ACEO Colored Pencil Drawing - "Sunset 4"

"Sunset 4"

ACEO - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2"

colored pencil drawing on paper

If interested in owning this collectible, click HERE.

New Series - Sunset ACEOs

"Sunset #3"

ACEO (2 1/2 x 3 1/2")

colored pencil on paper

Click HERE to bid

More of My Current WIP

As you can see, I have begun the tedious (but enjoyable) process of working on the bedding.  Again, I am trying to use the paper as the mid-tone, but it's not always possible to do considering all the color in this comforter.

Sometimes, as an artist, you just connect with a piece you are working on more than others; this is one of those pieces.  I'm not sure if it's the composition, the color, my paper choice, my medium choice or the fact that the model is my grandson.  Or, perhaps, all of the above.  Anyway, I feel this one is going to be one of my favorites.  If I do not mess it up!

New WIP - Mac Sleeping

This is a new colored pencil piece I have been working on recently.  It measures 16 x 20" and is on Mi Teints gray paper.  It is an image of my grandson I took recently while he was napping at my house.  

My goal with this piece is to work so that the grey paper stays the mid-tone and shows through.  Hopefully, I will be able to resist drawing on every single inch of this paper and stay true to my goal.

I will continue to post more pictures of this piece as it progresses.

New Series - Sunset ACEOs

Just completed this one last night. It is an ACEO (Art Card Originals and Editions) and measures 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches. It is an original colored pencil drawing on Bristol archival paper.

The plan is to do a series of about 12-15 of these babies.

If you would like to bid on this one, click the title of this blog post.  You'll get there.

Yay!  This one SOLD!

A New Name

"My Neighbor's Fence"

colored pencil

14 x 20"

Still at it. Getting prepared and competing in the Art at the Arnold sidelined my progress a bit. But I have been working steadily on this drawing all week.

One of the great benefits of blogging is that you receive feedback from your readers. One reader, much more savvy than I, let me know that my original title "Poison Ivy" would not be a good idea as the ivy I am drawing is something else entirely. And since I have no idea what it is (I am not a gardener), I have changed the title to "My Neighbor's Fence". I am rather pleased with it, too, because it's such a great metaphor for having good neighbors (which we do).

So, thank you, readers for keeping me in line and for your feedback. I really appreciate it!

Continued Progress - Poison Ivy

Whew. This represents about 4-5 hours worth of work. The fiddly bits on the right side with all the water spots and mold are a real challenge. One I am enjoying, though.

Poison Ivy - More Progress

More work on the "poison ivy" piece.

I wanted to share how I am rendering the fence with all of the mold and character. Instead of using browns I have chosen to use chartreuse and various light green colors along with lavender and purples while throwing in some pinks and peaches for good measure.

The colors are mixing beautifully and giving me the effect I had hoped for. Check out my color mixing blog here if you are interested at all in learning more about mixing colored pencils. Remember, they are translucent and layer very well for color mixing.

"Poison Ivy"

14 x 22"

colored pencil on Stonehenge

More Work In Progress - colored pencil

Boy, this one is slow going. To try to render the moldy wood realistically is a challenge. But, overall I think it's beginning to come together.

I haven't decided yet on a title. So, I'm just calling it poison ivy right now.

I am working exclusively in colored pencil for this one on Stonehenge paper. Rather large: 14 x 22".

New Digs; New Work

Recently, I was accepted into an artist studio group, Junctionview, where an old warehouse was renovated with many art studios. I couldn't be happier. I have my own space away from the house where I only work on my art. It's fabulous for me.

I have an amazing studio at home; however, I just had the hardest time working there. There was always a load of laundry to do, a phone call to take, a visitor - you know the drill. I just wasn't good at working at home. Has anyone else had this problem. I can't believe I am the only one.

So here's a little bit of my current work in progress. It's a colored pencil drawing on Stonehenge paper which measures 14 x 22". It's very slow work and the piece is large for a colored pencil drawing (and for me), but I am very happy with it so far.

Backlit Roses WIP - 2

More of my current colored pencil project. This one is very grainy and not burnished at all. Am rather liking it this way. We'll see what I come up with as it progresses.

Shadowplay WIP - Almost Finished

This piece is almost finished. Just a few more tweaks and touches should bring it around.

Shadowplay WIP - Continues

My goal with this piece was to create a work of realism but with an abstact-like composition. I have a few more planned with this idea in mind as well.

"Shadowplay"

colored pencil

7 1/2 x 9 1/2"

Shadowplay - WIP Continues

Continuing my post from yesterday, my current colored pencil drawing in progress.

