New Portrait And Another New Class !

I laughed writing the title to this post! My online class addiction continues! I have lost count at this point of just how many classes I am taking and sometimes I forget. lol I hop around from one to the other taking little bits and pieces from each artist. Somehow that just works for me. And I get tired of slapping myself on the wrist for it.

So, having said all that I was excited to share this new portrait sketch with you. Truly if you asked me to pick one medium that I enjoy the most I would have to say sketching. And sketching faces is my favorite! I recently signed up for my first class with Pam Carriker. I have her book "Art at the Speed of Life" and love it! I refer to it often. Go out and get it! You will not be disappointed! When I found out about her "Pursuing Portraits" online class I just couldn't resist. And it is super affordable too.

I sketched out this portrait using techniques I am learning from Pam. I used watersoluble graphite so I could make her into a watercolor piece (not part of Pam's class) I also used my black sharpie marker to bring out the details which is always fun! This girl is so different than my other faces. And I like that about her. She looks very serious as if there is alot on her mind.

I wonder what she is thinking.

I am sharing this girl today at Paint Party Friday.

Her Heart Leads Her Home . . . First Fairy Sketch!

And Her Heart Always Leads Her Home . . .
6x8 graphite on paper

I have been doing alot of angel sketching but the other night I wanted to try and sketch a fairy. Here is my first try at it. I did the same style in the face as my angels with eyes closed. I just like it for my whimsy type art. (or I am too lazy to try and sketch the eyes that small! lol )

I love hearts. Many times I will incorporate them into my art. And this one was no exception especially since the words that popped into my head as I was working on her were about the heart! I had fun drawing in her curly hair!

My plan for her is to start a background and collage her on then color her in. Not sure of what colors I want yet but you know I always struggle with color palettes!

I also want to get my first collaged background started for Gritty Jane's class. So stay tuned for that!

xo

My First Profile Sketch! Thanks Gritty Jane!!

graphite on 9x12 drawing paper

I was so excited to post this I almost had another blog on Wordless Wednesday! lol I sketched her yesterday and I cannot tell you how much I like her! I have been looking at her every chance I get. If I wasn't so embarrassed at my first attempt at profile sketching I would post it because it would be a hilarious before and after! My first go at it was before Gritty Jane. I will be yet another artist to sing her praises!

I signed up for her latest workshop Portraits and Papers after seeing so many of my bloggy friends create amazing work in her class. I was inspired! I am trying to be a good little student and follow the class lessons in order but I must tell you I am so wanting to skip ahead to the collage backgrounds!

Her step by step instructions for the profile sketch were amazing and easy for me to follow! This was my first attempt at it and I feel like it is the most realism I have had in any of my face sketching so far. I will be sure to share my experiences with this class as I continue on in the lessons (hopefully in order!).

If you get a chance I highly recommend this workshop!!

For more info click HERE!!

PS . . . Thanks for all the great comments on yesterdays horse image! Glad you liked it as much as I do! I added texture and then inverted the image in photoshop for a way cool effect!

See you soon!

xo

New Sketch . . . Feeling More Free To Be Messy

Last night while Lou and I were watching the finale of American Idol (anyone else watch?) I grabbed my sketchbook which had a bit of dust on it. I always have it out in the living room along with a couple of my graphite pencils just in case the mood hits me which it hasn't in a very long time. And since the finale show was so darn long I started decided to start moving the pencil around.

Lately I have been telling Lou that I long to be messy in my art work. I want to paint and draw recklessly, just letting my muse lead me. But what happens is I am wound up tighter than a knot and am constantly trying to achieve perfection from the get go with each piece I attempt. I feel like it would be more fun to just let go and be messy! So that is just what I did with this sketch. I was making crazy marks laying down shadow areas on the face, and where the eyes, nose and mouth would be. I just tried to keep the pencil moving and not stop to correct anything. There was a lot of correction that came later but I have to say that it felt so freeing to draw that way. And the end result is so different than any face I have drawn before. Even the nose which usually makes me crazy cause it is so hard to draw came easier somehow. I cannot stop looking at her!

Have any of you felt that way with your art? Hope you guys like her as much as I do! I so want to try and paint her. And paint her messy and imperfect! Not sure about that yet. Maybe I will stick with the pencils for now. . .

PS . . . For those of you who watched AI, I was secretly hoping Lauren would win. Was shocked and a bit bummed that it was Scotty ;)

Sketching . . . How I've Missed You

"Her Heart Waits . . ."

With all of the photography work I have been doing it felt good to pick up my graphite pencils, grab my sketchbook and get to sketching! It has been awhile and I realized that I miss it. There is just something about the simplicity of pencil and paper that draws me in.

I often fear that when I get stuck in one medium (lately it is photography) that somehow I will forget how to do any other type of art. Sounds pretty silly doesn't it?! I am embarrassed to even admit that to you guys! Have you ever felt that way?

I need to realize that hopping around is part of the process. And it can be fun! That is if I let it be.

At first I sketched out this girl with no window. And then I wondered where she was looking. So I drew the window frame, added the stars and it felt complete. Now if only I could paint this! Maybe I will try if I can tear myself away from my photos!

Oh and today I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my coffee mug photo is included in this lovely treasury on etsy! You can check it out HERE!

Make A Wish . . . A New Sketch

I want to thank everyone for the lovely comments on my last post. And for those of you who shared your own experience I thank you. It really helps to know others out there feel the same! My anxiety has lessened but it seems that there are always aftershocks that hang around for a couple of days. I want to try and keep my sketchbook close by.

Yesterday I sketched her out. Kinda going off of the previous sketch I was inspired by the face and hair from the fashionista sketch! I wondered how it would look if I did just a face in that style. I didn't feel like adding a nose and I really thought she looked ok without one. I had never tried a closed eye but I had fun working on the lashes and shading the lid. Even closed I love the eyes!

Don't know yet how she will make it to a canvas. Possibly a via altered photo . . .

Missing My Sketchbook . . .

I spent way too much time today searching for my sketchbook. That is an indicator of just how long it has been since I used it last. I miss it. I don't realize just how much until I grab that pencil and feel it moving across the page. And just like that I am in the moment.

It helps me focus and that is what I have been lacking lately. What hasn't been lacking though is anxiety. And I find that my anxiety is worse when I don't create.

Just a quick sketch tonite that I had fun with. Oh how I wish I had her figure! And I am loving the hair! I have always liked long flowing dresses and that was the inspiration for this sketch.

Sunday Night Sketching

First a big thanks to all of you for the sweet comments and well wishes! I am feeling much better although I still don't feel like I am back in an art groove. Haven't done much but tonite I sketched this lovely girl! I did some waves in the hair this time but swept to the other side. I know, not much variation from my last one but she is so different! And on this one I spent alot of time on the nose. The nose has been tough for me especially as I strive for realism in my latest sketches. I can see improvement since my last post. I also had fun with the lashes.

I hope to get back to more art soon. The sketching though I can just pick up anywhere, just paper and a pencil. So simple and yet can express so much.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Finally Back To Some Art . . .

So I have been sick for most of the past week. That would explain me being somewhat MIA here in blogland. Hubby came down with something the end of last week and then on Sunday I went down like a ton of bricks! Whatever icky bug this is took me out before I even saw it coming. And dam it is icky! Today is the first day that I have felt better. I will spare you all the details but lets just say I haven't been this sick in years. And for me it is quite a mind game given my history with chemo.

The brighter side of this post is of course my new sketch. I sketched her out tonite and it felt great to be doing some art! Oh how I have missed it! And I have missed blogging! Hope you like her as much as I do. I will be by to visit you all soon!

I have missed my lovely creative friends! :)

More Angels . . . And A New Etsy Treasury!

I seem to be on an angel kick. I sketched this out the other night in graphite pencil. Just small 6x8 inch sketchbook. I am not sure why I gave her a bouquet as if she were a bride. It seemed to fit. I like that she doesn't have detail on her face. The words along the side popped into my head when she was done "and she said yes".

Strange though because angels don't get married! But then again I suppose they can do anything they want! Right? :)

Speaking of angels . . . my angel photo card is featured in a beautiful etsy treasury Cupid's Collection by Karla Ruth!

Angels indeed are everywhere!

She Made It Through The Uglies . . .

When I started sketching her yesterday I just couldn't get it right. The beginning features I sketched out looked bad. Maybe I wasn't in the zone. So she looked pretty ugly! And then after many changes I saw this face emerge. I am used to seeing the uglies during the painting process but this is the first time I had it happen while sketching.

I am glad I was able to work through some frustration so that I could find her. As you can see I am liking the shorter hair!

Hoping you all had a great New Year's weekend!

She's A Bit Different . . .

Sketching is always exciting. I had now idea how this would come out but I really like her! My hubby bought me a 6x8" sketch book and a set of graphite pencils for christmas. I sketched her last night with my new supplies!

I am trying to stick with the realism especially in the eyes. I don't usually sketch hair this way but I love it. Not sure yet if I will paint her. For now I am enjoying looking at her in black and white.

Back to Some Sketching . . .

I sketched her the other night. I really like sketching the eyes more realistic style. I changed her hair around a few times and landed with this.

Yesterday my husband told me that this sketch looks like his mom in her younger days. I never met her. She died just before we met. I have seen pictures of her though and she was beautiful.

