Wednesday 26 February 2014

29 Faces Challenge 25 & 26

.. and here she is, my very first 'real' watercolour face, I think she looks quite interesting and not too bad for a first attempt.  One of the BEST pieces of advice I have been given in this class.. and I am going to share with you, 'learn to love all your art' it really does work and teaches you a whole new mindset.  I still need to learn, less paint!!! but I am improving with each exercise, and thoroughly enjoying the course.
Face 26 is another mixed media, inspired by Steven Speight who I mentioned in my last faces entry..
I am working on another 2 watercolour pieces so hope to get one finished for tomorrow and one the next day, though these are not the best art days for me, not so much arty time with 'other stuff' getting in the way.
Just another 3 days to go of the challenge, I did not manage 'every' day I'm afraid but did okay and blogged more than I have ever done, and probably more than I will the rest of the year!

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Art Swap? not me, no way!

I am a member of far too many Art Groups, but I do enjoy them (just struggle to keep up).  One of the things I have never done is take part in one of the 'Art Swaps' as of course, I am not good enough right? (we all think that).  The lovely ladies in Lifebook UK, organised a napkin swap (for those who dont know, we use those in mixed media). Great I though, I can manage that.. so signed on the dotted line.....
Then, Pam suggested we turn it into an art swap and decorate our envelopes so they can be reused and sent out to others in the group, cue feeling of sickness and panic!!  Too late now, I signed up!! So.. here it is, side one (above) and side two (below) and I had great fun doing it too. So, a big thank you to Pam, and in future I might just sign up for more.
Will certainly wake up my post mistress when I take it in..

Before I go, I must apologise for lack of comments on blogs - for some reason good ol' blogger is telling me I am not following anybodies blog? I thought they would come back but its been a few days now, hoping this is just a fault (again) and they will return soon.  Or if anyone knows the fix for this please let me know.

Monday 24 February 2014

29 faces challenge 23 & 24

For more information on the wonderful 29 faces challenge see Here

Yesterday (23) I had a play with my coloured pencils, while I await the arrival of my treasured Prismacolor which are not due till Friday, which is I might add 5 WHOLE DAYS away - not that I am impatient or anything (much).  As you can tell my blending leaves a lot to be desired here, hope I do better with the new ones.

Today, day 24.. is just a sketch..
..but is inspired by a wonderful local artist called 'Steven Speight' who can be found HERE I just love Steven's art, and can hardly wait for his lesson in this years Lifebook.  Hope he doesnt mind, I did try to make the girl not totally like his (LOL, in my dreams anyway) I love his style and might even have a go at giving one some colour.. though might just ask him first:)

Today I am hoping to get on with my watercolor face, I have put on the first layer of colour, but time restrictions mean I am a bit slow with this one, still loving my class though and finding working with watercolour amazing.

Saturday 22 February 2014

Art Lesson and the need for coloured pencils

Yes, I know I am neglecting my 29 faces challenge - I do have a sketch done ready to paint and really hope to get on with it tomorrow, life just got in the way again darn it... But on to coloured pencils..

Often wished I could use them well, the ladies on my Lifebook UK group all love them and many have been investing in Prismacolor, and raving about how wonderful they were, so I had a nice tin of 24 on my Amazon wish list ready to purchase.  I was due to be spending the evening with my mega talented artist friend Julie, who advised I wait and she would give me a demo, which turned into a fantastic lesson last night.  The above Rubic Cube was sketched and coloured by her with Prismacolor pencils!!!

So, she drew another one for me to have a try and taught me how to use these totally fabulous pencils.. Like many before me I was almost instantly in love here is my work from my first lesson..
It may take me some time to get this finished but I will do it - my pencils.......now a tin of 72 were ordered this morning and hopefully on their way to be with me real soon, I will be waiting impatiently for them each day.  Along with a couple of pads of Bristol Board to go with them, the above is also on the Bristol Board.

Again, alongside learning the watercolour (of which you do not want to know what I spent on 5 tubes of yesterday) I am hoping to try my hand at flowers, I have some wonderful books now to practice sketching from, and the hubster 'finally' set up my new printer and has ordered me some new inks so I can watch out for other pictures to practice from.

So I now have professional paints and soon to have professional pencils, all I need now is more time to learn how to use them.

Thursday 20 February 2014

29 faces challenge days 19 & 20

For yesterday's face its just one in the sketchbook I'm afraid, I do try to at the very least manage a graphite face each day.
Today is one from my watercolour class, it is an 'abstract' face that I had a lot of fun creating.
Certainly something different, I am trying to work on my eye shaping a bit more never seem to get them 'quite' right.

Tuesday 18 February 2014

29 faces challenge - Day 18

Oh dear, I got behind again!  Too busy learning to paint flower's I'm afraid, nothing good enough to share yet, but plenty of fun being had.  Today's face is a real experiment, I used a brush and sumi ink, so no erasing (Rasz) just 'go for it', I added a little colour with spectrum markers.

