Gift Buddha New Start

What a surprise was waiting for me on my table at workshop. One a big 7 x 11.5" handmade sketchbook from heavy watercolor paper, filled with owls and owls and more owls. The background for this was that last week I made a small one-page sketchbook that I learned from Kiala Givehand as part of the Sketchbook revival that I took part in. Sadly they have taken it down already. She also has a great number of youtube videos, but couldn't find the specific one she had on the revival session. I did find one similar but she doesn't show the hidden pages. Anywho I showed Traudi how to make it and she taught her granddaughter while making me the OWL book. Traudi also gave me another sketchbook like the one she previously gave me, she decided she wasn't going to use it and since mine is almost filled, it should be mine! Thank YOU Traudi, I so wish I could share some of her work but alas she hasn't a blog or Instagram etc. Maybe someday! And now you ask, why OWLS.
Well, we were discussing our project and I mentioned that I took an online quiz and OWL is my soul animal.

Cover

 1-2

3-4

5-6

Hidden Pages

lifting pages 1 -2

Full Spread

Back Cover

We all have some down days where our mind takes over with thoughts and we can't seem to get rid of them. With me, I take a nap which is like an escape sleep. After a shower decided to get it out on paper. In the sketchbook revival, I learned that scribbling and writing on the page has great power.

It really helped and this Buddha was the result! I also remembered the HUGE Buddha at the RISD Museum that I often visited. It was so calming and peaceful!

15 x 13"

Pencil HB on Light Sketchbook Page

 Well, hope you've come this far. This week at Workshop we had our guest mentor Ariel Asseo.

Since his specialty is in realistic figure painting I decided to do two figures. Not happy at all with this WIP. But in the spirit that I show what going on on my easel.  Have to fix the drawing mistakes particularly the left arm and decide on a color palette. It was the end of the session so I used oil sticks instead of getting out my paints. 

WIP

Charcoal  Oil Sticks 

Colored Matte Board

21.5 x 27.5

Following Up On an Urge

Did you ever get an idea while doing other things? An idea that you would like to follow up on later and you never do. Well, this idea has been running in my head since the class on figures a couple of weeks ago.

In the middle of what I was doing, I finally decided to "follow up".

WIP

34 x 51 cm

Gessoed Cover of Watercolor Pad

Charcoal Rubbing 

Crayons Oil stick 

click to enlarge

September 30 x 30 Collage

This month flew by. Time to show off with the collage and tell a little about the experience and what I have gained. First I have gained a whole month of productivity.  This summer has been a difficult time for various medical problems, nothing serious, but still restrictive. This creativity greatly improved my mood and confidence in myself.

I chose to focus the challenge using a small gray-papered sketchbook using charcoal and pastels in monochromatic sketches.  My references were my own photos taken in a small wooded area near my home. I used PS to edit the images into B&W. I also used topaz filters.

Click to Enlarge

One more very important thing that I learned during this challenge was to use my smartphone more efficiently. I use the app "opencamera", which allowed me to take the photo, crop, resize, rename and paste it into a blog post. This took about 5 minutes. In the computer, I added text,tags etc. My photos are automatically backed up in google photos so I could then download them to my computer. Now how COOL is that!!!

September 30 x 30 Day 30

Final day of the challenge. This month has really flown by. I really enjoyed my exploration of using charcoal and pastels in a fairly dark gray sketch book. This is another sketch of the wall with all its light patterns and foliage behind. Foliage and shadows mixing in together. At first it eluded me and luckily with a rag wiped down to an almost clean slate, but in the end I am fairly happy with the result. 

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and pastels

6 x 8"

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 29

Late afternoon the trees made some arch like shadows on the wall.

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8"

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 28

Another abstract of the ground patterns, almost like waves at sea. 

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8 "

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 27

Shadows on ground and wall. This time, I took the reference to extreme through Topaz filters, simplify and impression. The ground almost looks like a sea. Well, it might be because of the lights and shadows on the ground. 

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8"

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 26

Another view of the shelter cropped closer. Tree had foliage at the main branches. Tried mainly to block in main  shapes without too much detail.

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and pastels

6 x 8"

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 25

Trees, car, and invisible dog, Can't see her, Lilly sniffing around? Well tried as I  couldn't get her with the pastels. So my black eraser came in handy. May try again. 

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8"

gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 24

Eucalyptus tree near the shelter. Tried to simplify the shapes and tones. 

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and pastels

6 x 8"

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 23

Another corner looking out of the wooded area. This used to be a play area for children but they took down the swings and slides. Now it's mainly for dog walking. Wish they would close it all around and make it a proper dog area,

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8"

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 22

Bench with Palm, view to the street, This was a real quickie, Thought I would have time later to sketch at least 2 sketches. Always like to be ahead of the game. Life seems to get in the way sometimes. Dentist,physiotherapy, workshop, babysitting etc. Cropped the photo reference and used some topaz filters. Liked the way the curved palm contrast with the blocks of the area of the tree, bench, and background. Lots of light playing on the ground and bench.

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and pastels

6 x 8 "

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 21

Instead of shadows on the wall, this time elongated shadows on the ground. Think I could have made them a bit softer.

Click to enlarge

6 x 8 "

Charcoal and pastels

Grey-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 19

I am definitely inspired by the varying patterns of light cast on a long concrete wall. I have taken many shots and each one different. Here the pattern looks like a passing cloud. I shot the original image trying the panning effect. A method that I still have to improve The shot did have that grass movement that I mimicked.

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8 " 

Gray-paper

September 30 x 30 Day 18

In the Horsha stands a bomb shelter, a reminder of where we are, decorated with Keith Haring comic figures. I liked the contrast of the concrete and the delicate foliage behind. Late afternoon light played its part in the composition.

click to enlarge

6 x 8 "

Charcoal and Pastels

Gray Paper

September 30 x 30 Day 17

Getting closer with the camera caught this interesting view of the corner of the bench and the bottom of a  tree trunk. Thought it made an interesting composition but not too sure now.

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8"

Gray paper

September 30 x 30 Day 16

In our area, we have Hooded Crows. Large smart and quite noisy creatures.  They look for treasures on the floor of the Horsha. Across the street, there is a tall Pecan tree so lots of nuts can be found. They are very ingenious at opening the nuts.  Sometimes they come quite close. 

Three crows strutting was first done on a photo with just one crow in PS. He was quite far. I will have to get one closer, maybe bring some tidbits.

Charcoal and Pastels

on gray paper

6 x 8 "

September 30 x 30 Day 15

House beyond the wall. The sun was making patterns on the wall and house behind. Every day new sun shadow games...

Charcoal and pastels

on gray paper

6 x 8 "

September 30 x 30 Day 14

This afternoon the trees were making shadows on the wall. 

Tree Shadows

6 x 8 "

Charcoal and Pastels

Gray Paper

September 30 x 30 Day 20

This Hooded Crow has already started to molt. He was difficult to capture but he's kinda cute! Lots of pickings on the floor of the Horsha, dates and pecans. 

Click to enlarge

Charcoal and Pastels

6 x 8"

Gray Paper