started this blog, and when I got more serious about my art. Before that I did some drawings of friends, their relatives, their pets, and friends of theirs. But they were more like line drawings.

After I joined Wetcanvas, I learned so much and found out how much improvement can be made by drawing every day and from life. It has been a wonderful experience.

I thought you might like to see some pre-2006 sketches from me. And these aren't the earliest of my drawing experience. I even have some of those tucked away out of sight. I doubt I have ever thrown many of them away.

In fact when I oil painted in the 80s, I couldn't draw. I had to trace a picture of what I wanted to paint onto the canvas. Even as a child, I would sit in front of the living room window and look out at the rain and try to draw> It seems like the drawing urge always came when it rained. But frustration with what I produced, had me putting my pad and pencil away until another urge hit me.

About 1994 I went to work in an office full time. I stayed there for 10 years. It was too hard to oil paint after that. It was too time consuming, we lived in a smaller house and there was no place to hang the paintings for them to dry (not water soluble back then), I had no where to leave everything out, and the clean up was just too time consuming.

So I turned to a pencil and paper which was always available in an office. I would draw on my breaks and lunch time. It started with me doing my animals and relatives. Soon I had others offer photos for my practice. I never charged. I didn't think they were worth money. I used them as practice.

One lady had 3 kids and I sketched their school photos every year. That helped me judge whether I was getting better or not. Then some of the ladies started asking for photo copies of some of my wild jungle animals to frame for their houses. I was pleased to provide them and I still gave them freely.

Then I wanted to do better and found information about using a grid. I ordered one and from that day my people started looking more like the people with less stress and effort on my part. I was stuck using a grid until I took a "From Life" lesson on Wetcanvas by Katherine Tyrrell. From that day forward, I have never used a grid again. Not that I have anything against them. I just didn't want to be confined by them. That class gave me the confidence to sketch from life, go out in public to sketch, and improve my drawing skills.

Eventually people started asking when I would start using color. I had no interest in it for quite some time. Then I wandered into the world of colored pencils. That opened up another love for me.

Now I find myself in the middle of watercolor painting. I had been wanting to paint again for about a year. I bought water soluble oil paints, acrylic, gouache, and watercolor. The smaller sets that weren't too expensive. Plus all the stuff like brushes, etc to each medium. And they all sat in a drawer for months and years.

Now I am doing watercolors. I am enjoying watercolors. I am really enjoying the fact that I can fill the space a lot faster than with cp. I am learning a lot day by day by not reading about it or taking classes but by doing it. Seems to be the best way for me. I don't like to follow the "proper" rules. I can't save my whites. It's probably because I started as an oil painter. So I have to find a different way to get my whites. I'm not unhappy about the way I paint watercolors. I kind of like doing things my way. It has always worked for me in life and at my age, I'm not likely to change now.

It's just like with graphite. I don't do perspective. At least the "proper" way. I just don't get it and refuse to make my love of art become a chore for me by doing it someone Else's way. It doesn't bother me if the perspective on my buildings are not just perfect. Lots of buildings sag and don't keep the perfect perspective. Phone lines don't stay snug tight. The water line is not straight. So there are few things I measure. Even with faces, I use my eye to get the pieces where they belong. I don't really measure except using my eye. It works for me.

Here are two sketches from an old sketchbook I found when cleaning out some cabinets. The one of the birds was done while sitting at my mom's kitchen table looking out at her bird feeder. You can't really say the birds are drawing from life as Hummingbirds don't pose. You just have to catch a glimpse of their outline and go from there.

On the people, you can see where I was trying to use lines to follow something I had read. Sure didn't help my sketches.

Kati & Her Dad

I liked the reference for this one because the dad has a quirky look on his face. Kati's teeth didn't turn out as good because in the photo she had braces on. I figured she wouldn't want them in the photo as she now has a wonderful smile without them.

Bill worked with my husband and besides being coworkers, they were friends. Both truck drivers working for the same company. Both Christians.

At my Bill's funeral, Bill S was one of the speakers. He is a "country boy" with a nice outlook on life. In a time when road rage is the norm on the highway, Bill S in a traffic situation will just raise his arm and say "God Bless You".

Kati is his daughter and soon to be married. I found this photo on her Facebook and liked the quirky look on her dad's face.

This is the latest painting in my people sketchbook. I don't really like the way it turned out. I can see many flaws, and I think it turned out looking more like a caricature. I was striving for realistic. But it was another way to practice people and watercolor and every painting is a lesson learned.

Lady on a Beach

I did this one today while waiting for a pest control tech. This is from a reference on Wetcanvas by onefineprint. Another for my People Sketchbook. This one is on the same page as my couple walking on a beach. Watercolor.

Gabby

Here is the latest person in my "People" sketchbook. This is my nephew and niece's niece. This started out as watercolor, then became a mix or mess. It has watercolor pencil, colored pencil, white Conte pencil, and pen. I don't like how I did her eyebrows. Kind of messed them up. Hers are really erratic but the pen made these look too choppy. I should have had more patience with them. But another lesson learned and another "people" accomplished.

Happy Blog Anniversary

Today is the anniversary of my blog. I would have forgotten except someone posted a Happy blogaversary, and I am so grateful for the reminder.

I started my blog on 6-19-2006. I was trying to make a comment on Katherine T's blog and couldn't until I had my own blog. So voila, here it is. And I have been happily posting ever since.

Katherine had posted that a good percentage of new blogs don't make it past the first year. So stubborn as I am, I determined that I would make it. My blog has acted as sort of a therapy for me thru some trying times. Plus I have met and made some wonderful friends from all over the world. I am happy to say the adventure has been well worth the effort.

Hopefully I will continue for a long time to come sharing my artwork, my adventures thru life, my trials and tribulations with my artwork, my joy at being alive, my gratitude for the many friends, and the gift of my faith.

Hoppy & Morgan

This is my latest "people" painting. This is a friend's Uncle Hoppy and his wonderful boxer Morgan. I see them once a year at a barbecue. They go everywhere together and are devoted to each other. Both are wonderful.

Watercolor from two different photos I took at the barbecue about 2 years apart. This is in my "People" sketchbook but I will probably tear it out and mat and frame for Hoppy.

Worried

I did another painting for my People Sketchbook. I took the book with me to my hair appointment and did the graphite sketch in the 20 minutes I had to wait. Then after grocery shopping and, the trip across tow, the putting away, and eating, i finished the painting part.

This was from one of the photos on the Wetcanvas WDE for 6-10-11. Photo was provided by Eyepaint or EP as we know her on the Scavenger Hunts. She titled the photo "Worried". When I posted mine on the WDE, I listed it as "Worried" My Way.

More People Study

More studies in People in my "People" sketchbook. This was from a photo I took while on a plein air outing.

Minor League Finish

I finished the painting of the young baseball team. It's ok. Not exactly what I wanted but not supposed to be a frameable piece. I need more work on some of the faces next time. Some look like they have foundation makeup on. Oh well. I did what I wanted to do.

#1 I wanted to do multiple people
#2 I wanted to do a difficult sketch
#3 I wanted to practice watercolor

So I accomplished what I set out to do. Now on to the next

"Minor League"

I worked a bit more on my drawing today. I may just touch it up a little and start with some color. Today I had a harder time getting things lined up just right. In fact I had to erase quite a few times this time. Not as happy with this part as with the first part but hopefully the color will take care of anything out of whack.

Sketchbooks with a Theme

I have put in an order for several sketchbooks. I plan to start several theme sketchbooks. One I have already started with the theme people. They will be from photos or Google street maps. The ones on Google street maps won't have faces but I can get some good gesture practice.

I did one EDM of some Amish women working in a field. I liked how it turned out. then I did one of two people walking on a beach. I will post those soon. In fact I need to upload the finishing sketches for the EDM. I finished those early.

I also hope to do one sketchbook with animals. I do know I will continue doing the EDM items. I will go back to the list and start with number one. I bought a couple more of the books I did the May EDM in. I will continue the rest of the items in those. I think there are about 300 items on the list and I have only done 31 (101-131) so I have quite a few to do.

I will also start the Illustration Friday soon. I have list of those prompts saved in a Word Document. There are many of those also. But soon we will probably have the triple digit heat and I won't want to do much during the day but sit under the cooler and fans. Lots of time for artwork.

I am still following my Weight Watchers Online program. I started May 1st so it has been about a month now. I have lost 9.8 lbs. Now a new problem. Clothes that don't fit. Always some kind of problem develops. Too soon to buy new as I don't know where I may stop. So for now I go around in loose tee-shirts and baggy pants. I am thankful for the loss of even the 9+ lbs. I was getting way too heavy. Now if I can just keep it off.

I have dieted all my life. It ended up being yo-yo dieting. After a big loss, I would gain back double or triple what I had lost. Well I finally decided that it was not helping me any so just stopped dieting. But as I get older, I gain any way. So it was time to do something. I sure do miss those chips tho. And spaghetti and french bread, casseroles, pizza, KFC, and my Sunday brunch out with friends of a waffle, hash browns, 2 slices of bacon, and toast.

