The Graceful Artist

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Portraits - Male

Yup.  Same day.  Bombarding you with entries so you can feel good about checking in.

CHA is in full swing, which means a shrinking bank account.  Everything is so expensive, especially for us retirees.  Why don't these on line companies have a senior discount?  Just sayin.  I still haven't bought the last set of Copic colors they came out with.  Yummy colors, but right now I am deeply immersed (trying to sound intelligent here) in graphite, Derwent Graphitint and Prismacolor colored pencils.  And trying to write this while my cat keeps pushing things off my desk.  Sheesh.

I have this terrific basement apartment ( or Mother in law suite depending on who I am talking to ) with bedroom, full kitchen, laundry room etc.  I like etc. don't I?  So my daughter has brought down all her artsy stuff, which was a ton, and every room is crowded with artsy/crafty stuff.  Like a multi-room studio with a tv, recliner and bed.  Can't eat in the kitchen any more (usually eat upstairs with dd and dsil anyway) so beautiful antique oak table is covered in a see thru shower curtain, and that is covered in newsprint paper to protect precious oak so dd doesn't end my life prematurely.  Which you can hardly see for all the supplies scattered around it.  I love it.  Stunningly gorgeous solid oak buffet (purchased at Habitat for Humanity for a song) is filled with art supplies and art books.  'Living' room has cabinets along most of the walls, filled with supplies. I got lots.

So why did I mention this?  I don't know.  I started with CHA didn't I?  Well, I'm 69.  I can wander if I want.

CHA.  Ok.  Everyone is wild about the new Tim Holtz and Dyan Reavely goodies.  Don't kick me or leave nasty remarks, but I'm getting tired of Tim.  Love, love the distress inks and markers.  Just generally ho hum. Sorry Timmy fans.  Just not much there I am drooling over.  Although I do like the palettes.  Got my distress inks in one (kept waiting for them to dry, and finally learned they wouldn't - can't sit that one on it's side) and plan to get another for all these alcohol inks I went nuts over and never used.  Now that they have the refillable pen, I can use them a lot like my Copics.  Once I get over my graphite and colored pencil obsession.

While I am really drawn to the colors of the Reavely sprays, the Frugal Crafter http://thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com demonstrated how to make my own with acrylic paint and stuff.  So all I have to get are some spray bottles since I have tubes and jars and bottles of acrylic like mad all over the place.  Spellbinders of course has a zillion new dies.  They are gorgeous, but frankly, I can't affored $20 or more for a die I may end up using maybe 3 times.  Besides, I have a gazelle and can cut just about whatever I want in the die cut area.  the Gazelle has a 3 point print and cut too, so I can do that as well.  Cool.  Penny Duncan http://pennyduncancreations.blogspot.com has gorgeous files that work really well.  I was lucky enough to read her blog way back so I must have most of her files cause she gave them away free back then.  She still does, bless her, but they are only available for a few days, so you gotta keep up.  She sells cd's or dvd's, don't know which, with all her files on them.  Totally worth it.

Well, I've been a blabbermouth today, but I think I have finally run out of words.  I'm going to grab a graphite pencil and practice, practice, practice some more.

Here are shots from the Portraits:Males class so far.  I'm behind.  No surprise there, huh?



And yes, they are bald.  I really hate doing hair.  But I have found, much to my surprise, that the male faces are far more interesting to draw than the female faces.   Who wudda guessed?  Anyway, the black and white was roughly drawn, with a few changes and not at all accurately, from a photo I found in a google search.  Don't know who it is or who photographed it, so if anyone knows I will be glad to give credit if you want it or can even recognize it as yours. Just leave a comment and I will gladly add it.

I did say I was going to shut up didn't I?  Lied.

And a photo of my Pomeranian, JJ.  Just because I am nuts about him and I can.  It's my blog, see.

1 comment: