It Begins with a Gesture - original charcoal figurative gesture drawing on toned paper

Well, at least for me, it always starts with a gesture.  I think gesture drawings are almost as individual as fingerprints and I love seeing how other artists approach their drawings and often, ultimately, their paintings.
Some artists draw from the inside of the figure (or subject) and sort of "feel" their way to the outside of the figure, but others do the exact opposite, working from the outside in.  I have even seen a few artists who put down a single line with few or no 'searching' ones.  Whatever works for the artist is the perfect approach to drawing gestures!
Those starting lines can be so beautiful and I think it's important not to erase the lines with which the drawing is begun - those 'exploring' lines give a bit of life to the drawing.   When I forget that, and  erase a line I think isn't working, I'll often accidentally put it back in the same place, and then it can be too dark and the paper may be roughed up, so I usually try to keep the eraser far from my reach! 
Gestures are such a stream-of-consciousness endeavor.   Some days I think I will just do gesture drawings only from now on - and yesterday was one of those days.  Great things can come from gestures, but even if nothing fantastic develops, we still have an interesting record of what we were seeing at that moment in time!
This drawing is done on Strathmore 8 x 6" toned Mixed Media paper.  Thanks so much for looking!

In a Mood - original charcoal portrait drawing

Maybe this is the last one - no promises - of my charcoal drawings on paper from the Mi-Teintes pad.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tango in Gold - original figurative charcoal drawing

Another charcoal drawing on the Mi-Teintes pastel pad I bought this past weekend.   I just love line drawings, so had lots of fun drawing on the textured side of the paper - added a bit of white here and there.  I guess I just have to get this Mi-Teintes thing out of my system.  Thanks for looking! 

My Reluctant Model - original charcoal portrait sketch

I can be so persuasive sometimes - or maybe overbearing - when getting someone to pose for me, however briefly.  When their patience runs out, I turn to the camera.  This young woman held the pose as long as she could stand it, for which I was totally grateful!

I loved her hesitant manner, as if she might not have thought this was such a good idea.  I'm just crazy about capturing people's emotions that they don't only display in their faces, but in their gestures, as well.  Was trying not to overwork, so purposely didn't spend much time on the drawing or go back and "fix" things.

There was a sale on paper at my store and I bought a couple of tablets of Mi-Teintes.  For some reason - and I seldom hear this from anyone - I love the textured side.  I appreciate the looseness the textured side produces and I can always stump the charcoal if I want some of the drawing to look smoother.  When I drag my vine charcoal across the paper, the textured side grabs only some of the charcoal so I don't have to soften a line - the paper just sort of does it for me.  There's some white hard pastel in this 12 x 9" drawing along with the charcoal.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Preparatory Sketch for a Portrait - original charcoal portrait sketch

I was going

through some old sketches and came across this study that I did for a small portrait painting years ago.  I used vine charcoal (my fave) on 12 x 9" toned paper.  It's a lot of fun to look back at artwork from the past.  Thanks for stopping by!

Lou as Cleopatra - original oil pastel portrait

It's great when models dress up in historical garb and sometimes they even take on the personality of their character.  Lou is this kind of model - she was very regal while she sat for us.  Well, Cleopatra, after all.  I used mostly Sennelier oil pastels, with a few Caran d'Ache on Colourfix 12 x 9" smooth pastel paper in Fresh Grey.  Thanks for stopping by!

Exhausted - original charcoal figurative drawing of a young woman

This young woman was clearly so tired as she waited for the bus.  I asked her if I could snap a picture for a drawing - and she was agreeable.  It's always great when someone agrees to pose or lets me take a photo.  This piece is on toned paper, using vine charcoal - and although the support looks tan, it's really grey - surely my photo skills aren't that lacking!  It's gotta be the camera.  I used some scribbles of white for the background and for highlights.  This drawing is 12 x 9" and I loved making it - thanks for stopping by!

Sketch of an Actress - original charcoal portrait of a woman

This little drawing on Strathmore's toned paper is about 8 x 6" (actually on 12 x 9" paper, but I matted it smaller). 
The model is an actress and was in her stage makeup - complete with false lashes and eyeliner which gave her eyes a lot of impact - I loved it!  For this one I used the always wonderful and forgiving vine charcoal, with a few accents in white pencil.  As usual, I left some things undone, which I think lends feeling to a drawing done quickly.  Thanks for looking!

