"At the Rodeo Dance" - mixed media figurative painting

I glimpsed this couple as they danced by and drew what I remembered of them when I got back to my studio.  The surface is 8 x 6" Gessobord.   I first applied oil paint, then added a bit of Caran d'Ache Neocolor 1 and ended with a Koh-i-Noor Hardtmuth Triograph pencil #6 for a few more lines.  I love this pencil - my first encounter with it - with these fat leads and thick cedar triangular casings they're very easy to use.  These pencils are tough to find, so maybe they're not being stocked any longer, but I got mine from Ebay.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

"A Little Ink Drama" - original ink drawings from life with a bit of white chalk

 Here are a few drawings from a life drawing group that had a great model.  All of her poses were so good and she could hold the long ones as well as the short ones, too. 

 The thing about drawing from life using ink is that it's a great drawing teacher - the marks are there to stay and we can learn what we did wrong - well maybe not wrong, just not what we intended.  While they can't be changed (although marks can be modified in interesting ways with non-waterproof ink) I always learn something from my ink drawings.  Mainly, though, I love ink drawings because they show what you're thinking - or how you react to the model - at the moment you put pen to paper.

I used Itoya calligraphy pens and Derwent Line Makers on Strathmore Mixed Media paper and added a little Derwent Chinese White drawing pencil on the front figure because I thought I got the shadow under her neck a little dark.  Did I cheat a teensy bit? Artistic License😉.  Thanks for stopping by! 

"Tie Down Roper" - ink and watercolor figurative sketch

 I did this one rather quickly on 6 x 8" Bristol board - not allowing myself to "finish" it.  My favorite way of working! The calf ropers keep the rope they use to tie the calf's legs - I think it might be called a hooey (but don't hold me to it) in their teeth.  It was sheer luck to get this view!  I'm such a rodeo fan but was never much of a horsewoman - I just admire the athleticism of the participants and the horses.  The rodeo in Kimble County, Texas, will be coming up next month - an event not to be missed!  Thanks for looking!

Seated Nude #45 - original charcoal figurative drawing

More loose and fun for me than usual.   About 6 x 5" on toned gray Strathmore paper.  I'm working on some 4 x 4" paintings and other   

pieces that if they work out okay, I'll post in a couple of days.  Drawings are my thing, though, and I'm really enjoying doing these.  And there are life drawing groups online that I've been "attending".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

"We Demand to be 'Just' a Drawing!" - ink and charcoal figurative line drawing

 Here's a drawing that I love but simply cannot paint.  Painting from this piece just eludes me.  This happens a lot - I guess because when I do the drawing, so often I'm actually looking at the dancers (in the dark, I just move the pencil or pen on the paper without looking) and the drawing actually captures what I'm seeing. Painting it later just doesn't seem to do it justice sometimes.  Too stiff, maybe?  You can see a few lines I drew later to see where to place on canvas.  Anyway, I love this couple because they're determined to be what they are and I support them in being a drawing and never feeling they must be represented in paint.  All of this said by a Lover of Drawings!!!!! It's about 10 x 10".  Thanks for stopping by!

"Sketch of Alexis" - mixed media portrait sketch

This drawing is one of those "catch them while you can" drawings.  Not often enough do I have a live model all to myself! Alexis is a model I've drawn from before, but this time it wasn't in a group setting. For this fun drawing, I used acrylic with touches of oil pastel and charcoal.  The acrylic did 95% of the work in this piece.   It's done on acrylic paper by Strathmore - a really tough support that I love - has a definite pattern to the paper that really works when using acrylic and I even like it for other media (obviously).  The size of the paper was originally 12 x 12" but I cut it down to about 11 x 6" and did something else with the rest of it.  One of the most fun things is using scrap pieces to do something experimental - and sometimes it actually works!  Thanks so much for stopping by!
 

"Zara in a Peasant Blouse" - original oil pastel figurative

More fun for me - a few minutes with this young woman and her colorful outfit.  The black lines that outline the figure are from a General Pencil Company Peel and Sketch charcoal pencil - I loosely filled in the drawing with Caran d'Ache and Sennelier oil pastels.  The paper is Stonehenge and is about 5 1/2 x 4 1/2".  This quick little drawing is a perfect illustration of why it's good to always have a few art supplies at hand.  You never know when something good will turn up!  I might not have used charcoal and oil pastel together in this case (although I have used this combination in other pieces) but it's what I had in my bag, so I just went with it.  I love spur-of-the-moment art!💖 Thanks for stopping by my blog!
 

