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acrylic ink, animal, Animals, Animals book, art, art book, drawing animals, india ink, painting animals, Sonheim, watercolor

Watercolor and white acrylic ink on colored paper.

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ABOUT THE ANIMALS BOOK…………

It’s been so hard not to share the work I’ve been creating the past three months! Most everything “good” has gone into the book (on animals, to be published by Quarry in 2012), and there needs to be some surprises in October, right? But these two pieces didn’t find a place, so here they are. I just love mixing white ink with watercolor (above), and also the challenge of simplifying the shapes and limiting my media (below).

India ink on watercolor paper.

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A CONVERSATION WITH MY HUSBAND YESTERDAY………

Carla: “I have two more book ideas!”

Steve: “Great. But have you noticed that we haven’t fought in two weeks?”

Carla: “Does that mean you don’t want me to write more books?”

Steve: “No, it just means you need to find a way to be less crazy when you write them.”

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ANOTHER BOOK……

Some of you know that I’m working on a third book deadline, due in January (I have been a bit shy to mention that I was fortunate to sign two contracts simultaneously last summer). This one is due out in November 2012 and will be related to “The Art of Silliness” online classes…. I *think* I will be less crazy this time around, but we’ll see!

(You will have to ask Steve at the end of January.)

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Have a wonderful day!

Back to Work

page from sketchbook; pencil, ballpoint pen, colored pencil
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I’m in the studio today for a few hours after a wonderful holiday in Colorado. We really enjoyed spending time with Steve’s family this year; lots of conversation, game playing, reading, and giggling.

But, I’m back to work and happy to be here, too. I love work!

I’m about to send the “test” email for the Faces 101 class, starting this Monday. It’s not too late to join us, so please consider checking out the class description if you feel the overwhelming need to draw 101 faces next week!

Have a great day!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Steve, Wes, and I are headed to Colorado to join Christer, Christi and Liam! Have a great holiday weekend, and I’ll see you next week!

In the meantime, here’s a little Christmas present from Liam and Steve:

What’s the rhyme to get paid a little faster? from steve Sonheim on Vimeo.

 

Ah, Procrastination!

I must be starting to relax finally, because even though my book is still not turned in (Friday is my drop-dead deadline), I’ve spent the morning so far procrastinating like a champ. Here are things I’ve done today that have nothing to do with the book:

• Wrote a short list of ideas for 2012.

• Wandered around the studio and thought about cleaning up.

• Took a 15-minute “nap.”

• Spent 20 minutes doing the activity below, which perhaps you can try, too (you know, in your free time these next few weeks!)

• Wrote this blog post.

ACTIVITY

1. I have a large collection of art-related books and have been wanting recently to go through them one by one and spend a bit of time “transcribing” different artist’s work, and then doing a drawing inspired by it, but try to make it more my style. So this was today’s attempt:

The book was “The Innocent Eye: Children’s Art and the Modern Artist” by Jonathan Fineberg. I flipped through the book until this page of art by Joan Miro caught my eye (part of a series inspired by children’s art titled “The Childhood of Ubu”).

So I made my “copy” (above). I tried not to worry about copying it exactly, but just retaining the essence of Miro/Ubu’s drawing.

Next I did this dog very loosely based on another Miro image; I basically looked at Miro’s, then drew this one by “memory.”

Next I did this zebra from my imagination only. I stuck with the limited colors of the black brush pen, a red watercolor pencil, a yellow Sharpie, and a mechanical pencil.

Finally, again with no references, I did kind of a “half Miro-Ubu/half Carla.”

* * *

Why do this? All four drawings smack of Miro and the last thing I want to do is copy him (or anyone else). But there are elements of his work I love, and it is helpful for me to “walk in his shoes” a bit by copying his work.

But then, it’s just as important (for me) to put it away and do my own thing. This little Miro exercise will inform future drawings, I’m sure, but when it does come out, it will be with my own flavor and spin.

When in Portland recently I picked up a wonderful little book, by Ivan Brunetti, “Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice.” He writes:

“We all begin by imitating the styles of our favorite cartoonists, much like apprentices observing a master. Your own work will likely be derivative for quite some time; constant practice, however, will make your work unique.”

* * *

Okay, so now I really need to get back to work and will see you again on the other side!

xoxo

 

I hope you had a good Monday!

