Thursday 31 March 2016

face a day challenge (almost) 74 - 79

I have had to add the 'almost' as although I do art everyday with commitments and the slower medium of colour pencil I am having a bit of a struggle to manage a complete face 'every day' I could give it up but would rather just extend my time, rather than finishing on 31st December 2016 it may well be January or even February 2017, but so what?

I have fallen in love with the coloured pencil, so after all these years of effort I have finally found what I like the best, and still do daily study from various sources to learn all I can about how to perfect the art.
When getting too far behind I break out the watercolour as also enjoying them since they have been the theme for this months 'New Obsessions' class with Gulfsprite.
I have also been using marker pen as a base and to blend with.  Today my odorless paint thinner arrived though which gives me another method of blending to try, who would have thought there was so many ways to use the coloured pencil?
Above is my favourite piece to date.  All colour pencil and at last my faces are beginning to have a bit of shape, as you see I am also trying to add some flowers in the background.
Lastly I used some oil pastel and watercolour on this one so a bit more of a mixed media.  Aside from all the wonderful pencils there are out there on my wish list I still long for more free hours in the day, would love to do this all day and every day.....

Tuesday 22 March 2016

Keeping up with the face challenge 67 - 72

Keeping up a little better this week, for once.  Although not easy when its pencil work.  Above is the first lesson of March with 'Gulfsprite' on her Patreon.  Watercolour and collage.  Enjoyed this, as though I do like watercolour I am not that great with it, enjoyed the practice.
This one was an experiment on my part, really must try it again.  Colour pencil and soft pastel pencils on Mi-tenes paper.
Watercolour and coloured pencil.  This is a medium I do like to play with, all pencil work.
Not my finest hour I know, not quite sure how I went so wrong on this one but I did.  Still, enjoyed the shading practice with watercolour pencils and dry colour pencils.
Must have been a short on time day, so all graphite here, bit of an odd hairstyle but again, all practice.
Finally for this week my Mum's favourite, she thinks I should put this up for sale - trying to explain though it is good for me, still not quite good enough a way to go yet.  All colour pencil, mostly derwent but others used too.

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Face a Day Challenge 60 - 66.

Still having that love with the coloured pencil, and thanks to a recent art lesson with 'Gulfsprite' in watercolour enjoying that too, so much so I have just ordered some 'how to' paint flowers in watercolour to go alongside the faces, inspired by one of the other students in the group.
Above is a mixed media piece from one of the weekly lessons with 'Gulfsprite' Loved this one and enjoyed working with my fave colours.
The girl was all with 'Derwent Coloursoft' pencils (background in watercolour) as I read these were a great pencil to use I had an old set lying around and thought I would have another try with them, yes I am hooked, also bought a small set of 'Derwent Artist' as I have asked for donations for artist pencils for my birthday in a few weeks, I would like a tin of 120 pencils, they are not cheap but look amazing.
Again, all colour pencil and was inspired by a lovely card I bought with art work by 'Jane Winton' a great folk art artist, look up her work its fabulous.
This was me just playing with some of the techniques taught in above art course, I love doing these.
Lastly a 'not so great' pencil drawing, this is what has convinced me I have a lot more to learn to stop my girls being so 'flat' I have taken steps to learn more about shading in the hope to improve.

Monday 7 March 2016

365 faces challenge - random 41/60 something

Sorry for absence.  Family drama got in the way of my art work, so in truth I did miss 3 days.  Above is 46.
49. So, as I am so far behind now I am just going to choose a random 6 that I like best so I can catch up.
I am still very much enjoying learning colour pencil work and how best to blend, using different tecniques. (and one day I will learn to spell too!)
I do try when short on time at least to manage a pencil sketch in the moleskine, but for a few days there was either no time available or I was just wiped out with the stress of it all.
I even got behind on my art lesson with 'gulfsprite' but think I have caught up with that now.  Above was one from the class.
This one is just from a few days back, and I loved it.  Though nobody else did, so I got the worst reception ever on instagram with this one - funny when we dont all like the same things.

I hope to be back on track now, and trying to keep my back seat from the on-going drama.  I hate drama, much prefer peace and quiet and pencils and paint.