my art blog

2011-06-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

You can still FIND ME AT http://www.ldthoughts.wordpress.com

Are there any Sketchbook Project 2012 participants out there? I'd love to follow your progress! I am posting on wordpress site now but still following my blogspot favs. And, I have found it easier to post comments on the many blogspot sites that participate in Illustration Friday challenges.

2010-09-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

FIND ME AT http://ldthoughts.wordpress.com/

2010-09-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

I am unable to continue with this blog as my computer considers the new photo upload to be a malicious add-on and a danger to my computer. If I am unable to upload photos there is nothing else for me to say or use this blogger site for. Bye Bye and see you on Wet Canvas. Drawspace or some other blog site. Too bad so sad.

2010-09-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

I've done some work on Smokey's eyes and generally more on the fur texture. My next step is likely to add the other ear and shoulder.

2010-09-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've done some more work on Smokey's nose and shaped up his face with furry texture a bit. The nose needs more refining still and ofcourse more layers of graphite are needed to finish the fur over all but it is coming along nicely. I still have a long way to go on the eyes before I can say I'm there with them too. I don't want to add the other ear and shoulder until I'm happy with the eyes and face.

2010-09-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Here's an update with some corrections done to the shape of the nose...my next goal will be to create a more realistic nose texture before I move on to the rest of the fur.

2010-09-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Moving right along across to the muzzle with lots more layering to do to get the texture as I like it. First I'll do some work on the throat area to give it more perspective as the nose looks not quite right. It could be 'cause it's just hanging out there.

2010-08-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here's how the portrait of Smokey is coming along. I'm taking my time and trying to be more exacting in hopes of creating realism is the piece. It is to be for a friend to give to her father as a gift so I want to do the best that I can. The texture of the fur is coming along as I like...so far so good.

2010-08-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Whoa...I had to set aside the kitten and dog project to begin a commission drawing of Smokey. Here's where I am so far. I working it as a WIP on WC also.

2010-08-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

I have a new work in progress. This kitten and dog is being worked on 6x8 smooth Bristol. I have layed in the basics of the kitten and see that I need to work more on creating a more realistic texture for its coat. I think I'll just try to do that before I go any further on the dog.

2010-07-31T21:52:00.000-07:00

Finished work...I am pleased with this one! I only deepened the darks a bit but I like the result anyway.

2010-07-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

I had some time to work on this today. The whiskers please me greatly!!! I still want to work in some depth to the shadow side. So far I have only used B and 2B for the darks...I may go to a 4B or just keep layering as I have been.

2010-07-15T10:35:00.001-07:00

I have gotten some shape and definition down for the whiskers. I still need to work on some depth and texture around the muzzle as well as some overall deepening of the darks in the shadows.

2010-07-13T18:05:00.001-07:00

Progress again though not a lot. I still need to work on the overall texture and darkness of the last side of the face. It's coming along okay.

2010-07-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

I made some progress again last evening...about 2 more hours of work. I am developing the other side of the face...slowly working in the texture and shading layer upon layer. I see that I need to finish the top corner as yet too. I moved down too soon and left a gap. Also I am poised to begin the whisker section on this side of the face.

2010-07-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

I have put 2 more hours into my cat project. I am still working the texture of the hair by slowly and lightly layering in graphite to create the shadows behind the hair. This size of this work is a 5x7 extreme close up so creating a believable hair texture is alway in my mind as I work.

2010-06-29T17:13:00.001-07:00

This drawing is moving along. I put 2 more hours into it last evening. Progress is slow but steady! I am satisfied with this side of the face. I 've darkened the nose and eyes to the point at which I believe they will stay. I will proceed to the other side of the face which will be a bit darker...in the shadow.

2010-06-28T09:46:00.001-07:00

I put in another 4 hours work on this last evening. I had to make a correction to the chin area...I seem to have gotten lost while working on the whiskers. I've also worked on the overall depth of the hair shading...it is coming along layer by layer. I am concentrating on not getting in a rush, trying to take my time and get as much out of the shading process as I can before moving on to the other side of the face.

2010-06-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

I've developed the direction of hair growth and have worked out the position of the whiskers. I used a 6H pencil to lay down a number of layers of graphite using light strokes in the direction of growth then continued with H, B and 2B pencils to create the shading variations. For the whiskers I began by drawing in the shadow under each one and then tried to maintain the whiteness above it as the whisker itself...gradually refining the thickness and lifting out smudging and such with a kneaded eraser. I do not use any blending tools other than an 8H pencil with a very light touch. This seems for me to pull enough graphite out and to create a crisp yet blended transition. The key for me is to keep laying down graphite gradually. I made this progress over 4 hours last evening.

2010-06-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

I have a delightful new cat close up in progress. This one will give me some practice doing whiskers. I placed the eyes and nose and other prominent features using the grid method. I like to start with the eyes, giving them lots of very light layers of graphite to bring out their shape and shading. I use a circular movement when I work on the iris and the nose. This for me gives the texture a seemingly real look. The progress shown here represents approximately 4 hours of work. I started it last evening while watching TV...then spent a couple of hours this morning refining the eyes and developing the rubbery little nose

2010-06-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

I have finished the cat portrait...I like it. It turned out better than I thought it would. Those ears are far from perfect but I think there is improvement showing. That I think will be my focus for learning for the next little while. More cats to follow!!

