Wednesday, May 23, 2018

The Fortune Teller - original oil pastel portrait painting

Here is the mostly finished piece from an earlier post, click here to see the beginning.  Will do a bit more on this drawing/painting (never exactly sure what to call my things).  I love profiles!  Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Quick Drawing of a Seated Woman - oil pastel portrait drawing

I got lucky with this one - not too many folks will sit still for a few minutes so I can attempt to capture them on my paper.  Got lucky here! Spent the most time on her face and was sketchy with everything else   Good practice.  12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Poblano Pepper - still life painting

Something completely different for me - still life!  I just finished taking an amazing workshop with Scott Conary at Atelier Dojo in Austin.  It sort of opened up a new art world for me.  This painting is on canvas board, 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Monday, May 14, 2018

The Believer - original oil pastel portrait

This piece is on gritty pastel paper, using Sennelier oil pastels and is 10 x 8".  May use this pose further - don't know yet.  Thanks so much for looking!

Friday, May 11, 2018

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Keeley's Self Confidence - oil pastel portrait sketch

I first laid down lots of yellow ochre acrylic paint, then drew and scribbled with oil pastel till I "found" Keeley.  This one is on about 10 x 9" acrylic paper.  Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

Trying out some chalks - drawing of woman looking into light

I did this one on grey toned paper - Strathmore -working with some General's compressed pastels - black, white, sanguine, sepia - that I found while going through my supplies. (Oh, the stuff I haven't even uncovered yet!)   I really enjoyed sketching with them.  They will work beautifully on a more finished drawing, too, but I love leaving things a little raw.  Thanks for looking!

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Braids - charcoal portrait drawing of the model

The braids were a real challenge, but in the end, I was pleased.  I used vine charcoal on some really old Grumbacher drawing paper that I found in the back of the closet.  Grumbacher hasn't made drawing paper in years, so this paper is definitely vintage, but because it's acid-free, still wonderful to work on.  17 x 14".  Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

On My Easel - original oil pastel profile in progress

Much to do on this piece, and since I love drawing profiles, it'll be a pleasure,  It's on Colourfix paper, 16 x 20".  Thanks for looking!

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Her Suspicious Look - original oil pastel portrait drawing

The same shirt on this model as "Profile" from two posts ago, but with entirely different results.  I didn't know if her look was boredom or suspicion, so I went with suspicion.  This piece is oil pastel over acrylic paint on Strathmore acrylic paper, 12 x 12".  Thanks for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

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!

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Profile - oil pastel portrait

Another of the oil pastel over acrylic paper drawings- what a pleasant combo to work with.  This one is 12 x 12".  Thanks for looking!

Thursday, April 05, 2018

A Quick Life Drawing - original charcoal life drawing

I came across this drawing today from several months ago - it illustrates my favorite art thing to do which is drawing quickly without thinking - just reacting to the model.  This kind of approach often produces something unexpected, but always interesting and full of life.  In this drawing, I'm most pleased with her hair and the tilt of her head because it's done with economy plus it has a bit of an Oriental feel to it.  And I was also happy that I didn't overwork her hand.  Charcoal on paper.  Thanks for looking!


Wednesday, April 04, 2018

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!

Friday, March 30, 2018

Drawing of a Young Woman - charcoal portrait drawing

 I didn't have my laptop for over a week and was just helpless when it came to posting my art - it's pretty pathetic when one is so dependent on a machine, but there it is.   This 8 x 6" drawing is one I really loved doing - I began it with a tiny charcoal piece held on its side and scribbled as quickly as I could.  And when the shapes were in, I worked on her features, using vine charcoal and a kneaded eraser on mixed media paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Nude on Lavender-Grey - oil pastel drawing of a nude

I had planned to do this nude sort of coming out of a lavender-grey mist, but my love of line got the best of me.  To paraphrase Alex Powers, one is either a line person or a shape person and I confess I'm of the line persuasion.  Anyway, as with just about all nudes, this one was fun and satisfying to draw.  I love figurative work, especially nudes - the human body is such a wonder and always beautiful to me, no matter the size or shape.  This one is 10 x 8" - thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, March 15, 2018

The Window - figurative oil painting

Just fooling around with a bit of a landscape and a girl in a black dress.  I'll no doubt do more to it - things to do - but I've enjoyed painting this one. Have been straightening my studio - what a mess!  When I get busy drawing or painting, I don't seem to notice the jumble of stuff, but when I'm through and take a look around, I'm pretty disgusted.  So for the next few days, I will just combine cleaning with my drawing endeavors and maybe someday, I'll adopt a "clean as I go" approach.  This painting is on 10 x 10" panel.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Monday, March 12, 2018

