Drawings of the neighbor's dogs. It's hard being an artist and a parent at the same time. I find that I am never fully focused anymore. It's not that I can't, it's either exhaustion or Sienna screaming "Mommie! Lookit! Lookit!" Or just screaming in general; sometimes I think she's being eaten by a bear, then I think, wait a minute, there are no bears in Brad's backyard. And I just have one. I don't know how parents with multiple children handle life. In this case, as soon as I saw a good pose on the dog(s), Sienna would call them over and there goes a great pose. Sigh....

Normally I draw with my favorite prisma color pencil, Tuscan Red. Since taking Paul Wee's class on figure sketching, I have reluctantly switched to pen. These are done on a teeny little sketchbook, 4" x5", almost the size of a package of cigarettes, only big enough to make thumbnail sketches.

Completely reworking the Archer illustration. Went back to the drawing board, creating better silohuettes, balancing values, telling the story with light. This is the underpainting.

Drawing. Greg posed for the bad guy.

Tuff Girl

This was an assignment done for Bryan Mon who is self publishing his own comic called Tuff Girl. He asked a few of his friends for their own interpretation of his character. I made her more youthful, leaner, possibly in her early twenties and put the dragon embossing on her costume and more feminine accents. This is the first real illustration with a solid background for me. More to come in this vein. I did this in a more airbrushed style. In the future, I will try to get more painterly-more like I paint traditionally.

Bryan suggested I turn the background a little cattywampus and Greg helped me with a second eye-and the props. Thanks, Guys!

Finishing up with a Comic book character, will post soon. In the meantime, I redrew the Archer since I was not happy with it. Face needed more intensity, more appeal. Greg helped me work this difficult pose out.

It's been awhile. I have been taking a figure drawing class at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art on Tuesday nights. I have not drawn the nude in nearly 9+ years. The teacher is Paul Wee and he does not remember but I had taken his class and Mark Westermo's class almost 12 years ago. These are all 5 minute poses and the back pose was drawn for my husband who loves this type of body-tiny waist and big hips.

Close up, back from Hart Park.

I don't usually post anything with my daughter, but I love the way these pics came out. I am always looking for examples of flesh tones for future reference and I love the colors on Sienna. She had just came out of a hot tub last weekend and her skin was so dewy and fresh-skin tones were so beautiful, she appeared to be made from something else.

This is the painting I finished for Black History Month for Hart Park. It will only be up one more day.

The rest are quick pics I have been taking from my cell phone. They are taken with abstract compositions in mind. A few years ago, I was taken back by some of the abstract work I saw in Dorota's house. I have never been interested in abstract work before, but I loved what she has painted in her home. I have been since taking small snapshots just for color and composition, thinking in a way I never have.

Union station, my dear Lilliana's kitchen counter top, William S. Hart's mansion (dinner table) and a wonderful chicken meal that Greg prepared.

These were done near the Canyon Theatre. We did not have models but these musicians played for us and I set up. I'm not used to "sketching" with the colors; I mean I am really quick, but it was unnerving at first to paint people moving around alot with acrylics. Great exercise, tho. I was channeling John Quinn, who is used to drawing a lot of people moving around in his meetings or when he is traveling.

The first one I did is the woman, then I painted Manak, the guitar player, and he turned out much better since I was "warmed up" by the time I got to him. Actually, I kinda painted them together, since the singer would get up, then I would switch to Manak, he would get up and then I would switch back to her when she got back...I used to do this with watercolor in Bob Kato's class at Disney. I would bring 2-3 drawing pads, and while one watercolor was drying, throw it down on the floor, grab another pad, work that one, throw that one down and let it dry, grab the pad that was dry and on and on. I would end up with several filled pads of figures very quickly and get lots of practice in.

Working on:

I've been asked to do an original painting for a local show coming up. It will be for Black History Month. This is 11 3/4" x 24" on canvas. I actually gessoed this twice and sanded it in between gesso coats, thanks for the instructional, John Quinn. Not quite finished yet, need a few more tweaks. Not used to working on such a smooth surface-and it's acrylic, which lends itself to such a hard and graphic look. Can't blend or smooth. This one will actually be done before the Chinese warrior horse (see below)

Acrylic painting on canvas in progress. Underpainting. Taken from my cell phone.

Scant offerings: This was done last night in Santa Clarita. Not the best I've done, but the model did not show up and Olga graciously stepped in to model.

Concepts for Hart Park. I did these pretty fast and I think went over the top a little. It was too energetic for a conservative bunch but I had a blast working them. Some day I will paint them digitally for my portfolio.

Last night at the Canyon Country Guild Theatre, 3 25 min sessions, 8 1/2 x 11 acrylic on canvas paper. Nailed the composition and values the first 7 minutes. I knew I did it right, because everything that followed was cake. We artists dream of nights like these before real models. I flew this night. Also really understanding how to command a story-another big, big lightbulb moment.

To take charge of this "story", I lit the figure on the right so that that is the part of the painting you should look at first, then her eyes direct you to the figure on the left. I wanted the blue tone of the canvas to peep out of the flesh tones on the right figure, some organized brushstrokes over the flesh tones to keep it fresh and seemingly haphazard but planned. I gave the figure on the right a questioning look, waiting for a response from her friend. All this was decided before painting a stroke.

Building...

Close up.

I did an archer a few years back and am now working on it again.