2010-06-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

The cat portrait is coming along pleasingly. I am, however, labouring over the ears. Those wispy ear hairs are difficult for me to render. I am getting better at it each time I draw a cat but it is definitely the most difficult part for me. Fun but difficult!!

2010-06-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

I am making some progress with the cat close up. The texture of the fur is coming nicely but there is still quite a ways to go. Time or rather the lack of time is all that is holding me back. I find this to be an enjoyable work. I will be gracing the wall of our Cat Room in the boarding kennel with this fellow and 5 others I have completed previously. Anyway it will be a few weeks before that wall is built so I can take my time and enjoy the process.

2010-06-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

Well now it has been a while since I have danced with the creative muse. Between the yard and garden and my little grooming visitors my time has been kind of monopolized. Here I am at last though with a cat in progress. It is a weekly challenge at WC but I doubt that I will get it finished by the end of the week...it is Saturday already afterall. It is such a lovely closeup to work on! At this point I'm doing some preliminary hair texture. The eyes have a good start but still need some refining. I am totally enjoying this one.

2010-04-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

Now this is almost too much fun! It is an excellant way to be productive while sitting in front of the TV in the evening. My paints are a tad old (1994) and stubborn to work with and my brushes are very frayed and will not hold a point but for learning how they'll do.

2010-04-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

Here's my first rock kitty...what fun. It's a bit rough but it the first afterall...hopefully I'll get better at it as I go. My assortment of old brushes is a bit lacking in the fineness of line department plus my hands are not all that steady. It was good fun to paint and there will be more.

2010-04-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a totally outdoorsy day...mostly sitting on my dirt pile sifting out rocks so I can turn it into part of the garden this summer. The wonderful thing about sitting in the dirt is that one has lots of time to observe what's going on. I spotted these first few wild strawberry blossoms and this lovely purple blossoms by being close to the earth. They are both very tiny and hard to see...the purple one expecially as it is about 1/4 of an inch in length and very tight to the ground. And this lovely sparrow came and sat on the fence to see what I was doing too. Once again my graphite drawing has ground to a halt...too many spring distractions. Popped into the library and got a book on drawing animals on rocks...I have some old acrylic paints and the fun idea of lining the walkway up to my dog grooming shop with rock kitties. I haven't got that underway yet. I'm waiting for a tube of black acrylic paint to arrive...the only color I don't have and it's in every design.

2010-04-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

I'm still keeping an eye on the nesting eagles across the way from us. In these shots which I caught yesterday the eagle is calling to her mate. He showed up about 5 or 10 minutes later with a fish. He perched up on a slightly further away tree...too far for a good photo...ate the fish and when she flew from the nest to his perch...he immediately flew over to the nest for his turn at brooding. I can hardly wait for the hatching time.

2010-04-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

What a great way to spend the afternoon...again! I found a new position to shoot the eagle nest from. The view is clearer and it's quite comfy too. I waited there for a couple of hours in hopes that the mate would return and provide me with some flight shots again. But alas all I got was mom brooding away. Then as I waited 6 deer hopped up onto the road and pranced about for me. What good luck and fun. I nearly fell out of my perch as I swiveled my camera around to catch their antics. A good day for photo ops!!!

2010-04-11T20:17:00.000-07:00

Not too much going on with drawing lately. Lots of garden preps and dead fall clearing from our forested area has been keeping me busy. I've been keeping an eye on two eagles which have been hanging around a near by nest. I was able to get these photos today over a period of three hours. It was a great day for sitting in the woods on the side of a hill! The sky was overcast yet bright. I'm not sure whether that was a help or hindrance for photograpy but I'm happy with the shots anyway.

2010-03-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

I finished the Sharpei today. What a fun drawing to work on with all those wrinkles and bristly hairs to work in. Working on it reminded me of the first time I held one of those dogs. I had only seen photos before and when the puppy came into the shop I thought it would be all soft and cuddly. My reaction to scooping it up for its bath was....eeeeuuuuuwwww. There does not seem to be a direction to pet this type of dog that is not prickly. Very special indeed.

2010-03-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a work in progress of a Sharpei from wc weekly draw challenge. It still needs a lot of work to bring out the bristliness of the coat. The eyes are still a bit lifeless and well the nose is simply not all there yet. It is a fun dog portrait to try as the point (as I see it) is to get the feel of the dog's bristly coat to come through in the rendering. It looks like a cuddly soft dog but frankly their coats are as prickly as an old scrub brush. We'll see if I can manage that feat in the days to come.

2010-03-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

More protrait practice from wc. The beard was difficult to render. All in all though it was a great practice piece to work on. It is taking me some time and effort to get back into the drawing groove.

2010-03-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

Ahhh. Finally completed this WC weekly challenge from last week. I felt oddly out of touch with doing human portrait. But, once I began to remember the knack it became a joy to work on. I am very pleased with the effect of the eyes...almost to the exclusion of the rest of her features. The creative muse has returned...at last.

2010-03-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

My creativity is back!!! Thanks to Roly Poly Oly. He is a HuskyX that we took care of for 2 weeks for friends. And here he is. It was a joy to draw him and a pleasure to give the drawing to his folks! Now maybe I can get back to the pencils.

2010-03-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

This cheeky little fellow was sitting atop the step railing peeking in to see where his best buds...Zak and Freedom...had gone to. I was sitting in my blind stalking birds at the feeder when I spotted this. I thought it was funny but I was glad the dogs did not see him from inside. They'd have gone wacko.