 

Checking In

Hello! I wanted to share something that happened today. I was waiting for the train and had pulled out my sketchbook, when a young man came up to me and asked if he could sit next to me watch me work. He had recently picked up painting, and envied those who “could draw.”

On the train he asked a question or two and then confessed that he couldn’t draw at all. (Ha — NOT something you really want to say to a drawing teacher!)

I handed him my book and asked him to draw something. He very tentatively drew a small car (not shown here).

It was actually a really cute little drawing! But he had admired my “strong” lines earlier and so I showed him how to do a one-liner of a car (my sample is top left). Then I set him to work the rest of the train ride, encouraging him work as quickly as possible (“triple time!”).

And just look at the cool and confident cars he drew! He got off a few stops before me, with a big smile on his face.

Drawing does that to people!

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(No, book not done yet. Soon, though!)

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw Book Giveaway!

I have another book to give away, this time a wonderful new children’s book by the mega-talented Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw!

Jenny is the author and illustrator of Same, Same but Different and  My Travelin’ Eye. She is a freelance illustrator who studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and The Illustration Academy. When she isn’t traveling around the world, Jenny plays and paints on a homestead in the mountains of Northern New Mexico with her family.

I met Jenny a few years ago when I was living in Colorado; I was on my way to a show in Santa Fe and stopped at her place for lunch (the best lunch ever, made mostly from things out of her flourishing garden)! Jenny is the nicest person ever, and was even a featured artist in “Drawing Lab.” She’s super cool, too. Look at this:

She’s a new mom and worked on the book when her daughter Tulsi was in her pouch, on her back, or asleep nearby. Precious!

Here’s a peek at some of the inside illustrations:

And go here if you want to read more about her process of creating this book!

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So Jenny is giving away a signed copy of this beautiful new book to one of you! Please leave a comment for a chance to win; I will pick the winner randomly on Saturday, December 10th. Thanks!

And the winner is commenter #9, Linda! Thanks everyone!

Online Class: Photo Silly Light with Steve Sonheim • January 9-15

P h o t o  S i l l y  L i g h t  (new class)

Quick Sign up here! NOTE: Class is officially started, but you are welcome to join late and catch up at your own pace! 

This week-long class will inspire you to get up and out with your camera. We will work at a more relaxed pace from PS1 and PS2, but will have lots of fun and silly assignments.

And we will touch on some technical aspects along the way. (This is a great warm up for “Photo Silly Advanced” coming in March 2012!)

• 7 assignments over seven days, you will receive a link to a new PDF worksheet that will look kind of like this (click to enlarge):

• You will receive an daily e-mail from Steve where he will further explain concepts that might not fit on a worksheet (including answers to questions from you).

• Your assignments will have you photographing people, places and things… the whole nine yards and then some.

• A “Photo Silly Light″ flickr site will be created so you can (optionally) share your photographs and get feedback from your fellow students, as well as enjoy and learn from others in the class.

• Steve will be available the entire week by email to answer ANY questions you have.

• The class PDFs will be up and available until March 31, 2012, if for some reason you need to miss a day. The blog and flickr sites will be up “forever.”

• Steve is an experienced photographer and teacher, and aims to help his students begin to develop their own unique photography “voice.”  He writes, “This class is about looking at the world a little differently through your digital camera, and bringing more photography into your art, and more art into your photography.”

• Requirements: Any digital camera that you can download images to a computer and a basic photo-editing program. (Steve suggests either a trial [free] version of Photoshop Elements or Picasa by Google, also free. These are both easy to use and he will be giving instructions for both as we go along.)

• Photo Silly Alumni:  All the worksheet/silly assignments will be NEW (though the class covers the same basic principles). If you want a refresher or just the prompt-a-day to get you shooting again, please join again!

• The first day of class is January 9!

Sign up here! Cost: $35

Online Class: Imaginary Creatures • June 25-29, 2012

I m a g i n a r y   C r e a t u r e s (repeat class)

QUICK SIGN UP HERE

Note: This class is scheduled to be re-run as a live class from June 25-29, 2012. But, if that’s not soon enough, you are welcome to sign up anytime and work at your own pace!

