Sketching

I have been drawing and sketching a lot lately. I have filled several sketchbooks and started a few others.  Because of sketchbookskool.com I now have a sketchbook or two with me every where I go, as well as pens, pencils, and a wee little painting kit. Here are a few of my latest entries in my sketchbook.

I was in Ft. Worth recently and visited the HEB Central Market.  It was a feast for the eyes.  

Sketches of my granddaughters goat.

Cemetery in the back or our neighborhood that dates back to the 1850's.

Sketches from the Farmers Market

Sketched this during Elvis Week in Memphis in front of Sun Studio.

I love Vespas.  I want to ride/drive one so much.  I have been taking photos of the cutie pies
on many of my travels.  

Eggplant from the garden

She Took My Hand

My pastor asked me to illustrate this for him.  He lost his mom a few years ago, and this poem means a lot to him.  I lifted the image of Jesus and the boy from a painting by Greg Olson called "Take My Hand."  I added the mother's hand going off of the page.

Colored pencil and Micron pen on Strathmore colored pencil paper
8' x 10"

More sketching with Sketchbook Skool - Homework assignments for the past ?? weeks.

Assignment: Sketch nature.

Assignment: Sketch a patterned ceramic piece with ink and watercolor.

Assignment: Sketch a self portrait.  This is colored pencil.

Assignment: Sketch something that you pass every day and make it look worthy of capturing in ink and watercolor.

Assignment: Sketch an object in ink using the hatching and crosshatching technique to create form.

Assignment: Sketch a teacup.

Assignment: Sketch nature.

Watercolor Sketching

I ventured out with the Memphis Urban Sketchers today.  The weather was glorious, one of those perfect days you dream about in the middle of winter - not hot, not cold, flowers bursting with color, clear blue sky.  It was good sketching weather in Elmwood Cemetery, the oldest active cemetery in Memphis.  It was originally built before the Civil War with the intentions of being a park, a garden, a gathering place for social events, and a cemetery. We don't think of cemeteries in those terms anymore, but the original plan has turned this landscape into one of the loveliest spots in Memphis.

Scratchboard

I love scratchboard.  It is a wonderful surface for those of us who like to draw. It forces me to study my subject and creates beautiful contrasts.  This is a piece I created for my son and his family of their much loved pet and hunting dog that passed away recently.  As I was scratching and creating the different kinds of fur around Tex's face, in my mind I could actually feel him. The fur on his neck was wavy and soft.  His muzzle was bristly and his ears were like velvet.  I loved this dog too. He was a sweet and gentle soul who loved his family and had a passion for hunting and running through fields.  My son took Tex out one last time a week before he died.  Tex was so excited  to be out in the fields and tried so hard to run and do what hunting dogs do, but his old tired body just would't cooperate.   There was a lot of love between my boy and his dog.

Draw It Like It's Hot

I started a new class in Sketchbook Skool before Christmas.  That was probably not a great decision because I am really behind.  The class is about illustrating food with creative lettering, directing us to create hand drawn recipes.  Here are some pieces that I have already done. 

We had to draw objects from our kitchen to fill the page. The were doodles of food related objects called Foodles.

Next we had to draw a meal we ate that day:

Then we had to play with lettering:

My Granddaughter gave me this prompt for one of my lettering practices.  She has become a master  at lettering at age 14.

Then we finally got to a recipe illustration. This is just a warm up for the grand finale recipe illustration, I think.

More recipes to come.