Monday, September 27, 2010

Why don't I draw more?



Here's a really old sketch, done in 2002, I think. Pre-kids. Back when I could take the el downtown and go to the Art Institute's free day whenever I wanted.

January



Soon things are going to be looking like this, ugh. Always liked this sketch, though.

The Sketchbook Project 2011

Every now and then, I participate in a small-scale art thingy. With two, and soon to be three-children-under-four, I just can't delve into big landscape paintings or even colored pencil drawings like I'd like to. The first is too messy, and the second, too time-consuming.

As the kids get older, I'm formulating a plan for the basement: a combo of storage, workspace, play area, and art/craft lair. Someday I will get back into painting. I hope.

Anyway these small art activities help me stay in practice and motivated.

Most recently I've done things like drawing in my sketchbook every day of a particular month, or Art House projects such as The Canvas Project and the Sketchbook Project.

Then in the spring I applied to be one of four artists to be sponsored by a local design firm, Faucethead Creative, in Batavia, IL.

I wrote something completely nutty and dumb in my reasons for wanting to be chosen, something like "I'm a stay at home/work at home mom of two, we're expecting our 3rd child in the fall, I have an art degree but rarely get to use it, please pick me!!!" Totally lame. But then I got the email and found out they DID choose me!!! So I'm pretty excited. :)

Now I need to get going on my book before L-Day is here -- in a little over a month -- and things get reaaaaaally insane around the house.

So far I've glued a bunch of stuff into, and made a couple pretty bad sketches in my book. So no photos yet. But I will post some.... sometime...

Thursday, October 1, 2009

New Moleskine watercolor book




So far I'm really enjoying the paper. Not so great with Micron Pigma pens (see 3rd sketch), but it seems fine with a softer nib pen (1st & 2nd sketches). I can't remember the brand right now, but it has water soluble sepia colored ink.

I think I like the washy effect the drawn line gets after adding the watercolor. Since the ink isn't waterproof, it runs and drips and gets all mushy, which keeps the finished sketch from looking too stiff, which my drawings have a tendency towards anyway.