Find and create your own zoo of imaginary creatures from random watercolor marks, blobs of paint, sidewalk cracks, peeling paint and more. But mixed in with this nonsense is a healthy dose of “real” drawing exercises and lessons to help you imbue personality and life into your imaginary animals. We will draw from life, from photos, and from our imaginations. Then you’ll learn my no-fail watercolor tricks to create a series of your own imaginary creatures on paper. You’ll put the finishing touches on with pen, ink, pencil, gesso, charcoal, marker, collage, or whatever else the piece “needs.” We’ll also cover line quality, shading & dimension, and composition.

(Click to enlarge photos.)

Take this class if you love animals, want to learn more about watercolor, or just want to explore the “random” and “play” factor in drawing and painting.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here’s the scoop for this session:

• Think “camp” and be ready for a week jam-packed with creativity! (Update: If you do all the assignments each day, I estimate it will take about 1 – 1.5 hours each day… but more if you want to settle into it!)

• Each day you’ll wake up to a morning peptalk email with links to your daily schedule, warm-up PDF worksheet, drawing assignment, demonstration video and paintingassignment. (Five camp days; five warm-up worksheets; five drawing assignments; five videos; five painting assignments.)

• A password-protected blog dedicated to each class will serve as our clubhouse and will be our meeting place for all of the above, as well as special goodie bag materials and other surprises (including bug spray).

• A flickr group will be created for each session so you can (optionally) share your worksheets, drawings, paintings, and enjoy and learn from the artwork of others. (However, if you are shy about posting your art, I am always available to look at your work via email.)

• A perfect activity to do with your kids.

• The class materials will be up and available for download until “forever,” if for some reason you need to miss a day (or a couple of weeks).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sign Up Here!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

• Upon registration, you will receive an email within 48 hours confirming your sign-up. One week before your camp session begins, you will receive a “test” email to make sure you can receive/view everything. (That way, when the camp starts a week later, any mosquito bugs will be worked out!)

• What you will need: You will be able to read acrobat pdf files and view videos.

• Class fee is good for participants living in a single household.

QUESTIONS? carla@carlasonheim.com

Online Class: Faces 101 • July 9-13, 2012

F a c e s    1 0 1 (repeat class)

NOTE! The class will repeat “LIVE” from July 9-13, 2012

QUICK SIGN UP HERE

In this class we will focus solely on drawing and painting the human face. We will work through dozens of different assignments that allow you to approach your subjects fast, slow, messily, neatly, realistically, abstractly — all this to start getting you to ferret out your own unique and personal style. We will draw from live models, from photos and our imaginations. You’ll use ink, watercolor, pencil, ballpoint pen, charcoal, pastels and more. End goal: You don’t want to draw faces like me or anyone else — you want to draw like YOU! After this week you will get closer to finding your unique style, promise! (P.S. The “101″ stands for the 101 faces you will create this week. Yes, it’s a lot. Yes, you will work hard. Yes, you can do it!)

Take this class if you want to try your hand at lots of different drawing styles and methods, love the human face, or want to start developing your own unique face “style.”

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here’s the scoop for this session:

• Think “camp” and be ready for a week jam-packed with creativity! (Update: If you do all the assignments each day, I estimate it will take about 1 – 1.5 hours each day… but more if you want to settle into it!)

• Each day you’ll wake up to a morning peptalk email with links to your daily schedule, warm-up PDF worksheet, drawing assignment, demonstration video and paintingassignment. (Five camp days; five warm-up worksheets; five drawing assignments; five videos; five painting assignments.)

• A password-protected blog dedicated to each class will serve as our clubhouse and will be our meeting place for all of the above, as well as special goodie bag materials and other surprises (including bug spray).

• A flickr group will be created for each session so you can (optionally) share your worksheets, drawings, paintings, and enjoy and learn from the artwork of others. (However, if you are shy about posting your art, I am always available to look at your work via email.)

• A perfect activity to do with your kids.

• The class materials will be up and available for download until “forever,” if for some reason you need to miss a day (or a couple of weeks).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sign Up Here!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

• Upon registration, you will receive an email within 48 hours confirming your sign-up. One week before your camp session begins, you will receive a “test” email to make sure you can receive/view everything. (That way, when the camp starts a week later, any mosquito bugs will be worked out!)

• What you will need: You will be able to read acrobat pdf files and view videos.

• Class fee is good for participants living in a single household.

QUESTIONS? carla@carlasonheim.com