Drawing Love

I love to draw.

Learning to draw 

is really about learning to see.

Below is some Toby practice.

I got bored of looking at him and switched to this other face.

I think I like to draw females

more than males.

The drawing below I did along side

my suzi blu video class:

Mixed Media Portraits. 

Suzi covers Angel faces, The Goddess and The Poet, and

Tudor type faces. 

This is the second drawing 

I've done which is purely 

from my head. 

Meaning I wasn't staring at 

a photo trying to recreate it.

I was working along with suzi

but my drawing does not really look like hers except for around the lips.

It's so exciting to learn a 

new technique. I really

super sucked

at drawing in the beginning.

But Misty Mawn told me to

practice, practice, practice. 

So I do. 

And I love it, which is the

most important thing. 

I think that this drawing looks

like my bosses daughter:

I didn't do that 

on purpose. 

I guess all little kids

share similiar features tho.

I just happen to think this

little girl is extraordinary.

Here is my Tudor face attempt.

It's the evil 3/4 face attempt.

Warning: this sucks.

 Told you.

But that's OK.

It sucks less than

last months attempt. 

teehee.

So you want to try a new pencil?

OMG.

Derwent Inktense Pencils.

They make practice

that much more fun.

You will need a coupon.

They are pricey.

But your art is worth it.

Enjoy!

And it's true.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Unless you don't need to.

Then I hate you.

teehee. 

xoS

Effys Book of Days-Mosaic Spread

The cover of my Art Journal
is still almost blank.
I'm really surprised 

that the muse has not shown up

yet to tell me whats what.
She is a fickle one...
All in good time...

The next spread in 

Effy's Book of Days

Art Journal project is 

Mosaics!

At the start of this journal,

I spent a lot of time 

gessoing out artwork

I didn't think I would 

use as collage elements.

 I covered most of the

images in white gesso

but used transparent gesso 

for the images I was 

pretty sure I was gonna keep.

Below you can see

the next pages in the calendar.

Ironically, we've got a 

mosiac theme going!!

Coincidence? 

I think not.

This proves this calendar 

is meant to be the vehicle

for the project.

So I was going through the book

gessoing in advance

of the assignment and prompts.

When I saw this page I thought

ohhhhh, what a perfect

page for my 

1970's porn star inchies!!

Pic below.

Handy tip:

I got 2 boxes of this deli paper

for $20 bucks two years ago.

And I just opened the second box! 

I highly recommend leaving 

the paper in between your pages.

Even if you think they are dry.

They will still stick together.

Prevention is better than

um, fixing it???

   Below you can see 

I've added some drips

and some acrylic paint I've run

a texture rake through.

The green is my fav

green of all time

Goldens Green Gold.

By the time I lay down the color

I've seen Effy's video.

She journals about 

feelings of rejection

and about not taking 

it personally.

How people come and go 

in our lives and the 

importance of learning

to let them come and go

graciously, with love.

Oh, I'm not supposed 

to grab his leg

and let him drag me across

the room as he's leaving?

 stupid flashbacks.

teehee.

I only did that in my mind.

Thank God I'm on the path

to enlightenment

and I don't own 

a hand gun.

Back to Art.....

 I was so lucky

to attend 

Misty Mawns

two day Portrait workshop

at Art and Soul retreat

in Virginia.

I had never drawn a face let alone

a portrait before,

but A and S

is a growing experience for me.

Hell, driving 7 hours in one day

alone is a lot of growth for me..

And pushing myself to grow

artistically in such 

a safe and positive

atmosphere is heaven on earth.

It is unfortunate that the retreats

are no longer in my budget.

Even dogs know that I can't

afford it, thats how

obvious it is that 

I can't afford it.

Feel me?

I knew that you could.

ok back on track....

I was so lucky that besides

sharing musical tastes

and getting the thrill of 

turning Misty onto 

The Wood Brothers,

she is an extremely 

generous and patient teacher.

And oh so freakin talented.

As I was pondering on what to journal,

I remembered this piece I did.

I love the poetry

of R.D. Laing,

so I incorporated his words into 

my self portrait at the retreat.

I am frightened

not frightened

Powerful words, no?

I printed a copy of the original

and journaled on the back.

I wrote about my fear of death.

My fear of aging, getting sick,

and dying.

Of losing my "beauty". 

Of becoming invisible.

Of walking next to my teenage

daughter in the mall and

the 50 year old guy

looks at her and not me.

Again, I am grateful I do not have 

a hand gun.

teehee.

So I purged it all out,

and cut the print into strips,

then 1 inch blocks to cover

the exsisting inches

in the spread.

 

 

I said good by to all that 

 bad habit energy, and

  glued the blocks down with

Goldens Heavy gel medium.

On the facing page

I glued down a flower 

I've used billions of times

as a mask and stencil

ala Traci Bautista.

