Valentine Serenity

My Sketch Book

Some time ago, I blogged about Danny Gregory's extraordinary An Illustrated Life. I was inspired to have a more designed sketch book. Here are some recent excerpts from my sketch book:

As an artist, it seems impossible to be satisfied with what you do. But for once, I am pleased with the organic page design I created. I didn't really think about what I was doing while I made these sketches- which I think can be my biggest hurdle. I tend to over analyze to the point where I am creatively paralyzed! Phew! Now, I shall confess no more.

I am eager to incorporate this into my own work and develop art books/picture books in this method. Now, does anyone have any ideas how I should apply this style? Leave a comment!

A bientot!

Related Posts: http://writeinkpaint.blogspot.com/2012/04/sketcheroonies.html

Character Design

I've been drawing and writing a story about a girl who goes to a costume party. My main character, April, took some shape over the last month.

I got a great tip on character design from Kelly Light's fabulous workshop during the NJ SCBWI conference in June. She talked about using horizontal guide lines to help "rotate your character" on the page.

 

Kelly reminded me also to practice drawing from life. I've been doing sheets of eyes, noses, mouths, eyebrows, ears and faces from magazines, books and of course, life. Here's my "profiles" page.

I challenge you to design all your characters with all their angles, not just their the best poses in mind. And if you want to know more about April- why she's dressed up as a witch, where's she's going, what gets in her way . . . well, that's another post! A bientot!

Cicadas of Summer

Here's a page from my sketchbook.

The hum of the 17 year cicada has left our neighborhood. I can't help but be inspired by these creatures that remind me of perfect military machines. Their orange exoskeletons rise from roots and laser red eyes guide them after being underground for 17 years. Then, they plunge their hearts forward. They arch into their biggest back bend and literally split their old selves. As the remaining old shell drifts to the ground, these new born flying machines helicopter around; they riff on the waves of heat, these cicadas of summer.

Here's a video about them.

A bientot!

Easing into Summer

 

Tip toe

Toward lake waves

Anticipate summer swims

And gifts of unknown things

 

A bientot!

Gym Sketch

Meet Octospidey

I Suppose I'll Say Sketcheroony

In April, I wrote about my sketchbooks, my preferred sketching tools and the drawings from them I called sketcheroonies.

Now, I give you my latest watercolor and ink sketcheroony (yes, I made it up then, so the singular of sketchroonies is sketchroony), from the lovely outdoor concert we enjoyed over the weekend. A bientot!

ps- The musician is Carolann Solebello. You can find her online here: http://www.carolannsolebello.com/.

Steins Exhibition Inspiration

Two paintings remain with me from the day I went to the Steins Show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. One was Picasso's portrait of Gertrude Stein and the other was Matisse's portrait of his wife, Amelie Matisse, Woman with Hat.

I can just imagine Gertrude literally coming off the canvas, grabbing my hand and the both of us taking flight over Manhattan like Raymond Brigg's Snowman. We sail the open sky. Soon we find ourselves over vast forests away from the curling wide Hudson. We land in my studio. She hands me a brush and gives me that "get it done" look. Outside, Amelie Matisse is jumping on a trampoline which is delicately placed on fresh cut grass. Amelie is holding onto her hat. She's laughing. Her dress billows like a parachute. She doesn't say a word. But I know her message: "Don't forget to have fun!"

Here's my quick study of each of the paintings:

So what is it that I am working on? What shall I have done? What shall I have fun doing? Well, that's another post!

A bientot.

Sketcheroonies

Like countless others, I’ve been completely inspired by An Illustrated Life by Danny Gregory. His website also has terrific journal samples and beautiful movies of the artists.

An Illustrated Life  has got me thinking about my own sketchbooks and what I have found useful over the years. I have several in many locations all for various purposes. A school bound note book for writing, a watercolor paper bound for painting and sketchbooks that I’ve made from my favorite heavy duty drawing paper. My tools of choice are cheap ball point pens and watercolors. And, what always seems to happen to me- I write in my painting journals and sketch in my writing journals. Most of the time, I make little “sketcheroonies” in my notebooks. Having read An Illustrated Life , I decided it is time to be more conscious of my sketchbooks and what I use. So I bought a fancy new sketchbook and made up these rules: upgrade to markers and design the page more. I am hoping my sketcheroonies will evolve!

Here is a recent sketcheroonie that elicited my EasterBreeze poem.

What about you? Any preferences about the tools you use? Have the rules you’ve imposed on yourself helped or hindered you?

A bientot,

: )