Nude on Blue-Grey Paper - charcoal life drawing with touches of white charcoal

For this nude drawing, I used vine and willow charcoal with bits of General's white charcoal - my fave - on some blue-grey Canson paper.  This one is about 9 x 10".  Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, March 06, 2018

Drawing of Small Trees - sienna landscape drawing

This drawing of some small trees is one that I did with General's sienna compressed pastel.  These pastels are just great to work with and are a good value.  I have fallen in love with drawing trees - can't get enough of it.  This drawing is on 12 x 9" pastel paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Watercolor Portrait - w/c practice

Okay, here's another watercolor portrait - gotta get in there and try, ya know.  Although I do have some fairly successful w/c landscapes, this medium mostly eludes me in portrait work, even after studying with a fabulous w/c portrait painter, it's still a struggle - maybe because I do it so seldom. One should approach these challenges more than, say, once a year.  This one is 12 x 9" on cold press paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, March 03, 2018

How I Start a Drawing - ink volleyball gestures

Here are a few gestures from a volleyball game at which I was a spectator.  These kinds of drawings always remind me of wire sculptures - an art form that I really enjoy.  I did these in a little notebook that I often carry - one of the drawings has my notes in Gregg shorthand - another art form, as well as a communication device.  I still use shorthand most days and am thinking of ways to incorporate it into my artwork.  Several years ago, I saw that done in a painting - it was more of an assemblage that featured a key on a cord that was draped in front of the shorthand.  Really unique and beautiful.  Anyway, back to the present - I realize that these drawings don't appear to be very substantial, but for me, all the art I do starts this way.  Thanks for looking.





Friday, March 02, 2018

Country Music - original charcoal figurative

This drawing started out as a gesture sketch from life at a dance, then I just filled it in with vine charcoal and the occasional swipe of my kneaded eraser.  Really, it is like the silhouette drawing exercise, which I think is so effective for showing each part of the figure in relation to everything else.  Charcoal on pastel paper, 12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Looking Around - mixed media figurative

I slathered acrylic paint on paper pretty thickly, then drew with a General's Peel & Sketch charcoal pencil, and worked over that with oil pastel.  Kind of a quick, frantic piece done from one of my old black and white drawings.  Oil pastel works so great over acrylic - really just glides over the surface.  On 9 x 12" Strathmore acrylic paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Drawing of a Nude - charcoal life drawing

This charcoal life drawing was quick and needs some "fixing", but I know every time I do that, I just mess it up, so just leaving it alone.  It's on 9 x 12" paper.  Thanks for looking!

Monday, February 19, 2018

Mary - original oil pastel portrait painting

On this portrait of Mary, (who looks a little sad, but I think it's just boredom) I used acrylic paint on Strathmore acrylic paper, then drew over it with oil pastel.  I try to have some of these acrylic painted sheets on hand, just in case.  If you haven't tried the paper, it's really great - 246 lb. and with a canvas-like texture, it works for lots of painting and drawing materials.  This piece is 12 x 9" - thanks for stopping by!

Friday, February 16, 2018

A Model in Profile - oil pastel drawing

Just one of those faces that was so interesting to me that I just had to draw her.  You know how it is - some things you just must do for no particular reason.  This piece is done on 9 1/2 x 6 1/2" Sennelier oil pastel pad, using Sennelier oil pastels, except for the CrayPas Specialist grey that I used in the background.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

What I'm Working On - figurative oil portrait

Fortunately, this model was able to hold the pose because she really can play the guitar.  Ah, but the guitar, what a nightmare to do!  Whether to make it just so-so or to put the whole thing in - will decide on this tomorrow - but that's it for today. It's on 12 x 12" Gessobord.  Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Woman with a Cell Phone - oil pastel figurative

This one is really from memory - a young woman I saw checking her phone.  Maybe it will end up as an oil painting, but somehow when I do that, I just don't have the same passion for the second version.
I drew it on Sennelier oil pastel paper, 9 1/2 x 6 1/2".  Love that stuff!  Thanks for looking,

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Guitarist Doodle - mixed media cowboy drawing

I had a chance and took advantage of it to quickly sketch this cowboy playing his guitar.  I drew it with a black Sharpie, and occasional outlines with a Tombow pen and a little bit of water, then I added colored pencil.  This sketch is done on 8 x 6" mixed media paper.  Thanks for looking!