Another Gift from Our Neighbor

Yesterday hubby was out working in the yard when approached by our Neighbor.  He had two vases he wanted me to have...both made of marble.

Our neighbor who's family is from Taiwan used to own several stores that carried crafted Taiwan merchandise.  The vases are two such items he used to sell.  Both were in their original boxes he had stored after closing down the stores.  They are from 40 years ago.

One is a large, very heavy, two-in-one vase by flipping it...something I've never seen before.  The other is a small one with a very intricate design.  I love both but my favorite is the smaller one because of the size and design.

Worked in Procreate by first working a line drawing, completely filling in the black areas and then working over the black with white for the design.  Various brush tools were used for this one, to include:

Inking / Studio Pen, Sketching / HB Pencil, Airbrushing / Soft Airbrush, Charcoal / Carbon stick, Elements / Water (for marbling effect).

The berries are from last year Terry cut from a palm tree.  What's neat about the berries is the fact they dried hard rather than shriveling up or getting mushy.

This one didn't take as many different brush tools due to the simplicity of design.  They included the Inking / Studio Pen, Sketching / HB Pencil, and Airbrushing / Soft Airbrush.

When using Smudge or Erase as a technique, I match the brush tool to that I used to put down lines and color.

Showing Back Up at Feeder

Although we have resident hummingbirds, there are months where we don't see them around the feeder.  We've noticed within the last week we are seeing quite a bit of activity...probably with the migration of those from the North.

Stillman and Birn Alpha / Staedtler Mars Lumograph 2B

Don't Walk Barefoot

This time of year our oak tree drops millions of these little acorns.  These little treasures hurt if stepped on barefoot and I'm one who hates wearing shoes.

Found this twig with acorn caps still attached after a night of gusty winds.

Quick pencil sketching using Staedtler Mars Lumograph 2B pencil in Alpha sketchbook.

Wild Rose and Memories

Not sure exactly what type of rose this is but I was told it fell under the wild rose.  This rose sends out long trailers that will climb anything near it.  Dad had a very large tree at the side of his house and it grew beneath it, sending it's trailers all around climbing up into the tree.  It was absolutely gorgeous!!!

While living in West Virginia, dad gave us a starter, which we planted at the front corner of our house.  We had a trellis made that it climbed and continued doing so up and across the railing of our porch.  Our porch was above the garage or what some might consider a second level of the house. 

When we moved, we brought with us a starter that is still growing in a pot.  We're really not sure if it will survive in the ground here in Florida with sandy soil or where exactly to place it due to the harshness of the sun, so we've left it in a pot.  After six years of being here, it's never flowered but continues to grow.  Unfortunately nothing like it did up north and the leaves tend to get black spot probably due to the high humidity here.  

I like sketching and painting this particular type of rose.  It's my favorite of all the rose varieties.  Going through photos I have from years back, I decided to sketch it again.  First in my sketchbook in ballpoint pen and then decided I also wanted to work variations on my Ipad using Procreate.  After I finished the digital versions, I went back to the sketchbook and added color using watercolor.

Here are the results:

My Characters in Two Separate ACNH Games

Having two accounts and playing two individual Animal Crossing games, my youngest son asked that I sketch my characters I created in each game.

One game is playing in the Northern Hemisphere (my first and main game) that follows our seasons (which is going into Autumn) and the other game is playing in the Southern Hemisphere which seasons are opposite (going from Winter into Spring).  I'm doing this so I can enjoy the various species of fish, bugs, and sea creatures based on the different seasons without having to wait all year long to finish my museum.

With my main game, my character is an older version of me showing where I wear my hair back all the time and gray in color.  In the second game, I set myself up as a younger version of me when I actually wore my hair down and before the natural highlighting started to take place.

Notice both show me barefoot and that's me.........I hate wearing shoes :-)

I had the younger version visit the older version in the game so they could sit side by side to work on this sketch.

Quick sketching in Alpha sketchbook using the 2B pencil.

Rose Using Different Brush Tools in Procreate

Yesterday I posted the graphite looking rose and made a change to the suggested table surface as I didn't like the angle I had it drawn at.

This shows the initial line sketch I worked and what I'm using as the base for each drawing using different brush tools.  I may do one more to render a color pencil look.

I'm finding the more I work with roses, the less intimidated I feel with all the petals.  

A Thank You for a Thank-You Gift

Using Procreate, I worked this rose using the brush tool Charcoals / Carbon Stick.  

Subject is another rose our neighbor clipped as a thank-you after Terry took over our thank-you gift I had made using one of my rose drawings from a couple of years ago.  I had uploaded it to Shutterfly along with a personal sentiment to be printed off on a tile plate that sits on an easel.  

  

Swallowtail Butterfly in Graphite

Before I jump into my next challenge requested of me, I decided to draw this butterfly that showed up outside the window where I sit throughout the day.

