Bunny

In a little detour from my usual style, I played around with a little whimsical bunny drawing I was thinking about recently.

Watercolor on Mixed Media, 4x6 inches

Watercolor on Board, 4x6 inches

The second one is still in progress but I enjoyed seeing the two together...

Very Cherry

I was getting frustrated by another project and losing confidence, so I thought maybe if I stepped away and played today while the kids are with a sitter...

I haven't yet cropped this to my liking yet, but I think it's about 4x6. It's watercolor on paper.

The best part of this project? I was tired of overworking it so I ate the cherry. Now I can't go back into it because I have no reference!

Happy summer!

Hair

Studying hair.

I am really struggling with it. I'm having trouble with a full head of hair from behind as well as the movement I want to suggest. 

The face on hair was a study from a watercolor I liked that I found while doing research. I thought it might help with the back.

Here is a detail of a study for another part of the painting.

Pomegranate

I have been working hard on the studies for a painting for a friend. It's taking a long time though because I am out of practice and time is so limited.

Here are some photos of my work in progress and a study of a pomegranate I did today.

It's coming along. I think I will continue to do some pomegranate studies for the next week or so (or until this one starts to go bad. Pomegranates are out of season so this one wasn't cheap so I have to use it to its full potential.

Pomegranate, Fig, and Ice Cream

Woah. As I was writing the title I thought that WOULD be an amazing ice cream flavor!

That aside, I got into the studio today to do some studies. I am kind of frustrated because I like working from "live" objects, not reference photos, but figs and pomegranates aren't in season so I have to make due.

Ice Cream (Watercolor on paper)

I found the ice cream part of the painting while cleaning and today I added a cone. I loved the simplicity of the scoop. Not sure how I feel about the cone.

Pomegranate (Watercolor on paper)

Fig (Watercolor on paper)

This was an underpainting I was going to work into but I kind of like it as is. I might not work into it.

Drawing a Day 20150224

Just Dance (Watercolor on paper).

Another study for my commission.

Drawing a Day 20150223

Me in Line. (Pen on paper)

Enjoyed this. Really enjoying making line drawings. Practice, practice, practice.

Drawing a Day 20150222

Ashley's Super Mix
Pen and watercolor on paper

Ashley's Super Mix (before coloring)

I love pen and watercolor, but I don't usually trust myself with a pen for the initial drawing. But this was fun.

Drawing a Day 20150221

Sketch for SSB

Watercolor on Paper

Drawing a Day 20150220

Blind #1 and Blind #2. Pen on paper. Not showing today. Feeling a little self conscious.

Got to this very late today. I'm actually doing yesterday's today or something, but since I am still awake I am considering this yesterday's drawing.

Another blind contour drawing. I am falling in love with blind contour drawings, so much so I might give it a nickname (BCD). I am not surprised. I have ALWAYS loved line drawings.

Thinking out loud here. I'm almost done with this month of drawings and while I have loved it, it's exhausting and I'm not sure at this point in my life I have the time to keep up with the girls and do a drawing a day to my expectations. But maybe I can do a BCD a day (and not share them, necessarily) and do one more focused, longer drawing of something at least once a week. I like Jessie Oleson's suggestion to not be tied to your plan and alter it as you see fit. 

Not my work (but it's spot on)

Someone just sent this to me and it it describes exactly how I am feeling as I rediscover my own work. Thank you Bobby (for sending) and thank you Ira (for speaking!).

Drawing a Day 20150219

Self Port #1

Pen on paper

Self Port #2

Pen on paper

This is totally weird to post but I am pushing my boundaries, and then there was something I liked that came out of it. These are blind contour drawing self-portraits but then I started playing with features, but I really loved the way I was playing with the drawing with my nose, tracing the contours and building it out sculpturally, almost as if it were wires building the shape.

Drawing a Day 20150218

Not posting anything today. Spending my time working on a drawing for a private commission.

Drawing a Day 20150217

Mango

Watercolor on paper

I am loving watercolors lately. I was really overworking this so I had to stop but SO much fun.

Definitely playing with this again.

A special thanks to someone who has proven to be a wonderful mentor -- thanks so much, Bobby!

Drawing a Day 20150216

Self Portrait #1 and Self Portrait #2. Pen on paper.

I am always so self conscious of blind drawings, so I don't think I am going to post them. I had a lot of fun. I did them really very quickly. Definitely going to do this again.

Drawing a Day 20150215

Cupcake Again

Gouache and pencil on paper

Really enjoyed playing with that cupcake drawing the other day, but thought maybe I should be doing it in gouache because I was laying the colors on so thick. Thing is, I haven't done gouache in years. Some of my paint was 15 years old. I know the saying "It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools" and I'm not, but I was frustrated when some of my paints were rock hard. I'm having a hard time deciding whether I want to persue gouache more but it would be a bit of a financial investment because I can't use these paints as is. 

I did enjoy going in harshly with pencil at the end. It was empowering!

Drawing a Day 20150214

Me. (Drawing on paper).

Really not in the mood to draw today. But I did it.

Drawing a Day 20150213

Owl (Pencil on paper). No image today. Was working all night on freelance, so I didn't get to spend much time (12 min. total). Heard an owl outside and it inspired me to draw one. As I started to draw it, I began to recognize the elements that are so commonly stylized, so I started to loosely extract them. Interesting, but not something I'm excited to share.

Very excited to uncover my gouache and crossing my fingers they still work. Hopefully will play this weekend.

Drawing a Day 20150212

Cupcake

Watercolor on paper

Wasn't going to post this because I was really just playing, but isn't that part of the fun? 

I need to get my gouache out. I wish they sold gouache in pans. 

Drawing a Day 20150211

Pattern

Pen on paper

I wanted to play with pattern. You can tell where I really got into them and where I kind of was like "blah" -- you can also tell my hand was getting tired. It's funny, I intended to spend only a very short while on this, but I got very lost in it. Some was reminiscent of other projects I have worked on...including one where I made a mark for every day I have been alive. That was fun and beautiful. 

I hope someday to get back into the pattern work I loved screen printing so much in college.

I am so inspired by Lotta Jansdotter. I think her work is beautiful. Her living space must be gorgeous. I wish I could fill my house with her design.

Drawing a Day 20150210

Hey Pumpkin

Watercolor on paper

I love watercolor. I want to keep practicing and playing since I feel out of practice. Just wish I had more time to do all the things I want to do.

Drawing a Day 20150209

Deep

Pencil on paper

This was a quick one, and a nod to Thirty-Eight Self Portraits (Because I Wish I Were Smaller) -- one of my favorite pieces I have ever done. I'd like to get back into more work in that style. 

The photo from which I worked was horrible and lacked detail -- I had to make a lot of it up. It was taken tonight at about 10pm as I helped clear the snow.

Drawing a Day 20150208

Cracked

Pencil on paper

There was a class at SMFA I always wanted to take but I never did. I don't remember what it was but I do remember my friend Julie took it. I remember they had to draw things like cracks and spots on the sidewalk -- mundane things in everyday life, but pretty interesting and complicated when you draw them. 

Our house is almost 300 years old and with the original wide floor boards, we have a lot of cracks. Perfect to draw. 

Drawing a Day 20150207

New

Charcoal on paper

This doesn't look like me but I had fun playing with the light. 

Drawing a Day 20150206

I Have a Cold

Pen on paper

I have a cold. I'm feeling blah. I drew this in bed. I had fun with it. 

Drawing a Day 20150205

Wanna Try Again (Tomorrow?!)

Pencil and watercolor on paper

Meh. But I posted because I do want to try again. This is very muddy and overworked. In this case, my two year old's drawing as a ground didn't work so well. I feel like I was also lazy and rushed in this one. I think I am getting sick so I am not totally there.