Shadowplay - New Work In Progress

Finally, I have started a new colored pencil drawing. It has been a long time and I was beginning to think I had forgotten how to use my pencils. Only time will tell, but so far so good.

My brother, Brian, has been taking some incredible photographs which he generously has given me permission to use as reference photos so I hope to have several more of these done soon.

I am using Stonehenge paper and the drawing measures 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches.

A Daisy Today

"Daisy"

ACEO - 2.5 x 3.5"

colored pencil drawing on wood veneer

This has been a very busy and productive week for me; however, none of the busy-ness included making art. Oh, there were a few jabs at the sketch book, some planning and some creative thinking, but no real time for drawing or painting.

I was only able to get this little ACEO done. I drew it with colored pencils directly onto a small sheet of wood veneer. This is another technique where you can frame the piece without glass. Just a spray of acrylic varnish and its all set.

But I wonder, does the lack of time to make art cause other artists to become as cranky as I have been this week?

New Directions?

"On the Vine"

oil painting

5 x 7"

Last weekend, my husband gave me a wonderful gift of time alone.  I checked into a local hotel for two days and a night to be silent and think.  I took along my laptop, many books, notebooks, some sketching and a couple of pairs of sweatpants.  It was delicious.

During that time, I planned my goals for the upcoming year, broke them down into projects, wrote my mission statement, planned some directions for my work and just generally was able to focus on my work.

One of the goals I've decided upon is to go back to oil painting - not exclusively, I WILL continue with my colored pencil drawings - but as an addition to.  Every Friday, barring schedule interruptions, I plan to paint.  Painting and drawing for me are very, very different.  I am very slow and methodical in the way I draw - it can take months for one drawing.  However, the way I learned to paint was in school and from life; therefore, my style is very quick and loose.  I like both ways of working.

Today was my first "painting" day and I was amazed that I could still ride that horse - albeit a bit rusty, but I wasn't too disappointed in what I produced.  But I'll let you tell me what you think.

I decided to paint from a reference photo I was currently using for a colored pencil drawing on which I had spent a couple of hours.  The painting took the same amount of time.  The drawing isn't done; the painting is signed.  You can see the results below.

It seems to me that it can be good for my growth as an artist to allow myself to explore, create and enjoy the process.  I hope that doing both painting and drawing will complement each other and allow me to grow as an artist.

Bolivian Lady WIP - 3rd Post

Bolivian Lady - Stage 7

Bolivian Lady - Stage 8

Bolivian Lady - Stage 9

Ooooh, I wish I were one of those artists who could work across a drawing from left to right and finish a section at a time, knowing I had nailed the values, contrast and color right from the start. But alas, I work all over the page building and glazing layer upon layer of color until I know the piece is finished.

This explains how, in this post, the changes you see are very, very subtle (look closely at the background and the lady's left shoulder). I usually have a vague idea of my background and develop that along with the piece - this one is begging to be darker and will be - but it can determine, and change, my focal subject in subtle ways as well.

Since I work from light to dark, I have always struggled to get my darkest darks right away. I usually seem to slowly coax them out along with the background.

I am hoping to have this piece done by next week, but I also r-e-a-l-l-y need a break from it and plan to work on the Virtual Sketch Date drawing, too, which I will post before next weekend.

New WIP - Bolivian Lady

Bolivian Lady

Stage 1

Bolivian Lady

Stage 2

Bolivian Lady

Stage 3

This piece is very large for me - it measures 18 x 14". It's pure colored pencil on white Stonehenge paper. If you, too, work in colored pencil, you have an idea of how work intensive this piece is and has been, especially with the background.

As much work as it is, I have enjoyed it- almost feel guilty at times. (Does anyone else feel guilty about loving their work, too?)

I am working from a reference photo I took last year while in Bolivia. I was fascinated by how the women dressed and how they carried everything in their wraps. The Bolivian women are some of the hardest working people I have ever seen. In this piece I hope to capture some of that work-filled life in her face along with her feminity and beauty.

I've been meaning to start one of these large pieces from Bolivia since last year. Maybe because I have my second trip booked for this spring, I felt compelled to begin this drawing. I'm not sure, but it is motivating me to get ready to travel again.

Let me know what you think. Love your comments and suggestions.

Art for Orphans

"Market Day"

2.5 x 3.5" ACEO

colored pencil drawing

Another ACEO drawing to be sold to the highest bidder in order to raise funds for an orphanage in Bolivia.

This is drawn from my own photo taken last year at a festival when a group of us journied to Cochabamba, Bolivia. I love the hats and the colorful wraps the women wear. They carry EVERYTHING in the wrap, even their children. I think it should catch on here. I have one of these cloths, maybe I'll give it a try.