Jojo

New member of my family. A rescue poodle I got today. She's a toy poodle and weighs 8.6 lbs. Here she is before and after her haircut. I took in a whole dog and came home with a half a dog. lol

More EDM Sketches

I got started on my EDM for today and didn't know when to stop. I now am ahead for a few days. I only have 5 more to do. I have enjoyed doing these sketches every day. Maybe I will get another sketchbook and start with the first EDM and work my way thru them all. I had intended to do them but had never gotten around to it. Another one I would like to work my way thru is the Illustration Friday Topics. I will eventually do those too but not sure I will start those until I get caught up with the list of EDMs.

I got a call this morning from a friend. She had taken the day off work and wanted to go to lunch and then browsing at the Goodwill Store and Big Lots. I found a couple little things at Goodwill but several at Big Lots. I got some new foldup chairs for outside. They have a side tray that pops up to hold something to drink and will hold art supplies. These will be perfect for sketching outside in my yard. So now I have one in the front and one in the back.

I also found a nice fold up table in my husband's camping supplies. I have it set up and in the garage ready to drag out for art time outside. It is about 3 x 3 ft.

I had my monthly fall Sunday. I fall just about once a month or two. This time was out in the back yard and in the dirt. Well the dirt isn't as soft as the carpet so I scratched up my elbow. Plus today I found a hard bump about an inch and a half near my elbow. I am sore all over. It kinked my back as well as caused my bad ankle and knee (the one with the knee replacement) to be sore. Lower back is sore on the left side, Right arm hurts when I have to reach. I didn't much like falling on the dirt. My preference is the softer carpet.

Catch Up With My EDMs

Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. I was 62. My nephew Stephen and his wife Cece took me out to lunch at Applebees and to a movie "Something Borrow". It was a nice treat as I had not been to a move in probably 10 years. And I had not been to Applebees. Of course Stephen had to tell them it was my birthday so I got the embarrassing birthday song by the staff and a small ice cream sundae. Even more embarrassing is eating ice cream all by yourself.

Scavenger Hunt #223

I'm host of the scavenger hunt on Wetcanvas this time. I combined items from several previous hunts. One challenge was to do a still life using as many of the items on the list in the still life. I got 11 of the 26 items.

I really like doing the items this way. My favorite hunt was one Jamie hosted way back when. It gave a list of 26 items that were to be found and put in one still life. The computer desk I had then, had a shelf on top that was the right height, and I used that to set up my items. It was so much fun.

I re-posted that hunt many months ago and not sure anyone did the challenge but I did again. This time I used a smaller shelf with little sections. I really enjoyed it the second time also.

Another time I did a still life of many items on my own. Just found some nice items (and lots of them). Put them on a shelf and drew, then colored them in colored pencils. The one today is all watercolor with a touch of white Conte pencil.

EDM 117, 118, & 119

I couldn't post my last couple of EDMs for a couple days but, here are all the ones I have finished.

#117 - Round

A little ceramic chick that I found at the Goodwill Store.

#118 - Hair

Uncle Hoppy, the uncle of one of my friends. I think he is in his 80s. He comes to my friend's yearly barbecue. That's where I met him and enjoy visiting with him yearly. He is quite a character and he is followed around by his faithful boxer Morgan.

#119 - Rocks

These are a few little rocks I found in my back yard.

EDM #116 - Green

The EDM challenge for the 16th is "Something Green". I went a little overboard. My green is pretty much all green. But what can I say? It was a green plant (rubber tree plant) in a green pot.

I prepainted the yellow for the background. I did that for a couple of other future pages. I am ahead of schedule as I already have the one finished for the 17th.

EDM #115

I did a substitute for EDM #115. Instead of a shopping cart or basket, I did a folded shopping bag. This one I got at the 99 cent store. I carry about 10 bags in my car. One place I shop gives you money credit for using your own bags.
I met a friend at Walmart today and we shopped there and at the Goodwill. I won't tell how much I spent at Walmart as it was way too much. But my total at Goodwill was a whopping $1.50.

At Walmart I needed a new mouse for my laptop, ink for the printer, zip bags, laundry soap, sodas, and a list of other incidentals. You know how those add up when you toss them in the basket. Seems like everything runs out at the same time.

After a year, I still haven't gotten used to getting only one check a month and having to stretch it. All those years I was married, we got a pay check weekly. When I worked, we both got paid different weeks, so it ended up being one a week. And the last job hubby had, he was paid weekly. If one check was a little small, or we overspent one week, there was another coming the next week. Well it's not so easy waiting for a whole month. Hopefully I will get used to it before much longer.

I'm still trying to follow Weight Watchers online program. I don't really like it but I needed something structured to make me do it. My problem is that I would rather skip the food and eat all my points in Weight Watchers ice cream. Before I stated this, I rarely ate ice cream. So that show how deprived I feel.

