Brenda Swenson -Day 1

A new paper and sketchbook have been released into the market-stone paper. This paper does not use paper, paper byproducts or bleach. I received a sample some time ago and did a sketch with walnut ink and liked the effect. I have dedicated this entire sketchbook to do pen and ink for Brenda Swenon's 75 day challenge. I used brown and black pens to sketch the wooden shoe.

Every Day Matters #2-draw and lamp

I scanned this image in and because of the size of the sketchbook, it barely fits the scanner. I am learning so much in the last few days of my sketching experiences and I can feel my skills becoming stronger every day. As my yoga instructor who tells our class every day: "Practice, Practice, Practice and all is coming." Although I just started yoga once again, which I have been doing steadily since June, my body is slowly getting the strength and flexibility to do the poses. My yoga experience and journey is just a reminder that over time, my drawing skills, and observational skills are improving.

Every Day Matters#1 Draw a Shoe Ink and watercolour

It has been awhile since I have used watercolour with my sketches. I feel as though I have lost my mojo. I also am not sure if it is the paper from the sketchbook that I am using. I generally use hot or cold pressed 140 pound and I have decided to try out the Ink and Wash (watercolour) in a Nature sketchbook. I find that every paper has a different personality and it takes some time to adjust. Well this is it for runners. Tomorrow I will start Brenda Swenson's 75 day challenge and if I have time, I will do another sketch with pen and ink for Every Day Matters.

Every Day Matters#1 Draw a Shoe

Here is my first project for Every Day Matters. I have decided to dedicate one sketchbook for pen and ink and another sketchbook for ink and wash. The purpose? The pen and ink will focus on values, hatching and cross hatching effects and the ink and wash will focus on colour. I was very nervous when drawing this one because it was the running shoe that counts. There was no going back and no more practicing. Tomorrow I will be doing the final running shoe with watercolour and then I will do the challenges weekly while drawing every day for seventy five days for Brenda Swenson's challenge. The only thing with her challenge is that I will be doing in conjunction with pen contour drawings, shading with walnut ink or india ink. I have tried a new sketchbook for this one which is on stone paper. I am excited to start on Monday.

Runners

Yesterday I finished an entire sketchbook filled with drawings of running shoes. I really don't know what compelled me to do an entire book but I think it was due to the fact that I had a strong desire to improve my drawing skills. The sad thing is that as of 2008, I really wanted to participate with Every Day Matters group but did not have the confidence to show my work. How crazy is that? Last year in October, I began drawing a running shoe every day and by Christmas I could see my drawing skills improving. The funny thing is that I stopped drawing them after Christmas and my cat became sick thus postponing the completion that particular sketchbook. I began earnestly in September and was determined to finish before Christmas this time. When I closed this book, I was somewhat sad as I did complete my goal and now my morning ritual will be something else. I am highly determined to continue practicing drawing from life. It is an addiction with me as I absolutely love the challenge. I have completed today my first drawing for Every Day Matters as I have turned over a new leaf and opened up a new sketchbook. The other one will now be put away in storage and looked upon in the future as a testament to show my determination and perseverance.

Shared Memories

This sketch was done immediately after the previous one. I had already prepared the page and Minou sat on my lap for some time. I was able to create two sketches in this pose. One on with a white background and the other on the prepared surface. I will remember our times together as she was with me since the day that she was born. She has been through alot and I was grateful that she shared parts of my life and created many years of warm memories. In loving memory of Minou born May 9, 1993-April 25, 2011.

Does Time Go On?

A lot has been happening since my last entry. My cat Minou on January 26th had dental surgery and shortly after that, her kidneys started to give out on her. On April 1st she was her normal self and suddenly on the second, it went down hill from there. I spent as much time as I could with her, drawing her, filming her and taking pictures. The above picture was drawn with a glass pen using calligraphy ink. I gave her watered down skim milk as she loved it all through her life. I was getting frustrated with my drawing as I have failed to capture her essence and spirit. I started to cry out of frustration. I knew time was running out and to this day I could not draw her. Immediately after, she came and sat on me. This drawing will be something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. She fought hard to hang on. On Easter Monday, April 25th, it proved to be difficult battle for her and I had to make the hardest decision of my life and something that I feel extremely guilty over. Yesterday, it was her birthday. She would have been 18 years old. She was loved and is greatly missed

Jane Lafazio-lesson 5

Queen Susan's Horn and Reepicheep were drawn at a local Narnia exhibition on Hot pressed watercolour paper. Reepicheep was also painted mainly from memory as I ran out of time. Mr. Scarecrow was drawn on Strathmore's visual journal and did not mind the results. With this one, it was done relatively quickly as I was running out of time to sketch. Dropped in some colour notes and went on my merry way.

Jane Lafazio-lesson 3 Museum

These three were done on Strathmore's visual journal -140 pound. With two of them, there was a wash of watercolour paper and drawing with water-soluble pen. I did not like the results that were achieved on this paper. As a result, I went home and added some brown and black ink. The last one was done on unstained paper and did not mind the results as much on this type of paper as the pen responded much better.

Beach assignment #7-turtle

The weather out here has been gross practically all winter. Today it has been blowing and snowing all day. It can get slightly tiring after awhile and although this is perfect weather to stay indoors and do art-which I am extremely grateful for-it is difficult to keep up the positive spirits. I just keeping hoping that soon the sun shall shine....

