EDM #176

This was my first try to paint first and ink later (thank you Donna )I enjoyed the process I am going to try a few more

Relay for Life Luminaria

We had our local Relay for LIFE Friday night - my daughter, Kajsa, came up from Dallas to walk with me -

Our team from work won the trophy for top fund raising team. We had silent auction bake sales, biscuits & gravy breakfasts, BBQ lunches etc for the last two months- to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Last night they had Luminarias for loved ones. Stephanie, from work, made one for her Grandma - it was so sweet. I always cry at these things - very emotional moments for me -- I have known many who have lost their battle with cancer and many, like me, who SURVIVE !!

I want to do a larger piece with lots of luminarias but for now I did a quick pastel sketch (4x6) on black of the one Steph did to honor her Grandma.

Ceramic Box

I had done a sketch of a small ceramic box that I have --I did it in pen- then did a watercolor wash over it. I was not at all happy with it and just made notes to myself regarding lessons learned and never intended to put it up on the blog. Today I decided to reward myself for doing only ink sketches all week and went back and did the ceramic box in colored pencil, one of my favorite mediums.

Here is what I think -The perspective is still off - I think that if I had taken more time to get the perspective a little better in the first ink sketch I would have liked it as much or more than the color pencil piece -- I spent maybe five or ten minutes on the first piece and probably close to two hours on the pencil piece - I have not worked with water color seriously since the 3rd grade - so, I think, with practice, ink and watercolor washes will allow me to be more creative and spontaneous --

I am really glad I am forcing myself to try something different & that I joined EDM

My very first sketch crawl

So I had my own sketch crawl -it was in my backyard - I am still learning to KISS when sketching. Today I learned two very important lessons for me. I will have to remember them and practice them.
Lesson #1. Sketch foreground to background ink does not erase.
Lesson #2. Stop long before I think I should or am ready to.
(lesson #3 look at calendar before dating work all were done today, 6-21-08 whoops!)

I also realized that if I hurry up and fill my first Sketchbook/Journal I can put it up on a high shelf forget the bad remember the lessons and start working on a new one -- That is motivating and something to look forward to.

I also learned just because I know how to draw does not mean I know how to sketch. But I'm learning ---

Sketches on Scraps

These are some small INK sketches (ok I forgot and made one in pencil) that I made at work today on little scraps of paper - I can't really work in the moleskine while I am at work --it looks like I don't have enough to do -

I am still having trouble to committing to ink it is out of my comfort zone -I think to avoid doing more ink sketches at night when I'm home I just started a new larger (11"x17") piece in pastel on Wallis sanded paper -- I think that the longer working time and ability to correct puts me in my comfort zone. I am taking digital pictures every 5 or 10 minutes I love to make "step by steps" to see the progress of the piece and maybe catch myself before it goes wrong -

I just put up two "step by steps" (the only ones I have ever done) on Flickr you can see them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/hammeredplayer/

More bridgework

I confess there has been a bridge I can see from my back deck - that I could not even consider sketching let alone posting on a blog - but here it is -quick easy and painless - and in pen!!! -I had only a few pen lines when I did the wash but then went back in and added foreground detail (probably too much) --

feeling better now

Thanks for all the comments here and on the message board-- I feel much better now --I think it helped me to post that breakdown - and that being bad would not get me out of posting so --I tried a little harder and paid more attention and did much better -- I will get over my pen anxiety - my other thing is I tell myself I don't do water colors but thanks for the suggestion Sherrie & Deborah to use the color it was fun and sure helps improve the pen - It was like jumping into an ice cold pool very uncomfortable at first but then you get used to it - Thanks again to all the EDM positive people you do make a difference

ARGHHH INK!!!

I am reading Creative License trying ink sketches -- it is very different it FORCES you to see SLOWLY - draw slowly -- but in the end I think it will get easier and I will see things and be able to draw them better -- I am forcing myself to be honest and post this journey because I know I can draw --and revise-- and redraw with pencil or pastels until it is a very good drawing --but... to draw and see without revisions is a whole different ball game -and a whole different skill set ... I am willing to try to learn that game and I would love to acquire the skill set

I do love the book -- having just finished Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth" -- the message is so similar -- I liked it so much I just ordered 13 more copies -- I will send them to my sisters, my children, and my nieces & nephews--- Happy Birthday everyone!!! (except Joe & Rebecca who will get new sketch books)

EDM #17

Actually I drew this and then found an EDM challenge to fit - The instrument was almost bigger than the little girl who played it - she was very good and played a bluegrass tune with her family - I admire people who can make music in front of other people I get terrible performance anxiety -

what is this ?

Very quick pastel sketch of some kind of fish bone I found on the beach - I think it might be something from an alligator gar - they are in this lake - interesting texture -- same piece top and bottom view -

6-12 I still don't know what this is but I am beginning to doubt it is a part of a Gar -I have sent my husband on a quest to find out from the locals -

6-13-The locals have spoken they are parts of a fin from an alligator gar the tip is like a flat bone claw - fascinating

Bridges Revisited - it's a mindset - K.I.S.S.

O.K. so I went to Scribble talk and got a reference photo from their image library then after seeing Tracey Latorelli's lovely pastel sketches I decided that I would do the bridge in pastel -

But then it happened ... I got out a LOT of pastels --several sets of pencils, Nupastels, Yarkas, Unison's, Rembrandts I cut a sheet of wallis into little 4X6 pieces perfect for my little sketch and proceeded to spend hours overworking and not SKETCHING (see overworked lower bridge ^ above)

So I quit and went to my computer and ordered Danny's books read some more posts - and finally went back to my studio -- telling myself to K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid !!!) and put all pastels away except for one small set of pencils and spent 15 minutes making the sketch on top -- And I am pleased because it is a sketch - This was a big step for me -

blind contour

Here is an old blind contour drawing you can faintly see a modified blind contour on the next page - (Modified blind contour allows occasional peeks)

the bad bridges

I am frustrated with this challenge # 174 to draw a bridge -- I may try a different view or an entirely different bridge --But... I decided to post these attempts because I think they are failures -- I have been telling my sister to start drawing because its about the process not the end product and you can't become a good artist without practicing

If I just post things that turn out well and are easy for me it would make me look better than I really am -- I bet I spent at least an hour trying to do this bridge without success - so here are my not so good bridges I think I'll visit other blogs and see if I can see how it might be done -

The Sparkler

EDM challenge 172 Draw something that sparkles - Ok the obvious answer is

I'm not sure if this is an EDM challenge I just knew I had to draw it quick before it got weed wacked - I think I need to draw something that sparkles - The water on the lake sparkles my dog's eyes sparkle my jewelry sparkles - I will pick one tomorrow and draw -

After I drew the lamp I drew my crayons I used pastel pencils and then brushed them with a damp / well maybe wet - watercolor brush

Ok to try and upload images again

My first blog posting - I'm not sure how it works here are two sketches I did today for the Everyday Matters group - did not get the images up the first try so here is a picture of the way my studio workspace really looked-- Please Note typed list on left is print out of EVERYDAY MATTERS list #2 has been scratched off!!