I had no idea what kind it was until I looked it up on the internet.  Turns out to be a Swallowtail but not sure which one.  Might be considered an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail or maybe a Black Swallowtail (at least so far from what I've been able to find).  

This one was primarily brown (a reddish brown) with off white or cream "white" spots.  Also had suggested spots of powder blue towards the bottom of the wings and above the "white" spots.  In the photo there's a hint of orange just below the long segment of the body where one white spot is split in the center.

Worked in Stillman and Birn Alpha sketchbook with Staedtler Mars Lumograph 2B and 4B pencils.

Special Requests from my Youngest Son

 A few days ago I sketched a fossil called a Trilobite from the game Animal Crossing New Horizons.  I shared with two of my three sons..........with my youngest who also plays the game.

Last night my youngest texts me saying he had a challenge for me.....sketching my house in the game.  When you start out, you reside in a tent until you go so far in the game and then have a one room house built.  As you work for and earn money, you add on rooms...one room at a time.  A complete house will have four rooms on the main level, a large upstairs, and a basement.  Later in the game, you can customize the outside of the house having several styles to choose from.

Accepting his challenge, I decided to sketch both the tent I started out in and how my house looks now with 1,825 hours of game play.  One might think I like this game......ha ha.  Truth be known, I now have two accounts and playing two games at the same time....one in the Southern Hemisphere and my original in the Northern Hemisphere.  This way I can play different seasons catching season specific critters I would otherwise have to wait forever to get to finish my museum.  My second game only has 395 hours of game play but I haven't had it as long as the original one I started.

Today, my son gives me yet another challenge...sketching my character in the original game, which I agreed I would do.

My son said he was going to share with co-workers who also play the game and when I asked him today if he had had a chance to share this with them, he said "they loved it...along with 7000 other people."  My response was "WHAT?  What do you mean along with 7000 other people?"  

I have learned he and my middle son are sharing my artwork on Reddit.  Reddit is broken down in subcategories and one is Animal Crossing.  My son posted it and within six hours had over 7000 upvotes (whatever that means) along with many comments.  A couple hours later it was over 10,000 upvotes.  One comment was a viewer asking if I'd sketch my character in the game and why my youngest son gave me this next challenge.

So this is what I worked on today.  In the game (depending on months in the year) you either are confronted with a scorpion or a tarantula during evening hours.  Most often they nab me but I've managed to catch enough scorpions to have a model made in the game, which I have set outside the house.  I set myself up with the model to sketch this little scene.

Both are worked in the Stillman and Birn Alpha journal using Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils 2B and 4B.  I'm having a blast working in graphite!!!!

Science Lesson from the Game Animal Crossing New Horizons

In previous posts, I mentioned where playing a game can be educational.  This is another example sketching one of the fossils found in Animal Crossing New Horizons.  

Looking for a subject to sketch in graphite, this fossil called out to me while playing my game.  I just think it looks cool and loved the challenge with all the detail working the body structure.  As I was sketching, I started wondering about the history of the Trilobite and found the articles I read on the internet to be fascinating.  I hated science when in school but now at 60 plus years old, I find it more interesting.

Using Staedtler ML 2B and 4B pencils / S&B Alpha sketchbook

Staedtler Mars Lumograph Pencil Chart on Alpha Surface

One of the things I like to do are charts on various paper surfaces based on how I use or apply various mediums.

I worked this chart in the Stillman and Birn Alpha sketchbook using Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils.  Two pencils are missing from the set and I will have to order them to complete the chart but I can always add those later.  Although honestly, I'm questioning whether I really need those two grade pencils.

What this chart specifically tells me is that I would probably get the most use out of 4B and 2B.  Maybe HB but I can always use my mechanical pencil or the F or H in this set if necessary.

This shows where I can obtain dark values as seen with 8B just using a 4B pencil.  Although I'm sure I could go darker using 5,6,7 or 8B pencils than what is showing in the chart, I only go so far with pressure so not to damage the paper.  I'm not crazy about how bad the softer (and darker) graphite smears or how difficult it can be to erase.  4B seems to be the sweet spot for me out of the set with darks and ease in erasing.  Smearing is slightly less than those softer grades.  2B used initially when lightly sketching and 4B to darken.

I can't remember ever using any of the H grades and not sure I ever will.

Breaking in New Sketchbook - Banana Flower and Bananas

Over the last couple of weeks, I have finished two journals with a third journal almost finished (two pages remaining).  Wanting to work larger, I ordered two Stillman and Birn 8.25 x 11.25 journals......one Beta and one Alpha.  

After finishing one large Beta journal, I decided to start working in the Alpha and this is what I did to break the sketchbook in...a banana flower and small bunch of bananas cut down yesterday from plants we have in the back yard.  

