Sunday Sketches and Faces #15 and #16

Since I have been sketching faces, I finally have something with which to join in Sunday Sketches with Blue Chair Diary

These two faces are from a mini-challenge that Ileana gave on her blog - to try to capture Elizabeth Taylor. Here are my two tries (and the photo inspiration).

#15 - pastels

#16 - Paint pens

Photo inspiration

Didn't quite get her - but it was fun to try! I'm looking forward to visiting everyone over the next few days! 

Have a great week.

PPF and Faces #8 to #14

This week I decided to try doing faces in oil pastels. They are an interesting medium to work in. You can blend like paint so that is fun. Not sure that I quite have the hang of it, but there is a lot about them that I like - except the messiness of course!

I am still trying for the 29 Faces in February challenge to explore not only a diversity of media (though all in my "Faces" journal) but also of faces - men, women, children and different ages and races.

#8 - I think my favourite this week though this boy looked even younger in the photo

#9

#10 - Tried to do a "Black and White" (and shades of grey)

#11 - messed up her eyes and mouth - oh well...

#12

#13

#14 - For Valentine's Day - a heart shaped face

There is definitely a resemblance of my faces to all of the photos I used as inspiration, though I have yet to feel I captured a face perfectly. Sometimes though I think it is the imperfections that give these character...     ;)

Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! See you over the weekend.

Paint Party Friday Week 48 and #4 to #7 for 29 Faces in February

I have continued working away at Martha's/Ayala Art's challennge 29 Faces in February. So far so good! I decided to switch from using last week's watercolour crayons to my paint pens (using the newspaper for facial inspiration...) I always find male faces especially challenging so I am trying to do a variety of sexes and ages. (Of course the older ones look younger and the younger older... unsure how to rectify that...)

#4

#5 - He definitely looks younger than the photo...

#6 - She is/was a child so somehow I have aged her...

#6

I have also started painting again in 2013 but am only making slow progress. These are my 4 abstracts/works-in-progress...

Abstract WIPs at the UGLY stage...

For Christmas I hung up the Nutcracker paintings I did last year. After undecorating all of the house but these, I decided I wanted to try to create some abstracts to hang in their place the rest of the year.

I hung the painting using these:

and thought it might be easier to substitute different paintings than pull the hangers off... Has anyone used either strategy?

Anyways - lots of work ahead on those abstracts!

Looking forward to (slowly) visiting you all over the weekend! Happy PPF everyone!

29 Faces for February 2013 - #1, #2 and #3

Back at it! 

I haven't done much creatively lately, so when Martha at Ayala Art restarted her 29 faces in February, it inspired me to (get off my butt and) start sketching again!

These first ones were done using watercolour crayons. Why the coloured faces? I really don't know!

She reminds me of a  undersea siren...

Funny how the scan almost gives him an evangelical aura....

a little jaundiced?

Well, off to a colourful start! Last year I really felt this challenge improved my ability to draw faces. While I have regressed somewhat, I hope it has the same effect this year.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone is up to...

Paint Party Friday - December Art Journal so far...

How can it be Christmas in less than a week? This year has flown by so quickly! I sure haven't painted as much as I would have liked... :(

Oh well - on to a better effort in 2013! I decided late last month to create a journal for December, combining some art with some reflection on the year that is almost complete - painting on one page and journaling on the back sides about the questions asked in Reverb 2012.

I also prepped 6 canvases with great intentions but so far no follow-through... Here are some of the journal paintings that I have done so far... I started off well but have fallen behind after being busy with speaking at a conference and Christmas parties and shopping activities. 

 

Ornaments (I need a better watercolour red...)

5 "Calling" Birds - they called to me to be painted...

A nutcracker, of course!

A broken off poinsetta

Santa

Snowman

Treetop angel

Tree (using ink paint brush)

Branch

I want to wish all of you a very Happy and Healthy Holiday Season! Merry Christmas! (And of course a happy PPF!)

EVA

Paint Party Friday - The Mistress of Our Charms

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN to all my friends at PPF!

My friend Ann often holds an all-girls party near Hallowe'en... with the dress code: Basic Black, Witches Attire optional. She signs the invitation "Mistress of Your Charms". These witches parties are always a fun time, with a yummy pot luck and wonderful conversation. A great get-together. And tonight is the night! 

I started looking at photos from the last party and felt inspired to paint a portrait of Ann for her party. My first painted portrait - yikes! We shall see tonight if she likes it...

 

"Mistress of Our Charms"

And here is the work in progress:

initial sketch and start

Messy table and misshaped hand...

Writing on side... unsure whether it adds or detracts?

The photo I used for a model:

Loraine, me and Ann

I hope you have a wonderful and fun Hallowe'en next week! I look forward to seeing everyone's paintings and will visit as time permits over the weekend. But tonight I must fly! (Where is that dang broomstick when you need it?)

Paint Party Friday Week 31 - Back... With 2nd Last Travelling Sketchbook

I have been MIA for longer than I would ever have guessed would happen, hiding behind the scenes to help get PPF ready for everyone to party, and then disappearing back into everyday activities. I miss creating. Starting up again after this interlude has been harder than I expected. But I have!

Late in August, I received Lisa's sketch pages and box for the Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbook, then promptly left to take my daughter back to university out west. Just before leaving, a window replacement turned into the discovery of a dissolving foundation and significant repairs. (Arrgh!) Thus, I have held on to Lisa's "book" longer than any yet. Plus it was very late arriving and for November which is a very challenging month for me to think of anything to talk about. Dull and dreary is November to me...

Spread #1 - no words

Spread #2 with words...

"So dull and dark are the November days.

The lazy mist high up the evening curled,

And now the morn* quite hides in smoke and haze;

The place we occupy seems all the world."

-   John Clare, "November"

* I changed "morn" to "moon" and hid the moon behind the greyness... I love the Moon!)

Spread #2 before words

Some time ago, Lisa admired my "Girls with Funny Hats" plus she loves Frida and her birthday is in November so I created this Frida-like girl with a birthday cake hat to accompany my thoughts on November. This is my second last sketchbook. All I need to receive is my April to finish and then hopefully my own sketchbook will eventually return to me. It has been a fun project even if it didn't get finished within the allotted schedule.

I also painted this journal page to keep track of this month's activities...

I have missed everyone. The parties look like they have been awesome! I look forward to catching up with all of you over the weekend. Have a great week!