From the Past

For the past couple of days, I have frequented the local historical museum.  Generally speaking, I have an annual pass and love to sit there after hours surrounded by trees, birds, and what not to be alone in this place and sketch without someone standing over my shoulder.  The old truck above was found abandoned on a hill, full of rust and character. Slipping into the grounds before closing, I brought my chair and went to the abandoned place to sketch the scene before me. Drawing a circle in perspective and accurate with a pen, at this point for me at least, is challenging but something that I am determined to get correct. It was a lovely evening as the gentle sun extended its rays across the historical site.

The previous day, Friday, I went to sketch the tractor.  I had tried it once during peak hours but too many people on location and too difficult to focus while drawing. After hours it is pleasant and somewhat quite. I tried a soluble pen by Staedtler, similar to the tom bow pens and tried to work fast as the light was changing over head.  Both sketches were done on Stillman and Birn's book.  One is the pen and ink sketchbook and the other is the Beta series.

A Variation of Themes

Last week, while trying to sketch an onion from life, I was frustrated beyond belief.  Frankly my onion renditions sucked! On Friday, I went to an art store and purchased a dipped pen by speedball and tried once again. Much better than what I was using last week and decided to post what I just completed yesterday. I still have much room for improvement but at least I am on the right track.

Since it was rainy yesterday, I decided to spend my morning at the local museum sketching birds.  Here I brought the Stillman and Birn's ink sketchbook and like how ink flows on top.  I am still grappling with sketching out in public as sometimes spectators stand over my shoulders and look.  So I close my sketchbook and wait until they leave.

I have also been trying out exercises in Bert Dobson's book and was having a hard time with eyes from life.  So I photographed the above eyes and practiced drawing them from a photo and finally the cat sketch is just what I finished a couple of minutes ago and thought to post it to share.  Regardless of sleeping, she does not hold still very long.

Every Day Matters 3-Drawing the Purse

Recently, while going through my stuff to do some spring cleaning (well perhaps now it will be soon summer cleaning), I realized how much I am a sketchbookaholic.  I actually have bins and bins of blank sketchbooks.  Truth be told, I am searching for the "right one", yet never find it. The results, accumulated blank books that are sitting there and are not used.  So I decided to use up what I have despite the results.  After all, I am learning to transcribe what I see from real life onto a piece of paper. I am learning to see, coordinate my eyes and hands and draw from life. Isn't life experiences the best type of teacher around? At this point who cares if I don't have in possession the perfect sketchbook and not get the results I am seeking.

 Some papers I can tell are way better than others and affect my results.  The first two sketches above, are done on a cream sketchbook by Canson.  It only accepts pen and ink.  Washes are a horrendous experience.  The last one, is a generic brand of sketchbook where I used ink and wash.  Truthfully I can't get it to do the kind of wash that I was hoping to. Oh well-I am stuck until this sketchbook is finished-(only 79 pageish to go!) On my left side, where the strap of the purse is darker, I actually put in ink with a brush.

With the first one, I used a brown pen to draw the purse and the second one was with a dipped pen that I purchased at a store called Lee Valley.

I am so inspired by Danny Gregory that I have decided to get back to exploring the topics from Every Day Matters. I have decided to try to do them with pen and ink (and/or ink and wash) before I do them in colour.  I am also taking myself through a book by Bert Dobson entitled "Keys to Drawing"  The key thing for me is drawing from life.  In future, I will be posting my results from Jane Lafazio's and Laure Ferlita's classes as I have just completed both.

Baking Powder

I am doing two types of food journals.  One of them is with basic food and this one will be going through Betty Crocker's cook book. Over twelve years ago, her cookbook was given to me from one employer as a going away present.  Intermittently or shall I say rarely I created the recipes inside this wonderful cookbook.  I would like to develop my culinary skills-twelve years later-and learn as much about food, preparing and of course cooking.  I picked baking/cooking ingredients to start off with simply because it was more interesting.  Who knows what will happen if I complete the entire cookbook.

Prairie Girl's Food Journey Begins

I was frustrated with the stone paper that I was using for Brenda Swenson's 75 day challenge as my fiber tipped pens were running dry.  Quite a costly experience as a brand new pen was used almost every day.  I was on limbo for quite some time and did sketches here and there but did not post anything until today.  I am highly interested in food-aren't we all-but I love looking at cookbooks.  I have decided to learn more about food and have ordered two new journals from Brenda's Books on line www.brendabooks.com and explore food in her lovely handmade books. I love her hand bound journals which has hot pressed and cold pressed watercolour paper.

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.