We may actually have eatable bananas this year.  Those sketched were a small group of immature bananas on the stalk along with another larger bunch that were much bigger and fuller.  My husband had thinned the plants earlier in the year and fertilized heavily resulting in more and larger bananas.  

We didn't know until this year we needed to cut the bananas down while still green and hang upside down to start the ripening process.  With all the varieties out there, we have no idea what type these are.  Will be interesting to see how they turn out once they turn yellow.

Alpha Journal using Staedtler Mars Lumograph B pencil

The Rose

This is one flower that totally intimidates me when it comes to sketching so I decided to take it on while I was in the mood for a challenge.  Even after four sketches, I can't honestly say it helps with how I feel when approaching this type of flower.  Wild or Dog roses don't affect me in the same way as the other type roses.  It's that "ball" of wrapped petals that tend to make me feel a bit overwhelmed when trying to draw them.

I tend to do OK with rose buds and those partially opened, as well as wild or Dog roses (Examples 1, 3, and 4).  Number 2 was the most difficult for me.  Number 4 was the easiest as I feel more at ease when working in graphite.  Number 3, I made myself work the line drawing with pen only (no pencil) and it wasn't too difficult as it is fairly easy with only a few petals (Dog Rose).

Pens used:  Pilot Metropolitans with Dark Red and Dark Green Document Inks (F nib), and Pilot Prera with Noodler's #41 Brown (XF nib).

Graphite is using Wolf's Carbon pencil #2B

Practice Sketching Birds

Over the last couple of days, I have been watching (and sketching along the way) a few videos on Drawing Birds by John Muir Laws.  Although I've sketched and painted birds for years, I never knew the anatomy of birds and thought by learning this, it might help me improve on results.  If nothing else, it would help to be able to identify which part of the bird I'm working on and learning what I can simplify and still end up with decent results.

I worked these as reference I can fall back on if necessary.  Fab Hotpress / TWSBI Eco with Urban Grey ink.

Using a model from the video, I worked this bird in graphite.  Then added ink and then decided to add some color.  This was basically playing with three different techniques within the same bird sketch.

While I worked the pencil sketch, I didn't think to scan the steps I chose to use from how John works his bird sketches so I tried to recreate those steps using Procreate on the Ipad.  I find using the circles or ovals like he does for head and body proportions throws me off.  I do better this way by focusing on the contour lines and how each curve or line relates in distance and placement to other areas around it.

Doodling with Ballpoint Pen

Yesterday I grabbed a new type ballpoint pen made by Uni-ball (Jetstream RT 0.7 mm) to see how it might work on two different paper surfaces.  I was interested in seeing if ink would build-up causing blobs like other pens I have tried.  Although I did have to wipe the point on paper towel now and then, the pen worked quite well on both a toothy surface and a smooth surface.

5.5x6" Journal made with Arches 140 lb Coldpress WC paper.  Added a little color with DS watercolors.

5.5 x 7" Journal made with Fabriano 140 lb Hotpress WC paper.  Chose not to add color.  No pencil lines were used as I wasn't sure how the ink would handle going over graphite.  It was also unknown if erasing would smear this type ink.

What I found is that I enjoyed using this pen for ballpoint sketching.....unlike BIC or a few other brands I've tried that tend to blob quite easily with a lot of stop and go dabbing the pen point on paper towel, which I find cumbersome.

September Challenge Between Friends - Design a Fishbowl or Aquarium

Inspired by the Switch game, Animal Crossing New Horizons, I came up with the idea to design a fishbowl or Aquarium.  

The challenge involves sketching individual components and then sketching everything together.

If working a standard fishbowl or other container like a jar, we are to sketch at least one fish and a minimum of three accents inside the container.

If working a larger aquarium, we are to sketch at least one fish and a minimum of four accents inside the container.

Not able to decide which medium I wanted to use, I chose to work my challenge in different mediums.

Digital:  Sketched using Procreate on the Ipad.  I chose to use minimum color leaving the rest black and white.

Graphite:  With this one, I just wanted to practice sketching fish and accents and not necessarily put them together in a fishbowl or aquarium.  This was using the Wolf's Carbon Pencil - B in the Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook.

To finish the last page in my Beta journal, I worked this quick pencil sketch using a Pentel Graphgear 1000 mechanical pencil #7.

Pen and Ink plus Watercolor:  My primary contribution for the challenge I used the Kakuno fountain pen and #41 Noodler's Brown ink.  Worked in the Stillman and Birn Beta journal.  DS watercolors.

Cardinal Head Study

This started out as only a pencil study.  I was practicing the head of this cardinal as I learn the names of various areas of the face and how they relate to one another creating basic features.  After working the pencil study, I decided to add a little color.  

Worked in journal with Arches 140lb Coldpress Watercolor, Graphgear 1000 mechanical pencil #7.  Painted using Qor and DS watercolors.