Sunday, July 26, 2015

Charcoal Two Step - original charcoal figurative drawing

Maybe they're dancing to Ray Price or Hank Thompson - some of the best country music ever for the two step.  I just gave the tinted paper another try in a different way - usually I would just use it for nude drawings, but I did really enjoy it in this case, too.  The pencils were General charcoal pencils soft and extra soft, plus General Primo white charcoal.  The size is about 12 x 9".  Thank you for stopping by!

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Dreamer - original oil pastel/watercolor pencil portrait

I had drawn this watercolor pencil piece and let it hang around for a few days, not paying much attention.  Then I got the idea to use a little oil pastel, wondering how it would work over the watercolor pencil on the Yupo surface.  I am happy to report that it worked great - I love the finish and may try this again.  Thanks for looking!

Friday, July 17, 2015

Sketch of Luci - original chalk drawing of a nude

I did this one on Strathmore toned tan paper - and I enjoyed working on this warm colored surface.  Not real toothy, but it was perfect with the compressed pastel sticks from General Pencil Co - in this case, black, white, sanguine and sepia.  I am always so happy to find art media made in this country.  General Pencil is not just an American company, but I really enjoy working with their products - and I LOVE their Primo Euro Blend charcoal pencils and sticks - they remind me of the Ritmo pencils of years ago.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

A Little More Tango Romance - original oil figurative painting

My tango dancers are still with me - maybe not for long, since they like to take breaks and brush up on their technique - and I'm enjoying them while they're here.  I love the way he holds her - I wonder if she does, too.  Hard to tell.  Anyway, fun for me - thanks for stopping by!

Friday, July 10, 2015

Tango Love - original oil figurative painting


This painting is 10 x 8" and because my little dancers have their own lives (over which I have little control), the pose just sort of happened.  Very emotional, I think, and such a pleasure when they take over and do what they like.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, July 07, 2015

Tango Step - original figurative oil painting


This painting is on 10 x 10" gessoed panel.  A little bigger than my usual pieces, but I love working on a square panel.  As I was painting this, I happened to think of that test about shape preferences showing your personality.  Here's a link - see what your personality is - don't know if I believe this stuff, but fun to check out, anyway.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Saturday, July 04, 2015

Fourth of July Rodeo - original watercolor stick figurative drawing

I was trying out my new set of Derwent Inktense sticks, along with a Caran d'Ache and a Daniel Smith watercolor stick on 12 x 9" Yupo.  More than any other medium that I use, watercolor sticks on Yupo seem to be the most unpredictable and they're such fun to fool around with.  Thanks for looking!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Jive Drawing - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Here's a just for fun thing I did with Sennelier oil pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper - just perfectly gritty - 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Friday, June 19, 2015

Happy Jive - original figurative oil painting



It was gloomy all day, so the perfect thing to do was immerse myself in the film noir offered on Fridays in June on TCM.  Can never get enough of this genre.  My posting is sort of opposite the way I spent my day, though - happier and more colorful, for sure - this piece is on archival canvas board, 11 x 14".  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Tango in Blues and Greys - original watercolor pencil figurative drawing

More of my latest obsession - the lines and softness of watercolor pencil - this stuff doesn't behave, which is part of the fun.  My fixation will pass - but in the meantime, I'm loving it!  This one is also on Yupo, about 11 x 8".  Next time I use the pencils, I may use gessoed paper just to see how that works.  So many choices, so little time.  Thanks for looking! 

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Dorie - original watercolor pencil portrait drawing

This model had the sweetest face - well, she still has it, but alas, I probably won't see her again.  I used an Inktense pencil from Derwent in black, along with pale blue Caran d'Ache and Daniel Smith watercolor sticks.  This was done on Yupo, about 9 x 7".  The casualness, or maybe I should say the accidental result, is what attracts me to the combination of watercolor pencils and Yupo paper.  Even though the drips from the watery colors don't generally go where I want them to, there's no stress because I don't feel the outcome has to be just so-so.  Maybe I should have done some work to make it more realistic - but I just didn't want to - that's the fun of it! Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

On My Easel - Sketch for The Cellist - original oil pastel portrait


Cellos are such beautiful instruments - both in appearance and sound.  So many people think they're just for accompaniment, but they are gorgeous for solos.  This sketch will definitely become an oil painting - not because I don't value oil pastel, because if you read my blog, you know how much I adore oil pastel, but oil is requested for this one.  I have many cello drawings and some will make appearances here.  This piece is drawn with Sennelier oil pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper, 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Friday, June 05, 2015

