Friday, November 14, 2008

Sketching


Friday night. I am tired of trees. So I sketch me!! At least if I mess up, I don't hurt anyone's feelings!!


Eliana has been wanting me to paint this of her and her beloved dog Roxie. I started. It was hideous. I decided to "work it out" in a sketch. We'll see how she feels about this rendering.

I love people. I gotta get back to doing them. That is my passion.

I ordered CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN at my assistant's suggestion, because in that movies, the trees come alive. I had forgotten that. Maybe I will love painting/drawing trees more after watching that movie.

Meanwhile, I actually framed and hung the charcoal and pastel of the single tree in our gallery/dining room for D's birthday party! They look good!!!

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I Almost Quit


We were to go to park and draw in charcoal. The first day was too cold for me so I stayed in the car. I did this with vine charcoal which smudges all over the place in transit.


Then we were to do an oil pastel in the next class. Teach taught us to us Mona Lisa solvent with a brush to get rid of the crayon type markings. She said no black or brown and not to try to make any of the colors realistic, just squint at our charcoal renderings and get the values right (lightness and darkness) I had a rough time.

I thought it was my cheap pastels, so I ordered some good ones. I never finished the steering wheel or rear view mirror. I was beginning to sink. . .


The next class we returned to the park. This time I sat on a footstool and really got into this tree. I liked this one, alot. I just knew I was going to produce a masterpiece! (You know, since I had the pricey pastels!)


I cannot tell you how badly I hated this one. I thought it was hideous and stopped before filling in the smaller branches, leaves or fence.

I seriously considered not going to today's class, since it was Critique Day. But I don't like being a quitter and darn it, I really like my Teach, so I rebelliously arrived twenty minutes late. Errrrg, she had already started the critiques.

Long story short, something happened to my eyesight when I saw this foursome across the room on the bulleton board. They weren't so bad as I had thought. As a matter of fact, I was not at all embarrassed of them. I gathered them into my bosom and came home and finished him!

Why do I give ear to that condemning and critical voice that is forever debasing me? Teach is not a gusher, not even particularily complimentary, but she has this way of honest appraisal with just enough encouragement that I leave her words with my shoulders a little straighter and my heart a little more hopeful.

Thanks Teach!!
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