Go ask Alice!

Summer is winding down for me and hours spent painting are being replaced with hours of math lesson plans.  I finished the grandson's birthday present. I had some requests to do similar illustrative art...I don't know...I have a career that already keeps me fairly busy...I need projects that feed my soul not my pocket...I would have to be very selective.

I need to find a photographer to photograph my paintings as they are too large for the scanners available in my area.  I don't know why there isn't a large bed scanner at Commercial Press in Cumberland. There is such a burgeoning artist community here...strange.

 

I enjoyed copying the William Etty and think I am beginning to achieve a light enough underpainting technique to glaze over properly.

I have paused to contemplate a palette to glaze this underpainting, an original work entitled "Falling". I want to keep it fairly dark and moody as I was thinking about the veiled sexual awakening in "Alice and Wonderland" when I drew it...a bit disturbing considering how old Alice was when Carroll wrote it.  Notice I made Alice more womanly, perhaps to keep from creeping myself out. Perhaps I should illustrate the whole novel as a gift to my children.  I've read it aloud 20 or more times.

School around the Corner

I spent the morning coating some really nice watercolor paper with studio gesso.  This worked very nicely.  I am running out of canvases.  I also worked up several nude studies in conte in my moleskine notebook and applied new washes to the William Etty copy I am making...my husband says that she is very sexy.
I can't believe how quickly the Summer has gone...two short weeks until I meet my shiny new adolescent WestVirginians.  I have planning and pacing guides to do, but can't seem to get started.  I'm having too much fun making art...ah well...

After Etty

There is an interesting light that emanates from the fleshtones of William Etty.  I have really developed and interest in portrait creation and thought that I would copy the drawings and paintings of William Etty for awhile.  I don't know where this will lead.  I'm currently obsessed with creating a series of portraits of drag kings and queens....hmmm...in the style of Etty.  Could be a real hoot.

Space...finally!

I added more glazes today and verdaccio for the moon's face.  I was told that my imaginary species of fish actually resembles a South American Dorado. If the last week of having an actual space to work is any indication, I am entering a very productive second life.  Possibilities abound.  I had just retread The Tempest when I drew is in my Moleskine art journal several months ago. Perhaps I should do a whole series.

Setting Up My Studio

   My last child has moved into an apartment leaving a very large room empty.  I know he won't be moving back because we actually bought the little house near the campus that he and his older sister are living in.  I am torn between empty nest syndrome and excitement at a new chapter of independence and exploration.
     I have spent the last week turning the room into an art studio.  My husband built me a 3' by 4' desk with an adjustable top and lots of storage underneath. I have room for my oils, pens and inks, brushes, canvases, gesso, etc.  I can see everything and have access like I never have had before.
     Interestingly enough, I thought that I would journal just until I had room for an actual studio. And now wonder if there is art on a larger scale inside me.  Does anyone else ever wonder why we even make art.  What is the compulsion?
    I wish I had a moleskine sketchbook that was poster size.

Summer Break

First layer of Glaze...patience is a virtue.
Windsor and Newton Phthalo Blue glaze over an underpainting of sealed sepia ink and prismacolor watercolor pencils.

Some very old community theatre posters

I spent most of the morning working up a poster for a local community theatre. I didn't have any illustration board and had to work in pen and ink on a rougher surfaced sketch paper.  The surface wasn't quite slick enough, but there appeared to be no bleeding.

Trying to find the time to draw....

I just finished playing for a production of Tarzan and now I am practicing the score for the Fantasticks.  A 55 hour workweek and piano jobs at church and in the community sometimes make it difficult to focus on my art...gets me down. Add to that spring asthma and allergy flares and you have the perfect recipe for a self pity party...stop crying you big baby.

SpringBreak

As the year winds down, I find myself trying to plan projects for Summer.  There is a likelihood that I will have a large room for a studio.  I envision a drafting table, a desk, storage shelves, space for computer and scanner, and easel. It will be amazing to move beyond the tiny pages of my sketchbooks into larger scale works again.

Last day of Spring break

I spent the day storyboarding a poem that I had published in Backbone Mountain Review and adding a few drawings to the ongoing Rosamund saga.  4 mile walk cleared my head.

Small watercolor sketch on gesso

Watercolor Pencil over Gesso

Coated a page of my moleskine sketchbook with Gesso to prepare for a watercolor sketch. It was interesting working on bright white after only working on eggshell for 6 months.  The gesso made the watercolors seem less translucent. I think I'll go back to just using my moleskine watercolor notebook.
The Derwent watercolor pencils that I got for Christmas seem to be much more saturated then the more expensive prismacolor set I already had.

Art is more about making time than having time...

Sunday Morning coming Down

Spent the evening drawing in my moleskine with sepia prismacolor art pens.  Was so inspired by the young people that competed yesterday in the Poetry out loud contest...Bravo! I might actually develop this sketch into something larger.

Winter Dreams