More Colored Pencil Play

Still learning colored pencil, though I am getting itchy for my graphite.  This drawing is a tutorial from Anne deMille Flood's book Realistic Pet Portraits.  It is a wonderful book with tons of tutorials, not just a lot of 'how to' that doesn't help me learn as well.  Flood includes pencil color, pressure, sharpness for each step of the way in the tutorials.

I'm branching OUT

Taking a wonderful Colored Pencil on-line workshop with Sandra Angelo.  This one is for dogs, with cats coming next.  It was quite a challenge, but great fun and I learned SO MUCH!  She is an amazing instructor!

So here is the result of this class.

 This is Grantham, by me, Sandra Peterson after Sandra Angelo who can be found at www.DrawPETS101.com

ANOTHER CAT! Have more too!

This is the last cat from the Cat Portraits class I took with Elizabeth.  Finished it in February.  Might be a little behind in posting stuff, you think?

A NEW KITTY

I don't think I am done with this one but I need to sit it aside for awhile and let it rest.   Something about the 'ruff' under the chin that I am not happy with yet.   I might try a dog next. Dunno.

November Thrills

Wow.  I am exactly a once a month blogger aren't I?
Finished another cat.  This time a tiger cat and for a newbie like me, this little guy was pure torture.  But he is finally done.  At least as done as he is gonna get because I have had enough of him for the time being.

Hope you enjoy.

NEXT CLASS I TOOK

I was so impressed with Elizabeth's teaching style (very thorough and gave marvelessly helpful detailed critiques) that I took her Cat Portrait class.  If you are at all interested in learning to draw check out her site http://creativepencils.ning.com/.

I have learned so much!  I'm learning to draw what I actually see instead of what my left brain want's to tell me I see.  It is really interesting that you can look at something, 'see' what you need to do, but when you look back at your paper, your mind wants to fix it for you.  Bit of a struggle there.

Anyway, here is my first cat.  Hope there will be more in the future.  She is a Ragdoll named Zoe, huge and gorgeous.

Thought of something to say

I have been taking some more drawing classes!  And having so much fun, it ought to be illegal.  Since I am such a newbie, it takes me forever to finish a drawing, but I don't care.  Even I didn't really believe a 69 year old could learn to draw.  But I am learning.  So anyone out there that wants to draw or paint or anything - just start doing it.

So.  I took a class from Artful Gathering 2012.  Elizabeth Johnson was the instructor and we used Graphitint pencils to draw an owl.  Think the title of the course was Portrait of Beauty.  And this is mine.  Hope you like it.

Where did all the days go?

Time needs to slow down a bit, like it did when I was young and summer lasted forever . I thought it had been just a week or so since I updated this blog.  Oops again.

Anyway, got another couple of male drawings for you, and if I ever get around to scanning in the cards I made lately, I'll get them in too.

So here are the two new ones.  I finally actually added some hair, but need a tad more practice.  These are both modeled from photos I found on the web, FLicker I think, but should have written it down.  If they are yours, please email and I will happily add the  info.

My daughter and her hubby tell me the second one is Johnny Depp.  Guess it does look a little like him.

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.

Wow! I knew it had been awhile....

Sorry gals.  Really.  Kinda embarrassed too.  I may not be a dedicated blogger, but come on, over 2 months?

I have been totally immersed in the portrait class I am taking from Rhomany http://rhomany.org.uk/.  She has a unique system that doesn't involve those stinking ovals that I can't draw, and her system worked.  I can finally put the bits (eyes, nose etc.) in the right places.  I have learned so much from her.  She is a fantastic instructor and gives you a critique that helps you enormously!

I still have a way to go, of course, but I'm quite pleased with my progress so far.  I CAN draw.  I CAN!

ok.  So I am a bit excited.  Very, actually.

So here are a few of my first female efforts.