A map drawing

I like to look at maps.  I thought I would draw one of my own.  For this one I used pen, inks, and graphite - undeniable favorites of mine for drawing - and they are great map-making tools :-)

This is the map from today- the "Map of An Unplanned Interaction":

Ink, Copic markers, Sharpie markers, graphite

So many bunnies

When Remy and I go for our early morning or early evening walkies there are bunnies everywhere.  They go still immediately and give us the "whale eye" as we approach. 

It's fun to see just how long they will watch us before they decide we are just a bit too close and they take off.

I am teaching Remy to not chase after them.  He knows it's okay to look but he cannot pursue - and he's doing really well, too.  What a good dog!

I suppose it isn't surprising then that I drew a bunny as a warm-up exercise this morning :-)

Graphite

Absent squirrel

After early morning walkies, Remy and I sit out on the back deck.  I drink my coffee, listen to the beautiful tweeting and twittering of the birds and Remy sniffs and sniffs the air.  His nose definitely works differently from mine because if I were to sniff for as long and as deeply as he does I would pass out :-)

Of late, we are missing out gray squirrel friend, Bud.  He would run along the top rail of the fence and use it as safe passage from one tree to another.  He would perch on a branch and eat pine cone seeds and absolutely litter the grass with the inedible bits.  Bud's flicking tail particularly fascinated Remy.

I found a photograph of a squirrel in a beautifully expressive pose and I thought about Bud.  I've been working in graphite and drew this:

My focus was on tonal range.

I discovered later that the subject of the photo is a popular squirrel named Punky who lives (as of 2012) in a Durham county park in the UK.

I hope we see Bud again.

Source photo used with permission - North News and Pictures Ltd.  If you want to see the original color photo of Punky, here's the link:  Punky

Mixed media textured gesso...on wood :-)

More Year of the Spark class work - this lesson is from Carla.  And I recorded a couple of in-process steps this time.

Phase 1 - sketch on wood and gesso ("texturized"... is that a word?):

The beginning of many layers...

Phase 2 - color

Watercolor

Final - massaged the background with Carla's "rub and buff" technique and added details:

Details in graphite, ink, conte crayon and charcoal.

And Carla always begins each lesson with a warm-up exercise.  This time it was one-liner drawing of the same face:

Inked.

Bird Variation

I have been in the mood to draw, draw, draw... specifically in ink.  I made a variation of the bird in my previous post - only this time I began with little circles and an active line using a Pigma Micron .005 pen.

When the line work was finished I added color with pastel pencils.  Ta-dah, a blue green purple bird:

O my goodness, another bird...

Laying down the graphite

An imaginary dog just for fun:

Woof!

Um-m-m, not sure

Still on the Picasso Dog thing; I had a "traditional" dinosaur elements in mind, however this is what happened:

Something a bit different.

I think it's a Dino-Bird. The tail became a wing and then a beaky thing happened. A bit different, but I think the little critter has an endearing quality to the face. I just kind of have to follow my pencil :-)

Picasso Dog-ing an Elephant

Yes, I am still using Carla's (www.carlasonheim.com) Picasso Dog drawing exercise, especially in the sketchbook I carry with me. I hardly notice the time I have to wait for an appointment or a friend because I become so involved in making these little sketches!
And now, Picasso Elephant:

Picasso Elephant...relaxing :-)

Scribble blob...

from the last day of Blobimals class:

A Bunny-roo :-)

I am not sure what to call this one...

a benny? because I think he has a combination of bear and bunny elements. He started out as a paint daub, too!

Call me "Benny".

If it looks like a duck...

and I think this little critter does :-)
From a paint daub he arrived!

Baby duck paint daub.

Playing around

with Photoshop and my word art. I removed the background from the scan and applied a  violet background layer. Fun results.
Why "SUSPECT"? I usually think of it as an adjective and it's just another word I like :-)

Noodler's Apache Sunset, Pilot Parallel pen, Uni-Ball Signo gel pen, Copic multi liner pen

For a dog, there's no time like the Present :-)

Remy inspired this little sketch. I was in my studio working away - going back and forth between a couple of mixed media pieces; my how time flies!
I heard a big s-i-g-h...Remy was sitting, giving me that look - the one that says, "I need some attention; let's go outside, PLAY, have some fun!...now, please".
How could I not?

Time to take a break!

Black dog

a happy little guy.

This little fur ball makes me smile!

Some days

are just fab-u-lous!

"Huzzah!"

Paint brush drops...

add a little pen and ink work and a dab of charcoal:

Elephant in a waistcoat.

Remembering my girl

I must have been thinking about the first dog my husband and I chose when I sketched this:

We took about three years(!) to decide that it was time for us to add a puppy to make us a trio. Her name was Mistie and she was a West Highland white terrier. Her favorite activity was to run a kickball size plastic ball around the back yard, nestling the ball between her shoulder and the side of her face. I loved that girl.

Quick before he moves

I love doing quick sketches. However, with my Golden, Remy, well, we aren't in-sync some, well no, most days. I begin to draw and within seconds he will move: yes, even when I think he's snoozing. Arrgh. So I was pleased to capture this:

"Good boy, Remy."

Take the leap...

Loosening up with quick little sketches; I like this one for the energy!