Assignment #7-I believe for Laure's class. Again I had this lil guy drawn and painted it today. Tomorrow, I hope, I will do another one but on hot pressed paper. I am really enjoying working on that paper too.

I attempted to draw Minou today-which I am kind of use to while she is sleeping but I have been unhappy with my colour choices for Jane's class...I will just keep on every day and choose the best of the three and post them. Wednesday I am also hoping to go to the museum to draw for my final assignment.

Jane Lafazio-lesson 4 outside

I realized I never uploaded these sketches either! The cactus was done at a local greenhouse last Saturday, the landscape, I attempted three times at my parents house and the oil and vinegar was done at my parents house too. We were suppose to sketch outside but it has been way too cold and miserable. I just read that Jane will be having an autumn sketch course and I will definitely take that one. I really enjoy sketching from life and it is very difficult trying to see all those colours.

Beach Assignment #6

I am not particularly happy with this one but one must go on. Tomorrow, I will be painting some turtles-this assignment I will be doing twice, once on hot pressed paper and the other on cold pressed. Almost caught up in her course although this coming week, we will be getting another two assignments-the last two. It is always sad when Laure's classes come to an end because I really enjoy them and learn so much from each project and experience. She is a fantastic teacher.

Beach Assignment #5

I kind of lost the texture in the feathers with this one as I was trying to work in the values and colours. Again I had this one done for some time with the hope of trying some other ones that she provided for us. They looked great and inviting. If I have time after all of my projects completed, I will go back and try another one. Next week I start her New Orleans course so I can't fall too behind.

Beach Assignment #4

It is snowy, cold and yucky outside. How I long for summer.....This one I have had done for quite some time but forgot to post it. I absolutely loved doing this one-although my boat looks like a floating Mexican hat. I am behind in both classes but will be catching up vigorously this week.

Jane Lafazio-lesson 2

Well I am very behind in Jane's class so I sat down at a local coffee shop and sketched for three hours today. I choose the carrot cake because I really liked the carrot design on top-the cake though was dry. As I was sketching that one, the sun was coming through the window, however, towards the end when I was doing watercolour, the sun disappeared and had to do some from memory. The one with the toucan, was slightly unnerving for me as there was one woman who sat down and watched me for almost two hours. I do get kind of nervous when someone is watching me. Tomorrow, I will be doing lesson 4 instead of two because I will be sketching at a Green house-with a friend. It is way too cold to sketch outside and a greenhouse is a great alternative and I will be surrounded by plants. I can't wait. Hopefully by Monday evening or Tuesday morning I will post my progress

Fiddler Crab on Hot Pressed Paper

Another one I did today but with hot pressed watercolour paper. With Jane Lafazio's course, she recommended this type of paper. In the past I have been very hesitant in trying it. It is always good to take courses so that you learn, grow, and experience new things. Once you get the hang of hot pressed watercolour paper, it is truly enjoyable. Certain things are more difficult to do on this paper but I love the staccato colour effect that can be achieved. I am presently caught up in Laure's class-well until Friday. Now Jane's class....

Beach Assignment #2 and #3

Here are the two that I completed today. The pelicans were done this morning. I was trying some new colours. I did not like how the birds were looking so I added some ink. The crabbies were a spontaneous project that I chose to do today. I just received the Laure's crab's assignment and loved the colours. Printed off the material, watched the video and ran. Had a timer set and was moving quite fast to get it done in time. I was hoping to do another one but on hot pressed paper. I am kind of saturated with art and will take a break. I still have to catch up on Jane's class. Yesterday I sketched in the coffee shop and my goal was to do three. The first one turned out fine, but the second one, I got kind of frustrated and didn't finish it. I will have to go out sometime within the next two days and finish those guys as I am getting further behind in that course.

Laure Ferlita's Beach Class

My first class with Laure after Christmas and boy does it feel good to be back in her class. For awhile, I thought I lost my mojo and halfway through the project I started feeling better. It pays not to take a break from drawing and painting. We used wax resist to capture the texture on the starfish which was alot of fun. I think my white guys are a little too smooth and of course my shadows are in the wrong place for them. I did challenge myself to use reflected colours particularly in the sand and creating colourful optical browns using primary and secondary colours. I am behind in her class as well as Jane's but I will catch up-hopefully soon. Tomorrow I will be sketching in a coffee shop. I was going to go yesterday but it was snowing, cold and miserable! How I long to be at the beach where I drew these little guys!

Jane Lafazio-lesson 1

As the course is now in the third week, I am slightly behind due to my cat having surgery and having to be a nurse this past week. Since I have been slightly housebound, I just did the first weeks assignments a couple of times on hotpressed paper. It is so different than the cold pressed paper that I am use to and I don't mind the staccato spots of colour. I think it is fun. This weekend, while catching up on Laure Ferlita's homework in the wonderful beach class, I will also be in the coffee shop too! I absolutely love doing art and I could do this all day!

Minou's Toys

Some of my cat's toys that she plays with from time to time.

sketchbook project

The second out of three onions that I sketched.

sketchbook project

Another position for the red pepper.

sketchbook project

A fast version of a red pepper.

sketchbook project

I should mention that anything for my sketchbook project was all drawn and painted from life. I love the challenge of seeing colours in their natural setting and trying to interpret values too.

sketchbook project -flowers

Sketchbook project -red onions

The first onion out of three.

sketchbook project

A final sketch done at the museum just before it closed.

sketchbook project

Colour versions of the birds at my local museum.

Sketchbook project

These were sepia sketches I did at my local museum.