Monday, May 18, 2015

Another Seated Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude


Here's another drawing from awhile back - I've been hung up on the Mad Men marathon, then the final episode (sob) and have done very little in the way of art.  Now I'll get back to work.  This drawing is about 11 x 14".   It has some lines in the background and a few on the figure itself that are kind of a mystery - a good bit of restating going on, I think.  I always like seeing the original intentions and then what finally happened.  Anyway, it looks like a drawing I enjoyed doing.  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Standing Charcoal Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude


 I always love standing poses.  This one was done months ago at a drawing group and everything I'm working on at the moment is nowhere near being finished - can't even be a 'work in progress'.  It's very handy to have lots of drawings around for times like this.  This one is about 14 x 8" - thanks for looking!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Sketch of Satine - original oil pastel portrait sketch

A few Caran d'Ache oil pastels were all I had with me when this sketch opportunity came up, so I just did the best I could on this quick little drawing.  It's about 9 x 9" on Strathmore 403 pastel paper.  Thanks for looking!

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Flamenco in Charcoal Again - original charcoal figurative drawing

I bravely decided to challenge myself with a bit of foreshortening (her right arm).  This was drawn on 14 x 11" Strathmore drawing paper, but matted to about 13 x 9".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Friday, May 01, 2015

Tiny Lia - original oil pastel portrait painting (ATC)

I am on an ACEO/ATC kick at the moment and have been using Caran d'Ache Neopastels instead of my usual Senneliers.  They are not as soft as the Senneliers and are easier to work with in such a small area without sharpening them.  See my post on my oil pastel blog.  I used a 3 1/2 x 2 1/2" piece of illustration board for this one - owing to my photography skills, it's a little warmer than in real life - will try tomorrow to get a photo in better light.  Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Pitcher - original ink and charcoal figurative drawing


I was so lucky to see TWO Astros games last weekend - here's one of the sketches I did there.  It's ink except for touches of charcoal for a little shading.  I never ever tire of the drama of baseball and always marvel at the skill required to play it well.  This is drawn on 9 x 12" Borden and Riley Paris Paper for Pens.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Tango Fire - original oil figurative painting

"Tango Fire" is painted on 6 x 6" gessoed hardboard and, as always, it was much fun to visit with my little tango dancers and see what they're up to.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Six Jivers - original acrylic figurative drawing

Every now and then I like to get out my size "0" or "1" bright (brush) and black acrylic paint to work from memory or terrorize those around me to 'hold that pose' - they don't even realize it's a pose - and draw quickly without regard to accuracy.  I was working on one pose when I discovered a beautiful ear on one of my 'models' - white ear against the black shapes behind it. Yum!  A tiny discovery, to be sure, but something I might not even notice unless I'd gotten busy with brush and acrylic - one of my favorite drawing methods. My post tonight is one that I did from memory and is on 14 x 17" paper.  Thanks for stopping by!  PS -  It's raining!  That's a big deal in central Texas!

Monday, April 06, 2015

Lindy's Curls - original charcoal portrait drawing



A compressed charcoal drawing on Yupo is probably the craziest thing, but that's all I had at the time, so I went with it.  This model's hair has a life of its own and I had to draw it right that minute! There's a lot of "texture" in the negative area that came from the charcoal that found its way there by accident and was impossible to erase, so I've learned to love it.  The compressed charcoal is very deliberate and once a mark was down, I could do little about it.  Yupo is forgiving with watercolor, but not too much with something like compressed charcoal - actually, the compressed kind of charcoal is hard to get rid of on any surface.  Anyway, I enjoyed doing the drawing and am pleased with how it turned out.  It's about 8 x 8".  Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, April 01, 2015

On My Easel - original oil figurative painting in progress


I am currently working on this painting - along with a couple of drawings and one other painting.  Hope to get this one finished tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Ink Jivers - original mixed media ink figurative drawing

They're back and seem to be enjoying themselves, as they always do.  Drawn quickly - I know you can tell - using an Itoya pen and Crayola, this little piece is on cold press watercolor paper, 5 1/2 x 7 1/2".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Flamenco in Dark Blue - original figurative watermedia painting


Lots of swirly strokes, using mostly darkest blue watercolor sticks by Daniel Smith, Caran d'Ache and Winsor & Newton on Yupo.  Then I brushed over the lines with one of my waterpens - not exactly a real watercolorist, but it works okay for me.  This drawing is about 11 x 8".  Thanks so much for stopping by!  (I apologize for the pinkish tint - it's not the paper, which is white - it's my photography.)

Friday, March 13, 2015

Seated Model with Wineglass - original oil pastel figurative painting

Done on Judson's Guerilla Painter carton paper, this painting is 7 x 5" - I used mostly Senneliers with a few Caran d'Ache and Holbein.  It's so satisfying to work on this paper - it has many of the attributes of the carton paper of the Impressionists' day, but is touted as being more archival.  I love its warm color, as well.  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - check out my latest posting on my oil pastel blog by clicking here.