This one is actually

the one I used in her class.

Altho stamped with Fear,

its a symbol of the growth

I experienced at Art and Soul,

and the growth I am experiencing

on my path to Buddhism.

I put a little pic of the 

original photo used to 

represent wholeness.

and because I look hot.

teehee.

I did some journalling on the page,

and left room to add thoughts

about experiences that occur

that frighten me.

So that's the whole shebang so far.

I have a feeling that I will not feel 

the "decoration" for the cover 

of this journal until it is complete.

But thats ok.

Effy taught me that! 

My next spread will be for a 

week of days, 

and then Mondays spread!

Which is about

Excepting Where You Are 

In Your Artistic Journey!!

Amen, I'll take Acceptance

for 500 Alex!

Until next time!

xoS

Online Portrait and Paper Class

I have shared and shown
on this blog
that 

I have no natural drawing talent. 
I bravely

showed my work from Misty Mawn's class. 
It was plebeian but meant well. teehee. 
Several of you left very supportive comments and I still thank you for that. 
In an attempt to create some drawing skills where next to none exist, 
I signed up for an on line class called Portraits and Paper given by GrittyJane.

I discovered GrittyJane on fb, thru Keli Hanson's Talc page.
Keli I met years ago at Art and Soul in Virginia. 
I kept up with Keli's blog and now fb!! 
BTW friend me on fb!!
I won't bother you, I just love to see pics of works in progress, or hear tell of artful happenings. 

I digress, yet again....

Charcoal drawings: 

I learned so much from this first class, featuring 'front lighting'. Besides Misty's portrait workshop, Gritty Jane's is my first drawing class. I am up to lesson 2, but have done each lesson many times. Even tho my drawings were awful in Misty's class, I will never forget her encouragement and her advice to practice, practice, practice. So that is what I'm doing! 
My second attempt at front lighting, we are drawing from our heads not pictures, I tried to make this drawing look male:

My eyes are pretty terrible but I am working on it! Learning the rules of proportion has been invaluable. I had no idea!
Here are more lighting excercises:

I know, she's got crazy eyes.....

and more front lighting practice:

So there you have it, that's what I've been up to. 
What's in your sketchbook?
xoS

For the Love Of Layers

Heello Dare.....working on Layer Love Lesson 4 with Julie Prichard. I am having a good ole time. Learning so much. Pretty soon I'm gonna have to stop saying I'm self taught, thanks to Julie, and Misty and Albie and Claudine and Fred and Leighanna and Anne and Dan and many more that I just can't remember due to menopause. teehee.
So here is my palette:

And here is where I deviated from instruction. Before adding the crackle paste, I thought it would be cool to have some sparkle and black flakes showing thru here and there.

Here it is wet.

Here it is dry.

Crackle paste.

Adding Paint.

Yummy crackle detail #1. "Vanity" crackle shot if you will. I couldn't resist, cuz I'm lovin it!!

Another Vanity crackle shot.

And WaLa, the finished background. I ended up flipping it upside down. For details join us over at The Land of Lost Luggage and get your Layer Learn On!!

I think there is just enuf sparkle, don't you?? xoSusan

PS oh crap now that I'm looking at it, do you think I need to get rid of that thick black line in the lower corner??? I like that it's darker and I don't want to loose definition but it does look like a line doesn't it?? comments?? hand holding?? talking me off the ledge???

Art And Soul With Misty Mawn

----- Original Message -----
From: Kathy To: suzsager
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 7:01 PM
Subject: How do you feel about Tom Petty......

.....'cause..... I need to know, I need to know, need to know, need to know......everything!

I'm home. An exhausting, great, fun, frustrating, fulfilling, fabulous trip. And now I Need To Know!

First, how are you feeling?

And then tell me about Misty, the group, the event, the art, your learning, and all the juicy stuff. 'Cause, y'know, I need to know!

K

From: suzsager
To: Kathy
Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2010 10:15 PM
Subject: Re: How do you feel about Tom Petty......


