Final Images from Inktober

I don't like to post so many drawings/images at once, but it is now November and #inktober is over so I want to be finished blogging about the challenge.

I feel I did well, I actually managed 31 drawings within the 31 days. Now I have to take a deep breath and think about what I want to do next. Not sure, though I did pick up a new sketchbook over the weekend that is a Strathmore Mixed Media Visual Journal which I think I will be using. Should be good for pen and ink and some light watercolor washes. Well it will be better than the Strathmore sketchbook that I was using for the #inktober challenge. The Journals were on sale at my local A.C. Moore and I just couldn't resist.

Back to the drawings, expanding from just single cats or dogs I made the above drawing for the 27th of Oct. I used a reference photo I made a few years ago. The bird is a Blue Jay, and I don't think it was happy to find the squirrel in its feeder. This is a photo I have been saving to use for a more finished work. This drawing isn't quite as finished as I would like (had to be done in one day for one thing) but it is a good study for something larger. Pens used were a mixture of my Copic Multiliners and my Rapdiograph technical pens.

From another of my personal reference photographs. A swan with arched neck and an almost perfect reflection. I used Copic Multiliners for this one the .03 for the swan and the .5 for its shadow. I made an error with the placement of the swan on the page and didn't have room for the complete shadow, rather than spend time redrawing the swan I just went with it. I may also redo this one someday, there are other errors, though you may not notice them.

This is from a photograph that was one of the January 2015 Pen and Ink Wetcanvas Forum challenge images. I didn't draw them at the time, and by the 29th of October I was looking for something that would be relative quick and easy to draw, so I used it. I used my Rapidograph 0 pen for this one, and tried to limit the amount of outlining that I did, using the shading lines to create the outline of the gourds.

For the 30th I did a quick revisit of a leaf and seed pod. We have lots of Catalpa's in my city, in fact they are something of a problem I think for some people, growing where they aren't wanted. Again I wanted something not too complex. I added some watercolor to this one, and am not really happy with how it looks, splotchy on the leaf. Would have been better if I had been able to pre-wet the paper but the sketchbook I was using wouldn't have been happy with that technique. Otherwise a mixture of Copic and Rapidograph pens, and a dip pen for the outline of the leaf, seed pods and seed.

Since I started the month with just a black and white drawing of my elf helper, I decided to end the month with another image of him, with the addition of a jack-o-lantern, after all the 31st was Halloween night. Maybe he went trick or treating after posing for this.

Not the best drawing, but by the 31st I just wanted this done with. Pens used were my standard mix, Copic Multiners and Rapidographs.

As a final photograph another scene of fall foliage, the last for this year I promise, mostly because we had a storm last week and the trees were pretty much stripped of leaves so they aren't there to be photographed. Well maybe there are still a few trees with some leaves so perhaps there might be one or two more, but I am fairly sure there won't be any more photos with trees with green leaves in them. This was made in my local park along with the photos I showed last week. Yesterday was mostly cloudy so not a good day for photographs.

That is it for today, per usual comments are welcome and appreciated. Oh I had issues with the uploader today so the image size isn't as large as I usually post - sorry.

Gourds, more gourds and a flower

Back a couple of weeks ago I made a pen and ink sketch of 3 gourds from various reference photographs. That drawing reminded me how fun it can be to draw gourds and their odd shapes and bright colors. So I visited the WetCanvas photo reference library and downloaded several more photographs of gourds. Using one of those references I created the above colored pencil drawing.

I first drew the gourds in pencil, then outlined them in ink and finally added color using multiple brands of colored pencils. I didn't spend a huge amount of time on it. I am still working on my Chipmunk drawing, so am saving time spent working in detail for that. Still I am not displeased with how this came out. The bowl is a bit wonky but I think I managed to give some feeling of depth and roundness to both it and some of the gourds. Drawing was done in my sketchbook.

While I was drawing the gourds in the bowl I thought it might be fun to make a bookmark using various gourd shapes so drew the above image. The three gourds were taken from different reference images so their position is my composition.

Bookmarks can be tricky to design as the are long and narrow, and I find I prefer the image to be vertical, after all that is how the bookmark will be viewed when in use. Gourds which can be long and narrow seem to be a perfect subject.

Done first with pen and ink I then added colored pencil to the image. Of course it still needs a bit of work before it is a finished bookmark, but so far I rather like it. To be honest I like this one better than the last couple I drew with the heart motif.

The above image is slightly misleading as this is actually a small watercolor ATC (Artist Trading Card). Pretty simple, and fairly quick to draw and paint. I used my watercolor pencils for color on this one, just applying enough water to active the color.

I am currently reading a book on Watercolor painting, Painting in Watercolor by Kate Gwynn. It is part of the Artists Handbook series and was published in 1982 so it is old. Still watercolor techniques and methods haven't changed much from then to now. I think there are now more watercolor pencils than there were back then, but otherwise paints, papers and brushes are pretty much the same. Book is from the library, and the only one I saw on that particular visit.