Drawing a Day 20150204

Self portrait. Need Work Shading (Pencil on Paper).

This was nothing but frustration today. It has inspired me to take an class or read a book on shading in portraiture. I keep going in circles on the same thing.

Drawing a Day 20150203

Today was a self-portrait as suggested by Anonymous in a comment two days ago. It's called This Isn't Me (Pencil on paper). It's been a while since I have done self portraits and so I am really shy about it. It didn't look like me at all.

I'll keep working on them.

This one was a first. I was too lazy to find a mirror. I opened Facetime on my computer and used the image staring back at me.

Drawing a Day 20150202

Ice Cream Truck

Pencil and watercolor on paper

This is rough. I am posting it for a couple of reasons. 

1. I had so much fun. 
2. I was lazy and didn't want to brave all the snow to get to the studio. I got creative and cut up one of my toddler's watercolor paintings and used it as a ground and I love that part of it. (I can't keep all of the work they do -- they are so prolific -- so I have to pick and choose. This way I am recycling and king of keeping it anyway.
3. I see parts of this drawing I really like and I want to expand on further. 

Drawing a Day 20150201

I drew birds. Pencil on paper. 

I'm not posting it. I have been doing a lot of thinking about this project. 

I love the privacy of art, the way you can keep it yours until (and if) you are ready to share. 

By posting every day, I was putting too much pressure on myself. I wasn't allowing myself to be bold, to push the boundaries, to experiment in areas I am not comfortable.

I have so little time to make art. The time is mine and it shouldn't be stressful. I want to be ok with spending only ten minutes some days if that's all the time or energy I have.

I promise I will post daily in this first month to hold myself accountable, but it won't always be a picture. 

Thanks for your support and understanding. 

Drawing a Day 20150131

Oh Dear

Pencil on paper

A friend wants a dear for a logo. Thought I'd finally play with it. Different than I have ever done. Needs work. 

I actually wanted to do a freer drawing (was looking at work by illustrators James Dean and Oliver Jeffers today and I just love their styles) but clearly that didn't happen. 

I also was limited by supplies today. I went to the studio to get new paper, etc. but K was working on my door. I didn't want to ask him to move even though he offered. He's been working so hard for me! (Nice new wall and door, huh?)

Drawing a Day 20150130

Ten Years

Pencil on paper

Not thrilled. Started this too late and I am too tired so I was super frustrated and frankly not wanting to draw. But I did rally through, and got my creative brain working, and that's important. 

Might have to reexamine the rules and allow myself a day off once a week?

Drawing a Day 20150128

Goodwill

Pencil and watercolor on paper

I wanted to play today. I have been really into using white in my past few drawings and so I found a blue piece of paper and played with using white for the negative space to make the image pop. I had fun! Not sure I love it, but I had fun and that's what counts.

Drawing a Day 20150128

Twisted (for the) Sisters

Watercolor on chipboard

I picked this carrot out at the farm share because I thought my four year old would get a kick out of it. Little did I realize what a pain it would be to clean and peel to actually eat, so it's been in the fridge for a while. But it's a great subject matter. 

I had so much fun working on this. I have been listening to my music on shuffle and have been reminded that one of my greatest passions is listening to great music and making art. I started this piece while listening to an old high school friend's music: The B Flat Project. Listening to Brian sing was so inspiring and it was great to "rediscover" his work as it appeared in my playlist. 

I had to stop this one because I am overtired and overworking it and it was getting muddy, but I was just enjoying it so much. I can't wait to see where my art takes me. 

Drawing a Day 20150127

I Just Ate My Subject (Blackberry)

Pen on paper

I'm tired. It's late. I spent all evening working on decluttering the studio so I can work now that it's heated. I literally spent twelve minutes on this. But I had some me time and got to rock out to Parents Just Don't Understand. And I realized that blackberries are really hard to draw. I couldn't remember which druplets (yes, that's what those little parts are called -- I looked it up!) I had drawn and it was a lot of confusion. I was admittedly kind of glad when I could abandon this drawing after ten minutes or so.

