First Time Using Pastels

I was told by someone that one could be arrested for not using art materials. Not wanting to get sideways with the law, I broke out these cheap oil pastels. I also had a tablet of tinted pastel paper in 11x14 size. This is a first for me. I'm using pastels and this is the largest size I have ever worked. As I worked I wasn't sure about the subject. It is another view of Mt Shasta from my recent trip. The foreground is all greens and pretty dull when you get down to it. I commited to it so I decided to continue on. During the process I even broke a few of the sticks. I had no idea what they would do, or for that matter how to even use them. Guess I'll get a book and read about them. Anyway, for everyone's amusement. I present Alan's first ever pastel landscape. Ughhhh.

Cactus Monday

First Cactus Monday submission. Still playing with watercolor, but I think I need to start using proper paper.

Thinking about an old aquarium

I used to raise tropical fish and had at one time 3 tanks around the house. For about a year I worked in a store that had a fish department and I did all the selling, maintenance, and ordering stock. I haven't raised fish in some time and every once in a while I think I might like to get another tank. For the time being I have done a journal entry about aquariums in ink and color pencil.

Evergreen Aviation Museum

Impressions of B-17G located at Evergreen Aviation Museum and my recent visit. The museum visit lasted about 2 1/2 hours not counting the hour drive to and from McMinnville, Oregon from Portland. I am posting over several days photos from the visit on my other blog. You can get there by clicking the link over on the sidebar to the right. The Museum is also the home of Howard Hughe's Spruce Goose. Information on the museum can be found at their website by clicking the title of this blog entry.

Fast impression of Mt Shasta in watercolor

I did this fast watercolor in my journal of Mt. Shasta. Never really did a landscape. Think I will give this another try on watercolor paper in a larger than 5 1/2 x 8 1/2. Still learning what this paint will do. I've got a really long ways to go. Here it is for the record as it were.

B-17 Radio position

Recently had an opportunity to visit the Evergreen Air Museum. I happened to be there on a day that tours were being given inside the B-17G in the museum's possession. One of my interests is in radio and it was a great opportunity to see the position in the aircraft that the radio operator manned. It doesn't hurt that I am an air force veteran as well and got to poke around inside this historic craft.

In the basement watching the news before bed.

The basement at my in-laws is finished and at one time served as a studio apartment. When we visit we always stay downstairs. It has a stove, refridgerator, sink, microwave, and bath. While I was about ready to go to sleep the news was on this little television on a rolling cart. I went ahead and figured I might as well sketch it. Above the tv was a wall mounted mirror, so I attempted to sketch in the reflection of objects seen there as well.

These are the first few sketches that are "ready". I took several photos for reference that I hope to sketch in the next few days. Since I am now back at work, it is payback for the time off. That pesky work thingy............

Back yard tree

While relaxing on the back patio and talking to family, I sketched this large tree. I again left out the details at a distance and worked up close. We had previously hung a corn holder and a seed bell for the squirrels that live in the area and waited for them to come dining. I left color out of the tree trunk and branches as I was unsatisfied with the mixes I was getting in the watercolors to get the grayish color. I decided to leave it as black ink on white while coloring the fence, sky, and leaves, as well as the items hanging from the branches. Haven't decided if it works, but it was a very pleasant afternoon of not having to do much thinking.

Start of the Eye Page

One of the projects I have decided to take on is to develop the ability to do portrait drawing. I have started a page in my sketchbook that is going to be dedicated to eyes. I have the first one up. Once I feel confident with eyes I will make a page for noses, then mouths, and by then I hope to be able to draw a face that will actually look like a face. Eye in ink.

Bookcase

While sitting in the easy chair looking out the front window to do the tree in the previous post, my eye kept wandering to the right and the bookcase in the corner. While visiting with family I sketched the bookcase in ink.

Front Window

Back from our roadtrip/vacation to California. Could have used more time, but I have that pesky job thingy going on. I did do some sketching while visiting family and took a number of pictures which I will put into sketches. First up is a view out the front window. Some of the distant detail went missing to keep things simpler as I was more interested in the tree outside.

Randomness on my desk

Very quick sketches of randomness on my desk. Ink with some color pencil. The mug handle turned out really wonky....so I am going to have to work on those. I thought it would help looking at it head on...but....well you see. Notice the one little attempt at a portrait of old Abe on the cent coin.