If you want to know more about the 29 faces challenge please do look HERE

Thank you to those who commented on my last post, I am off to visit you now.  I realised after it did look like I was referring to being ignored here on my blog, which I was not - I am quite happy waffling away to myself here.  I was referring to a group I am/was a part of on-line - I took it quite hard at the time being ignored, but over it now... obviously not the group for me after all.  When I am part of a group (aside from Lifebook as there are just TOO many) I do try to comment on most people's work and encourage them, it takes a lot for some people to be brave enough to post their art on line - even when on facebook a simple 'like' can help encourage, so if you do come across someone who has been overlooked always 'try' to give a little comment, or just press the 'like' button, it might just help someone get through a day.

Off soap box now, and back to the painting.

Sunday 16 February 2014

29 faces challenge - day 16

All watercolour again - I am really enjoying my time with this new (to me) medium.  I have also got behind again as along with the new medium my lessons are also teaching painting flowers, never done that before and I am really enjoying it, I have found many books with pictures for me to paint and some 'how to' books to study.
I did the above face over the watercolour background I was playing with, just couldnt help myself, there is some pencil work in there too, new pencils are on my wish list now.. thinking it may well be time to invest in the prismacolor.. just finding which ones to invest in is the problem.

Thank you to those who took the time to visit and comment, much appreciated.  I am struggling at the moment with being 'ignored' on-line, I know I should not be so sensitive but in 'certain' areas finding it quite hurtful............. yes, I need to grow a thicker skin.

Friday 14 February 2014

29 faces challenge - day 13 & 14

For more information about the 29 faces challenge see HERE

Oh dear, I am getting behind already - lost day 12 altogether I'm afraid.  Anyway, here is day 13 this one was inspired by Andrea Gomoll's entry with video, most of this is watercolour and pencils - I am learning to enjoy this medium.

Day 14 is my very first all watercolour face (well almost, just some pencils in the hair/eyes)
I have a way to go on the shading part yet I know, we haven't got to faces on my course as yet - its florals next which I am really looking forward too, about time I learnt to do something else.. having said that I would love to surround the faces with flowers.

Hope you all had a good valentine's day - I did, its also my 10th wedding anniversary today, which is 'tin' I have been lucky enough to be presented with a tin of 'Windsor and Newton Watercolour Paints' the professional ones, wow!! Not that I will be using them yet, but they are nice to look at for when I am ready, came with a lovely brush too, might just have to use that.

Tuesday 11 February 2014

29 Faces Challenge, Days 10 & 11

I'm still going!!! For anyone who does not know, you can read all about the 29 Faces Challenge Here

Yesterday was a rather poor sketch in my sketchbook, weird how some days are considerably better than others LOL.  Mostly Graphite with a touch of fleshtone pencil over.

Today is another from my FACEcinating Girls on-line course - loving the course..
This one is mixed media, watercolour crayon, pencil, acrylic paints and inks.

Loving watching all the other entries, there is an awful lot of talent out there, dont forget to follow the link and take a look.

Monday 10 February 2014

Learning Watercolour

I am having a break from faces posts today, not from faces of course (that never happens).  I have been catching up with course work, I think I just 'might' have taken on a bit too much.  My new work book for my watercolour course arrived today, I have done a few practice pages but not started the first actual exercise as yet as I wanted them altogether in one book, I did purchase a nice watercolour book but Christy advised one of these to begin with, its a Canson Mixed Media A3, with 30 pages or 60 if you use both sides, helps take away the 'paper fear' factor, great idea for me.  So, I just had to decorate the front...

This great course, which has already taught me more about watercolour than I imagined, can be found here.  Its called 'Obsessions' and of course this month its watercolour, there is to be a new topic each month - I think I would be happy with 12 months of watercolour.

I am also behind in my FACEcinating Girls course, and still not watched this weeks Lifebook video, and its Jane Davenport this week another of my fave teachers.

Hope to be back with the faces tomorrow.............. oh, and if anyone is interested I STILL dont have my car back!!!!!!!!

Sunday 9 February 2014

29 faces challenge - Day 9

To read more about this fun challenge, and view the rest of the many participants see this link Here

I mentioned a day or so ago being short on time due to spending my days awaiting my useless garage fixing my car - I am still waiting!!!! but now given up spending each day awaiting 'that' phone call... the above sketch was done with this experience in mind, how better to vent one's anger than to draw it...?  This sketch is inspired by a tutorial from Merrill Kazanjian on Youtube - an excellent on line art tutor if you want to look him up, teaches a few celebrity drawings too.

