365 days of drawing ~ day thirty

Been pretty exhausted lately.  Walking around in a haze, don't really like working on important drawings feeling sleepy.  I spent about 35 minutes tonight and managed to fill in more background.  I would say filling in the background takes up equal time that it takes to work on the actual subjects.  I still see more work I have to do on little love bugs lips, shading and shape, as well as other various fixes.  Can I have more hours in my day?  I think 36 hours ought to suffice.  Then I can have more sleep and more time to myself.  This house isn't going to clean itself!!

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-nine

Worked on little loves nose and I feel good about placement and shadows.  I also deepened the shadows on Aunt E's face and continued to darken the background.  Still lots of filling in and detail work to do on the background and probably more work on the shadows and shading on both beauties faces. 

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-eight

Still getting the background layer filled in, before I start detail work.  Also, bothered with the little heart breakers nose.  Just can't get it right, shading here, shading there, adding a line, removing a line.  I am very uncomfortable leaving her little nose in this state.  Oh, the OCD days are upon me.  At least I can put it to good use.  I mean, it's helpful to have your grocery list organized by aisle and layout of the grocery store, dvd collection organized alphabetically, towels all folded neatly and facing the proper direction in the linen closet - but OCD really pays off when drawing portraits.

Getting plowed under with troubles, trying to let go and let God, but sometimes you just need an outlet.  Better out than in.  Why not direct it into your passion?

Let your soul shine.

The Carnival Series ~ Chapter V: The people, the life and what I learned

I have never felt more like part of a family at my place of employment than working for the Reithoffer show.  Even as just a vendor, renting space with the show, they care about you, they treat you as one of their own.  People are helpful, making sure you have a hot meal to eat, a place to get a shower and know the tricks of the trade.  You will be the butt of a few jokes from time to time, but all joking aside, they look out for their own.  I met some real people while I traveled up and down the coast.  I met earthy folks taking a spin with the show while traveling between Rainbow gatherings, I met people running from their pasts with lots of interesting stories, I met some folks who enjoyed the party life and knew where to get whatever you wanted at nearly every location. I met people like myself, just having a good time, getting the experience of a lifetime.  Some people are meant for the road, like being free and not tied to any earthly possessions.  Some have no where else to turn.  Some do it because they were born into it.  Some do it because there is a lot of money to be made. 

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-seven *bonus

Today was full of ups and downs, so I decided to do a little bonus work on my drawing after the kids fell asleep.  Art is a nice stress reliever, forces you to concentrate on something else for awhile.  Letting you get lost.

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-seven

Day 27, approximately 19 hours completed to this point.

Hyperrealism Pencil drawings

 I just wanted to share this article, that was recently shared with me!!  This is my type of art, something currently trending called hyperrealism.  At least I am finally current on trending art!!  I have been doing this type of art for as long as I can remember.  I prefer to work from a picture or photo and then draw exactly what my eye sees.  Most people can't tell my pencil drawings from a real photo.  So check out the links above and see that other people are doing this too!!  I always felt that I really didn't have a style like other artists do, Van Gogh, MC Escher, Picasso.  Everyone recognizes their work.  Well, I just kept on drawing the way I liked and I guess I do have my own style!  Hyperrealism style!

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-six

Outlines, outlines and more background outlines. 

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-five

Starting to layout the background.  I decided it is important to keep the background as is, since the time and place seems to be an important memory.  I am anxious to get back to work on it.

Evolution of a drawing

Only halfway finished, but couldn't resist putting it all together to see the progress.  About 16 hours completed so far!

Music: Tori Amos "Pretty good year"

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-four

Working on the shirts, hands, arms, hats, shading, shading and more shading.  There is a story about these two beauties and I will share it, along with the completed drawing and photo I used as reference.  It is a sad story, therefore very important to capture the joy that was felt by everyone on the day this photo was taken.

Nothing more heartbreaking than having to let go before you are ready.

Roasted parmesan brussel sprouts recipe!!

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? Roasted parmesan brussel sprouts, sauteed mushroom slathered steak and tasty Abita Purple Haze wheat beer?  I mean, really.  Growing up we didn't really have brussel sprouts for dinner, last year at my husbands company Christmas party we had brussel sprouts and they were DELICIOUS!  Cooked in butter, but they were made to perfection and that started me on the road to brussel sprouts.  A friend shared her recipe with me and now I am not going to keep this secret any longer!!