Tuesday, March 03, 2015

Flamenco Frenzy - original charcoal figurative drawing

After watching a flamenco performance, I scribbled from memory some of the "poses" - I guess you'd  say.  I got on a roll with these, so you'll be seeing more of them.  Using one of those boxes of vine charcoal in which there are varied thicknesses, I completed - a version of completed, anyway - many 11 x 14" drawings.  Do you ever get started on a project and just not want to stop?  Well, it was like that with me and was so satisfying.  Lots of squiggly lines add up to time well spent for me.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Sunday, March 01, 2015

The Model Takes a Break - original oil pastel figurative painting

This little piece is one I did while the model was waiting 'til break time was over.  It's on 7 x 5" Pastelbord and is another one I think will become a larger piece.  My previous post (The Model in a Dark Robe) is one that I have been painting as a larger work and it is SO different from the original.  When the larger painting is finished, I'll post it - or maybe I shouldn't, since it's taken such a different turn that it may look as if someone else did it.  Hmmm - don't know how that happens - oh well, thanks for stopping by!

Monday, February 23, 2015

The Model in a Dark Robe - original oil pastel figurative painting

This sketchy piece has made me so happy because I feel I got her skin tones correct.  Lately, I've been working on skin tones and trying to pay a lot of attention to getting just the right hue, value, etc., and - yippee - I have a good feeling about this one!  Am hoping to turn this into an oil painting, but whenever I attempt such things, something is lost - will keep trying, though.  Am I alone in having the problem of losing the feeling of the original when trying to move it to another medium?  On Strathmore 403 oil pastel paper, about 11 x 8".  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Red Mug - original oil pastel portrait painting


This little 7 x 5" painting on Pastelbord began with a drawing of a young woman sitting in a café.  She was having a quiet moment before getting back in the fray.  I left this pretty loose and it's not really "finished", but that's my kind of thing.  Thanks so much for visiting!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Nude with Arms Raised - original oil painting of a nude

This nude is done from a life drawing that I posted a while back and just now got around to painting.  I know one is supposed to paint no matter the lack of inspiration, but I just can't!!!  Must wait 'til the stars are in the right position, etc., so I can get going on some of these projects that have been languishing.  The pose couldn't have been easy for the model - keeping one's arms raised can get pretty tough after a bit.  As I recall, we didn't take the full time.  I love being in a group where the other artists respect the model - have been in some groups that didn't, so I didn't go back there.  This is on 14 x 11" paintboard.  Thanks for looking!

Jive Lovin' - original figurative oil painting

I should have let this dry a little because it's really shiny, but I didn't.  Oh well.  It's on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Lindy Sleeping - original charcoal figurative drawing



Here's a sketch from life of a sleeping girl - done with compressed charcoal (not my favorite, but okay once in a while) on Bristol paper.  It's about 11 x 14".  I could clean it up, but this is just a quick sketch after all, and I'm always inclined to overdo the cleaning up, so am just leaving it alone.  This is probably one I could use for a painting.  Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, January 30, 2015

Model on a Sofa - original oil pastel figurative painting


This oil pastel was done from a drawing that I did of a model last summer.  Using Mi-Teintes paper's patterned side, 9 x 12", I applied plenty of gooey Sennelier oil pastels to it.  Lately, I've been picking up fabrics that interest me and using them in my work.  I'm accumulating a pretty good stash.  This piece will probably be mounted to museum board when it's a little drier.  Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, January 23, 2015

A Winter Stroll - original oil pastel figurative painting

A little fun thing on 5 x 7" Guerilla carton board - a support that I love.  It can be found at Judson's Art Outfitters and has the look of the cardboard paintings by turn of the 20th century painters, but is archival. Thanks for visiting my blog!

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Lexie Just Thinking - original charcoal figurative drawing



I always wonder what the model is thinking and how she can possibly stay awake.  They earn their pay!  This one was done with responsive vine charcoal on Bristol paper, 14 x 11".  Thanks for looking!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Small Sanguine Portrait - original watermedia portrait sketch

Here's a small sanguine Caran d'Ache Neocolor II drawing I did around Thanksgiving.  I painted it on Yupo - I can't even explain why I love this surface so much. It just allows you to be expressive without fearing you'll break rules - brush this way, brush that way, take a pen and go hog wild.  It doesn't really matter.  Whatever happens, it's good - and fun, too. Neocolor II is the water-soluble version of Caran d'Ache's wax crayon - with the addition of  a little water, it just blossoms.  Very satisfying to use.  This portrait is about 7 x 6".  Got to get some sleep now, getting up early for exercise class early in the morning - have to get those Fitbit steps going!  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, January 08, 2015

Nude on Rose Paper - original charcoal drawing of a nude

Here's another nude on some of the patterned paper I've been experimenting with.  I think this is the last of the paper, and I just couldn't resist using the one remaining piece.  I used mostly compressed charcoal with touches of white on this drawing - not my usual, but I feel it worked well.  For me, when working with charcoal, I love the sensitive line that can be achieved with vine charcoal rather than compressed, but compressed was handy and since I'm a lazy artist, I just went ahead and drew with it.  The paper is about 8 1/2 x 11".  Thanks for stopping by!