Tango in Orange - original acrylic figurative painting

I saw this "pose" once at a tango demo - it was a slight pause, then she spun away.  I thought it was such a sweet moment.  This painting was done on Strathmore acrylic paper - tough, heavy and great to work with and also good for oil pastel.  Although it's on 12 x 12" paper, I matted this piece to about 11 x 9". 
Currently, I'm trying to organize my art supplies  - and have come to the conclusion that I'm a "paperholic".  I really do love paper - have all kinds, watercolor, oil, oil pastel, charcoal, soft pastel, printmaking and even paper with inclusions in it - but I do wish I hadn't loved it quite as much as I have!
Really glad you stopped by😀

Studying the Situation - original ink figurative drawing

 

I drew this from a snapshot I took over the weekend.  The paper is cut from a Bee watercolor sheet and I really really like it.  Also, it's very versatile and can be used, for instance, with oil pastel.  I just splashed streaks of watercolor here and there and then drew using a Sharpie.  I matted it to about 7 x 4 1/2".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tiny Profile Painting of Janna - small oil portrait painting

Here's a 4 x 4" painting done kind of quickly, just lots of fun to paint - thanks so much for stopping by!

Painting from Memory Practice - plus what I'm working on

Every now and then I like to try my hand at painting a likeness of someone I observed, but not a person I actually drew or photographed - so here's a little acrylic painting done on a 5 x 4" canvas.  Am reasonably pleased with it.  And here's a quick little watercolor sketch that I'm using as a "pattern" for an 8 x 8" painting.  I did the first pass in not too realistic acrylic colors, but will probably finish the piece in oils.  It being spring, I'm so busy planting and enjoying the lovely weather - hope it's nice where you are!  Thanks for looking!

Nude on Grey #3 - original charcoal drawing of a nude model

I love drawing nudes - especially in charcoal which is such a responsive and forgiving medium.  Vine charcoal - soft and extra soft - are my favorites, although I find harder charcoal sticks useful, too, mainly when turned on the side for shapes and shading.  Just not compressed charcoal - that's a whole other thing, which I've been using recently for black and white landscapes. "Nude on Grey #3" is on Strathmore's Pastel Paper, which is no longer good for oil pastel, but very nice for charcoal and regular pastels.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Another Country Evening - original charcoal figurative drawing

Here's another drawing of my country dancers that I did on Strathmore's Toned Tan paper - 12 x 9".  I think this darker color gives more of an "evening" impression.  They were into sort of a country/two-step/swing dance and were really good - watched them last summer at the rodeo dance.  I used vine charcoal, as well as charcoal pencil, plus white pencil for his shirt and hat.  Thanks for stopping by!

How I Cope Until the Muse Comes - figurative/portrait sketches

While waiting for inspiration, I sketch from the TV - here are a few of the dozens of these little things that I have lying around.  This approach demands drawing quickly, but since subjects will move right in the middle of the sketch, I am challenged to do a lot of memory drawing or pretty much just leave them unfinished.  Lots of fun for me and good training until I am moved to draw something to really get wrapped up in.😀  Thanks for stopping by!

Meant to be an Oil Pastel, but Stayed a Watercolor portrait sketch

I decided to do a loose underpainting with watercolor for an oil pastel - something I almost never do - but just decided to leave it as a watercolor after all.  It actually wasn't laziness - I really like the looseness of this little 7½ x 9" piece on Arches oil paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

More Fun with Watercolor - a watercolor portrait sketch

I came across this warm-colored piece of paper, about 6 x 8" and think it probably wasn't watercolor paper, although it's very sturdy and held up well without much buckling.  It seems to me that most watercolor paper is white, although I'm not a watercolorist so don't know for sure.  Anyway, I used it for this quick little sketch.  I painted it with colors from my cute Da Vinci pan set (below) and it has this little ring on the bottom for finger or thumb. 
Makes me feel like an experienced watercolor painter! 😄Much fun - thanks for visiting!