Pot Pie ~ Pennsylvania Dutch Style

 

I have fond memories of watching my Nan making chicken stock with a whole chicken or sometimes the leftovers, making the noodles and cutting up vegetables for pot pie.  Unfortunately, she has since passed and this recipe was one she knew by heart, so it was not written down.  This recipe tastes just like I remember it.  Feels like home.  And don't forget to enjoy it with your favorite tasty beverage.  Mine is Jack and Coke.

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-three

For my two little ladies today, it was wake each other up day, play instead of nap, come to the door one MILLION times, day.  So needless to say, I only got today's progress done in 15 minute increments.  At least I know I can work with distractions.  Nobody teaches you that in art class.  That comes with motherhood experience.  And the baby is still not napping, so it is time to get her up.  I think I got about 30 minutes of drawing time in today.  Unfortunately I have work to do in my tie dye shop tonight.  I am hoping to accomplish some more snow dyeing with all this wintery precipitation we have been having.

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-two

Finally starting to feel satisfied with the faces and am moving on to other pastures.  I love hands and feet, so worked on those a bit and also adding depth by adding darker and lighter shading.

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty-one

Got some much needed rest last night.  Moving and grooving today!  Worked on the faces a bit, t-shirts, hat, shading on little miss's arm and hand.  Getting there.  Surely but slowly.

I really appreciate everyone's kind words regarding my talent.  I guess I have neglected it for so long that most people aren't even aware that I am an artist.  Just goes to show that I need more art in my life.  More drawing to be specific.  Thanks again, you all made me blush, over and over again.  

365 days of drawing ~ day twenty

Took a little break from my challenge today.  I haven't been sleeping well, even though baby Maggie is out of our bed and in her own crib.  I really dislike working on important drawings while feeling tired, so I decided that I will probably have to take at least one day off a month from my drawing challenge.  I am sure it won't take me months to complete the current portrait, but I do have quite a few more portraits I want to complete.  And who knows, maybe I will feel led to provide another portrait to a deserving person.  I can't control the urge to draw.

I have so many loved ones in heaven.  I miss my Nan and Pap the most and they will probably be next.  Secondly, I miss my Aunt and Uncle dearly.  I have so many memories of talking with them, even from my childhood.  My Aunt and Uncle were like a second set of parents, I have told them things and feelings that I probably haven't shared with my own parents.  Thirdly, I miss my Grandma and Grandpa.  We had so many holiday gatherings, they were at nearly every birthday, sporting event, art show, etc.  Lastly, I miss my friend Houd.  He was such a kind, loving soul.  Taken from us all too soon, I think about him often.

365 days of drawing ~ day nineteen

There is no stopping me.

365 days of drawing ~ day eighteen

Getting more outlines laid out.  I think I am going to do the background as in the original photo.  It seems that the location and day were important.  I didn't really go back to the faces, other than more minor touch ups.   After the kids finally fell asleep, I got about an hour of work done, the time really flies when drawing consumes me.  I looked up at the clock and was so surprised to see an hour had already passed!

Get lost in your passion.

365 days of drawing ~ day seventeen

Today I was only afforded about 20 minutes, so I made very minor adjustments.  I stepped away from the faces and worked on the shirt.  I am not yet satisfied with the faces and will eventually get back to them after a small break.  I don't really like that everyone is viewing my work before it is completed, but I definitely get a chance to step away and compare the drawing from a distance.

365 days of drawing ~ day sixteen

Working on perfecting facial features before I move on too far with the rest of the portrait.  The picture just will never look right, if I don't complete the core.  Sometimes, I am not sure if I am hurting the picture or helping it, eventually I get it right.  I am sure to the untrained eye it may seem as though nothing has changed, but I assure you, I did work on it for two hours tonight.

Another friend also was running through my mind tonight as I worked.  I gifted her with a portrait of her beloved furry best friend.  He was such a friendly, happy soul and I am not a dog person, but he certainly was sweet.  Using colored pencils, blues and purples in place of black tones, and in honor of his name, created a colorful cosmos as the background.  I couldn't stand the sadness that radiated from my friend upon losing her best friend.  I could clearly see how much the portrait meant to her and it was so fun for me to draw him. 

P.S.  It took FOREVVVVVER to get the teeth right.  I hope I don't feel the need to change them again.