you are too funny!! can you believe I am not caught up yet? I got in late Monday, had tuesday off to do laundry and get the house and kid and cats back in shape, worked wed and thurs 9-730, had friday off finally. Friday I spent 8 hours cleaning and organizing my studio!! sat I worked and went to grocery store. Today I spent 8 hours cleaning downstairs. I'm talking swiffering the walls of cobwebs, vacuming, just getting down into the dirt, none of this surface shit. I have just picked up sam, and can have a beer and a shot which I am doing as we speak!! My trip made me realize I need to get SERIOUS and practice my ART. I have to stop living like a slob, take care of me first. Misty was a GREAT teacher, it was worth the price of admission just to see her paint. So, I was really inspired and amazed seeing what she can do, and what I realized I have the potential to do. (someday, after LOTS of practice) I have lots of pics to share with you, I just have to email them to myself from my iphone. I also got you a few little things from vendor night to send, when I get to the post office.
The drive down was brutal. Boring 7 hours. Fri night I got room service and a hot shower and went to bed! Sat am I had breakfast, alone, the week started on Thurs so groups had already been formed! it was ok.
Misty had us do that around the room bullshit, which I hate, I don't care where anyone is from and what they want to get out of the class. Teachers do, so I guess that is why that is a necessary evil!! I said I was completely new to painting a likeness. The class broke down into demonstrations, that blew my mind, watching her paint left me in awe, and then time to create while she walked around the room offered kind advice and answered questions. She played really cool music, we exchanged musicians we liked, I played some stuff for her off my itunes and we are very simpatico music wise. That was really cool.
We started with something called vine charcoal, which I had never heard of. She said it was "very forgiving" and it is. Very easy to shade and smudge and erase with. My first attempt was laughable. My second was much better. She showed us how to draw a head shape, seperate it into quadrants where the eyes, nose and mouth go. She demo'd doing a nose and ear, which was amazing. I am pretty pleased with my nose at the end of 2 days. I am lucky tho, cuz my nose looks a lot like the one she was demoing!!! It's funny how I had no idea that there are "rules" to drawing, and if you follow them, your results arent' bad at all. Even if you have no "natural" talent. After the charcoal excerciszes we used our black Stabilo pencil. After we drew and shaded a copy of our portrait, we used titanium white paint to "smudge" the pencil and create shadows. After that we went over the painting again with the pencils to highlight areas, especially eyes and noses. She taught us to shade under the nose, lip and chin to make them pop out and she was freakin right! also the top lip is always darker than the bottom lip cuz the bottom lip sticks out and catches the light.
Our next excercize was using the Stabilo pencil and Caran D"Ache crayons. After drawing with both, you add Tite White paint again. My trouble was blending. I will have to work on both drawing and blending. And shading, the list goes on and on!! I am pretty happy with the one I did. I will post pics on my blog real soon. I have been so busy, cleaning and organizing thanks to the inspiration, or kick in the pants, or paints teehee, I got from my trip, I haven't even blogged!
Next she demo'd gel transfers and painting over top a photo of yourself glued down onto paper. My gel transfer sucked but I was able to work with it, it wasn't perfect, but it was cool. And I am really glad I brought 2 of every image of myself, cuz once I glued it down and started painting over it, I would have had NO IDEA where to shade and draw if I didn't have the second image to look at.
Saturday night I went to the managers reception for the free drinks! I was in line with Judy from Va, who is a working fulltime artist, and started chatting. She wasn't meeting anyone so we shared a table until Vendor night opened at 7. oh I forgot to say that Fri night when I checked in at the A and S office, I spent $50 bucks at the store. Those smart bastards, teehee, had a HUGE store right in the office! I got some Lotaria cards, (sending you some don't fret) and brass stencils, a change purse, some old typewriter letters and yellow paint.
So back to Sat night. Judy was "southern" and very charming. We went over to vendor night, and split up as we were shopping. I saw some other women in my class going up and down the aisles and Judy and I passed by each other asking what treasures the other found, so it wasn't lonely at all. Just kind of quiet which is ok too. I did not buy much, I bought paste papers from Albie (some for you) and a couple metal junky peices that were cool. I also bought a bunch of collage sheets from Gail Russakov. I love her work. I am going to scan them for me to study and send them to you. I bought them to use as a "composition tool" and for ideas. I am DONE with using other peoples art in my art . Done finished caput. Even if I alter it till it's unrecongnizable I know it's there. I have started using scanned pieced of my work as "collage sheets'. Gails work is very innovative, I like the way she puts things together, and I can learn from her, therefore, I bought her sheets. I bought NO rubber stamps which is very unlike me, but again, I am getting away from using someone elses Art in mine. Thomas Mann had a bunch of his jewelry I love and covet. But, since I only allowed myself ONE rum and coke I did not buy any!! Except for the room I did not use my charge card at all, which I am very proud of. I could not possibly decide what necklace, earrings or bracelet to buy because each piece was wonderful. I also know that he has a web site and I can buy his stuff any time. He has a most excellent necklace I want very Badly. BADLY!!! It has several hammered circles and it says
Time passes
Love Waits
Time Passes
Love stays
How freakin awesome is that? of course I cracked him up when I asked 'where is the necklace that says, time passes, love picks someone 12 years younger than you???
So, on the way out, I got another Rum and coke for the room and ate a hoagie I brought from NJ. Crashed!
Breakfast on Sunday morning I walked up to a table of 2 women and said "do you mind if I sit with you? I just don't want to sit alone. I promise I won't talk!" so that cracked them up and we had a nice breakfast together.
Our first thing in Sunday's class was a demo on how to paint the box using stencils. Then Misty showed us taking an image from a magazine going over it with markers or crayons, adding Tite White paint and turning the image into a "painting". Very freakin cool. I did not get to that, not enough time. I painted my box, and people hogged the good stencils, teehee, but I used what was there and was happy with it. She showed us about using gel medium thru a stencil as a resist, so that is what I did. Once it dried I drybrushed turqoise, green gold and then copper paint on top. Nice texture and color. We also painted the backgrounds of our portraits, she had us make a collage self portrait, without using an actual image of ourselves, and she demo'ed several large collages. Really wonderful to see her create. Then she showed us how to make a cover for our book, right??? I never got that far, not many people did, if any. I ended up with 4 pages and a painted box!

I highly recommend any class with Misty. she is majorly talented and very generous with her skills. she was very positive and encouraging. she told me if I practice I will get better and better. This encouragement coming from her has made my horizon shift. I'm changing, my art is changing.
Sunday night, I painted and made a collage I was fired up!! got room service, brought a drink to my room from the managers reception, no desire to socialize just wanted to paint.
Oh, lunch on Sunday was awesome!! I had lunch with one of my favorite Artists, Albie Smith. It was me, Albie, Albie's daughter, Christine Hendry (also a very talented artist) and Albie's friend Ann (also an Artist). We talked about divorce, I don't know how that got started, but I LOVE albie, took two classes from her in 2008, and she remembered me! She asked how my sister's book turned out when I saw her vendor night. I had taken 2 paste paper/book making classes from her 2008, and bought a kit on vendor night 2008 to make one for my sister Linda's wedding present. If you go way back in my blog you can see the books I made in Albies class and the book I made for Linda.
All in all, I had a wonderful time. Next year I am definitely going again. But I will stay for more classes. I already have enough American Express points for one night. It was crazy to drive 7 hours for one 2 day class. I was amped to do more. I won't take day and evening classes, that burned me out big time in 08, but I will take at least 4 days of classes, 5, if I can afford it. I love the Embassy Suites, the rooms are gorgeous, I'd love to retire there!!! The quality of A and S as an event, the convention center and the hotel just can't be beat. I love this event. I also love how I am inspired, learning new techniques and the cool way that spills over into my "non art " life, with getting organized, having new goals and just feeling good that I had a growth experience. I would REALLY love to do Teesha Moore's Art Journalfest. It's in Washington state, tho, and I don't see that happening financially. I think I would adore it if Sam could go with me. She is a wonderful artist. She can draw like crazy.
Good grief I have to pee BAD! I think I told you everything, but I may send a PS from work tomorrow. Yes, I have to work. sigh.

xoS
Goin over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Damn bathrooms closed for construction.

Tote filled with these goodies when checking in to the Art and Soul office.
Big purchase upon checking in!!
Misty's class packet.
Misty's Art below:

The best nose in the world. Misty's of course.

My first laughable attempt, I could not show it, but we all start somewhere, right? :

still laughing.....
ok a little better, love the quadrants....
eyes too close to nose, but I think I've met this girl....

me....work in progress......

Misty's Art below. Demo of stabilo pencil/tite white paint:
Mine below, it looks less like me now, I made the chin too pointy.....
With painted background:
Highlighted with pencil and scanned:

Misty's art below. Her demo of stabilo/paint. I learned flesh tones are a bitch.
Mine below. Eyes are an issue....Misty talked me thru fixing that right one....

With Stabilo and paint
Pencil details and scanned once home:

Self portrait without self image:
Tweeked that night in my room....if you want to know what this means just ask....

Misty's workspace:
Misty's box, magazine pic with pencils and paint:

Inside of my box:

Lid with gel resist thru stencils, painted:

Poem by RD Laing, love love love him:

Misty's sample of pencil and paint over top of an image:

Another sample of Misty's, same technique:

Pic I used for this technique:

My attempt, yes my face looks dirty I need help blending, paint over top photo:

Misty's sample of a collage:

Misty's Art using Caran D'Ache and titanium white paint:

Vendor night goodies:

Gel transfer, came out partial but cool, Caran D' Ache, paint:

Poetry by RD Laing. His work says EVERYTHING to me.

Painted the backsides in my room.

Fooled with a collage in my room. Kind of Lynne Perrella style. Purell transfer over a page of, what else? , but Wuthering Heights, teehee. My scanned artwork as collage elements, crayons, paint. Unfinished:

Misty Mawn:
Look how freakin fast that hand is going!!!

Misty Mawn: Talented Artist, Wonderful Teacher, Encouraging Inspiration, Generous Spirit, Musical Muse, and this I found out in 48 hours.....

Came home and cleaned, organized, can't practice if there is no uncluttered surface available:

Look at all that organized paint:

Practice begins NOW....... xoS