Years ago our neighbor, Thomas, gave us a piece of his Desert Rose. Although he passed a couple years ago, he lives on in his gift to us. With the beautiful weather, it's in full bloom. This is as of yesterday's date.
Worked while Neal and Travis closed on their first home. Was my way of keeping busy as I waited to hear how things went for them.
Days later, my flowers are still going strong to include the roses. Here are two more drawings I've completed.
Each worked differently. The lily was worked off the value drawing and then adding color layer with layer blending mode. The rose was worked without a value layer using brush tools to color on separate layers for each component.
For mother's day, the guys got me this beautiful bouquet of roses and lilies. There were 12 of these multicolored roses with two full stems of lilies. The fragrance from this arrangement is absolutely heavenly!
Rose Drawing...
I was going through past drawings and paintings when I came across some of the portraits I had worked. I felt this desire to practice skin again but hadn't decided what I wanted to do yet............not until Paige sent me photos of a hibiscus her mother bought for her recently.
In one of her photos, this caught my attention right off and was perfect for what I was wanting to practice.
Travis cut and gave Paige a magnolia flower yesterday and she sent several photos to share with me. After looking over them several times, I considered drawing one but was a bit hesitant. One of those times I look at something and find it intimidating like the center portion of the flower. Plus I'm not crazy working with white flowers.
Giving more thought on it, I decided to make it a personal challenge BECAUSE I felt intimidated and glad I did. I was able to work through the most challenging part of it by starting the center first. I figured if it went all wrong, I didn't spend a lot of time on the entire flower only to be dissatisfied.
Here is the ending results. Paige didn't know I was going to draw from the photos she sent but had hoped I might. I had Travis critique my work close to it being finished. Once he OK'd how things were going, I proceeded to finish and then send to Paige via text.
As I sit at my desk swatting a gnat flying around my face, the idea came to me to sketch some of the major pests we have where we live.
With warmer weather, these pest are coming out in groves...especially the mosquitos and gnats. The Palmetto bugs tend to try and get into the house when the weather turns cold or hitch hikes on our dogs when coming back inside. The midges are not here yet but it's just a matter of time. As for the red ants, we try to keep them under control. We spray down into their ant hills or pour scalding hot water down the holes. It helps for a short time until they move elsewhere with new ant hills popping up. The one pest (not shown) that we do NOT look forward to are the love bugs. They make a horrible mess on our vehicles.
Sketching with the Peppermint brush tool on Ipad.
Our neighbor cut and sent this rose over with Terry to give to me. This one particular rose bush he has produces roses with a very strong fragrance. The roses don't last very long but while they do, makes the room smell wonderful.
Using the same technique I used for the frog (starting with a flat color background using the Round brush tool), I ended up with this result. Results are different to my eyes starting out with a flat color type brush versus my coloring in using my favorite brush tool (Gouache) which is transparent with some variation with each stroke put down on paper. The round is a solid that does not react with pencil pressure whereas the Gouache does..........putting down darker color with more pressure.
**With a flat color foundation, the layer is totally opaque which would make it easy to add a background layer underneath without it bleeding through the layer with the rose and having to erase that for a clean look.
Process using the Round Brush Tool:
This little guy was on the wall right outside our front door late evening. Using Procreate, I worked this with tools shown on the demo sheets.
The background was an afterthought using the Spires brush tool found under Organic using both brush tool to put down areas of the texture and using the same under the eraser to remove some areas. Then added a few lines blending them out trying to mimic the texture of the wall.
Another brush tool mentioned on demo sheets was the BeeJayDel Textures - Scales. On its own layer, I used it very lightly to add to the detail I put down by hand. It's very subtle.
Although three greens are shown on the color key on the demo sheets, I basically only used two......the middle and dark values.
It's been awhile since I posted to my blog, but, I've been keeping busy with my drawing.
Most of the work I've been doing has been drawing on the Ipad. Digital offers me the opportunity to blend like oil painting (which I cannot use to fumes). I love the different techniques and challenges .... always learning something new.
Earlier this year I concentrated on my miniature bear, Opal.
The following is only a small sampling of what I've accomplished.
Our neighbor has amaryllis planted all around the base of his tree in his front yard. I've sat and admired them for years and the last couple of years, a stalk has been cut for me to put in a vase.
In December last year I decided to try and grow my own. I have been monitoring the growth stages for drawing purposes. The family of Amaryllis I purchased through Holland Bulb Company is called Apple Blossom which is basically white with some areas of pink (at least the one I have). I was late ordering this year but was lucky enough to find these still in stock. My plan is to replant outdoors later this year.
Procreate: Charcoal / 2B and 4B Compressed for drawing and Painting / Gouache for blending.
Adding color using layer blend mode...04/01/22
As a change of pace, I've been working on bottlecap magnets. These are a blast to make and easy with the supplies I chose to use with epoxy adhesive domes and adhesive seals instead of glues and resin. Less mess.......no glue, don't have to seal the prints first, and no long drying times. So far I have made 33.
A lot has been going on between family health issues and major projects. Most of the time has been dedicated to creating and cataloging over 700 ATCs, creating stickers, and creating illustration book pages to be spiral bound as a Christmas gift.
This month I've actually spent a little time painting but mostly drawing on my Ipad.
November