2010-03-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

I took this landscape a week ago and I keep going back to it. It is not a particularly great shot. The day was somewhat dull and it was late for what little sun there was that day. There was evidence of either heavy frost or light snow on the higher elevations. I did use my tripod so the s lack of sharp focus is atmospheric. This was taken with a 55-300 mm zoom. What I'm getting at is...it's compressed, fuzzy and obviously low in light. BUT...for some reason it has captured my interest. Perhaps the textures, the lines of the various planes, the different blues are the reasons it appeals to me. It is truly representative of what our winter has been this year.

2010-02-28T11:55:00.000-08:00

I had my blind set up for a few hours close to the bird feeders. I managed to get a few fairly good shots of birds and a squirrel and nearly froze my butt off. The blind was very cozy as long as the sun was shining. Once it disappeard behind the clouds I discovered that I was not dressed warmly enough. It was an interesting endeavour in any case. I am trying desparately to get inspired to draw again....Where did my creative muse go???? Where????

2010-02-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

I've had another expedition through the woods and along the creek. We seem to be lacking sunshine this winter so when it does come around in the mornings especially it is cause for celebratory photo shoots. These are my two favorite shots. I loved the look of the creek but the light was not on it at all so the photo is a bit disappointing.

2010-02-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

I did a few still life practices. This is my favorite. I'm not too adventurous with the manual settings but rather just trying to develop an eye for better composition. For the most part I turn to the auto settings. Baby steps first then I'll move on. If only I could remember to leave the white balance on the auto setting before I set out for outdoor shoots. I have learned to shoot in the RAW format so I can fix these kinds gaffs more easily at least. Oh well.

2010-01-30T13:06:00.001-08:00

The sole says it all for this exercise. This was kind of fun. I was actually according to the book take pictures of people's soles for example people standing around with feet in different positions. I don't get around too many people so I turned to our own soles. Hmmm looks like I selected the same shot twice to upload...oh well. So it goes.

2010-01-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

I have two new exercises that I have completed...rocks and signs. There is no shortage of either of these two subjects all around. These are my favorite shots. The rocks I chose to do in black and white so I could work out the contrast issue. The signs look better with color. I still have an exercise to do in town 'at night' but we never seem to go in at night so that one is pending. I am not sure if I am getting anywhere with this but the book that I have: "Photography the art of composition" is full of seemingly endless excercises to hone ones skills. I am enjoying the effort anyway!!!

2010-01-21T15:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was another ice fishing day. Two great shots...one at dawn as we set up and one upon emerging from the tent with 7 fish to a gloriously beautiful day. AAAH!

2010-01-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

Well I have reached the end of the course and now am expected to submit 6 photos: a landscape, city at night, a portrait, a fast action shot, an abstract, and anything converted to BW. I roamed around the area near the creek yesterday putting together an assortment of landscape shots. We've had a week of unseasonably warm weather and all the beautiful snow is gone. AND... Alas, I had the white balance set "WRONG" for most of them. Today I spent hours going through them and correcting the white balance using Pentax's utility program. It was very tedious but it did give me the chance to decide on what to delete for lack of good composition. I did not end up with very many keepable shots. These ones are my favorites of the keepers.

None are good enough to be sent in for grading. There is always tomorrow and the next day and the next day and...

2010-01-10T16:38:00.000-08:00

My latest assignment in the photography course was black and white shots. Seeing as the snow around here accomodates the theme well I had a great time! I noticed that it seemed easier to spot good compositions in the black and white photos without the distraction of color. Interesting.

The first photo expedition involved a day of ice fishing. We got up at 4:30 am and headed off to Snag Lake...awesome scenery...awesome fishing...freaking cold...endless photo opps.

The next day I snowshoed along our creek to see what there might be to photograph. What wonderful luck...three very curious deer stood around to gawk at me as I crashed noisely through the underbrush...many many photos were gotten of them. The scenery along the creek was delightful and when the sun occasionally popped through the clouds the effects were beautiful.

My next assignment is sunset photos....oh my...first the sun must actually shine!!! Last year we had gloriously sunny days 3 or 4 days of every week throughout the winter. Not so this year.

2010-01-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

We went on a 2 km snowshoe hike that turned into 6 km due to the access road being blocked by tooo much snow. After we dug the truck out of the ditch that it slid into and backed it down to a place to park it safely we were off to enjoy snowshoeing to Greenlee Lake. It was a photo opportunity for sure! The temperature was around -1C...a real plus as the camera really doesn't like any thing lower than -10C. My assignment had to do with composition and this trail had so much to offer. The day was overcast and the forest quite dense so capturing the look and feel of the day was challenging. Also a challenge...every time I stopped to take a photo I had to jog to catch up...all uphill on the way to the lake....much easier on the way back. These few photos are my favorites of oh so many that I took.

2009-12-31T16:07:00.000-08:00

Some lovely chilled wine. Trying out my new camera while taking a course to learn how to do it better. Exploration of depth of field...top photo is subject isolated from background...bottom photo both subject and background are in focus. I wrote a bette blog but it disappeared off into the ether. Now I'm too bugged to bother. But....I am enjoying the photography part...at the expense of my drawing time. Oh well.

2009-12-18T16:11:00.000-08:00

I've had two more excursions with my photography blind. First I sat out at dawn for 2 hours to see if any deer might be by the salt lick and hay. There had been some tracks up to it a few days ago and the hay had been munched on a bit. Well, the photo here is of the side trail from whence said deer would have come if indeed they had come. I sat eagerly poised, camera in hand but alas no deer.