Clifford Park Baldwin Part 3

And click on the title of this entry for a link to a photo of one of his paintings.

Clifford Park Baldwin Part 2

Click on the above for a short biography of Clifford Park Baldwin, my Mother's great uncle.

Clifford Park Baldwin

My mother's great uncle was an artist and archaeologist/anthropologist who lived in southern California. I have found a clipping on line that has his picture and a brief article about work he was doing at the time. This was following a 1931 expedition presumably in the Los Angeles Times.

EDM #1 Draw a shoe

I am a fairly new member of the Everyday Matters group and so I am way behind in my challenges. I figured I might as well do catch up along the way. This challenge was to draw a shoe and I did just that, of my left shoe. I should have left well enough alone with the pen sketch, but nooooooo I had to add watercolor. Anyway, this posting will remind me that even though there are bad drawings......there are no bad days with art. I claim do overs.

Work In Progress - Juneau Waterfront

Here is the start of a new piece sketched in ink. I am not sure what I am going to do for the background as the view is kind of dark and murky. I ruled out color pencil and decided to do this as a watercolor. I really don't know what I am doing, but I heading forward. My brother Mark lives in Juneau. I wonder if he'll reconize the place.

Magazine inspiration

This evening I did a small page of drawings inspired by a few pictures found in my April issue of Outdoor Life. Haven't done any fishing in a number of years so I am not sure why the idea of doing this came to me. It started as an experiment in drawing with ink. I used a Uni-Ball Vision with Fine point that I found in my drawer. I discovered that I have to be careful with it as water will cause it to run. So much to learn. After drawing the sketches I pulled out my tubes of water colors that have been sitting in a box in the drawer. My intent was just to put a little color here and there to highlight. The next step will be to do an actual watercolor painting.

Tree Frog

This is a quick little tree frog using watercolor pencils. The intent for me was to do a quick loose sketch and a quick coloring. Not looking for fine detail. At some point I will graduate into using ink for the sketch and then the color. Using pencil for now as I try to gain some confidence in what I am doing.

Alki Point Lighthouse

I have added color to the lighthouse. It is done in Prismacolor pencils. I am going to set it aside for a bit to see if I want to add anything to it. With the basic outline done in pencil to establish the form, I put color to it for about an hour and a half.

Work in Progress- Alki Point Light, Washington

I enjoy lighthouses and have several photos and prints in my collection. I have started a representation of Alki Point Light located in West Seattle, Washington. The light is on the west side facing Puget Sound. I am starting with a rough pencil sketch to set proportions and some of the angles of the buildings. There are a couple of areas I still need to work on to get them to look correct in perspective. I am still trying to decide whether I will use regular color pencil or watercolor pencils. Perhaps a combination. Perhaps one of each, or better yet a series in various mediums to see how each works since I am fairly new at this.

First Cow

There has been a thread of discussion at Everyday Matters that has involved the subject of cows and the ability to draw them. I've never drawn a cow myself and so I thought I would do one. Rather than attempt a large one I thought I would do one in a small box that could eventually expand into a grid, which also has been discussed. It's not a holy cow, nor is it moooooving about. It's just standing there looking over the fence. I shall not be afraid to ruminate on cows or draw more.

I have always had a fondness for cows, I just have never wanted all the work associated with keeping them. My grandfather had cows. I had one once when I was young.

EDM # 160 Draw an award or trophy

This award was given to servicemen and women who were in theater during the Vietnam War. It was an award I received only for doing what asked of me. My job was not to go out into the field with weapon in hand, but to maintain the aircraft that provided cover and support. While drawing this I could not help but think of the 58,000 comrades who did not make it home alive.

I ran into a problem with the palette of color pencils that I have, of coming up with a brass color. I have a metallic copper that was much too dark. I tried various mixes to see if would soften to no avail. Need to work on my freehand circles as well. I've got circle templates, but I wanted to do this without the aide.

Eyes

Doodle from my notebook. A quick sketch to see if I could draw eyes.

Hamburger

Here is a feeble attempt at a hamburger using the new watercolor pencils Rebecca gave me. It is my first attempt to use them.

Daily Drawing--Draw a Hamburger

This is a sketch I did for the Daily Drawing group. I don't think I will be illustrating menus anytime soon. This was a rather hurried drawing, but one has to start somewhere.