Saturday 8 February 2014

29 faces challenge day 7 & 8

Oh dear, I am getting behind and I was doing so well.  Here we are on day 8 of the 29 faces challenge you can read more about and see more fab artists taking part HERE

Above is my day 7, this is another from the FACEcinating Girls class were I am 'slowly' learning to do portrait facing girls, as you see I do still need plenty more practice.  Luckily this is the beginning of week 3, there is still all of that weeks lessons and another week to go, and plenty more practice from me so room for improvement.
Being short on time, day 8 is just a graphite sketch done in my sketchbook - I do these all the time, these are just faces from my imagination no reference photo or guide just my practicing features and shapes, I decided she looked better without my ruining her with hair so left her be.

Hoping to make a start on my watercolour class tomorrow so might have something new to blog about aside just the challenge, so that might even be 2 blogs in one day - no promises though:)

Thursday 6 February 2014

29 Faces Challenge - Day 6

Day 6 of the faces challenge, to read more about it and check out over 100 other faces see this Link

Now to my face............... Sometimes it does not matter just 'how' good our teacher is, we still dont get it 'quite' right.  This was my first attempt at a 'portrait' face on the FACEcinating Girls 2 course, there are many faults with this one, the main one being the poor soul has not quite enough 'head' for a start, not to mention her feeling very 'blue' while I tried one colour shading, which as you see I am still not so good at.  Still, it can only get better right?

Distinct lack of arting time (again) today.. thing is you see, my car is seriously sick and at the garage, for the last 3 days I have been waiting for a call to collect it, this seriously interferes with my art time, as I cannot settle to much whilst spending 8 hours a day waiting for a phone call, not to mention all the chores that need doing, need doing 'on foot' so is taking a lot longer.  I had to walk to the post office with an order today, after doing 3 lots of dog walking, so I am rather slow now.. not really much of my day left either.  So, day 6 with no car tomorrow, and will have to organise food shopping too then, going to be weekend before I get proper art time.. this does not make for a very happy Lynda, I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed art time:)

Wednesday 5 February 2014

29 Faces Challenge Day 5

To read more about what this challenge is about, and to view the rest of the talented artists taking part see this Link

I am really running late today, one of those days when 'life' gets in the way of more important stuff, like ART of course.  Today's face is just graphite, again taken from my Manga instruction book, but modified to my own style - he is a vampire.  Here is the rest of him...
Only a Quick one today I'm afraid, and no time to visit other blogs today, but will do my best to catch up in the next few days.

Tuesday 4 February 2014

29 Faces Challenge Day 4

I am in the company of over 100 super artists taking part in the challenge of a face a day for 29 days.  You can see them all by clicking this Linky

Today's face from me was inspired by another lesson in FACEcinating Girls II with Andrea Gomoll.  This one is on black pearlescent card, sketched with white pencil, pastel and pen, and coloured with oil pastel.. yes, I do know her face is a bit lobsided, she was at the dentist before this....

The flowers are napkins, and the happy Bee's are stickers.

Monday 3 February 2014

29 Faces Challenge - Day 3

I am really enjoying this, and mostly the great company I am in with others who enjoy drawing faces.  Before I go on, do take a look at everyone else's fantastic work in the challenge by clicking on this Linky
Today's face is another from my 'teach manga' book, this is a Zombie girl.. as you see I cannot do Manga eyes for anything so just do my own features.  Will go have a look around the other faces now, I have been working through the numbers so will do the last third today, then hopefully start again working through tomorrow.
Again, thank you to those who take the time to visit me, and love the comments.

Sunday 2 February 2014

29 Faces - day 2

I think I am going to like this, thank you so much for all the visits from my fellow challengers at '29 faces' To see these wonderful artists taking part do take a look here Linky

This one is taken from my 'how to' Manga book, I had the fool idea to try colour pencil.. yes, that was a good idea but next time I might even consider using the right paper for the right media, hence the awful grainy look.  No matter, all experience.. here is the rest of him too...........

I will find it quite hard to stick to faces, as I am trying to learn bodies too right now hence the Manga books, just ordered one by 'Mark Crilley' cant wait for that to arrive, anyone wanting to try out faces Manga style take a look at his you tube video's, he is a great teacher.

Right oh, off to look at some of the other faces, I do try to look at them all - sadly not enough time to comment on everyone but I do try to do a few each day and am most grateful for those left for me... what a lovely and talented bunch of people.

Saturday 1 February 2014

29 faces art challenge for February 2014

I have been wanting to join this challenge for sometime - was on holiday last September so unable to join that one, so no more excuses now is the time.  Me blog each day for a month?  mmmh, cant really see that happening.......... but I do draw faces each day, and have done for over 2 years now (believe it or not).  To see more of this feature and all the other artists taking part follow this linky.

Here is my first face of the month, this is one I have just finished on my FACEcinating Faces II Course with Andrea Gomoll (also taking part in the challenge).
Mixed Media face on Canvas.