Drawing a Day 20150126

A in the Snow

Watercolor and pencil on chipboard

Not loving it. Distracted today -- have a big freelance project I need to focus on instead. But I did it! Do I have to share if I don't like it?

I might go back to the root veggies for the time being. But the pressure is on!

Drawing a Day 20150125

The Turnip I Thought Was a Radish (For Cos)

Watercolor on cardboard

This is for you Cos. I was inspired by the Christmas tree you did on brown paper. Thank you.

A (Wo)man with a Plan

I'm not sure what to call this post. I sure have been a slacker poster and a slacker art maker. In the past few months, I have been trying to change habits. I read The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business and got some good ideas.

I've been trying to (in no particular order):

• Spend more time with the girls. They are growing up so quickly.
• Spend more time with K. Still keeping up with our Thursday night date night.
• Be in better touch with people I love. (I might have an idea how to do this. See below)
• Exercise more. I have been getting down to the basement to row multiple times per week. I was introduced to rowing by my dear college roommate Mandi, and I have fond memories of rowing in the crew room at Tufts with her and my sister. Recently though it was Frank Underwood who inspired me to get my Concept 2 out of storage and start using it.  
• Eat better. I still have that sweet tooth (see here) but I have been trying to use our winter farm share to the fullest as well. How's this for a fab recipe I made tonight?
• Buy less. I don't need more stuff. 
• Declutter more. And keep up with the house. I know I have two kids under 5, so this is something I have to accept that won't be easy. And K and I won some time with a declutterer in the HOPEsudbury auction. I got in touch with her today. That's a start! As an artist though, it's hard to get rid of things. (Might be another thing I can do with...see below)
• Read more. At least I have been listening a lot lately. And it's been helping me keep up with the cleaning and decluttering.
• Give more. I am excited that the Friends of the Goodnow Library brochure is going to be printed soon -- it's been a fun way to give back to the library.
• Spend less time on the computer. Mostly time wasters like FB and obsessively checking email or stumbling upon stuff and getting lost online for hours. (After today, I am hoping to write less on this blog, too, because I want it to be more about the art.)

And then there's the art. What this blog is all about. I have been pretty good about some of the above and I need to make the art a habit again.  I have been reading posts by Dayna and Jennifer (as I mentioned a year ago, the last time I wrote...) and have continued to be inspired by two women who also have young kiddos.

And then I read Jessie's post How to Do a Drawing a Day. I need this kick in the pants. Thanks Jessie! I know I have tried this before. But maybe I need new guidelines. Or maybe I need less structure and I need to give myself permission to change the rules if they aren't working.

So I am putting my brainstorm in the open. Here it goes. And I start tonight.

• Once a day.
• Start small. 10 minutes. I can do ten minutes. Let's see how it goes. If I want to push it up, I can.
• Length. This is key. I never thought about this. I always say a year and basically set myself up for failure. Jessie says "How long your drawing a day project goes on is up to you. Maybe it’s just a week, maybe it’s a full year. Or maybe you want to take it easy and see how it goes, like a month-to-month lease. " I love the month-to-month lease idea. Let's do it!
• Format? I'm thinking small. 4x6? I have these super inexpensive (but awesome for this project) NYJJTA frames from IKEA. I am going to put drawings I like in the frames and hang them on the wall. I'll rotate them out. It will be inspiring. Or I can send these artworks in the mail to people I want to stay in touch with. Maybe some of each? Again, this doesn't have to be set in stone.
• Sharing the project. This blog, I guess. I was thinking Instagram since it is solely photos, but the square format doesn't go with the format of my choosing. 
• Medium. I use the term drawing loosely. Enough said.

Ok, enough thinking, more doing.