Eyes are the windows of the soul

 Now practising drawing eyes.  Using either graphite or pen.  I know, keep practising!  I’m quite pleased with my progress so far, but I’m a very impatient person and need to see results quickly.  I must learn to slow down and draw mindfully.

I invested in the Bargue book to help me with my practice.  So far so good.  I intend to practice daily this week and then maybe move on to other features.

When I draw or paint a portrait I adore adding the eyes, they really bring the drawing to life!

I always feel that to get a good likeness you really have to get the eyes right especially.

Any thoughts or advice is gratefully received.

Best wishes

Shari 💕

Drawing Course

 I have started a new online course which I’m hoping will kickstart my creative mojo again!

For too long I have neglected my drawing and I felt it was time to rectify this.  I have only just begun the course, but here is an example of what I’m doing.  It’s very intense, so I have t have lots of breaks, but I’m really enjoying it so far.

Still a long way to go as you can see, but slow and steady wins the race!  I’m just glad to be back drawing.

If you get stuck creatively what do you do to get out of the slump and regain your mojo?  I would love to know.

For me, starting a new course really helps and I’m hoping it will this time too.

Best wishes

Shari 💕

And Another One!

 

Marker pens in moleskine sketchbook

Working with marker pens has been interesting but I’m still not achieving the result I was hoping for.  I may try going back to watercolour - pen & wash.  The strength of the marker pens can be overwhelming and I’m not too keen on the bleed through either.  Although it has been fun sometimes to use the bleed through to create another picture.

I do enjoy using the fine liner for the sketch and I’m warming to the subject matter, but the colouring is not quite there.

Good to be back!

 

Marker pens

Hello everyone, sorry I’ve been away too long.  For personal reasons I was unable to indulge in my painting for quite some time.  But now I’m back and experimenting with quick sketches.

I decided that I would face my fears as in try sketching buildings.  I like quirky and the wonkier the better.  Some have been quite successful and some not so, but it’s all been a learning curve.

I know what I want to achieve, but I’m not quite there yet.

Here are a few… the good, the bad and the ugly.  You choose which is which! lol 😂 

Pen and wash

Pen and ink

Ink

Marker pens

All completed in less than 60 minutes.  There are some bits I like, some I really dislike, but above all I have really enjoyed getting the sketchbook out again!

Teddies, teddies everywhere!

Just introducing a few of my teddies.  I love sketching them and often write their little stories too.  The grandkids love this.

First is Beryl, she loves to shop and was quite put out when the pandemic hit and our world was turned upside down.  She armed herself with a face mask and hand sanitiser and headed for the shops, even when the only shops open were the supermarkets! 

Boris is not actually a Teddy, but is in fact a bulldog.  However he gets along tremendously with all the teddies and just loves to compete with Trevor all the time.

Trevor, the Traveller.  Trevor adores travelling and has made his was to various parts of the United Kingdom, Paris and Italy.  His trip of a lifetime was to be to Peru and the Amazon.  However this was curtailed at the eleventh hour when Covid struck and Peru closed it’s borders.  This happened on the evening before Trevor was due to fly out.  He was, as you can imagine, devastated.  Boris didn’t help by sniggering about it at every opportunity, calling it Trevor’s trip that never was!

Garth, always on hand for a cuddle or a kind word.

Jacques Bernard comes from Paris and is quite homesick.  However he has now met a delightful young Teddy named Isabella, who is in fact a fellow Parisienne (or so he believes!).

And this is The Quirky Bird who needs no further introduction! 

 

Too long

Yes it’s been far too long since I posted on this blog.  Life kind of got in the way but I never stopped sketching and painting, albeit not as often as I would have liked.  However, I am hoping that this will all change in the New Year 2020.  I have cut down on the day job (reducing to just one day a week). So I shall have much more time to devote to my artwork.  To push things off I have given you a few of my daily sketches here.

Rain

Waiting in the rain

Oils on deep canvas

Made a start on this, lots to rectify.

Moonlit tides

Oils on canvas

Took longer than 60 mins but it's so very good to get back into painting again just had to share. 😘

Sleepy head

Teddi relaxing... quick sketch in graphite

Journal

Capturing the light

Misty morning light and the wildlife abounds... Time to capture the shot when the light is at its most beautiful.

The Power is Yours

The story is your own and therefore you can edit and change it whenever you choose.  

Journaling

Really enjoying adding to my art journal.  Just got to figure out how to get the pictures from my tablet to here lol.

The Teapot

Quick sketch during lunch at a small cafe near where I work, called The Teapot.  They kindly topped up my teapot as I sketched.  They serve lovely food, are always friendly and in the summer their freshly squeezed orange juice is fabulous!

When times are tough and the stresses of the day overcome, it is time to boil the kettle for a nice cup of tea. That wonderful British tradition of making a cuppa to lift the spirits is always so welcome and you know, it really works!

Lunch on Monday

First day back at work after recovery from my recent operation and I decided to treat myself to lunch at Costas.  Also took along my art journal for a quick sketch... It was lovely making art again, I have missed it so much.

Rainy Night

Oils on Canvas (12" x 24")

A while ago I did a small painting of The Walks which is a park near where I used to live and now I have used the scene together with my recent fascination for rainy scenes.  I am pleased with how this one progressed.

I like to transform what could easily be a bleak scene and using colour lift it to a new level.  To me it represents seeing the positive in difficult times. There is always colour and joy all around us, we just need to learn to see it.

Walking in the Rain

Oils on Canvas (12" x 24")

Being British means that I am well used to rain and I find I am fascinated by the reflections on wet roads.  I really enjoyed painting this one and I like the format of the canvas too. 

Pearl Earring

Oils on Board 18" x 12"

After Vermeer.

One of my favourites so of course I had to paint it.  As usual I have not quite finished, but I'm pleased with how its going. I never thought I would be able to paint it and I always put it off until now. 

This is my first attempt at Girl with the Pearl Earring and it was very hard painting in layers because I am not a patient person and usually paint alla prima.  Quite a learning curve!

I would like to improve the skin tones, but hey, I'm just getting started and still so much to learn!

Iris

Oils on canvas board 12" x 10" (Unfinished)

Still a way to go with this, but it was fun trying - another great weekend!  This is becoming a bit of a habit :) but a good one I'm pleased to say.

I wish I could devote more time to painting, it's so very enjoyable and I would really love to improve.  Improvement comes only with diligent practice and a grim determination to continue the journey no matter what the obstacles.

Orchids

Oils on Canvas board 16" x 12"

Sorry about the glare on this one, I will try to get a better photo soon.  Orchids are so elegant and beautiful they called to me to paint them.  I just wish I could do them justice, but "never give up" is my motto and therefore I will be attempting another painting soon.

I may even go back to work on this one too.  It was not easy, but then nothing good ever is.  I will stand it where I can see it and let my mind work out what needs to be done.

Time spent thinking and dreaming is never time wasted.