Monday, February 25, 2013

Taking a Stroll

Practice with people using Pen and Ink plus Watercolor

Stillman & Birn Epsilon journal

Daniel Smith:  Fr Ultramarine, Cerulean Blue, Indigo, Perm Red, Raw Sienna plus Aliz for skin color, Bt Sienna, and Sap Green

#8 Round and 3/8" Angular

Pilot Prera with Lexington Gray ink

Started out using watercolor pencils but then changed gears and went to watercolor.

Need work on hands..........the hands on this lady turned out a bit wonky :-))




Sunday, February 24, 2013

TV Series Inspiration - Old Cabin in the Woods

My eldest son and his wife managed to get me interested in watching The Vampire Diaries a few weeks ago.  I've been watching through Netflix trying to catch up on all the previous episodes.  Finally I managed to get myself brought up to date with the present series.

In the last episode, there was a scene in the woods with an old shack or cabin that grabbed my attention and inspired me to do this next sketch and watercolor painting.  It's not exact to the one in the actual film but definitely close.

The sketch is done in the Stillman & Birn Epsilon journal using my Pilot Prera and Lexington Gray ink.


Using Daniel Smith watercolors, I applied color using Raw Sienna, Bt Sienna, Bt Umber, Fr Ultramarine, Sap Green and New Gamboge.

Brushes used were my daVinci #20 flat, #6 Round, and 3/8" Angular.  The flat was used primarily throughout with the other two brushes for finer detailing.

My version is definitely cleaned up from all the debris around the cabin and how dark the scene was in the film.  




Friday, February 22, 2013

A Little Bit of Color

After days of gray skies and snow showers or ice/rain, I was definitely in need of some color.  I'm sure many others feel this during the drab winter days.  My worst time is after Christmas during January through about April.

Today I managed to do a little sketch of a calla lily using Faber Castell watercolor pencils.  After I finished, I debated on taking water to it but gave in for that richness of color my spirit needed.

Stillman & Birn Epsilon journal
#10 Round plus 3/8" Angular Flat
Bt Sienna, Chromium Green, Naples Yellow, Madder, Crimson, and Ultramarine

Initial pencil sketch:






After taking water and brush:


Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sketching with Brush

It's definitely been awhile since I posted anything here.  In fact it's been awhile since I've done any sort of art work.

Weeks ago I got this bright idea to completely re-do my original website.  It's been years since I've messed with that and found I had forgotten some of my previous knowledge of html.  Then you add obsolete programs I used to use and having to learn a new program.  Of course with the ever changing technologies, I found I needed to learn CSS.  It's been a slow process initiating a lot of confusion and finally just had to give it a rest.

Needless to say, focusing on something that major (for me), I just didn't feel like doing much of anything else.

Add the amount of time that has passed and I'm struggling to get back into drawing or painting (even though I've put the web design aside).

FINALLY,  I've tried to do a little something.  It's not much but it's a start.

Using a flat brush only, I did this little watercolor sketch and a little detailing with my Pilot Prera pen.