Been on a Bear Kick

It's been a busy month for me working on various card ideas and I decided to bring out Opal and friends to use as drawing models.

Starting out, I used Opal to create a Mother's Day Card.  From one pose, I took it further adding various items he/she could hold. 

After I worked on these, I worked on these "posable" illustrations using another of my miniature bears.  

These are using yet another miniature bear in my collection:

Another card created using a previous Opal drawing from a couple of years ago:

One of the reasons I love illustrating individual subjects versus full compositions is to give me a library of subjects to choose from in order to create cards for people.

I also enjoy creating the step or demo sheets and individual subjects make it easier for me to do so.  Helps me to remember how I went about things and as a means to share with others who might want to use or learn the techniques I enjoy using.

Ivy Plant in Pot and Glass

This is from an ivy plant growing in my bathroom.  The section I drew is what is draping over the pot onto the edge of my bathtub.  I first drew the plant and then on a separate layer, created the pot.  Then I decided to work yet another layer for the glass.

Terry and I.......LOL

Boy do these take me back in time as a young girl.  I remember believing they would bring you good luck.  I still have one of the earlier versions with the colorful hair and then came across these two I just had to purchase because they represent us now at our age.

I just couldn't resist drawing them to be later printed for my sons as a memory keepsake.

Same steps for both:

Couple of New Sketches

From day to day, I never know what might grab my attention to sketch or draw.  One of the dog toys grabbed my attention and I decided to draw it.  

This next drawing is a wildflower Terry brought in knowing I love drawing various flowers.  To us it's just a weed popping up in the yard but after doing some research, we learned it's a wildflower you can actually purchase seed to sow.  The flowers are tiny.

Drawing of Handmade Door Hanger

Back years ago, I used to do a lot of crafting making my own Christmas ornaments, wall hangings, etc.  This hangs on my bedroom door and I decided to grab my iPad and draw it.

 

Pink Flowers

This flower illustration was using different brush tools for some texture.  The one thing I love about Procreate is the fact there are still techniques to learn.  I love being able to play without having to start something completely over again.

Steps Involved

1 - Line Drawing

2 - Base Colors using line drawing as a reference and working on layer below.  Color added by dragging and dropping a flat color.  Also used the eraser and the MWC Light Wash #7 brush tool tapping for some texture.

3 - Removing (unticking) the Line Layer.

4 - Adding middle tone color to flowers using the Soft Airbrush brush tool.

5 - Adding middle tone color to the leaves using the Soft Airbrush brush tool.

6 - Darks on flowers and adding centers.  Still using the Soft Airbrush brush tool.

7 - Darks on Leaves and adding cast shadow.  Soft airbrush brush tool.

8 - Finishing touches which include a layer with white to line some of the edges of the flowers; layer of blue over a few leaves; layer of gold on a couple leaves; and a layer using white and the MWC Splatter Wash #2 brush tool for added texture over flowers and leaves.  Also adjusted the color saturation of the top two smaller leaves as they looked too gray.

9 - After thinking I was finished, I decided to make a couple of changes.  I added a touch of blue to a few of the flowers for some variation and darkened areas on the leaves.

Couple of Plush Animals

As I continue packing up various things to go into storage, I am drawing things like these two plush animals.  One was given to me at some point and the other was gifted to Terry over two decades or so ago.

 

Both were worked in the same fashion

Other Mice in Mom's Collection

 There are a couple others not done yet but here are all the ones I have completed to date.  With each drawing, I played with different brushes or techniques.

Vintage Mouse Drawing

Growing up, Mom had several of these on our mantle.  This is one I finished drawing from the Josef Original - The Mouse Village Series....dating back to mid 1950s (Japan).  

I acquired the figurines after dad passed and my step-mom found packed away in their attic.  

Brushes used were the soft airbrush for shading and gouache for blending.

Waxed White Amaryllis Blooming Stages

Eight days from bud just starting to open until four flowers emerging.  There may be one additional to follow behind the four but not sure if it will completely open.

Happy Holidays / Merry Christmas 2023

 

Pot of Daisies

This was inspired from a vase of artificial daisies I have sitting on my desk. 

First worked with BJD #2B pencil - Brown

Color added - Color Blending Mode:

Son's Girlfriend

Still in the mood to draw people and one I hadn't done yet as far as family portraits, I worked on this one yesterday and the night before.

Gouache brush

My favorite part was working the hair.  She has black hair with the ends colored in a light blue.

As I post this, I see areas I could adjust but for now will leave as is.  The family loves the results but of course the critic inside me can always find things I could improve on.  :-)

 

Madison's Friend, Brooke

One of my granddaughter's closest friends just had surgery and the idea hit me to do up a portrait drawing.  I wasn't quite in the mindset for color so I worked her in pencil only.  I may return at a later time and do this again but in color.

BJD Pencil #2B and Gouache

Catching Up with a Few of My Latest Drawings

Been a busy few months and only now trying to catch up with my blog posts of drawings I've managed to accomplish.

My sister in law's granddaughter, Sophia - couldn't pass up drawing this expression.  This little angel is a year old.

 
And I worked this portrait drawing of my husband with one of his expressions I absolutely love.  

This is an invasive weed we have that we thought was under control but has started popping up all around our yard.

Waxed Amaryllis bulbs and tracking growth progress:

 

Graphite sketches of a few shells I have in a basket.  Was in the mood to grab a pencil and my S&B Alpha sketchbook.

Imperial Moth Drawing

A few days ago while walking Lani outside early morning, I saw what I first thought was a leaf on the ground.  Then I realized it was moving.  When I walked up to it, I thought sure it would fly off but it just remained in place.  Not sure if injured or if feeding.  

The size of this moth was about the size of my hand with wings spread out as seen here.  What looked like brown and yellow is actually a brownish purple color and I tried to capture as close to life as I could.

6B BJD pencil, Liner 1 pencil, and Gouache.  Because the moth had a fuzzy look to it, I chose the 6B pencil to capture that look.

September Challenge

To help Madison and I get back into our sketching, we set a challenge for this month using one of our favorite Switch games as incentive.

The challenge was to sketch one of our favorite babies; a mon that to us was unique in shape and detail; and a landscape scene that grabbed our attention while playing.

Madison's Results:

My Results: