chap with his cap

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat
Check out my online Gallery - https://bit.ly/2CKAgEf

Well, it was hat day at our weekly Don Valley Art Club Portrait Session today. By a fluke really, many of us artists who sit for each other for 25 minute poses, ended up with a hat on. : )

pigtail buns

$100 - 8x10" original watercolour painting

I love this hairstyle. Pigtail Buns! So cute.

I posted a sketch study of this same model a few posts ago. 

take a long lunch

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

I'm thrilled to be back at it with my cafe moments. I drew this on site during my lunch break. It's almost like 'train of thought' writing, where you just write without editing yourself. I draw as quick as I can, (before the customers get up and leave!), without overthinking it. Just let the line go go go! 

The works become like diary entries.

Here's another pic - 

I drew with the Jumbo 9000 Faber-Castell 6B pencil, my new fave. 

pensive in pink

11x14" original watercolour

Today's model has a very intense pink sweater on. So, I used good 'ole "opera pink", which is a wonderfully hot pink. I added the same colour in the background, her hair and in her cheeks to balance everything. She was so still and pensive! Wonderful model. 

Pencil Portraits

I looooove to draw so, even when there isn't time to paint, I always find time to draw. These are 6B pencil studies from my sketchbooks. I use the Faber-Castell 9000 Jumbo pencils because they are so nice to hold, and kinda 'chunky' with some weight to them. ; )

Here's a pic -

Art Show and Artists at Work!

This Wednesday May 2 is the opening for the Don Valley Art Club Art Sale at Todmorden Mills - 67 Pottery Road, Toronto! I'll be there from 7-9pm. 

Also (!) on Sunday May 6 from 2-5pm, a bunch of us will be at the gallery painting portraits. We plan to sit for each other for 25 minutes. So you can come out and see the art AND the artists at work. Everyone Welcome! Free!

Ginger

SOLD

I painted this little 5x7" watercolour commission for a new client. What a honey their dog is!! I love that her little front paw is off the ground as she runs towards her owner. : )

subtle beauty

$80 - 8x10"original watercolour painting

Tuesday night's model at life drawing was so lovely. I hope I captured her subtle beauty. 

Also... I will be at the Don Valley Art Club Show opening night at Todmorden (Toronto) this Wednesday May 2 from 7-9pm. Come by and say Hi. 

Here's the info...

in thought

$100 - 8x10"original watercolour painting.

One of my favourite models, I love her classic thoughtful look.

I made a quick slide show of the painting process for this portrait, which you can see on my Instagram page!

little field friend

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat. 

Despite the freezing rain here in Toronto, this little field friend is enjoying his warm backyard.  

This is the first time I've drawn and painted a mouse. I couldn't resist painting his super cute little pink nose. I welcome any excuse to use hot pink since, besides flowers, I don't get to dip into it much. : )

a new path

$60 - 8x10"original watercolour painting.

I was inspired to paint this after a wonderful demo by the talented artist Art Cunanan at Banbury Club. It's on cold-pressed paper which offers up the potential for lovely washes. It's great. I've been using hot-pressed paper for it's wonderful paint vibrancy however, it doesn't give a nice wash like cold-pressed. Hence, a new path! 

spring circle

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

These friends are enjoying early spring! 

I chose white flowers because I was in the mood for a dark background. And I added a few cherries to keep them company. 

; )

towards the sun

 

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat.

I think I'm starting to like yellow... : )

It's a difficult colour in watercolour and it doesn't have the value range of other colours, but it certainly suits the arrival of spring. 

spring over to the purple side

$60 - 5x7" Original Watercolour Painting with 8x10"mat, ready to frame!

These are the same flowers as yesterday only from a different angle. : ) 

The awesome Lisa Daria, whose dailypainting workshop I hope to take in August, talks about the importance of daily painting and just 'showing up for the job' of being a painter. Not an easy task... For some reason, with the arrival of spring, I've been even more inspired by her working method than I already was! 

with a spring in your step

$60 - original 5x7"watercolour painting with 8x10"mat.

Well, spring is here and what says it better than flowers! The shinning sun has inspired me to paint, paint, paint! Determined to return to a busier painting schedule, I reread Lisa Daria's philosophy of daily painting, set up this still life, and got to work.

Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!

click on arrow for a 7 second slideshow ; )

As you can see, I've been sketching and painting dogs lately.

The slideshow was fun to put together, with help of the free slideshow app, although it's a bit tricky to line the photos up nicely, let alone remembering to take them along the way! It's not a great video, so I may upgrade to a better slideshow app...!

The four drawings were done in my sketchbook with 6B pencil.

Happy Year of the Dog!!

old soul and slide show!

click on arrow for 10 second slideshow. : )

SOLD

$120 - 11x14" Original Watercolour Painting

I just discovered this awesome app called Slide Show, which creates exactly that. So, while painting this beautiful German Shepherd, I took photos of my progress. I just kinda eyeballed it as far as making my photos all the same size.

It's a super easy app to use, it allows you to save the slide show in iPhotos, and then simply upload it to Instagram, Blogs and Facebook. : )

sketching 100 people challenge continued

Well, not quite 100. And not quite a week, as the challenge was a 'work week' and ended today. 

thinking about design and line...

portraits of a dude

across the cafe and wearing plaid

The above sketches were drawn with Prismacolour Colour Pencils, mostly with Black Grape, which is an awesome colour. Very smooth pencil, especially on newsprint. And below, 6B pencil (my favourite). 

dog treats

making interesting shapes

These photos were taken with my iPadPro where they look great. It turns out, they don't look so good here... Hmm.

You can see even more of my sketches of people on my Instagram page! Check it out.

OneWeek100People2018 Challenge

 I had a few moments at my last life drawing class to capture some fellow artists. And below, people reading at a local bookstore. : )

Well, it turns out 100 people is a lot! ; )
These sketches are part of a drawing challenge going on this week (there's still time to join in), set up my the awesome Montreal urban sketcher Marc Taro Holmes. Post your drawings of people, with the hashtag #OneWeek100People2018 ,on Facebook, Instagram, your blog, wherever! It's fun... even if you don't quite make it to 100 by Sunday. Drawings can be super small and/or loosey goose, like mine. Cheers and Happy Drawing.
p.s. ipad photos... ; b

burst out

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

These pink and green friends are determined to fight the winter blues and show off their lovely colours and shapes.

Actually it's kinda sunny outside, here in Toronto, but still chilly. Perfect to work in my studio with natural light. Cheers!

Figure Drawing with Conte!

quick gesture with dark brown conte on newsprint

sienna conte for a quick portrait gesture 

20 minute figure study

20 minute portrait study

1.5 hour pose in conte with white pastel

The model at yesterday's life drawing class was just sensational. I had never drawn him before and a new model is always a treat. He had a really interesting face and he kept very still. Instead of my usual watercolour, I decided to use conte, a tool that allows for big loose strokes (lots of freedom!) and 11x15" newsprint, for it's smooth and unintimidating qualities. Lots of fun. 

Now, back to my anatomy books to brush up!