I hate dieting. I have dieted most of my life. I had finally reached a point where I stopped dieting. It was bad for me to lose and gain all the time. But lately I have gotten so heavy that something has to give. I'd rather it not be my body exploding because it is finally stretched too tight.

I can't exercise because of my leg and ankle problems. I can't eat salads because of a stomach problem. I am a very picky eater. And I am the kind of person who "if I can't eat what I want, I just don't want to eat" and have to force it.

So I am doing it, not liking it, and getting more crabby by the day. Tonight about 11 pm, I could almost smell some kind of food. I couldn't tell what it was but I wanted some. (It was in my mind as there was no cooking going on). Well in the freezer were 2 Nathan's hot dog weiners. I heated them in the microwave, poured mustard on them, and ate all but the 2 bites for the dogs. And enjoyed them a lot. Usually I won't eat a hot dog without bread or a bun. Didn't stop me this time. Luckily I still had some weekly points left over for the week (Sunday starts the new week) that I won't be using. So I should be ok.

Sunday...the start of my 3rd Weight Watcher week. Yuk!

EDM #114 - Ugly

Today the item listed was Ugly --Something you find ugly but keep around for sentimental reasons. Plus journal about it.

This is one of the many chewed items in my dogs' toy box. Some have ears missing, noses chewed, no eyes, tails or legs missing. But I keep them because to my dogs, they are still fun to play with. In fact there are probably more "broken" toys than unbroken ones. And there are 2 toy boxes overflowing. What can I say? I am a sucker when it comes to my dogs. I love how they react when they get a new toy. They even try to go thru all bags that come into the house looking for new toys.

More EDMs

EDM #110 - Something With a Flame

My husband was a truck driver and brought this home. He picked it up at a truck stop on one of his jobs. It is a little cell phone lighter. It even flips open and has a screen and some number keys. A little too cute for being a lighter. It would make children want to play with it. Even really young children. The piece sticking up when pushed down, starts the flame.

EDM #106-109

For #107-109 I got behind. Caught them all up today. That's what an all day Saturday barbecue will do to you.

EDM #105 - Scissors

My EDM #105 is scissors in watercolor with colored pencil, white Conte pencil, and pen. It is done in my 4x6 inch watercolor sketchbook.

I decided to get this done early today. I hate putting them off until the end of the day as the time seems to pass too fast, and I don't want to take a chance on not finishing one each day.

I didn't go with my art group today. I planned to but just couldn't get myself up. One of my medications is no longer covered on my prescription plan, and my body is protesting. It is an anti-inflammation pill that I have been taking since about 1995. I had a motorcycle accident in 1994 and had surgery. I almost lost my leg but instead got a plate and 6 screws just above the ankle. The anti-inflammation was for that.

Well since I haven't been taking the med, I have realized how many areas it was also helping for my arthritis. Today when I woke up, I felt like I was 100 years old. Everything hurts. I finally took some over-the-counter pain meds and hope they are going to help. I'm still not walking very well and still feel the pain.

My Back Yard

I decided to paint in my back yard today. I enjoyed being outside with the dogs and doing some painting. This is the raised flower bed that runs across the back of my yard. Behind the fence is another level of yard that really doesn't get used.

The plant in the pot is my tomato plant with many blooms and quite a few small tomatoes on it. A couple of the plants back there including the ivy on the right, were plants from my husband's funeral. The plants with blooms are geraniums. The largest one and part of one of the others have pink blooms but they look more red in my painting. And there is even an asparagus fern in there. Since I can't get down on my knees to work in a ground level flowerbed, this one is perfect for me.

One of the ladies in my art group does some painted (fake) mats on her paintings. She does the "mat" first and brings them dried to our outings. Hers are really beautiful. I decided to try a similar version. This scan shopped off most of one end so I cropped it in my Picture Viewer on the other side to match. In person, all edges have the same size color "mat".

More Waterbirds

More water birds have flown in to their new homes today. A Yellow-Billed Stork, a Double-Crested Cormorant, and a Black Swan. All in watercolor, wc pencil, cp, pen and ink, and white conte pencil. Wetcanvas RIL references.

EDM #103 - Exercise Equipment

Here is my EDM Challenge for today. Exercise equipment. I bought the Zumba exercise tape a couple months ago and 2 of these were with it. I had to take if from the box as I have never used it. Oh well. It is exercise equipment and the list didn't say it had to be used.

EDM Challenge

I am doing a month of EDM challenges. On the EDM list, the ones I will be doing are 101-131. Here are my first two. #101 Bar of Soap and #102 Power Plug.