Drawing Imaginary Birds: Part III

 

This is the third bird this week. It was fun to get to these, because just before I had the “breakthrough moment” on the first bird, I had written a postcard to my son Wes:

Now I am at work trying to paint. So far today, I suck. But I have hope that it will turn around — no, an EXPECTATION that it will turn around eventually. In the meantime, back to making sucky art. 

I just looked at some of the other things I was working on and they are fine, actually, but for some reason I didn’t like them when doing them. Which perhaps was what “pushed” me to keep trying new things (and what caused me to pull out the Yupo paper). On another day I might have been happy with the first pieces.

Interesting!

* * *

Have a wonderful weekend!

Drawing Imaginary Birds: Part II

Watercolor and pencil on Yupo paper.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

I tend to work in series…

Drawing Imaginary Birds

Watercolor and pencil on Yupo paper.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

 

Ask Me a Question!

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

Sometimes I get questions….

Q: Do you always have a starting point for a drawing/painting such as a blob? Do you carry a sketchbook for inspiration? How do you get yourself out of creative ruts? Do you feel happy with where you are with your art? And finally, where/how did you come up with all your wonderful tutorials and exercises? thanks, an awed 13 year old

A:

Do you always have a starting point for a drawing/painting such as a blob? Or do you just have the idea and then use that as a jumping off point for your drawings? 

Recently a lot of my drawing/paintings do emerge from random marks or “blob” shapes, yes. But sometimes an idea for a drawing will pop into my head, and I’ll begin to try and follow the lead. (However, usually, even if I have a preconceived idea, as soon as I put pen or paint to paper, things are free to morph and change.)

How do you get yourself out of creative ruts?

Lately the best way for me to get out of a creative rut is to STOP. Stop trying and just take a break. This can take many forms, such as going for a walk, organizing my art table, or sleeping away a weekend.

Also, I need to remind myself constantly that the creative ideas WILL flow again… they can’t help it!

Do you feel happy with where you are with your art?

Yes and no. Recently I’m realizing — with my art and my everything else in my life — that at all times there needs to be a coexistence of two seemingly opposite things:

1. A sincere love and acceptance about where I am at the moment.
2. The desire to improve and be better in the future.

So, while I like what I do, even love some of it, there is so much more I can work on… composition, line quality, “story,” color…. It’s a constant learning process (my art and my life), and that’s a very good thing!

And finally, where/how did you come up with all your wonderful tutorials and exercises?

When I take the time to mess around with pencil or paint, fun things happen. I try hard to just experiment and let the “let’s see what happens if” mentality rule the day. Then, when I have the time, I’ll make up a tutorial or add it into a class as an exercise.

____________________

Do you have a question about drawing or the creative process? I can only speak for myself, but I’m happy to share my thoughts and experiences. Go to this post and ask it in the comments section. I will try and answer all of them over time!

Trees

 

Scanned twig. Having fun.

“You’re Kidding Me”

The big one isn’t at all pleased to find out the two of them are related….

* * *

I’m fresh home from my trip to Minnesota and it was a great trip! Wonderful work by all the students and such a great group, too. I haven’t been teaching as many in-person workshops the last few years, and this one reminded me how much I really enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who came!

The above artwork was a “demo” piece from the workshop. Now I plan to clean my studio and get painting. It’s been too long!

Have a wonderful week!

 

Happy Monday!

Hello, and I hope you’re having an excellent start to your week!

I’m spending the next two days packing and completing last-minute details for my four-day class at the Midwest Art and Lettering Retreat in Minnesota starting this Thursday. The class is filled, but I will be doing a demo/mini class at Wet Paint Art Store a week from today, next Monday, August 19, 2013 from 5:30 – 7:30pm. We will be drawing and painting imaginary creatures…. Minnesotans, come if you can!

When I get home next week my son Wes will be gone — off to college! We will definitely miss him.

Have a great week!

P.S. I created the above fish in a live “Between Speech & Silence” class with Diane Culhane about five years ago. I loved the class, and you can see why I wanted her to teach it in an online format! 

 

Intensive Figure Drawing Class with Ellen Borison

 

“Figure,” pencil on tissue paper, 2011.
_________________________

Since moving to Seattle 3.5 years ago, I’ve tried to take advantage of the city and the talent here by taking workshops from artists I admire.

Two days ago I said to Steve, “Oh! I haven’t done a workshop this year!” And, wouldn’t you know, I opened my computer that very evening and found out about this four-day figure workshop with Ellen Borison and “friends”: Figure Intensive Camp at ArtEAST in Issaquah, WA, August 20-23, 2013.

I will be in Minnesota teaching and need to miss the first day of this workshop, but I’m really looking forward to spending the three full days upon my return drawing, painting, sculpting, and collaging the figure.

I haven’t met Ellen, but she is a true talent… just look at these beautiful drawings!

I got word this morning that the minimum number of students to make the class a “go” has not yet been met.

But I really want to do this class.

So I’m shamelessly mentioning it here hoping that a few of you Seattle-area artists will similarly excited about this unique workshop and join me, as a fellow student! It’s really reasonably priced, too.

CLICK HERE for all the details!

 

“Box Journaling” & “Using Vibrant Color” Start Tomorrow

Painting by Krista Peel.

* * *

I’m busy in the studio this sunny Sunday afternoon putting the finishing touches on the first day’s lessons of the next two summer camps, beginning tomorrow!

Krista Peel will be walking us through drawing and painting flowers, a corner of your house, and abstractly in “Using Vibrant Color,” and I will take art journaling to 3-dimensions with “Box Journaling,” showing the process of three different boxes inspired by “story,” a personal object, and the box itself.

   

 

Click for class descriptions, and join us if you can!

 

Happy Birthday!

 

I had the sweetest visitor to my studio yesterday — 11-year-old “Theaux,” who was celebrating her birthday week. She likes cats, so I made her a little Tom cat.

I do love studio visits. Recently Deb from Australia brought in five of her Aussie friends (they were in the States for a three-week trip), and for a few minutes the studio was a lively and talkative place!

If you’re ever in Seattle and would like to stop by, just email!

Have a great weekend.