Illustration Friday- "The Blues"

It's funny how life works sometimes. I've been kicking around ideas for the weekly illustration theme. While doing so, I was slashing loose drawings with these Rembrandt oil pastels. I tried ironing the drawing onto another surface, but it wouldn't transfer. So I drew into it some more. Then I started trimming off edges right and left, till all that remained was the central image. Then a phrase from a discarded library book page surfaced, and fit the image, so it got added. Oh, OK, so it is The Blues. I was trying way too hard. When I slowed down it caught me.

Confidence

My next attempt, with a softer paper. I imagine these two people are confiding in each other, and confidence also means I am trying to be more confident in using a new medium.

I read this blog tonight, and took to heart her advice to get to the desk and "do something, anything." So, here it is...something done with confidence. Thanks, Samantha Kira!

Marching on, into Muddy Waters

I joined Wet Canvas, and thought I'd better just work with what's at hand, so hauled out these Rembrandt oil pastels.
It can only get better from here, judging from these beginnings. I put some gesso on the page first. Of course I know I ought to be using a real support: one of the expensive sounding papers, or masonite but consider it my freeing-up exercise.

Tonight there were spectacular sunsets across the valley, but still enough heat to keep birds gathered underneath a nearby palm.

Illustration Friday: Juggle

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "Juggling." Since time and priority juggling is an everyday reality, I started with that. But, ordinary carnival jugglers were out of the question. There always seems to be something to gain and something lost in everyday juggling. So I thought, why not go for the really big stakes? World juggling. So my subject is playing for very high stakes.

It is also a stretch for me, using colors more vibrant than I usually do.
Gesso on cardboard and Prismacolor pencil, 8 1/2 x 11.

Jazz Musician, Listening

This is an experiment using colored pencil with Golden Gesso for Pastel on a square of 7 x 7 inch cardboard. I've never used gesso before, but like the way it multiplies and randomizes the effects you can get with your pencil strokes. The subject is someone I have probably seen somewhere, but for the purposes of the exercise, I imagine him as a Jazzman, listening for just the right note.

The Nighttime House

At night time, my house has a life of its own. Here are four of the things it does while the residents of the house are sleeping, ...or trying to. Since I was still awake, I was a witness. I think some interesting drawings or paintings could come from this, but meanwhile, the photos capture that mood.

Alternatives

Or, maybe I should have selected less information, focusing on a more intimate view of the subject:

Collage + Merge = Risky

This vintage collage is from a project that didn't work out, but I had fun scanning it in pieces and then manipulating it in Photoshop. The original problem was a bad composition, and I'd given up on it.
Though probably not worth spending a lot of time on, I enjoyed the effort, and nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

The upper left is cloned images and so is the lower right. Photo collage could be lots of fun: maybe I should try some more! This is a new category: can you Rescue Old Art?

Illustration Friday: Momentum

My first attempt to do an illustration theme. This is "Momentum" and I immediately thought of a large draft horse, with slow deliberate movements. Once all that force is put into motion, there is plenty of momentum. I love big animals; also "monster machines" like big loaders, and aircraft sitting on a runway full of the potential to take flight.

But first, and belatedly, this horse in motion.

Sunday Frivolity

Well, it's Sunday. I've been meaning to post these comments on the complexity of life and the matter of setting priorities. When I'm not at-one with the universe, these sketches speak to that condition.

The black one was done by inverting the image in Photoshop. I like it better this way, but it was created with pencil on white paper.

Golden Girl

Canson drawing pad, and ColorView water-base Liquid Ink markers. The markers are drying out so I drew this portrait dry. If I dip the marker tip in water, they'll revive and keep working as long as there's ink in the barrel. But you get a much softer look, this way. For a discussion of the merits of various markers, check out this blog discussion.

This subject is entirely from memory, but must be someone I have seen, for she nearly drew herself, and has a distinct personality.

Post-it Posting

I like this format: so handy and ever-present. The Post-it square works better than I would have thought, and helps contain a single, simple statement. More to follow.

Summer's End

Still working off and on with images gathered at the beach in July. Night at the beach drawing (above) is intentionally monochrome. The water and sand both had an iridescent sheen like pewter. Below, I tried to analyze wave motion, and light on moving water. Of course, drawing it on a paper bag was a poor choice of material, but was at hand when the problem presented itself. When will I learn to use good materials for every try?

Out Back

Right at sunset. The view out back when the shade-cloth and eucalyptus start blowing in the wind. At dusk the sky will turn dark, and you'll see the red lights of a far radio tower climbing up the sky. Later there will be a moon.

Draw a Peach

After several failed attempts to draw peaches, these finally made it to the page. The others were so attractively arranged that they were snapped up for snacks and dessert. I was greatly inspired by several other members of the group who posted peaches this week. These are my contribution, aiming at a little drama with the peach edges in pure color.