I have also been spending a lot of time in the WetCanvas watercolor forums, reading threads that have to do with selecting colors for a pallet, various papers to use, and other technical aspects of watercolor painting. The end result is I have watercolor painting a bit on the brain, didn't feel like working on the other piece I have in the works so did this little guy.

It is in a way killing two birds with one stone as the Sketchbook Challenge blog theme for February is Windows. So here is a little watercolor of a plant sitting in a window. loosely based on one of my cyclamens (I have 2, one red, one pink) that are sitting in my northern exposure bedroom window.

I am thinking about painting some more Watercolor ATC's, they are small so quick to paint, but also allow some practice with watercolor.

I made this photograph last week prior to our latest snow storm, and on a day when we had some sun. These are just grasses in an open lot, but I rather like the color/value contrasts, with the browns of the grasses against the white of the snow and then there are the shadows, a cool/warm color pallet if I ever saw one.

That is it for today, per usual comments are welcome.

More Pen and Ink work with some Figures

Another image from the WetCanvas Pen and Ink forum monthly challenge, this time an elephant. I drew this first with pencil before adding ink. I just don't trust myself to draw animals directly with pen. Animals and people look so strange if you get the proportions wrong. Even with the underlying pencil drawing am only semi pleased with how this came out.

I have been using pen for my short pose figure drawings, so one of these days I may attempt an animal with just pen, though I would rather tackle and animal that I have drawn before. What can I say, elephants are not my usual subject.

These gourds are a created arrangement made from some photographs I have showing various gourds. One or two from one photograph and another from a separate one. I have played around with gourd images before, and I will probably do so again, they have such interesting shapes and colors.

Finally the weather cooperated and I made it out to a Tuesday night short pose drawing session, male model this week. Since he had spent part of his day doing short poses for student animators his short poses that evening were very active and dynamic. Top image are some of my two minute pose drawings.

The middle section are a few of the 5 minute poses. The last drawing is one of the 10 minute poses he did for us. In the others he was sitting and more pretzel shaped. Not easy poses to draw so that they translate visually.

I originally thought the 10 minute pose was a bit confusing visually so added some pen work to it when I got home. I am thinking now that might have been a mistake. There is also some pen work on one of the 5 minute poses, but that seems to work a bit better.

The different tone to the paper is because I finished one pad and started using a different one about half way through the evening, usually I continue using the same Mfg. but this week I change to a different one. Interesting how differently they look in the photographs, visually they are both white papers. I have been using flash for these photographs, and I think one paper is more reflective than the other.

The final photograph this week is one I made yesterday while I was out for a walk. The cat was taking advantage of the sunny/warmer day to pose in front of this tree and soak up the sun. The white on the ground behind the cat is actually a bit of snow left over from a storm we had one morning this week. We didn't get a lot (probably about an inch) but until yesterday it has been cold so it stuck around in shady spots. Not sure what species the tree is, but I love the way the cat's fur seems to pick up the colors/texture of the tree trunk.

That is it for today, per usual comments are welcome.

Gourds, Peppers and Squirrels

Today I have 3 smallish drawings that I have finished this week. Above are 3 gourds, two ornamental and the third is the type that can be decorated with designs similar to what I created for my drawing. Again these are all on hot press watercolor paper.

Someone on Flickr (where I also post images of my art) asked where I get my paper. I have never found hot press paper at a chain art/craft store such as Michaels or AC Moore. I have seen only cold press paper which has a rough surface. Hot press paper has a smooth surface excellent for pen or colored pencil work, though it absorbs water readily with minimal warping. I am lucky that I have a nearby Art Supply Store that carries hot press paper, and I would assume that any quality art store would have it on hand. For those who don't have access to a full service art store it can be ordered online from Dick Blick. I use Arches 140 wt. which can be purchased in various sized blocks. It can also be purchased by the sheet which is how I usually purchase it. There are several other manufactures of hot press paper, so if you can't get Arches but can get a different mfg. I would say that you should try it to see how it works for you.

Above is a drawing of four hot peppers, 2 red, and 2 green. I placed them on a blue table with a toned grey background. Again I am working with realistic outlines and random fills. The colors for the peppers are semi realistic. Image size for these two vegetable images are my usual 4 x 4 inches.

Below is another of my animal drawings.

The squirrel's pose is from a photograph I took a while ago. The squirrel is hunched over looking intently at something below him. I used a slightly larger image area for this guy, 5 x 5 inches. On this one I didn't want to add a lot of background images to distract from the squirrel and without something the image looked a bit bare. Color was supposed to add that something, so I added with watercolor washes. The squirrel is grey with just a bit of light brown on the face and tail, the tree branches I used a grey green contrasting with the blue sky. I could have done a better job on the sky wash, but otherwise I am happy with it.

One last comment for any readers who will be in the Boston area between now and August. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has just opened a Chihuly glass exhibit. The official opening is April 10 and the exhibit will be on view until August 7th. I hope to be able to get to the museum to see this which has not only some of his latest works on view but some of his earliest. I love glass and always have so this should be amazing. The good news is that you don't need tickets, the exhibit is part of general admission to the museum.

That is it for today. Per usual comments are welcome.