I don't see her when I look at this but I am glad that he does. Maybe it brings him a bit of comfort.

Maybe she helped me bring this face to life . . .

Bright Eyes . . . A New Sketch

More sketching last night. Not sure yet if she is gazing toward the sun or moon. I think that will come through when I paint her. I know I went a bit crazy with her lashes but oh how I love to sketch eyes! Ignore the shadow in the bottom right of the sketch . . . that was a photography glitch.

I also have a new abstract painting in progress that I am hoping to share with you soon!

Something About The Eyes . . .

After I finished the sketch from my last post I decided I wanted to try and sketch just one eye. I liked how my girls eyes came out more realistic. So here is my attempt at a realistic eye. I used graphite pencil on 5x8" paper. I think it came out really cool!

I don't know what it is with me but I really like sketching eyes! I want to try and paint this on a canvas, just this one lonely eye, so stayed tuned! I wanted to keep going and style it up with some makeup but I stopped myself because I thought it looked good as is for now! lol

PS . . . Today is the last day to enter book giveaway over at my blog In My Life! So if you haven't entered yet there is still time! All you have to do is leave a comment. Check out the details in this POST.

Sketching . . . Trying More Realism

I have been having fun sketching the stylized faces but for this one I wanted to go for more realism in the features . . . especially the eyes. Although I am unsure about the nose and mouth I like how the eyes came out. As you can see from the smudges I changed the hair. Originally I had it just down on both sides. Then late last nite practically in my sleep I saw hair swept over her shoulder on one side. I like that better.

Funny how with the realistic eyes I feel as though I created a face and now wonder who she is and where she has been . . .

We shall see if I have the courage to put her on a canvas!

Oh, and I made my first blog header! I made it from the photo of my "Love Me" abstract. What do you guys think?

Your Light . . . More Sketching!

Although I have yet to get painting my other girl I did have time to do some sketching. I really like her. She has a different look to her eyes and face than the past few I have done. And I like that! I don't know how it happened but that is the fun part! Not sure which of my angels I will paint first!

Hope all of you had a great weekend! And many thanks as always for your lovely comments on the blue heart I shared in my last post!

Tears of Love . . . New Sketch

I drew her up the other nite. I knew I wanted to make her an angel and saw hearts involved somehow. I struggled with the hair. At first I wanted her to have an updo but it wasn't working out! I originally had a halo above her head and took that out as it seemed too much to me.

The heart shaped tears were an afterthought. The tears came first and then the words that I scribbled in the top left corner which read "tears of love fell from her eyes." I will most likely collage those onto the background.

I hope to paint her this weekend!

PS . . . I finally ordered the caran d'ache watersoluble crayons last night! So excited to get them! lol

Sunday Nite Sketching . . . Seek Peace

It was her hairstyle that popped in my head first as I was getting ready for bed last nite. I didn't want to forget the image I saw so there I was sitting up in bed with my sketchbook hoping I wouldn't wake up my hubby.

I have been wanting to try a different hairstyle. So here is my attempt at a braid! And its funny that I really like to shade in the cheekbones but when I go to paint it I don't do that shading. I think I am afraid to mess it up since I am not comfortable with shading in paint for that part of the face. Hmmmm...maybe I should give it a try sometime!

Not sure if you can read my notes above her head but it says "Seek peace around every turn". Those are the words I will most likely collage on the painting unless something else comes to me. I try to go with what comes to me first and not think too much about it afterwards.

I am hoping to begin painting her later today. Wonder what my color palette will be this time. . .

My Creative Sunday . . .

"Listen To Your Dreams"

mixed media on 9x12 canvas board

Sold

Yesterday I had a great time speaking in Philly at a women's cancer symposium. Although it was 6 hours of driving round trip it was worth it. The event had a good turnout, I met some lovely people and even got to sign some of my books! I truly feel grateful for those moments when I get the opportunity to inspire others through sharing my cancer survivor story.

Today I enjoyed a quiet morning painting the sketch from my last post. I used the water soluble crayons again (love them . . . I still need to order the caran d'ache!), watercolor pencils, graphite pencil, my brayer, white acrylic paint, and some new stamps I bought.

I have to say that I had a bit of trouble with layering my background. Only because I didn't quite like how it was coming out. I didn't wait for my stamp ink to dry (it was taking very long!) and when I added the next layer it was smearing all over and mixing in as color. Anyone else have this problem? Any tips? So I used the brayer and added more white paint to cover what I didn't like. I just tried to go with what was happening realizing that no matter what I could always fix it.

I am happy with how she came out. Those words popped into my head as I was painting. I outlined them with graphite to make them blend into the background.

All in all a nice way to spend part of my Sunday!

Tonite is dinner with my hubby at our favorite local italian restaurant!

Hope you are all having a lovely day!