365 days of drawing ~ day fifteen

Finally.  FINALLY.  It's been on my mind for days, but there was no way I was touching it feeling so run down and tired.  Maybe you won't be able to tell a difference, but I did some erasing and fixing today.  Still a long way to go, but I am getting it done.  I need it to be precise.  I hope I am doing a good job in the eyes of the future owner so far.  I got frustrated with the little beauties teeth and didn't get a chance to correct them fully.  You will see this portrait under go many changes and at the end I will post the photo I am using as reference, maybe even some back story on the subjects if I get permission to do so.  Thanks for following along with me, this is the most hits my blog has ever received.

365 days of drawing ~ day fourteen

I got nada.  Zilch.  Nothing.  Zero.  I am dying over here.

365 days of drawing ~ day thirteen

Our oldest is finally feeling better and fever is down, however the littlest is still CRANKY, teething for sure and there is no rest for the weary.  This is all I could muster...

365 days of drawing ~ day twelve

Our oldest daughter woke up last night siiiiiiiick, middle of the night sick.  Change the sheets, pillowcase, pajamas sick.  Then our youngest was SUPER cranky all day and this mama was worn out.  So only a silly little drawing today.

365 days of drawing ~ day eleven

I was afforded TWO hours today, by my loving husband, to sneak away and draw.  And draw I did.  I woke up this morning thinking of drawing.  My drawings consume me from the inside out, but only the ones that really call me to them.  The ones that really never leave my mind, the ones that I think about all throughout the day, they have always been the most important drawings, to me and others as well.  I have been unable to finish the drawings I try to force myself to draw.

I was remembering one important drawing I completed about 13 years ago for a friend.  He had been in the military, stationed in Germany, met and fell in love with a woman and had a son with her.  When his service to our country was at an end, his wife had decided not to accompany him back to the United States.  She instead stayed in Germany with their baby boy and her family.  This bothered my friend deeply, not knowing his son or seeing him.  His ex-wife sent the occasional photo home to him.  I do not know the specifics, nor do they matter, but when you see and hear the sadness in faces and voices, describing the inexplicable pain they are feeling, hearing their heart break - THAT is the pull and trigger for me.  I "borrowed" his photo of his son and told him if he let me hold on to it for awhile, I would present him with something special and give him the photo back.  I drew him a portrait of his baby boy and when I revealed it to him, the huge, towering, military man was reduced to tears.  I could see the joy it brought him.  A few years later we ran into each other online and he told me the picture I drew him hung inside his front door, so that everyday when he came home, it was the first thing he saw.  He told me he would forever cherish that picture and was eternally grateful for such a gift.  I have never forgotten that man or his son and when I felt the same sadness inside another friend, I was moved again.

365 days of drawing ~ day ten

Shading, shading, shading. Erase, erase, shade, shade.  Nothing more important than family.  Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, grandparents.

Loving the way this portrait has touched so many people.  Keep on keepin' on. 

365 days of drawing ~ day nine

 I didn't get to spend much time on my beauties today.  I did however get to correct a few things that were bothering me and I feel a little less self conscious showing everyone.  I removed the grid today while I worked and drew straight from the photo - which is actually located on my ipad, I never did get a chance to have a photo made because the urge to draw just wouldn't wait.  Things are progressing nicely.

365 days of drawing ~ day eight

Getting some shading, basic features and outlines down on the paper....it's coming together.  Slowly, but it now resembles people.  Pleased with my progress.  Today a friend asked about the beauties in the portrait and I confirmed her suspicions.  I was blown away that someone had already recognized them!  I still have a very long way to go.  I am so happy that my friend was also so touched by my kind gesture.  To me it is just what I was given talent to do.  Make others happy, just making the art, makes me happy.  What would I do with all my own art hanging in my house?  I love art and displaying others creations in my house is just how I roll.  Otherwise I would just sit and stare at my art hanging on the walls and nit pick it to death - everyday - ha!

365 days of drawing ~ day seven

So.  I've decided to start a portrait.  Not for me.  For someone else.  I just felt so motivated, called, led, whatever you want to call it, to draw this portrait today.  I have drawn portraits of children for fathers that are continents apart, beloved dogs in heaven for heartbroken masters, spirit animals,  pet fishys that have seen everything, guitars that have heard it all, and now I draw a pair of loved ones for a sad face. I don't know why I do it, I just do.  I don't know how long it will take, or how it will turn out.  I don't know if it will end up with color in it or if it will stay black and white.  All I know is that it feels right.  I usually have trouble with the eyes, but already they look good so far.