Soulful Bridgette - original charcoal portrait drawing

An all-time favorite of mine - drawing from the posed model. And she is a great model, too! Some things I could change, but not going to because it was my reaction to her that I want to save.
 This drawing is on pale blue Stonehenge paper, which I absolutely love (it doesn't really look blue in the photo, but that's my fault), using soft vine charcoal. Stonehenge is fabulous for charcoal drawings, as well as oil pastel and several other media.  I guess I'm talking about Stonehenge because there were many comments in the drawing group about this lovely paper, which I have used for years, and I just thought it deserved mention. Although I use all of the Stonehenge colors, this pale blue is beautiful.  You can visit Legion paper - the company that produces Stonehenge here.   And it's made  in America!👍
Thanks for stopping by!

Purple Dress - original oil figurative painting of dancers

I have been away soooo long - actually working on landscape classes that seem to take much of my time, but am learning, for sure!
This 7 x 5" painting on panel is a bit more abstract and it's one that I sort of let 'it be it' to paraphrase the saying 'let _____ be _____' - just so much fun for me! I did it on a Richeson panel, which has a pale umberish, greyish tone and really liked working on it.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Pondering - oil pastel portrait painting

I asked this young woman to hold the pose while I took a picture to work on back at my studio.  As much as I really like going to drawing groups, I wish I could get so many of the people I see to come and pose for me.  That way I would be able to control the pose, the lighting, etc.  Oh well, one just does the best one can.  And I actually was happy with her pose, fleeting though it was.  Not really finished with this one, yet, but getting close.  It's on 12 x 9" gritty paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sandi - oil pastel portrait

Sandi sat snuggled in her sweater while she posed and I really loved drawing her.  I used acrylic paper with a blue acrylic paint for the background.  Then I used mostly Senneliers and a few Caran d'Ache oil pastels to capture her sweet expression.  It's 12 x 12".  Thanks for stopping by!

Elisa's Pose - charcoal drawing of a nude model

Back to one of my favorites - the nude model.  Adding to the challenge of this piece is foreshortening - mainly of the leg - and drawing the foot.  Both require a good bit of study.  I did this with vine charcoal on warm white drawing paper, about 12 x 18".  Thanks for looking!

Scallions - original acrylic still life painting

I can't even begin to cook without onions - the Southerner/Texan in me - and here are a few before they were sliced for the salad.  Still working on 'the acrylic experience' and liking it for the most part.  The special appeal of acrylics is their fast-drying quality, which is good for many endeavors.  I also love Golden Open, which stays open (wet) a lot longer than regular acrylics, so I probably use that a little more than the usual kind.  This piece is on 5 x 7" panel - thanks for stopping by!

Submission - acrylic still life painting

A fun thing to fool around with in my quest for experience with acrylic paint.  Maybe it's a little abstract, but I really enjoyed slapping the paint on.  I did this one on stretched canvas, 8 x 10". Thanks for looking!

A Touch of Tangerine - original oil figurative painting

This piece is done on 10 x 10" stretched canvas - actually, it's been around awhile, but somehow I just never got around to posting it.  I painted these dancers using a sketch I did a few years ago - it was a challenge to get her arms right.  I could have changed it, I guess, but just really wanted to do it like the sketch, because I really love the position.  Thanks for stopping by!

Another Crazy Drummer - original acrylic figurative drawing

The hairdo got me.  Lots of hair.  A good and pretty wild drummer, but he could really play those things!  I thought of making it have more movement by adding strokes after I was finished, but decided to leave it as I drew it and just added a bit of watercolor.  This drawing is on 12 x 12" Strathmore acrylic paper, which is 246 pounds - cannot go wrong with that weight, just good for so many applications.  I used #2 bright and #4 filbert brushes with the black acrylic, painting from a drawing I did years ago.  Could do more 'finishing', but I'm not.  More fun that way!

Friday Jive - figurative painting of jive dancers

This piece is a lot looser than usual and was really really fun to paint - sort of threw caution to the wind with this one!  It's on 8 x 8" panel - 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!

Ginny's Hat - original oil portrait painting

I put a ton of oil paint on this 8 x 8" gessoed wood panel, mainly on her face.  I seldom do that, but it was an interesting experiment.  I had applied extra gesso and was trying to overcome the texture of the brushstrokes since I didn't sand the board.  Now I'll see how long it takes to dry!  Thanks for stopping by!

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!