The next attempt at clandestine photography involved a bag full of fish heads and guts as a lure for whatever carnivore might happen by. Alas, not even crows came by to pick at these goodies. I have replaced my broken tripod so it was an easier sit and wait.So again I simply took a photo of where the intended subject would have been (see bait just to the left of the tree) if it had showed up. I suspect it was the wrong time of day...I waited for daylight this time. It could also be that the beasties are too wary of the blind which I so cleverly thought was a good idea. There are lots of foxes around and they are not that shy so maybe it's just a matter of time. Mike has come home from ice-fishing with 5 more fish sooooo tomorrow I'll try again but this time just before dawn.

2009-12-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

These are the fruits of my lurking in the woods in my photograhy blind. It went quite well for my first outing with the blind. Inspite of my teetering precariously on the hillside, my tripod snapping in two and my rustling around noisily inside the blind trying to get myself set up in the right spot before I settled into a quiet waiting mode...the little squirrel scolded me quite terribly at first and then finally came back to the feeder. I took many many shots...mostly in pet mode so as to catch the quick moving little guy. I even caught a little nuthatch while I waited for the squirrel to come back. I had planned to experiment more with other modes but being suddenly without a tripod I had to rely on 'shake reduction' as I hand held the camera. More than half of the shots were not good at all but I am pleased with how it went. It was soooo much fun...and I was quite cozy in the blind even though it was -10C and snowing. There were other noises going on too...sounded like a deer or moose or something making snorty grunty noises. Interesting very interesting.

2009-12-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

I have a few things on the go just now. The wolves in the woods project is still at a standstill though. I did another quick sketch of a forest scene hoping to find inspiration or at least some enjoyment of the process. Blah on either count. I've set that aside in favour of some bookmarks for my grandson for Xmas. This is more pressing so as to get them in the mail in time for Xmas. And, more enjoyable from a creative standpoint as I can return to the subjects I prefer to draw.

My adventures with the new camera are somewhat mixed as I sort out how to most effectively use its many features. Mostly I have taken photos of dogs from my grooming table. It is almost too cold outside (-16C. right now) to fiddle around getting to know the camera. Although....I did buy a handy dandy hunting blind in which to lurk for squirrels, birds, and deer or whatever I can lure to my feeders. Just waiting for the portable stool and a couple of bales of hay to arrive before I set that little scheme into motion. What fun...to think about for now...it remains to be seen if it will work for me.

2009-11-29T16:26:00.003-08:00

I've been plugging away at this one for a week now. I have a long way to go with the forest floor especially. I'm not truly happy with the look of either wolf...one is rather foxish. It is very much a work in progress to get some practice with composition. I find myself feeling impatient with the picture as a whole but it is a learning experience...outside of my comfort zone. I do long to return to portrait of animal heads dangling in limbo in the center of a blank page. It is progress just to keep at it though. And, so I shall.

2009-11-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

Moonlit Wolf completed! I darkened the plants in the foreground, deepened some of the shadow and enhance the appearance of water around the reeds. I am pleased with the results and feel quite content to call this project complete. The paper has suffered somewhat in the editing process so I will redo this at a later date. Compositionwise I think it has improved immensely with the help of those who responded to my critique request on wc. What a great experience to go through. Living in a relatively isolated area and being quite apprehensive about getting into formal art classes I found the input of others who live way, way elsewhere very encouraging and will remember and use the info I received over and over to help myself grow artistically.

2009-11-18T15:17:00.000-08:00

I made some changes on the Moonlit Wolf based on the advice I received on wc. I removed the upper part of the tree and left the remainder to become a stump. I extended the mountain range to the right edge of the drawing instead. It is my hope that the viewer's eye will now not be led out of the drawing but rather toward the wolf. I added more trees at the base of the mountains and gave them reflections in the lake. I have begun to improve the foreground with the addition of reeds and rocks suggesting the shore. I can now feel the eye being moved about the picture to rest on the wolf. I'm not sure if I will do much more to this. It's composition feels good but ofcourse the paper has suffered somewhat. I may at some point redo the entire thing on another piece of Bristol once I have satisfied myself with the composition completely.

2009-11-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

I posted this Moonlit Wolf on wc for critique specific to the composition. It was pointed out that the tree draws the eye up and out of the drawing somewhat. I agree and I think I'll turn it into a stump instead to solve that problem. The tree also needs more substance at the base like roots to take away the hovering feeling. So some dark gnarly roots are in order too. The critique was much appreciated and helped me to SEE what I need to improve. I must get to it today.

My new camera has arrived...so much to read and learn about how to use it. It is similiar ofcourse to the 35mm camera in some aspects like the functions of apertures etc. But still....so much to read just read to begin with!

2009-11-15T14:38:00.000-08:00

I am having what I perceive to be success with the wolf in forest project. I researched and reviewed any and all the info I could find regarding composition. And, I think I have come up with something that works. I did not post on wc as a work in progress though. I am debating on which forum to post for critique. There are several forums to chose from. I don't want to be brutally blown out of the water nor do I want to miss out on the constructive criticism that will help me grow as an artist. What to do...what to do??? I have a few days to decide until I finish things up on it. Right now I'm working on the wolf's eyes. I have a reference photo for that at least. The background came out of my brain...painful very painful. I plucked several aspects that I liked from about 5 photos and basically stuck em in together. Some of it even just developed as the graphite worked into the grain of the paper. It is too close to finished to post as a wip so I'll complete it and then take it to task with those who know waaaaaay more than me.

