Sketchbook Peek- Budgie

This little guy is going to end up in my art journal, but for now, I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what is to come.  What are you working on at the moment?

~Venetia

 

Magnolia

Magnolia, Drawing 2013.

 

 

Flowers are one of my favorite subjects to draw. Magnolias remind me of being very young in Mississippi. They are truly a southern flower, and something them makes me think of proper Southern culture and manners.

 

My grandmother had a huge fireplace with a Magnolia painting above the mantle. I always wanted my own to hang, but never got around to getting or making one. Of course now, the TV is above my mantle, so I would have to rethink my whole living room in order to continue to aspire to one over the mantle.

 

Sometimes, I really miss the south. The food, the manners, the culture. When I visit I love it, until I see fire ants, mosquitoes, and the other critters they worry about that I do not. I die of heat and sun exposure when I visit.  I also realize how liberal the northwest is compared to the south when I visit. It's funny, because I have evolved into an acclimated Pacific Northwesterner.

 

~Venetia

 

 



Sketchbook peek- 13 Things

I've been using 13 a lot this year because well, it is 2013. I figure that I can dwell on the unluckiness of the number or embrace it. Since my word of the year is "Joy" embracing it seemed the best choice. This sketch is an idea, and it may move into my Atomic Project binder, or it may become a scrapbook page, I haven't really decided.

I love lists. They're fun. I use lists to keep myself straight at work, and I need to do them more at home. I love seeing other people's lists because I find new ideas or products I like. Fashion Police is an addiction of mine, because it is just a long list of what people are wearing, and fashion is a great place to see new trends. I also love those "best beauty products under $5" lists. Around the holidays, I pour over the best gifts for (men, women, kids) lists, and I love to critique the women's ones. For the most part, don't buy me that junk.

This list is a random snapshot of me today. My favorite, I want lobster. Seriously, I want some. Now. Please?? The wishful one, I'm buying a computer soon.

What would your list of 13 things be?

~Venetia

Sketchbook peek...

Shading exercises are the a warm up, a practice that develops skill, strength, and technique.

Much like the athlete running laps, or the ballerina practicing at the bar, the mindful repetition of precision add the the larger skill.

This sketchbook page is not particularly demonstrative of anything but the practice. The shadings I did are standard shapes and light directions, but remembering the effect of shading and light on simple objects can help on a larger piece. Breaking it down, with only shades of grey, the power of suggestion with one medium, pencil, is powerful. As simple as it is, the attention to what is put on the page means something. Critically, the 4th square, the cone from above, needs to be reworked. The power in a sketchbook is the ability to leave it undone, to recognize strengths and errors, and let them be. There is a freedom in having a place to explore, and not have the results matter.

Sketchbook- Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler-or Forcing Inspiration

"I do want to express myself, okay. And I don't need 37 pieces of flair to do it. " ~ Office Space

I seem to run hot or cold on inspiration, and as I have said before, forcing contstraints is a great way to get out of "Stuck". I found myself feeling stuck recently, and failed at finding inspiration pieces to help. Even my typical sketchbook "theme" exercises were dead ending. I was frustrated. After days of not drawing went by, I decided to give myself an ultimatium. I had to draw something, sketch something right now. Of course, I found myself at a loss, and half ideas tumbled about. The circular "I could... no, but I could... no." Silence. Repeat. trap began within my mind.

"I believe the ratio of people to cake is too big" ~Office Space

Frustrated. I told myself "Self, you better think of something, or I'm going to make you draw this stapler." Begin debating the pro's and con's of subjects (Use whiny inside your head voice here):
My daughter... people are hard to draw (which is the point, but lazy was winning)
Flowers... I've done those to death, and have spent a lot of time on that lately.
Landscape... its dark, and I would have to find a photo

This continued for a bit, and I finally told myself that I had to draw the stupid stapler. Which began the stream of Office Space quotes in my head. Drawing a stapler turned out to be harder than it seemed, and a great exercise in perspective and shading. So now I have a drawing of a stapler. And that is how a stapler got me unstuck, which I find funny.

"I could put... strychnine in the guacamole. " ~Office Space

~Venetia

My Valentine Card

I wanted a simple sentiment this year for my Valentine Card for my husband. I decided that a graphic heart image on a plain Kraft background would be perfect.  I sketched out the heart, and then used a Stadleder marker to darken the lines.  I tried filling the heart with a Prismacolor Artist Marker, but the colors ran, so I ended up using Prismacolor pencils instead.

 I know this isn't the fanciest card. I like the retro feel with the saturated color against the neutral cardstock. I like drawing my cards, it makes it personal, because they are truly a unique creation for the recipient.

Happy Valentine's Day.
~Venetia

 

Roses for Monday

I have been playing with line and contour lately. My inspiration is Art Deco designs from the 1920's and these really large contrast paintings that were on the wall of my high school that had to have been painted in the late 1970's or early 1980's. I find Art Deco designs gorgeous, and the contrast paintings at my high school, I'll abide by not saying anything if I can't be nice.

It is fascinating how line and contrast interact. I have many pre-sketches of this work, and subtle differences in each bring a different feel to the image. Sorting out ideas in a sketchbook helped me put together the elements. I'm working on a post about how I use sketchbooks in art and scrapbooking later this week.

~Venetia

Supplies:
Stabilo Point .88 Fineliner
Bristol Paper

Sketchbook share

I love contour drawing, it is a comfortable place for me.  I have managed to spend far less time with shading. Portraiture is especially not a comfort area for me.  I  intentionally spend sketch time to explore the human face, and to explore the use of shading and tone to express the essence of a person.  This sketch is of the squishy face my youngest gives me.  The sketch is imperfect, but it definitely is catching the moment. 

That is the thing about sketchbooks, taking time to play with techniques and ideas in a manner that is not intended to become a final project gives a freedom. I do this often with layout ideas, colors, drawings, and other media techniques.

 

I hope you like seeing the process part of some of my creative journey.  Please share your ideas too in the comments!

Drawing Gratitude

In November, many people focused on 30 days of gratitude, and I chose to do the same. Each day, I created a sketch of something for which I was grateful.  I’m going to share my list, and why I chose some of my items, as well as a few of my favorites.

I am grateful (for):

My pen collection- thanks mostly to finding jetpens.com and ordering $25 to get free shipping