A WEEK IN DRAWING...365 Days of Drawing

My sketch book from the week...travel and taking care of sick relatives don't mix well with daily drawing challenges. But I didn't miss a single day and my lovely relative got better. Not a day without line so far in 2010. Chicken soup for the drawing soul? Thanks to Andrew Loomis, my traveling companion

SWIRL...365 Days of Drawing

Back to a technique I love and have used throughout the challenge frequently, a combo of oil, charcoal and watercolor on paper.

I love red capes and own two of them, one hanging in my studio with a sumptuous satin lining just so I can look at it.

Anyone out there know of a coarse-textured cotton or linen canvas with large tooth that they like?

SWIRL

14 x 20

Mixed media

Through The Eyes of A Child...365 Days of Drawing

I was very taken with this angel of a little boy who came to visit my studio the other day. He was transfixed by me doing a drawing for the challenge and asked THE most intelligent questions about art as he looked around the studio. His great-grandfather was a famous artist who painted magnificent murals in churches and it is clear this young man is heading for a career in the arts.

The other pix I post are from the studio day yesterday. A portrait commission, meeting and painting a very lovely lady in a single three hour sitting. Boy, what a privilege it is to do this kind of work. I love meeting new people and getting to paint them. It just doesn't get any better for me.

Angels Flying...365 Days of Drawing

Never draw faster than your art angel can fly. I took my time on the drawing of this one yesterday, teaching class demo at CAI, almost as much time as spent on the actual painting. Total head sketch time, one and a half hours.

To be honest, I was not in the groove.

Better get it back today. Sitter arriving to be painted from life in studio for a portrait commission today.

WIPE Out...365 Days of Drawing

Tough day at the drawing board. My first drawing of a figure I abandoned, something I have rarely done in this year's challenge. This was my second effort which I fear is a wipe out.

Who said drawing was easy? Or a daily challenge.

PUENTES-A-PLENTY...365 DAYS OF DRAWING

Sorolla's "puentes", tiny sketches, many made in his own studio garden, were among the best things I have ever seen when visiting his studio in Madrid recently. CATCH-IT- QUICK value/color notes made from his cigar-sized pochade box. I am no Sorolla but I do now paint from a very similar 6"x8"box which I LOVE.

On my recent trip, I was kinda thinking the 'puentes' way when I saw a garden fountain. I had less than an hour. Light was falling and dinner plans with company approaching FAST. After the initial sketch was done, which counted for the challenge, I told myself to put the paint down and LEAVE it alone.

The second day I decided to revisit the fountain in the morning before we headed out for the day and painted a close-up of the lion's head.

AS I said, I am no Sorolla. But I sure was thinking of him.

SAIL ON...365 Days of Drawing

A fast-paced travel trip to Northern CA. A drawing done every day, the challenge met. The day of this landscape of the river, I had a little more time to take my sketch to oil. The other days, I made the best of what I could get to meet the challenge with limited time, the hotel lobby, a quickie BIC pen drawing with the Golden Gate Bridge as the star.

More sketches posted from the trip tomorrow.

Leaving on a jet plane...365 Days of Drawing

AS we headed out to the airport, I grabbed my firstborn, Jess, my real achievement in life along with her sister, to sit for me for the daily challenge.

She was gracious as she sat on her bags, packed and ready to go back to her home...

Traveling for the week myself. Will not be posting but I will be drawing...

DINNER DATE...365 Days of Drawings

My dinner date last night and partner for the daily drawing challenge. To see an updated selection of the year's drawings go here:http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48229&id=1148959101&l=d33c279b80

Routine...365 Days of Drawing

One day at a time...the daily drawing challenge continues unbroken for 2010.

FANCY FOOTWORK...365 Days of Drawing

The feet are probably the only body part I haven't drawn so far in this year's unbroken daily challenge. Half an hour of playing footsie with the BIC pen very useful. Thank you Mr. George.Bridgeman. He taught Norman Rockwell how to draw. How I wish I could have had a foothold in that drawing room.

The other image is a daily drawing that I put paint on yesterday.

Lost and NOT found...365 Days of Drawing..

Time is short. Quick sketch to the rescue. 10 minutes each done from the model in my teaching class at The California Art Institute from different angles.

Not that great but met the drawing challenge. Soon to be placed in the 'lost and not found again' pile. But drawing practice, especially from a live sitter, counts and is accumulative to one's skill set so I don't mind at all.

MONTH 9 Begins...365 Days of Drawing

A non-stop day. Posthumous portrait to finish in studio, visitors arriving from Australia in the evening, shop, cook, clean, a drawing challenge to get done and a teaching class to prep. for today.

I did my drawing at 11pm after everyone had gone to bed. Not my best, no surprise.

Whassa Big Deal Anyways?...365 Days of Drawing

Time flies when you are engaged in what you are doing and that has been one of the real challenges of this daily drawing challenge, month NINE starting tomorrow, to stay involved and stimulated each day in the drawing effort.

One artist said to me about my challenge: "What's the big deal?, I draw every day anyway." Yes, but do you really? On top of the studio day. On top of the little thrills and spills of daily life thrown our way.

And then post it for the world to see. A bad drawing is going to sting.

MY daily effort remains uninterrupted so far. It hasn't been easy some days. Today's drawing I was very engaged in and hope to paint it today. I just have to get some troublesome hands and arms done to finish a commission and meet a deadline. Those little thrills and spills...

EAT, PRAY, HANDS...365 Days of Drawing

I finally got to see 'Eat Pray Love' yesterday and realized it was the first movie I had seen in a theatre since perhaps 'Julie and Julia' which started this darn unbroken challenge almost eight months ago.

I rushed home from the movies, not to chant calming things, but to draw hands. I spent my weekend's drawing challenge time doing two sittings with hands on this one page.

I felt I needed a refresher.

Don't forget. Post your thoughts on the challenge, for the next 24 hours, to win the painting below. I am picking my favorite comment to win the painting as a thank you for the support.

DANCE...365 Days of Drawing

Dance like no-one is watching? Nah...draw like no-one is watching. Today's effort that I finished with paint for the daily challenge.

IN THE PINK, Daily Painting

6 x 8, oil on canvas

$100

PAYPAL

FEEL THE FEAR...365 Days of Drawing

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

One thing I have learned as a teacher is that when you take harder props in for the class and set up harder poses for students to paint, it is going to be a more demanding and difficult class to teach. Hard to even think of doing a demo too when quite a lot of 'hands-on' teaching is going to be required.

But a leap of faith in all directions has to be taken.

Teaching demo from my class yesterday at The California Art Institute. And my drawing for the day.

ART SCHOOL COFFEE...365 Days of Drawing

"There are no rules, just tools;" says the wise Master draughtsman Glenn Vilppu.

In art and life I find this to be so true. BUT art school coffee sure helps. With its' thick creamy film.

The view from my teaching palette today at The California Art Institute before I began my sketch - and drawing for the day.

Come back tomorrow and see if that coffee helped.

CHANGE...365 DAYS OF DRAWING

CHANGE the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change.

Today's drawing with another nod to BIC pen and Zorn.

GRATEFUL...365 Days of Drawing

Ever wondered what a blank page of a daily drawing challenge sketch book looks like at the end of a great day in the studio painting - crossing a milestone in a difficult commission?

Well, here it is...