Hey, hey, hey! My new toy...I mean very serious artistic tool in the form of a DSLR camera should be here in a few days!!!! So excited about that.

2009-11-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Chihuahua is complete. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. Now I am to begin something new. I am starting on a drawing that will have a natural sort of forest background behind a wolf. Now the wolf part is not the challenge...it is the background that will vex and annoy me. It is something that I have never had the patience to do. I've tried before but without success as I quit before I get too far in. I have the outline of the wolf and the main tree trunk in place. I also have some vague lines going on to suggest the lay of the land which will appear to rise behind the wolf...I hope. I may get brave enough to do this as a wip on wc...maybe. Not too sure about that.

2009-11-07T17:09:00.000-08:00

ooh,oooh,oooh I'm so excited. I've ordered a new camera! It's a Pentax K-X model so I can use my existing Pentax K mount lenses and accessories with it. It is apparently the latest Pentax 'user friendly' digital SLR camera. I really do need the user friendly kind of thing...automatic stuff...but it also has a manual setting to use for more creativity once I get the hang of it. I am looking forward to better shots and something new to learn and play with. We went to an Arts and Crafts Show and Sale today. Their are some extremely talented folks around here. This sort of thing always inspires me to improve and learn more about how to create believable art work. My latest drawing work in progress is a Chihuahua portrait. Such cute little critters. After this little guy is completed it is time for me to expand what I do by exploring effective and interesting backgrounds. I never have bothered with that but it is time to get at it. Natural themes but not vast landscapes seems to be a logical place for me to start. Research!

2009-11-05T14:52:00.001-08:00

These are my two latest completed projects. The horse is Music with Chris...the drawing is a gift for Trudi. It was their 10 anniversary a while back. Congrats ofcourse. Trudi took the photo I used for reference and I felt so inspired by it. Now the kittenses were just too cute to pass up taking a stab at drawing. It was fun to work out their little faces and assign imaginary personalities to each one as I worked on them.

My dragon project seems to have gone into hibernation for the time being. I am beginning to rethink the largeness of it. I am seriously considering scaling it down ...quite a lot. It is very and I really do mean VERY boring to work on something big, big, big and disjointed. Perhaps 11" by14" total is more sensible and will keep me interested and focussed on the task. I need to think and decide...I hate incomplete projects.

2009-10-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

Here kitty kitty kitty. Drew this tiger while watching that brain sapping TV that I can't seem to avoid. At least it only gets part of my attention at any time. I have a new project on the go ....well actually 2 new projects. One is a colour pencil of a little girl which I only struggle along with at my desk 'cause colour is HARD to do. The other is one I can do in front of the TV again. It's a photo a friend took of her husband and her horse...I want to do it to give to her. She is a gifted artist herself in pastels. Anyway that's that.

2009-10-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

This arabian horse is drawn from a photo stock library on wc. It is so striking in color (a brilliant chestnut) so I may give it a go in color pencil as well as this graphite rendering of it. I'll do a few unrelated projects first though to get a fresh perspective 'in color'. Graphite is my pet medium while all others are unpracticed and require waaaay more effort and thought while I work.

Well today I have added a corrected version of this horse. It was pointed out to me that the nose was twisted. Soooo, I fixed that and enlarged the nostrils to look better as well. I attempted to fix the harsh dark shadow under the head but had limited success lifting the graphite. So it goes.

2009-09-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

Life is good. Camping is good. Fishing is good. Dog grooming is good. Art,in all forms and for all reasons, is good. Here are the latest of my art efforts...kitten and dog 1 and 2. Sigh!

2009-09-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

And so back to art...here is the lioness now complete. Alas, the new kitten is at an artistic stand still....something does not look quite right with it. I did refresh my brain with a lovely picnic on an island across the lake...rubadubdub 3 dogs in a tub...what fun!! And, at last I have returned to the dragon. I've gotten a start on one of the wings. I am determined to keep on track...maybe.

2009-09-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

Zero effort on dragon....100% effort on enjoying life and all the natural beauty that surrounds me daily. The lake was like glass today! Otherwise, artistically, I have a lioness completed but not scanned as yet and have moved on to another kitten.

2009-09-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing anything on the dragon for sooo long. I have done a couple of projects while on camping trips though .... kitten and lion. Not enough hours in a day it seems. The weather has been excellant for the duration so we have to enjoy it while it's good. Our grandson visited for a week and much fun was had instead of art work.

2009-08-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

I got the next frame done. The photo of it is a bit wonky but shows it in perspective more or less. As I mentioned before it was a relatively boring piece to work on...yawn...but it's done. I've moved to the frame coming down and across the nape. This will require a little more care and creativity to blend in with the previous work as well as to create the beginnings of his wings. Now these wings, I hope, will be of a rather gossamer quality. My dragon sheds and regrows his wings yearly during which time (albeit a short period) he finds himself somewhat vulnerable to predation. My aim with this depicition is to show the wings in their most robust state but at the same time to somehow reveal their delicacy and fineness.

What fun!

2009-08-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

I am finally back to the dragon. This is the first frame after the original head frame. I'm feeling quite encouraged now that I can see some progress on him. Now that I've photographed these 2 frames together I see the arm connection is off. I have corrected the gaff and it will show up in the next grouping photo as a better match. Today I am working on the next frame down to complete the other hand/claw. It's kind of a dull frame to work on as there is so much to background fill with charcoal. And yet, I am enjoying being back in the loft.