This portrait will undergo lots of changes, sometimes I will erase large portions that make me unhappy and re-draw them.  I use a grid-like method when I draw portraits to keep me from feeling overwhelmed at all the large space. That way I can break it all down to smaller squares.  My art teacher in high school taught me this method of drawing with large spaces and it works quite well for me.  I will update the blog each day with my progress.

I have NEVER shown ANYONE my portraits in progress before, besides my high school art teacher.  Drawings undergo so many changes, good and bad, before the completed masterpiece.  I don't really even show anyone my drawings, period.  So this is new for me too.  Bear with me.

I apologize for the poor quality of my photos, I take most of them at night because my children do not afford me time in the mornings when the light is better.

365 days of drawing ~ day six

This morning I was dreaming of when The Walking Dead on AMC would be back on television, then I glanced up at my Walking Dead zombie figurine and got lost for a few minutes.....I was haltingly brought back to reality by my children demanding strawberry pancakes (darn that Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood).  Didn't they know it's January and NOT strawberry season????  When I kindly explained the strawberry situation to my oldest daughter, she promptly threw a tantrum, which cued the baby to start crying as well.  This was just a hint to what the day had in store for this mama.  All day I wanted to stick a screw driver in my eye....just like my zombie friend here - how fitting.

P.S.  We did have pancakes, blueberry ones using frozen blueberries....the next best thing to strawberries.

365 days of drawing ~ day five

Done in 10 minute increments, sketching and shading very quickly, 20 minutes was about all the time I had for this beauty.  Certainly not one great brewery or one great taste, but certainly cheap.  I managed to eek this drawing out late night, before bed.  My husband holding one of his least favorite beers, good ole' Genesee.....ghastly!!

365 days of drawing ~ day four

Just needed to kick up and relax today.  Not bad for being bumped repeatedly by my little artist, while she worked diligently next to me with her own pencils and paper.  "Drawing feet" she says, "mamas feet."  I've always been fond of feet and hands.  Only spent about 35 minutes on this one, proud that my talent is reappearing quickly.  Getting very hungry for more, sometimes I consider sketching before bedtime.  Already thinking about whose portrait I am going to work on first....I have so many loved ones in heaven..

365 days of drawing ~ day three

If you are a parent, then you know what this is - relief torture, I like to call it.  This handy, dandy, bulb syringe has given our children many a night of peaceful slumber - after screaming, kicking, crying, flailing episodes.  All the children start shaking their heads no when they see us holding it, waving their hands stay away as we chase them down, crying as we near their faces....it should come with a warning: Children will run, conceal device for best results.  And it should read: Two adults required for smooth operation.  One parent holds them down and the other parent operates snot sucking.  Our children have had little colds this past two weeks and this torture is necessary for normal breathing to accomplish naps and full nights sleep. 

365 days of drawing ~ day two

Today was a difficult day with only about an hour to myself.  I only used about 30 minutes to study and draw, I didn't get to finish and my perspective was off on the darker block.  Feels great to be back on a drawing schedule again though.  After thinking about it, I used to draw every day for four years for at least an hour a day, when I was in High School.  But really it was more like two or three hours a day, since I had several art classes in one day.

I happened to see the Hape Twist and Turnables that our youngest just got for Christmas this year.  I was thinking about how my children were clingy and whiny today, when I saw the twist and turnables, I giggled.  As the world turns....

365 days of drawing ~ day one

I have a lot of things to accomplish in 2014, getting back to drawing is one of them.  I am going to draw something each day, even if it's just a partial sketch.  I am sure I will have quite a few unfinished drawings, but better than none at all.  Being able to draw well comes with lots of practice.

Do or do not, there is no try  ~ Yoda

It is the start of a new year.  My youngest turned one yesterday and we are embarking on new frontiers with both girls.  We have a lot of hopes and dreams for 2014.  Family, friends, job hunting, camping, festivals, tie dye, music, drawing, more exercise, are all on the list.  I managed to sneak in a bit of drawing during nap time today.  This little fellow is one of the astronauts that came with The Early Learning Centre lift off rocket.  I thought, what better than to start off our year with the dreams of adventure....