Thursday, February 01, 2024
"Sketch of Marilee"
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Sketch of Janie - original oil pastel portrait drawing
This loose drawing is one I copied from a more serious piece that I did in a life drawing group. I was getting ready to send the first one to File 13, but gave it another life here. I allowed myself maybe 10 minutes and went crazy. Done on sanded pastel paper with mostly Sennelier and some Caran d'Ache and CrayPas Specialist oil pastels, it's about 7 x 10". I never stop loving my oil pastels - more artists should try them - whether drawing or painting, they're up for anything! Thanks for stopping by!
Sunday, April 30, 2023
"Maiko #5 "- original oil pastel portrait
Monday, April 17, 2023
"Zara in a Peasant Blouse" - original oil pastel figurative
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
"Loree" - original graphite portrait drawing of a woman
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Saturday, June 04, 2022
Portrait of Laura - original charcoal portrait
Monday, May 30, 2022
Clara's Hat - original oil pastel portrait
Wednesday, March 02, 2022
Silva's Attitude - original oil pastel portrait drawing
this on a Canson 6 x 8" mix media pad, which I love to carry around with me. Fits in my purse - even a couple of my crossbody ones - and I can pull it out and draw anyplace, even with some water-soluble pencils, because it's pretty heavy paper. Thanks for looking!
Thursday, January 20, 2022
Tangled - original oil pastel portrait
Thursday, January 13, 2022
The Model Napping - original oil pastel portrait drawing
Such a relaxing pose for the model - she couldn't help nodding off - especially since there had been a couple of hard poses before this one. This drawing helps me to blend my love of line with a painted part of the piece - there's always a dilemma regarding exactly how much to describe with paint vs. line drawing and I could have crossed the line (pun) πwith painting more of the hair. If I'd done any more, I might have needed to go ahead and paint the whole piece. Just one of those things you never know until you've actually done it - so I stopped - maybe 'quitting while I'm ahead'? I don't know, just did. This one is on Canson pastel paper on the rough side, which I didn't realize - just had that urge to grab the paper and get started. Actually, though, it's done with Caran d'Ache Neocolor 1- which I love - and then a bit of "touching" with Caran d'Ache oil pastel. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
The Model in a Flowered Dress
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Coral Kimono - original oil pastel portrait of a maiko
I (obviously) love painting maiko (apprentice geisha) and geisha. Their culture and training fascinates me and I hope they don't fade away. This painting is on Strathmore recycled paper bonded to museum board. When I have the chance to draw a model in geisha costume, I make as many sketches as I can in the time allowed. Thanks so much for looking!
Monday, October 18, 2021
Katie Looking Down - original charcoal and compressed pastel stick portrait drawing
Thursday, August 05, 2021
A Maiko in Pink and Green - original oil pastel portrait
My all time favorite combination - pink and green - Yum! IMHO you can't have one without the other. I'm continuing my obsession with maikos and geishas and their costumes - all of which have meaning rooted deep in their history. I really hate seeing the geisha numbers dwindle, but of course, Japanese women have many more options now, which is a very good thing.
This 5 x 7" piece is done on the ever wonderful Pastelbord (made right here in Texas) and painted using nearly all Sennelier oil pastels, with a few Caran d'Ache Neopastels and CrayPas Specialists. My oil pastels aren't sharpened because I fear killing my art with overworking, but I'm kind of rethinking that approach because maybe a little sharpening would make life easier. For now though, I use some Eye-Tees, those make-up things that resemble Q-tips, but have a very sharp point on one end for doing a little smoothing so they aren't too raw. Perhaps a combination of sharpening and smoothing will be my new technique.
For exciting paintings that have lots of texture check out Victor Wang. I love his work!
Thanks for stopping by - have a great day and happy art-making for all you artists out there!