2009-08-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

Home at last! My travel companions and I are soooooo glad to be back in beautiful BC. Saskatchewan was a nice visit with Mike's family but I sure can't take hours and hours of driving. I'm more of a drive for 4 hours only and camp kind of person. There was not a minute to spare for art....I think I went through withdrawal! Now that I'm caught up with my grooming clients, garden and yardwork I hope to get back to it. All of the frames are prepped with line drawings. I did a change to the hind legs. I'm quite excited to get on with it!

2009-07-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

The dragon body has begun to take shape. This is a rough draft of the general look he will take on. However I have already changed the front legs since the scan. I am seriously concerned about the hind legs. They need to change but I will wait on that for a bit. They will stil need to be in a tucked position because he is in flight. I just don't like the look... I am finding that as I transpose the idea onto the each frame in relation to the previous frame I can make adjustments to improve the look. There has been much too much going on here lately that has kept me from my art. Two more weeks of interruption and I'll be at it more consistantly...I hope.

2009-07-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

What happened to the last 2 days? I'm not really sure....except that I have a horse drawing done to show for it and a half done portrait challenge from wet canvas. So, I guess I was busy drawing. I had a ShihTsu to groom...the very grumbly Buddy...very good but "don't touch my front legs or else". Not entirely all bluff to that threat either. We had some visitors from the "big city" drop by for a few hours too. The hummingbird pictures are for them as they were quite thrilled by them but could not catch them with their camera. Those hummers are very wary of changes around the feeder. I had to set my camera up on a tripod in one of the flower boxes by the feeder and hide behind the post to get this. Hmmm, I guess that's what happened to the last 2 days. The dragon is at rest for the time being while I work out his body stance...over and over... until I see what I like.

2009-07-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

I have completed the Dragon in Moonlight, frame #1. I see him as at half-halt in full flight...in contemplation of his next move...fight or flight or perhaps in casual observation of his domain. He is afterall not a violent fellow...just hungry most of the time. This stance will come into perspective as I continue into the next series of frames. I should be able to photograph the entire series in full from my loft while they are laid out on the kitchen floor. But first I shall have to create them...in essence I must grow him a body. It may take quite some time. There are so many other things to do at this time of year. Kayaking the creek this morning made me quite giddy with the size of life. Towering trees, vast expanses of land, looming mountains, lakes that seem to stretch out forever...and that was just in eye view at that moment. We are so small to reek such great havoc on the planet. Shame on us!

2009-07-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

I can't beleive I spent almost the entire day rearranging my loft. Just because of three boxes of books that I hadn't unpacked from the move last year. First I had to create a gigantic mess but now it looks great. This is where I go to seek the creative muse...it's cozy. I have not got any further on the dragon...just a little shading on the front which I thought too light. But, I changed the pupil of the eye on the WC guide advice. It improves it for sure.

2009-07-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

This day was a bit of a turned down day. Overcast skies, a late rise (the result of a screeching middle of the night headache), the kitchen still disheveled by the grouting project Mike has on the go...all good reasons to just take it easy. There is a little chipmunk enjoying the sunflower seeds. Much to Freedom's chagrin he is very quick to scoot to the safety of the rocks beneath bird bath. The hairy woodpecker male brought one of his youngsters to feed on the suet log...so cool that he fed him there on the log to teach him the ropes. I had the company of a Jack Russell for an hour this afternoon. He has a rough coat and a skin condition so his 'mom' gets him shaved down like a smooth coated Russell. He was a good boy...just a bit cranky over his front legs. Life is good. I did not go any further on the dragon but I did finish the eye practice for wet canvas weekly challenge. It looks okay though I could use more eyeball practice before I do another protrait.

2009-07-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

There is a few days of rain to deal with and a day of mixed weather to boot. Keeps me indoors which is good from an art standpoint. And so the dragon!

Today I worked the face. I like the progress and will continue working it a bit at a time. There is some excitement to this point. It is more than half way there!!!

2009-07-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

I have finished the drawing of Mike's beloved white Boxer...the late Chance. It brought a dewy look to Mike's eye...and that is one more reason I cannot as yet draw my little Dexter dog. It has been five years since he died and I still can't see him through the tears that well up when I even think about looking a photos of him...some day soon I'll get to it. But now the dragon moves forward! I have managed some texure to his skin. I am planning some more for the face area but unsure as to what exactly as yet. There needs to be something a little more exciting and dynamic about his demeanor. What, what, what and then HOW???

2009-07-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

Alas, nothing has progressed with the dragon...well nothing truly notic able. I deepened the tone here and there but I think I will have time later today to do more. There needs to be more visable texture worked into his hide which I see as leathery...tough yet flexible. I did finish the leaves challenge and I think I have come up with an idea for a series of mini bites of nature to go with these leaves. No, I cannot seem to complete one project at a time! The lighting in the tv room is not good enough for the dragon work so smaller less complex drawings work for that. I am also in the middle of a portrait of my Mike's beloved Boxer... the late and much missed 'Chance'. For now here is 'the leaves' and the waterlily from the creek where we do most of our kayaking.