On My Easel - Livy - original oil portrait painting from life in progress


This painting is one that I'm doing from life - much fun to work in oil paint right from the model.  So often I use a drawing that I did earlier, so this is a real treat.  It's on 10 x 10" gessoed panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

On My Easel - Barrel Racer - original figurative oil painting in progress

Much more to do on this one, but I love trying to capture the power and speed of these beautiful animals as they race around the barrels.  At the moment, I'm working on several paintings - dancers, women, western, but haven't posted because I kept leaving the laptop that I can actually use for posting on my blog at the studio and didn't realize it 'til too late, so I have a few things to post in the coming days.  Am painting this on 8 x 10" archival canvas board.  Thanks for looking!

Monday, May 18, 2015

Another Seated Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude


Here's another drawing from awhile back - I've been hung up on the Mad Men marathon, then the final episode (sob) and have done very little in the way of art.  Now I'll get back to work.  This drawing is about 11 x 14".   It has some lines in the background and a few on the figure itself that are kind of a mystery - a good bit of restating going on, I think.  I always like seeing the original intentions and then what finally happened.  Anyway, it looks like a drawing I enjoyed doing.  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Standing Charcoal Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude


 I always love standing poses.  This one was done months ago at a drawing group and everything I'm working on at the moment is nowhere near being finished - can't even be a 'work in progress'.  It's very handy to have lots of drawings around for times like this.  This one is about 14 x 8" - thanks for looking!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Sketch of Satine - original oil pastel portrait sketch

A few Caran d'Ache oil pastels were all I had with me when this sketch opportunity came up, so I just did the best I could on this quick little drawing.  It's about 9 x 9" on Strathmore 403 pastel paper.  Thanks for looking!

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Flamenco in Charcoal Again - original charcoal figurative drawing

I bravely decided to challenge myself with a bit of foreshortening (her right arm).  This was drawn on 14 x 11" Strathmore drawing paper, but matted to about 13 x 9".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Friday, May 01, 2015

Tiny Lia - original oil pastel portrait painting (ATC)

I am on an ACEO/ATC kick at the moment and have been using Caran d'Ache Neopastels instead of my usual Senneliers.  They are not as soft as the Senneliers and are easier to work with in such a small area without sharpening them.  See my post on my oil pastel blog.  I used a 3 1/2 x 2 1/2" piece of illustration board for this one - owing to my photography skills, it's a little warmer than in real life - will try tomorrow to get a photo in better light.  Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Pitcher - original ink and charcoal figurative drawing


I was so lucky to see TWO Astros games last weekend - here's one of the sketches I did there.  It's ink except for touches of charcoal for a little shading.  I never ever tire of the drama of baseball and always marvel at the skill required to play it well.  This is drawn on 9 x 12" Borden and Riley Paris Paper for Pens.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Tango Fire - original oil figurative painting

"Tango Fire" is painted on 6 x 6" gessoed hardboard and, as always, it was much fun to visit with my little tango dancers and see what they're up to.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Six Jivers - original acrylic figurative drawing

Every now and then I like to get out my size "0" or "1" bright (brush) and black acrylic paint to work from memory or terrorize those around me to 'hold that pose' - they don't even realize it's a pose - and draw quickly without regard to accuracy.  I was working on one pose when I discovered a beautiful ear on one of my 'models' - white ear against the black shapes behind it. Yum!  A tiny discovery, to be sure, but something I might not even notice unless I'd gotten busy with brush and acrylic - one of my favorite drawing methods. My post tonight is one that I did from memory and is on 14 x 17" paper.  Thanks for stopping by!  PS -  It's raining!  That's a big deal in central Texas!

Monday, April 06, 2015

Lindy's Curls - original charcoal portrait drawing



A compressed charcoal drawing on Yupo is probably the craziest thing, but that's all I had at the time, so I went with it.  This model's hair has a life of its own and I had to draw it right that minute! There's a lot of "texture" in the negative area that came from the charcoal that found its way there by accident and was impossible to erase, so I've learned to love it.  The compressed charcoal is very deliberate and once a mark was down, I could do little about it.  Yupo is forgiving with watercolor, but not too much with something like compressed charcoal - actually, the compressed kind of charcoal is hard to get rid of on any surface.  Anyway, I enjoyed doing the drawing and am pleased with how it turned out.  It's about 8 x 8".  Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, April 01, 2015

On My Easel - original oil figurative painting in progress


I am currently working on this painting - along with a couple of drawings and one other painting.  Hope to get this one finished tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!