polka dot reflections

SOLD

I had a blast figuring out the many reds in this little set up. The warmth of the red glass and the little polka dots challenged me for hours! The sides are painted pink too. Also with little polka dots. : )

Pics below show my process and my materials. 

some faces!

 

Prismacolor Coloured Pencil Portraits. Hmm... despite having fun with coloured pencils recently, they just aren't for me. They loose their point quickly because they are so soft (wax), unlike pencils (graphite). I gave it three chances and now I'm moving onto something else.

Also, they are very difficult to erase. Uh oh!

; )

Donnybrook Building

6x12" oil painting on 1"panel

After sketching and painting this little building numerous times, I've just been informed by a Riverdale Farm employee that it's called the Donnybrook Building. This is just the bottom half of the building. It was once two stories which kind of explains the small door (that seems to fascinate me). It's believed that farm animals used to live on it. Yep... 'on' it. I'm going to continue investigating the history of this awesome little building. To be continued... ; )

Streetcar fix it shop

$60 - 6x12" original pen and watercolour painting

The streetcars were just coming and going Sunday morning at the Russel Car House fix it shop. It made for quite a challenge while painting with the Urban Sketchers Toronto group. I realized I probably wouldn't have tired this subject on my own but when someone else picks the painting spots, you never know what might happen! 

 My set up which sits on my lap.

Fortunately I was under a big shady tree on such a hot day, hence the blue tinge on my photos. Probably the most challenging outdoor subject I've ever painted from life. #phew 

the tunnel

A final drawing from Riverdale Farm. I'm not sure why I picked a Peacock Green but there ya' have it. In this one I added some people, and a little puppy, just to bring some life to it. : )
The subjects at this farm are never ending!

little door

Here's another drawing from Riverdale Farm, with Sepia Prismacolor coloured pencil on newsprint. This time I remembered to take step by step pics along the way. ; )

Prismacolor Coloured Pencils

Some fellow artist and I from, the Toronto Plein-Air Group, met at the awesome Riverdale Farm to do some sketching. In order to take colour out of the equation and get back to basics, I decided to draw with Prismacolor Coloured Pencils on newsprint. 

 I used Sepia because it's a nice warm brown (although it's a bit hard to tell with my location photos). Newsprint is equally good and bad. It's soft so it's lovely to draw on. It 'takes' so many drawing media, like pencil, coloured pencil and charcoal, so nicely. But, it yellows over time since it isn't acid-free. Very  frustrating! So, I'm on the search for a paper than is smooth like newsprint and allows erasing as easily. I guess I'll have to go back to my favourite place... the art store. ; )

 Here's a detail. 

So great to be back out there plein-air drawing. I've only been twice this summer. That'll have to change!

Harry's Hat

 
$60 - 6x8" original gouache painting
I love it when the model wears a hat. The light, or should I say shadow, ; ) that falls on the model's face is quite a treat to paint.

slight smile

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

My paint box with gouache paints and grey paper palette... and the model's legs. ; )

detail. : )

bushy brows

12x6" original oil painting

Here's my paintbox with lots of white oil paint on my grey painter's palette pad.

Blocking in with yellow ochre and figuring out the shadow side first.

Trying to keep the paint on my grey painter's palette more organized!

Palette eventually gets kinda messy on the right hand side... oh well...: )

And here's a detail of the face. Cheers!

morning chickadee

SOLD

$100 - 5x7" original oil painting on 1/8" panel.

This little chickadee loves to sing in the morning, sit high upon the tree tops and she pours lots of chocolate sauce on her sundaes. ; )

Portrait Practise and... 8 years today!!

I spent this morning practising portraits with coloured pencil. A fun thing to be doing on the 8th anniversary of my blog!! 

Thank you all for the ongoing support and encouragement. I appreciate all your comments. Having a blog is a great way to working consistently, especially when the blog community is so inspiring. 

Cheers y'all ; )

musical trio

I had a fantabulous time sketching a musical trio at life drawing today. They practised, we sketched. It was a great experience, mostly because musicians take 'poses' that life models never do, so it was all new to us. 

There were three of them with five instruments. Violin, viola, flute, bassoon and piccolo. They switched seats every 20 minutes (playing musical chairs literally!) so we all had a good experience. I used charcoal pencil and watercolour, oh... and I had a blast! ; )