Monthly Archives: May 2009

Saturday Responsiblities

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Guess what I'm supposed to be doing?

Guess what I'm supposed to be doing?

Ah, a three day weekend.  Plenty of time for rest and relaxation.  Time to do the things that I have put off doing for myself like sunbathing, or taking a rest or… Oh, apperantly I’m supposed to be doing chores.  I am apparently supposed to take care of the yard maintenance, the vehicle maintenance, and any other “honeydew” my lovely young bride has in mind to make our humble abode more pleasant.  I pulled the lawn mower out and saw how 20+ days of rain have affected our yard and thought, “What a great painting that would make!”

lawnmowersketches1

compositional sketch 1

So, I ran into the house and grabbed my sketchbook.  I put the lawnmower just the way I thought it should go and walked around it for close to 30 minutes looking at it from different angles and configurations.  This was when my wife caught me.

It’s not so much that she was mad at me, she really wasn’t even frustrated at me.  She just managed to give me a look of disbelief.  One of those looks that makes you feel guilty that you’re not doing what’s expected of you.  She brought me a hat and my mini-sketch book and said, “That would make a nice painting.”  That’s just one of the MANY reasons I love her.

comp. sketch 2

comp. sketch 2

comp sketch 3

comp sketch 3

comp. sketch 4

comp. sketch

color study

color study

Finally, I broke out the mini-sketch book to make this color study.  As I was finishing it up, I could hear the thunder.  I looked up to see scattered clouds on an otherwise gloriously sunny day.  I grabbed my camera phone and snapped a photo of the final layout.  Ten minutes later it started raining in what we call locally rain-shine.  That’s when you’re standing in direct sunlight and still get a soaking.  I probably should have mowed the lawn at some point.  But I believe it will make an EXCELLENT painting.

A Dear College Friend Chimes In…

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Secret Silvy

Secret Silvy

On Friday’s I like to post a few critiques.  The artist I had scheduled to chat with this week had something come up at the last minute.  Not to worry though, she made me promise to give her a rain check.  I ran into one of my dearest friends from college on Facebook.  She and my lovely bride were room mates and at one time we did practically everything together.  One day, however, she ran away from the circus to join a home and now she and her husband have a custom jewelry business.  You can see her work at Secret Silvy.  As a matter of fact, if you check there regularly you can watch their website grow as it is currently a Work In Progress!  Laura volunteered to help me out with a few critiques this week and it is greatly appreciated!

The old Washita Theater

The old Washita Theater


Washita Theater is an awesome depiction of times gone by.  The picture sort of clashes with itself though.  The column down the center has a 40’s feel, while the marquee looks like the bumper of a 50’s style car.  I think it’s because there’s no separating line between the two sides of the marquee, and the right end is angled a bit much.  I’m not sure if it’s the re-sizing of the picture, or if the lettering on the marquee are supposed to be illegible, but in this digital copy, there’s a slight cartoon feel since I can’t read the letters.  This is an excellent capture with what I will call “personal touches!”

EDM 121: Draw Something Shady

EDM 121: Draw Something Shady

EDM 121: Draw Something Shady

Looking at the “shady” picture, I am amazed at the depth that it has.  I just want to walk right up and sit on the swing, but I’m afraid I’d bust out the window behind it.  Something about the tree… looks like it’s reaching in under the porch on the right side.  But how could that be if the swing looks like it’s against the wall/window?  Didn’t notice it though until I was just staring at my screen while talking on the phone!  Otherwise, an excellent job!

College Chapel

College Chapel

College Chapel

I absolutely love the College Chapel.  It looks like a picture you would see of a small chapel in a fairy tale book.  If you stare at the tower too long, it begins to look fuzzy, like you’re seeing double.  The clock not showing an actual time adds to the fairy tale style.

Thank You Laura!

Laura, I can’t thank you enough for taking time to comment on my site and my works.  Readers, be sure and check out Laura’s site as well at Secret Silvy.

Open invitation to critique Fridays.

If you would like to participate in Friday’s critiques, please contact me and I will be more than happy to set it up.