Sketching at the Bar - original figurative sketch

Much fun even for a teetotaler like me.  And folks there knew what I was up to and they didn't care.  They were having a good time ringing in the New Year - and Happy New Year BTW!🎉 This woman was gazing at someone farther down the bar and was having a good time watching what was going on.  I was involved in drawing her as quickly as I could and didn't see the object of her stare.  Anyway, I always find that folks at bars are having a good time and I love trying to capture those emotions. Well, mostly they're having fun, but sometimes, not so much😧.  I love emojis (can you tell?😀😀).  This sketch was drawn with Caran d'Ache NeoPastels on heavy gray paper - sometimes it separates from the tablet.  I could put an emoji here but I won't.  Oh well😁

 

 

The Model in a Flowered Dress

 

 Her pose was captivating to me - kind of nonchalant.  And oh the dress - the print dress.  I loved it!  The drawing started with the gesture from life,  then I had to be content with a photograph.  Being such a line person, I did have fun with the arms and legs - didn't add finish at all to the legs, using lots of line segments.  The late Alex Powers, whose drawings I loved - said you're either a line or shape person and I totally agree.  I'm all in for line, especially loose, weighted lines and continuous line drawings.  I got some new pens today and was also eyeing my reed pens and thinking about getting out the ink.  Much fun ahead!  Thanks for stopping by and happy drawing!  PS. oil pastel on blue toned Strathmore mixed media paper, 12 x 9".

The Model Looking Down - original oil pastel drawing of a nude model

 My favorite subject - the nude model - and in this case, drawn on Judson's carton board  (a type of paper, actually) - probably my all-time favorite for oil pastel.  It has a texture that grabs and holds the oil pastel and I find it especially great for a more loose drawing.  I can't really explain the texture, except that it's slightly rough, but not really gritty. It works for oil paint, too and is very good for plein aire.  Many artists will give it a coating of gel before painting with oil, but it's archival, either way.   After it's finished, I bond it to a backing, usually hardboard.  This drawing is about 8 x 6" - thanks for stopping by!

Seated Nude on Blue - original oil pastel figurative

I began this drawing with a graphite pencil and then worked on it with Sennelier oil pastels and a few Caran d'Ache on Strathmore 8 x 6"mixed media paper.  Didn't do a lot of blending and and finishing (obviously) - just left it pretty raw which is kind of my favorite thing.  Loved her sort of dreamy expression.  Thanks for stopping by!

Ink Dancers #3 - original ink drawing of tango dancers

 Here's a quick ink drawing that I did with ink pen and brush.  The ink was water soluble of course, which made it so much fun and totally unpredictable.  I don't remember the nib I used to do the lines - I love using different nibs - then went over it to restate some of the outlines after it was dry.  And not "finishing" it also appeals to my art senses.  This piece is 8 x 6" on mixed media paper.  Thanks for looking!

Drawing of the Model on Black Paper - original oil pastel portrait

It seems like forever since I've posted but I've been working on lots of art - have even done some printmaking with a few monotypes and a drypoint to show for it.   Here's an oldish drawing done on Strathmore black mixed media paper, 12 x 9", using mostly Sennelier and a couple of Caran d'Ache Neopastels and Sakura Specialists.  The black paper is great to work on and I just bought another pad of it to take to the next drawing group I attend.  This was a quick study - my favorite - and while I didn't have a lot of time (to kill it with overworking), I was pretty happy with the results.  Hope you're all staying well and thanks for stopping by!

Nude on Pale Green - oil pastel nude drawing

Here's a quick oil pastel - just had enough time to pretty much fill it in before time ran out.  First I put a pale green acrylic on acrylic paper, then used oil pastel for the drawing.  It's about 12 x 5 1/2".  Thanks for looking!

Line Jive - ink figurative drawing of dancers

This ink drawing is really the inspiration for the previous post, although I did make some changes when I did the painting. Just letting your pen go a little crazy is a good thing and results in the most interesting outcomes.  I used two pens  -  Sharpie and Itoya.  While I like using these kinds of pens, I also love dip pens - they don't give the same results, but their line quality is often fascinating.  This drawing is on Strathmore Bristol, about 5 x 5 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by!

The Drummer - oil pastel figurative drawing of a man playing drums

Loving this new (to me, at least) Strathmore toned blue mixed media paper.  It comes in a pad, it's heavy, and has a wonderful surface.  Great stuff! I really loved doing this drummer - I played drums in my youth and have a soft spot for them to this day.  After all, they're the backbone of the band and in the right hands are just beautiful!  Thanks for looking!

Dancers 3 - loose black and white charcoal figurative drawing of dancers

I came across this one the other day - it's from about four months ago.  These dancers will show up again somewhere in other drawings - really happy with loose unfinished pieces.  It's about 9 x 12".  Thanks for looking!

Cool Jive - original ink and crayon figurative drawing of jive dancers

I know, it looks kind of crazy, but sometimes my Itoya Doubleheader and my Sharpie get the best of me - and throw in a Crayola and who knows what can happen!  Well, here's the result - could have made it red, but thought that would have been too too, hence the "cool" in the title - lavender - one of my favorite cool colors instead.  Drawn on 5 x 17" Bristol.  Thanks for stopping by!

Jive Scribbles #5 - charcoal figurative drawings

I left the far right dancers totally unfinished - or maybe just barely begun.  The drawing is vine charcoal on Strathmore Windpower recycled drawing paper, 11 x 14".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Model Watching the Clock - original oil pastel over acrylic

The model has a great face and is well able to hold a pose, but toward the end of the session, she obviously was counting the minutes and the clock on the wall was just irresistible.  I have this urge to add to the drawing, but because I can remember scads of drawings and paintings I've ruined by trying to work on them after I'm back in my studio, she stays the way she is and I'll move on to another drawing.  Acrylic paint over acrylic paper with the drawing done with Sennelier oil pastels, this piece is 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!