The other day, I tried a new drawing technique I found in Moira Huntly's book, and I posted the result as my daily drawing number 236. I liked the result, but after wiping out the charcoal to reveal the watercolor beneath, I felt the remaining black was too stark and even sinister. For today's daily drawing, I took "Tree Patterns" and brightened the yellow coming from behind using soft pastel and I softened the hard edges of the black using some warm sienna pastel along a few of the edges, and a little cool pastel in the areas most removed from the bright morning light. I think the overall effect is much more successful, and a good way to build on the wipe away technique.
What do you think?
This is my two hundred thirty-eighth daily drawing. Thanks for joining me on the journey.
Today was a beautiful day. After some morning busyness, my daughter and I had a relaxing lunch at Lucky Finn's Cafe in Scituate Harbor. We sat next to the harbor, had great food, conversation, and time together. I loved the overlap of the people inside and outside, out of the light and in the light, with all the surrounding geometry. I added color using some Faber Castell colored pencils, then continued to darken the interior with warm gray markers.
This is my two hundred thirty-seventh daily drawing. Thank you for continuing to look at the world as I see it these days.
I have been sitting on my porch with coffee in the mornings, looking at a group of trees in the corner of the yard. In the morning, the sun comes in behind them, making beautiful sunlit patterns.
Recently, I was looking through Moira Huntly's book "The Artist's Drawing Book" by David and Charles publishers 1994. (picture below). She has a number of interesting techniques, including one I began to explore today.
I laid down a watercolor wash to approximate the greens and values of the trees. Then I laid charcoal over the entire page, and wiped out the lights using a gum eraser. I'm interested in the results, and will spend more time working in this piece. The eraser can build hard and soft edges. When I go back in, I will lay some yellow pastel to soften the edges of the black trees, and maybe use some ink for more definition. Not sure. I like the experiment.
This is my two-hundred thirty-sixth daily drawing. Thank you for looking.
Every week, we arrive at church to bunches of fresh flowers, and are welcome to take any home. The flowers come from the local Trader Joe's and a member of our congregation picks up the batches the store is replacing with new ones. They are generally very fresh. So, every week, we have some new fresh flowers at home, a treat.
This is my two hundred thirty-fifth daily drawing. Again, thank you for your continued interest in my view of the world.
Today was the second day of our annual North River Arts Festival. Yesterday was hot and sunny; today 40 degrees cooler, overcast, with eventual showers. I love New England. I sat and sketched a few of the passersby, sitting between a couple of my friends who were painting. There was music, and a performing clown, lots of dogs, cute children, and catching up with new and old friends. Every year, I have a chat with a thoughtful man who looks at the juried art show then comes to find me with his questions and observations. I look forward to our annual discussion. Today, I met his beautiful new granddaughter as well. One of my entries was awarded "Best Drawing" in the Art Festival this year. You've seen it here as Daily Drawing 116. His observations were very interesting, as in "how can a black and white image convey color, mood, and so much information with very little detail?" He has keen powers of observation, or he knows me well, because that's exactly what I was after. This is my two hundred thirty-fourth daily drawing. Thank you for taking a look at the world through my eyes.
Tonight we watched "The Guns of Navarone", 1961, based on the book by Alistair MacLean. I read the book in my late teens, along with the James Bond novels, Taylor Caldwell historical fiction, and a bunch of Margaret Truman murder mysteries. "The Guns of Navarone" has a strong cast, including David Niven, Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn, filmed in Greece, using a lot of locals. Tonight, as I watched, I noticed how well designed many of the scenes were in this World War II action drama. The movie was directed by J. Lee Thompson.
This is a sketch of a very tense scene during which the band on the mission discovers a traitor in their midst.
This is my two hundred thirty-second daily drawing. Thank you for taking a look at the world through my eyes.
I tried a few watercolor washes tonight, to create the feeling of dusk with this house warmly lit from inside. I need to darken the sky more, but I like how the windows convey the interior welcome and warmth of the house as night sets in.
This is my two hundred thirty-first daily drawing. Thank you for continuing to see the world through my eyes.
Don't you love the city buildings? Sky peaks through between the vertical facades, while people scurry about down below. These are three views of Boston's Downtown Crossing area, each from the same point of view, but with different focus. I always enjoy the dynamic view, buildings shift as I take a step or two in any direction, and people constantly shifting the arrangement on the ground. It's exciting.
This is my two hundred thirtieth daily drawing. Thank you for continuing to look at the world through my eyes.
I dug out this great book, "Portrait Painting in Watercolor" by Charles Reid from 1973. It is packed with information, with some step by step instructions for painting individual facial features. Today I tried painting a few mouths, using Reid's explanation. Some are successful; some look like plucked turkeys, and the entire page resembles an Escher if glimpsed quickly. It's a bit odd to see the disembodied lips, but I like and need the brush practice. Will continue and see where it goes. If you can pick up the book somewhere, I highly recommend.
This is my two hundred twenty-ninth daily drawing. Thanks for taking a look.
My daughter has been visiting a friend in Kaiserslautern, Germany for the week. She sent back a few photos and this one caught my eye.
I laid in the building in general tones with watercolor, then added ink on top for definition. I also added a little colored pencil in a few places and some china white pencil. This is my two hundred twenty-fourth daily drawing. Thank you for seeing the world through my eyes.
We have had a lot going on at home during this past week. I had a knee replacement, so spent a couple of nights away from home. When I did come home, we moved ourselves downstairs; friends are visiting daily, lots of flowers are in the house, I'm using a walker, and we're here all day. We are out of routine and the cats know it. I was arranging myself on the couch with the right collection of pillows, looked up and saw Fred, the Wonder Cat, hiding under some roses and watching all the goings on. He'll figure it out.
This is my two hundred twenty-third daily drawing. Thank you for looking at the world as I see it.
Today is Mothers' Day, my third day home since leaving the hospital after a total knee replacement. My job; rest, exercise, eat well, ice, rest, repeat... Here is a drawing of my day; leg up in an ice wrap, getting up every hour with my walker. I cut up some fresh strawberries, put some roses in a vase, got a Mothers' Day phone call from Germany where our daughter is staying for a few days, called Nana to with her a good day, made a few friend phone calls, napped, and had a wonderful dinner made by a friend. It was a good day.
We have been clearing out and organizing around the house, and reclaimed our porch recently from all the stuff we had accumulated there over time. It is now a lovely sanctuary... a couple of sturdy wicker chairs, a new rug, sweet coffee table, billowing flag and that's it. It is my new space each morning. I love it.
This is my two hundred seventeenth daily drawing. Thank you for your continued interest in the world through my eyes.