2009-07-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

Well now, a couple of days were lost to kayaking the creek and lake with my daughter. A most enjoyable way to catch up as we have not seen each other for several months. We went out first just on the lake so she could get used to the kayak. The next day the guys all went fishing...caught one trout...and we met up with them at the beach where they had set in. We started our paddle on the creek...went upstream for a bit to get some photos and then shot down to the lake and paddled the 5 miles or so to the beach. It is a very energizing recreation...I love it. The result is ofcourse just a few hours devoted to the dragon. It is all blocked in now. The rest of the work will be shading and possibly a background in charcoal...maybe. I am pleased with it so far but I am leaning toward more detail or perhaps the shading alone will improve the look. It remains to be seen. I scanned just the lower part first. The second shot is the pieced together scan to see all at once. I realise that the only proper way to view it is to photograph it which is what I'll do when it is completed. I have a little 'infront of the tv project' on the go now for wetcanvas's drawing challenge of the week. It is leaves. I found them rather dizzying to draw from the reference photo so I cropped out a simple section to draw. I need something to keep me from getting too dozey in the evening...old fogie!!

2009-06-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the dragon effort felt disappointing to me. It did not go in the direction that pleased me. I look at it today a little less critically. I think there are changes to be made but I don't feel quite so down about it. The kayak trip up the creek and back today has lightened my mood. I feel less critical of myself as a result. MUST kayak more!!!! The creek bed is lush with growth, the water lilies are just beginning to open and the birds abound. It was truly a refreshing and much needed excursion. Again, MUST kayak more!!! Now What,The Thing Will Not Add A Picture. ÉÉÉ Okay it's a day later and now the picure uploaded okay.

2009-06-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the most obvious place of all is the safest and most overlooked place to be. In the oblivious mass of millions of organisms there is a certain knowledge that the sound of one hand clapping will not be heard. It is reassuring in its lonely endeavour to deliberately not matter one bit in the grand scheme of things. A quiet walk through the woods today netted a few wildlower photos which I am pleased with. It has also left me feeling rather small.

2009-06-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

This day had a good start. I spent a couple of hours with a pleasant little Malti-poo named Benny. He was to tiny...probably about 5 pounds...and sooo cooperative. Just an all round joy to work with. Now to the dragon...I have progressed down the neck and nape as well. It is slow going as it is such a large area to cover and uncharted territory. As usual I have a good idea of what I want to see happen but I am just letting it unfold as I go. This is not a disciplined approach to drawing but I am weary of the disciplined process and want to fly by the seat of my pants. Freedom of expression...even if my approach has in the past been condemned as 'scrapable' by a more strictly disciplined artist due to its lack of total preparation...blah, blah,blah. This way is more fun and feels freely creative to me.

2009-06-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Well now, back to the dragon. I've had my foray into the beauty of nature and followed it up with some progress on the dragon. I've moved down the back of the neck, making it thicker in depth. At this point I am drawing a portait of his head basically...the overall size of his body is taking shape in my mind. The dragon will need a powerful thick neck in order to support the weight of his head which is huge. His body is by comparison massive...mountainous even. Oh, oh, oh, a series of 11"x14" drawings on which to grow his body...I see it. What a good idea; Ilike it. For now, however, back to the head. I should have a good deal of time to work on it today. The weather is up and down with sunshine, rain, thunder and lightning then sunshine and the works all over again. It's a good day for the bugs to attack and for me to stay in to draw.

2009-06-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

This morning was overcast but not very dull so I followed my paths about the place armed with my camera. My goal was to record the beauty that wildflowers offer unbidden to our landscape . Some were successful shots and others too blurry as there was a bit ot wind to deal with. But such beauty abounds if one simply allows it to grow naturally. The lack of direct sun let the depth of color come through. Unfortunately it also brought out the mosquitoes and black flies in hungry droves. There is still one flower I have as yet to capture digitally. It was so lovely and delicate but alas a blurry shot. I'l give another try later. All of this, ofcourse, was instead of working on the dragon but I still have the afternoon for that too. Hah, I got that wildflower photo inspite of the wind and intermitent rain! And here it is too...it's a little wild Tiger Lily also referred to as Columbia Lily. There's only the one on the whole acreage that I've seen.

2009-06-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

Today I moved forward with the dragon. More shading has developed and I have begun to move to the upper neck and ears with some success. I at least like the look that is happening. It is quite different from other dragons that I have seen depicted. And, that is indeed what my goal is...something different...something that has come from my imagination. I had a short foray out of doors to mow my series of paths throughout the property. We had to murder so many trees, shrubs and wildflowers when we built last year that I refuse to cause any more than necessary impact to our little strip of land now. I love the wild untended look of field and forest. Every walk about the paths leads to new discoveries of various wildflowers that others might call weeds. I intend to allow our lovely thistles to bloom again this year...their flowers hold a stunning beauty.

2009-06-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

Today I made some progress on the dragon. Mostly shading taking place and finer definition of some of the facial features. I like the look so far. I can see this dragon developing into a dragon themed series. It is growing in the back of my mind as I work. I still envision that valley dwarfed by the 'dragon' mountainside as something I'd like to work with. Yesterday was a lost day artwise. Six hours grooming Zak and Freedom. It takes 3 hours for each and that is a very simple non foofoo style except for the poodle face and feet. I did digress from the 'they are dogs afterall' philosophy; I gave them each a lion tail. It is cool and funny looking all at once. I gotta have some creative outlet on those 'work' type days!

