April Challenge

I have set a new challenge for myself. I will be doing an animal a day for April. I have completed 2 today to catch up. The first is graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil. The second one is graphite. Both are 4x6 inches. The dog and dog house reference is from Google street view in Bulgaria. The cat is from a reference from Wetcanvas RIL by *Jessica*.

Day 31 Squirrel

I got the reference for this little guy from the Wetcanvas RIL. It is a ref by gingerlee. This is the last of the March sketches. 4x6 inches in graphite.

Hart Park Geese Day 30

At the local park, birds of all kinds are plentiful especially ducks and geese. Here are two of the crowd of geese I photographed that day. Graphite and a little colored pencil on watercolor paper. 4x6 inches.

Day 29 Mountain Lion

This is from a reference photo by Daisyree on WC. This is about 4x6 inches on Artagain paper with graphite.

Day 28

Just a simple sketch for this one.

Colton

This is my friend Teresa's grandson Colton. He is a miracle baby. Born at 24 weeks at under 2 lbs. just a wonderful living miracle. He is now a year old. I did this for her.

Day 27.

Day 27 brings along a sheep from a reference provided by Anne Kelly of the UK> She posts a lot of wonderful photos and has allowed me to use them as I want. Lots of wonderful sheep, rolling hills, beaches, etc. I really appreciate access to such wonderful photos. Thank you Anne. Graphite 4x6 inches on watercolor paper.

Day 26

This is titled "Before". It is a Black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. The reference photo was by bswilson1147 at Wetcanvas RIL> This is an atc ( 2.5x3.5) for a trade I am in This is done in colored pencils.

Ocean View

Day 25. This was done from a reference photo by my friend Jean Graupman. 4x6 inches on watercolor paper.

Rhodesian Ridgeback

I found the reference or this in the Wetcanvas RIL by Canis Lupess. Beautiful dog and a pleasure to draw it. This is 4x6 inches on Bristol Smooth paper. I called this "Focused".

Mom

This is my mom for day 23. It's not a great job by any means but the best job I have ever done on her. For some reason, I seem to be unable to draw my mother or her mother. I had the same problem when I tried to draw my mother-in-law. Mom's left eye is way off. I redid it about 10 times and it still isn't right. In fact, it doesn't look like a real eye. This is the second time this week I have tried her. And from 2 different photos. Neither of the photos was very clear or close up. Other than the one eye, I consider it a fair try.

Margo

This is Margo the Chilean Eagle from a reference by Becky Potter. Used with her permission. This is day 22 of my March sketches. Graphite on watercolor paper 4x6 inches.

Day 21

Another geranium for Day 21. I kept the blooms that I cut the other day in a cup of water. The little buds on the stem are opening up.

KY Tobacco Barn

From the WDE at Wetcanvas. Kentucky Tobacco Barn. Reference by Justchaos/Jean Ogden. 4x6 inches on watercolor paper. Day #20.

Necktie Quilt

Today on Facebook, someone posted a photo of a quilt made with ties. It was made for a lady with the ties of her passed husband. I thought the idea was a nice one. I decided to do my own Necktie Quilt. Here it is 8nch.5 x 10 inches on watercolor paper. Done with pen, watercolor pencils, and watercolor. This is my sketch for Day 19.

Geraniums

These are blooms from some of my geraniums. The weather here is mild enough that we have geraniums all year round This year the frost got to them a little but they are now pulling out of it. I can also just pull off a branch and put it in the ground if I want another plant. Here are the orange, white, and red blooms.

More WDE for Wetcanvas

This is Reign Justchaos/Jean Ogden's Bull Terrier done in graphite and watercolor. Rose is the donkey of Jean Ogden/Justchaos done in watercolor, graphite, and watercolor pencil. Both are 4x6 inches on watercolor paper.

Gorilla From the WDE @ Wetcanvas

Kooper Walking

Here is Kooper.  He and Kylie were in the same photo but I decided to do them separately for my March sketches.  They have been best friends since birth.  My mom asked Kylie if Kooper is her boyfriend.  She said yes.  When she asked Kylie if she kisses Kooper, she said  no, that's gross.  They are 3 years old.

Kylie Walking

This was taken from a photo of Kylie and her best friend Kooper while walking across a wooden bridge at the pumpkin patch last October.

Kylie

My Great-Niece, Kylie.  Day 14.

My Dad

Here is my dad Kenny at 86 yrs old.