EDM 122: Draw A Bell

EDM 122: Draw A Bell

EDM 122: Draw A Bell

Tonight’s EDM challenge, draw a bell, is another of those that pushes my comfort zone.  I still don’t like to draw reflective surfaces.  However, I think that particular set of skills is coming along nicely.  Before long I’ll be rendering Gazing Balls for your enjoyment.  <snicker> JUST JACK</snicker>

College Chapel

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College Chapel

College Chapel

I had several long breaks today between the courthouse, the printer, and an old friend with a cool offer.  During one of those breaks I went down to The University of Science and Arts, a local college.  I sat in the shade behind the library over looking the chapel while I ate my sardines in hot sauce and drank my 8oz. Diet Dr. Pepper.  While sitting there, I broke out the mini sketch kit and played around a bit.  I like how this one turned out and am VERY eager to do more.  It’s like that.  When you do something that shows obvious improvement or that you think looks very good, you are inspired to do more and more.  One bad drawing can grind you to screaching stop if you let it.  But if you just keep plugging away, you can look back and see that your bad drawings today are still way better than your bad drawings, and even many of your GOOD drawings from yesterday.

My friend Danny, a preacher, made me an offer to use space in his church to give art classes.  We discussed it at length, and I think that we could come to some kind of arrangement.  I also think that it would be a blast to get to do so.  We both agreed, however, that his congregation might frown upon nude figure drawing.

Sketchbook cover

Sketchbook cover

I spend a lot of my time looking for just the right materials with which to draw, paint, sketch, whatever.  It always seems that what I’m looking for either isn’t available, is incredibly expensive, or is made in China.  I find the labor practices in some of those other countries to be incredibly offensive, so it just irritates me to no end that you can’t find anything made anywhere else.  Anyway, what I decided to do about it is gather some domestic materials and make my own.  A local printer friend is helping me out and soon I will have all the sketch books I want in the sizes I want.  WOOT!

EDM 121: Draw Something Shady

EDM 121: Draw Something Shady

EDM 121: Draw Something Shady

I know that I am supposed to be challenged and develop not only my awareness of the world around me and my draftsmanship, but also my creativity.  But I really find the vague challenges annoying.  “Draw something shady.”  “Draw something you like.”  These kind of challenges I know are designed to force me to decide.  But one of the things that drew me in to the Every Day Matters group to begin with was the specific list of items.  When I come to the end of a long day, it is nice to be able to look and see, “Draw a bowl.”  Then I know that I need to draw a bowl and I don’t have to think beyond which bowl, lighting, and composition.  It’s way more meditative that way.  That said, I am still pleased with the way this one turned out.

It Figures!

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EDM 120: Draw some coins

EDM 120: Draw some coins

After two weeks of being rained out, I’m wondering if I’m ever going be able to make it back to figure drawing group.  I missed it this week also because of some ugly personal business, so you know I’ll be scrounging for something to put online for next week.  Maybe I can get my beautiful young bride to pose for me.  I have heard many complaints that there weren’t any pictures of her online anyway.  One of the great many things I enjoy about my lovely wife is that she is addicted to all things shiny.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a diamond ring or an alluminium wrapper from a stick of gum, if it’s shiny she likes it.  I’ll refrain from making any Crow or Bird Brain references here.  Tonight’s EDM challenge, draw some coins, got me thinking that maybe she would pose for me if offered her these shiny coins.  I wonder what a roll of dimes would get me.  Eat your heart out, people, that only works for me.

When Pigs Fly

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Swine Flu

Swine Flu

It’s time once again to post my response to the Illustration Friday theme.  This week’s theme is Contagious.  What with all the headlines surrounding the Mexican Swine Flu, I have to believe this is what the submitter had in mind.  I’m also willing to bet that of the hundreds of submission to Illustration Friday, my flying pig will just be one of many.

brain storming

brain storming

I believe a creative mind is just like a goldfish.  Feed it too little, or too much, and you’ll find it floating in the tank.  I spend about five minutes brainstorming these challenges.  I don’t try to think to much about it because it would be very easy to let myself be overcome by indecision.  To many ideas, second guessing and letting doubt creep in are the killers of creativity.  If you’ve ever had a deadline slip by you because someone just couldn’t make up their mind, then you know exactly what I’m typing about.  For this challenge, I set a specific amount of time for deliberation, five minutes.  After than, I grab the one that I think best conveys the theme.  If I am unhappy with the results, I can start over.  Usually, however, there will be at least two that I end up weighing against each other.  I think that if I had gone with the pig in the tie you might have confused the theme for “Men.”

EDM 119: Draw a flashlight

Flashlight

Flashlight

When I went to Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) training, at the completion of the course the instructor handed out these nifty keychain LED flashlights.  They are just the right size and REALLY bright.  The only problem is that they click “on” in your pocket.  Then when you need it, the batteries are dead.  I find it easier just to keep a fresh supplie of batteries around because this flashlight is perfect for the inspections I do.