This is the final stage my waxed amaryllis reached before it started to wilt. I used the gouache brush this time for the flower instead of the 2B pencil I used for the first two. Because I blend with the gouache brush tool, you can't even really tell the difference.
During the last few months of 2022, I worked several people and pet portraits. We got busy doing other things and now trying to pick back up where I left off with my goal in drawing my family.
It was time for me to draw Neal and Travis. I could spend hours fine tuning shading, etc. but decided to call these done.
Here is one more sketch I worked watching the first round of amaryllis plants I have growing. I was getting a little burnt out sketching the flowers so I haven't worked the final stage showing it in full bloom. Maybe later but it was time for me to select another subject.
Yesterday I decided to go back to a previous drawing I did of our oldest dog, Miya. She's 15 this year and when I drew her back in 2020, I chose to capture showing how her eyes are clouding over due to age. I also chose not to blend much to show how course her fur has become as she's aged.
Pulling her drawing back up, I wanted to make changes especially around the eyes and make her fur softer looking and with just a touch of tan color she still has in her coat. I also darkened the body fur as it is darker than her face, head, and chest.
And although I could continue fine-tuning, I am MUCH happier with these results compared to before.
Her initial drawing was using a 4B pencil with very little blending and with the changes made to make her fur look softer (less grainy), I used the Gouache Blending Tool.
Present Changes Made:
It has been interesting trying out the waxed amaryllis where you do nothing but set the bulb in a sunny warm location. Had it been planted in soil, I suspect it would have produced three flower stalks but with the wax confining the growth, only one stalk made it at a time. The second stalk was stunted and I didn't think would do anything but it did flower. The BIGGEST surprise turns out with two buds close to the neck of the opening deciding to flower after I cut off the dead flowers of the second stunted stalk. The leaves of the amaryllis really never grew but I figure it was due to being crowded. My only disappointment with these are the fact the flowers fade so quickly compared to those planted in the ground. Maybe they are a different variety that wouldn't last even in soil? No idea.
I decided to sketch how the one bud was opening early morning and then by afternoon, it had opened more that I wanted to capture. It's fascinating to me as I watch day by day the changes flowering plants go through in such a short time.
Procreate: 2B pencil for coloring (no black and white this time) and gouache brush tool for blending. Worked each component on separate layers which paid off with the growth change within hours. I was able to make the changes/additions and still keep the rest of the plant as already sketched. I was able to just focus on the one flower and the subtle change to the other bud next to it.
As I watch my amaryllis plants grow and flower, I'm sketching various stages I can refer back to. It just amazes me watching these go from root ball to flower on a daily basis.
I used the 2B pencil for coloring and the Gouache brush tool for blending.
I have several amaryllis plants growing in my bathroom and decided to work a sketch of one of the growing stages.
6B pencil for both drawing and erasing (for lightening values). This one I chose not to use blending (smudge tool).
It's been several weeks since I've picked up a pencil or even my iPad and now trying to get back to some drawing. From November until present day, we have been involved in various activities from crafting to putting together Lego sets to playing the new Pokemon that came out Nov 18th. Then you add the holidays.
For my first drawing in 2023, I chose this Struggling Amaryllis. I was really surprised it made it, let alone bloom. I tried a waxed Amaryllis for the first time and the first stalk that grew was tall producing four flowers. That stalk crowded the leaves and a second bud that barely rose from the waxed bulb. The flowers were beautiful but didn't last long. Faded much sooner than ones I've grown in the soil.
After the first flowers faded, I cut the stalk back to the top of the waxed bulb to see what might happen with the leaves and the second bud. That bud struggled for the longest time but as the cut stalk started to shrivel inside the encased wax, it seemed to allow more room and the second bud started moving upwards. Not by much but at least enough to where it started to open. So second flowering is somewhat stunted but is still going strong.
This is our 8 month old Maltipoo pup. Terry wanted a portrait of her so I did this for him. I've been putting it off because of white on white but after viewing some helpful videos and working Morgan's white Cockatiel, I decided to give it a go.
I actually worked this before Olaf giving me the confidence to draw him for Madison.
As a means of reference I can fall back on and maybe as an example to viewers using Procreate, I wanted to document how I work eyes. I do basically the same thing with human eyes.
With line sketches, I use the BeeJayDel's Standard Inker Streamline brush tool. This one is from a purchased brush pack he sells. As for thickness of line, it's a personal preference and for me it just depends on how much ink I might need to blend filling in areas.
My go-to brush tool for adding color and blending is one of the app's default brushes - Painting / Gouache brush tool. I've tried various brushes and always find myself going back to this one.