Deanna's Bird of Paradise

I did this at my plein air outing today.

My Scrub Jay "Ain't"

This little Scrub Jay adopted me one year.  He was always around when I watered the yard each evening.  He would come within about 4 ft of me.  Even tried to follow me inside.    When I would go from the back yard to the front, here he came talking to me the whole time.  He would stay till after dark some days.

The reason I named him Ain't was because it sounded like he was saying that when he called to me.  Even when he was in another yard way up in a tall tree, he would call to me.  When I answered, he would keep calling.  I fell in love with him.  I hear him once in awhile but he doesn't come over any longer. 

I figured he became enamored with a female and once he did come back that next summer and another bird was with him.  So I'm hoping he is still around out there filling the trees with his family.  I really do miss him tho.

Camel

This is a camel figurine I found at Goodwill.  I think it was part of a nativity set.

Self Portrait

After another allergic reaction, not a pretty sight but needed a self portrait for the scavenger hunt so here it is.  Not all the swelling is gone and didn't really show much of that or take pains with my hair.  But it's just gray hair. Or rather mostly white.  I have a lot of trouble drawing my mouth so left it off this go around.

My New Prayer Plant

This is the new Prayer Plant I bought yesterday. 

A Tub of Ivy

Our plein air group goes to a private home every year that has many little areas of interest to an artist.  This little tub of ivy is one of the many.

Statue at the Local Mission

This is one of the statues at the local mission.  

Birdhouses for March 6

Just a few from my collection of birdhouses.

Pine Cone March 5

I have never been able to draw a pine cone.  I have tried several times as I have a pine tree in my front yard.  My husband started it as a seedling and it is now probably 25 ft tall.  I decided today I would try again.

Blink March 4

4x6 inches.  Blink from the Wetcanvas RIL.  Graphite and colored pencil.

March 3 Sketch

Yellow-throated Miner. Reference photo by Rozzi on Wetcanvas. Graphite on watercolor paper in graphite.

March 2 Sketch

My Daffodil blades and a succulent I am rooting in the same pot. Watercolor and colored pencil.

Sketch a Day for March

 Ok so I'm a glutton for punishment.  I have decided to join Jeanette in a sketch a day for March.  This one was from a view on Google Street view in Vilnius, Lithuania where the Virtual Paintout is going this month.

Here is a young man who noticed the Google car coming his way and waved at it.  Graphite, watercolor pencil, and a water brush.

75 Days in Ink

Here are 2 more of my ink sketches.  I only have 9 more to go.

Scavenger Hunt #302

1 hot - candle
2 cold - penguin on skis
3 thick - hippo on towel
4 thin - praying mantis
5 tall - birdhouse
6-short - elephant
7 red - lady bug candle
8 green - rock
9 yellow - rock
10 purple - rabbit in cup
11 blue - cup
12 orange - rock
13 open - zip drive
14 closed - zip drive
15 square - box
16 round - green rock in back
17 quiet - phone that no longer works
18 loud - little truck
19 dry - towel
20 wet - water brush
21 dark - blue rock
22 fast - roadrunner
23 slow - turtle

Watercolor, colored pencil, pen and ink on watercolor paper and about 11x14.

Scavenger Hunt #301 WIP

 I did the graphite sketch, then put some color down first with watercolor paint.  I added some watercolor pencils and regular colored pencils, then went back in with watercolor, colored pencils (both regular and watercolor ones) until I had the result that I wanted.  It's about 11x14 inches in a Strathmore watercolor pad of paper.  I'm out of practice and this didn't turn out just the way I wanted.  But good practice.

Scavenger Hunt #301

This is my next project that is set up on a wooden tv tray and will be sketched from life. 24 of the 26 items for the latest Scavenger Hunt #301.  Plus one of the challenges.  Here is the list:  

Scavenger Hunt #301 - Feb 1-9
something smooth
something bumpy
something squishy
a vehicle
a building
something with a cap or lid
heavy
light
a landscape
a figure Challenge #! - 3 or more figures
leg(s)
arm(s)
a bottle Challenge #2 - Draw it with the lettering on the label
an art tool
a cooking tool
a tool for making repairs
a tool for cleaning
made of plastic
made of glass
made of metal
from your fridge
from your closet
from your kitchen
from you bedroom
man made
natural
Challenge #3 - Do one item (or more) as a continuous line drawing.