2009-06-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

This is yesterdays progress on the dragon. I like how it is developing but still have no real idea of exactly what to do next. I like the feeling of freedom to take this as I go. I also feel a bit adrift creatively as this is not what I have been doing to date in my other art projects. It is creative licence at it’s most free...feels odd. I have the basic outline in place. The shading and surface of the dragon skin are beginning to take form.I had a lot of time to work on it yesterday...more thunder storms... pelting rain and hail kept me indoors. The baby flowers that are growing bravely really took a beating but they survived. It is still dull and raining today but so far not stormy. And, the power did come back on at 4 pm yesterday. Whoa, there is a sudden sunny break in the clouds...off to enjoy it.

2009-06-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

The walls are all painted at last! There was a power outage resulting from the thunderstorm that roared through yesterday. In fact the power is still out but the generator is running right now. The dragon work is moving along okay. The face is taking shape and there are a variety of features beginning to present themselves as I lay down graphite. I am satisfied with the direction this is going. I see an unfortunate resemblence to a goat happening that I want to veer away from. There is a long way to go...no rush...no pressure...except from within. The lushness of the growth and greenery about the place at this time of year tends to pull me away from the dragon project quite easily. The wild roses are in full bloom, the wild daisies are budding and the many flower seeds that I have strewn about are making a good strong start. And, oh my oh my, the veggies in the hothouse are growing at an amazing rate. I love it. The dogs have taken to darting about and leaping in an attempt to catch the dozens of swallowtail butterflies that are dancing about the fields. They are such fun to watch. Freedom is tireless in his pursuit but Zak gives in a rest from time to time and just watches the game unfold.

2009-06-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today is a paint the mud room day so onward I go with that. First to share the progress on Dragon which I managed last evening while trying not to be totally bored with tv. It is a together time for us and the dogs, all lumped together on the couch...it's quite a site I'm sure. A big ol' puppy pile actually. Mostly I am laying a base of graphite in combination with some darker areas that I know will be shading areas. At least I think I know...guess I won't be sure until the completed piece is signed and sealed. Lots of thinking time ahead as I paint the walls though.

2009-06-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

I've made some progress one the 'good' paper with the dragon's' eye. Most of it was done while watching tv and then earlier to day while waiting for things to happen on the computer. Dial up is sooooooo slooooooow. This is good for art though. I have a clear idea of where to go with the dragon. It is just a matter of letting it unfold in my imagination. It is very freeing to work without a reference and a bit scary too. I'm not too sure sometimes if I'm doing the right thing but it'll lift without too much effort.

2009-06-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

At last the scanner is unearthed and the room is back to normal. Here's the Great Dane that kept me from moving ahead on the dragon project. I have made a good start on a simple line sketch of how I want to proceed for the dragon in my sketch book. The eye will be the starting point on the smooth Bristol paper size 11" x 14". The head and a portion of the body will develop from there. I am seeing this as a portrait sort of head and shoulder effort; later works which will include a body to go with the head may develop in my mind as I proceed.

2009-06-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

Awesome day, warm, sunny and I had the pleasure of grooming a gentle little King Charles Cavalier name Pebbles. It is incredibly delightful to have people bring work to me This drawing that I did for the shop wall looks just like her. I managed to get a few ideas down on the dragon but alas the scanner is still buried under plastic. The living room is almost done...I ran out to paint with one wall to go...arrrgh. Oh well, it just means one more day of upheaval...then I'll be done with that room. Only to move on to the dog's/mud room, but it will be progress. It certainly affords me lots of 'thinking' time. I am going to re-work the dragon's eye to be softer. I have a rather crusty looking lid going on right now that I don't care for. I envision something more lizard-like...something that seems possible as opposed to totally out there...if that is even attainable given that dragon's aren't real.

2009-06-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

I am moving closer to making a start on the dragon. I gave some thought to where to begin and the eyes have it. In looking through my past efforts at dragons...not many and most a some what gruesome if not cartoonish an assortment, I know what I don't want to do more so than what I do. The eyes will hold the key to how far I take this. I've done cat eyes with some success and so I posted them for viewing. They will provide me with a sort of reference for the dragon work. I have also noted the strong resemblence that Pekenese and ShihTsu dogs have to the oriental style dragons of many art works....that is ofcourse only when they are having a huge hissy fit complete with snapping, writhing, flailing and growling...not when they are in the arms of their beloved owners. I have in mind a more down home sort of dragon something subtler and less flamboyant yet brutish, powerful. I want to bring out a wise calmness. Some how...more thought required. Oh, the Great Dane is done so no more excuses. It turned out kind of Marmaduke-ish. I'll post when I get it scanned. The scanner is buried under plastic while I paint the living room. Not an excuse, but my time is divided...I look at as creative thinking time while I get the mundane daily grind done.

2009-06-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

My mood has shifted. I have been having sleep disruptions but my mind is filled with ideas for where to go from the leaping off point of the Marwari horse. I am leaning toward the dragon, mystical sort of theme. I pass by the reserve on my way home. The valley is dwarfed by what appears to be a huge sleeping dragon. This has been playing in my mind for some time. Perhaps it is time to explore what I can do with it. First things first however I must finish a Great Dane portrait...I am almost there. Meanwhile here is another horse drawing which I am pleased to share.

2009-06-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

To begin I feel the need to define who I am and where I am artistically. I am able to produce reasonably accurate and realistic works from good reference photos. I want to stretch myself beyond this replicative form to something more creative and expressive of my individual view of life around me. To that end here is a post of my most recent and favorite graphite drawing. There are endless others but it is from here that I wish to leap forward and grow as an artist.