When Madison came to visit, she brought her dog, Olaf, with her. What was surprising with her dog, he didn't much care for Terry. Terry has a way with animals and has never faced one that didn't like him until Olaf came. Olaf would growl at him every time he saw him, which we all found to be funny. He was also territorial claiming the living room as his space. We think it's because his "momma" was there and he was just protecting her.
Because it seems that I am on a roll drawing dog portraits, she asked if I would draw him and this is what I did for her tonight.
This drawing is for my youngest granddaughter, Morgan, who recently lost her beloved cockatiel by the name of Sunny. She picked him up during her trip here to Florida two years ago. I wanted to do something for her as a memory keepsake.
Working white on white is most definitely one of my biggest challenges. I prefer not to use a background if I can get away with it. Another thing about white is choosing the right color for shadows/shading and it still look white.
Procreate using Gouache brush and TH Wash Stamp brush for the background.
With background and without the background.
November 3rd made one year ago my Mom passed. That day our neighbor sent another rose over for me and I decided to draw it for my Mom to share on her birthday.
After working Lilly for my eldest nephew, I worked on this for my youngest nephew. He's a Pitbull mix of some sort and is super sweet in nature.
He was one dog my mother actually allowed in her room. Mom wasn't exactly into pets of any kind but she liked, Bo!!
Worked the same way as I did Lilly only I worked the eyes first.
This drawing is of Sean and Tiffany's dog, Lilly. I worked this as a surprise to them as she's just as much their "baby" as their first child who was born about a month or so ago.
Drawing this was a little easier except for the ears and the curly tuffs under the face. With each drawing, I face various challenges but I feel it's good for me and helps keep my aging brain active trying to work out solutions.....lol. Even with that said, I do feel a bit overwhelmed or frustrated at times, depending on my mood. It might cross my mind it's too much, tempting me to quit, but I do try to persevere and follow through without giving up.
The challenge I faced with this one was the areas of long fur. Like hair, my eyes/brain want to focus on every little strand. I have to fight that tendency and try to see shapes or groups of color, darks, and lights while at the same time trying to suggest more detail. It's a balancing act for me that I do struggle with at times.
As with other drawings, I started out with a line drawing. This time instead of blending out the lines, working in black and white adding color later, I jumped in adding color on separate layers. Once I had the base color down, I would untick the line drawing and only bring it back up for reference as I worked. At the same time, I had Lilly's photo on my computer screen to view as I worked on my Ipad.
Using the Gouache brush tool, I scribbled color down and then blended everything out following the direction of the fur and shapes/positions of the darker areas.
Normally I work the eyes first but in this case I left that for later, along with the nose. The mouth was one of the last things I put in before finalizing with more shading and details. I added the tag last.
Darlene is here with us (my "sissy" through marriage) visiting for 10 days. Her first trip to Florida since we moved here. She is a first time grandmother and weeks ago I finished a drawing of her granddaughter she absolutely loved.
While here she asked if I would consider working a portrait of her Pap who means the absolute world to her. Although I avoid requests like the plague, I made an exception knowing what it would mean to her. Usually when asked to do something, I get too nervous and fearful I'll not meet that person's expectations so I avoid it.
Anyways...........I told her no promises but would at least give it a try not knowing if I'd be able to follow through with the portrait.
His hair was a challenge due to white on white background plus the white stubble and eyebrows but I managed to work through it (lots of trial and error).
Ending results ... she absolutely loved as did other family who know her and her Pap.
This year I decided to grow amaryllis bulbs again after the success I had last year. I ordered six regular bulbs from Holland Bulb Company (which I am still waiting to receive) and then found a waxed amaryllis through Amaryllis and Caladium Bulb Co. This will be my first experience with a self-contained flower bulb where all I have to do is stick in a nice sunny window and nothing more. My brother-in-law shared one he grew last year and I decided I wanted to try one as well.
As of two days ago...
My middle son, Neal, said how cool this looked........like pathways up a mountain. And he's right........it really does but I didn't think of that until he mentioned it.
Now I have a complete set of portraits of my eldest son and his family.
This one was quite the challenge due to facial hair. At one point I felt a bit overwhelmed tempting me to give up but I chose not to do that. After various trial and error attempts, I finally found a way to depict the facial hair and hair stubble I was happy with.
A lot has been going on the last few months but I have still managed to get some artwork done...two of which were therapeutic in nature.
Have also been busy with completing several diamond art kits and playing with Legos.
Personal Challenge...to illustrate the first things that come to mind living in Florida that differs from living up north and that I have seen/experienced:
Birthday gift - recording the growth of lily buds that were in the arrangement Travis sent to me:
From a section of one of my diamond art kits. Madison loves bees and I thought of her as I did this:
Learning a new technique called Dispersion and as a therapeutic means to unload some emotional/mental turmoil I've chosen not to bog me down:
