Day two hundred and sixty-eight: Oh yes, my friends, we’ve been here before! My same favorite beach, looking in the same direction, but on a very different, hazy morning. Using pastels, I thought I was finished several times while I was working, however, repeatedly found myself returning to the picture, continuing to layer and blend […]
Also tagged landscapeDay two hundred and sixty-five: My struggles with the clouds in yesterday’s pastel sketch, inspired me to try a close up of some of them. As I hoped, by zooming in I was able to more thoughtfully and carefully explore layering and blending the colors. I claim progress, not perfection, yet I am pleased to […]
Also tagged nature, skyDay two hundred and sixty-four: Unsure what to draw, I found a photo I took in Maine of a sunset over pine trees on Burnt Coat Island at Phippsburg. I thought that pastels might be a good way to capture the phenomenal play of color and light in the wispy puff and streaks of clouds, […]
Also tagged landscapeDay two hundred and sixty: I found myself in a pastel mood today, and wanting to play with the rich chalky layers that I began experimenting with a couple of weeks ago. Turning to my photographs to find a suitable subject, I expected to choose a colorful sunset or ocean scene. Instead I was drawn […]
Also tagged landscapeDay two hundred and fifty-three: Weekends are a great time to give my green-cheeked conure some extra attention. He loves being held in the palm of my hand, and to be given little scritches around his beak and eyes. While he enjoys little bird bliss, it gives me the opportunity to look closely at his […]
Also tagged animal, bird, oilDay two hundred and forty-three: My work this afternoon led me to stare closely at a large pastel by Edgar Degas (French, 1834–1917), an activity which led, in turn, to a discussion with my co-worker Sharon about creating art with pastels. I commented that I had never really tried it – even on my digital […]
Also tagged art on art, landscapeDay two hundred and nineteen: After I painted my favorite beach in Costa Rica the other day, my dad sent me a couple photos of his favorite beach in Tonga, where he and my mom are stationed as Peace Corps volunteers. This is a study of one of them. I particularly liked the deep grays […]
Also tagged landscape, oil, waterDay two hundred and seventeen: After several days of black and white pencil sketches, when I pondered what I should draw today, the first thing that came to mind was COLOR. Then I remembered what I have been calling my favorite beach in the world: the stretch of sand between Carate and the Corcovado National […]
Also tagged landscape, nature, oil, waterDay one hundred and forty-eight: This last-minute sketch was inspired by a church spire I noticed on my way home from a dinner party. I used pastels and started playing with color because my friend Mary and I are starting a challenge that marries the styles of Munch and Magritte. This isn’t a particularly thoughtful […]
Also tagged abstract, allegory, architecture, nocturneThis sketch is the ninety-third in a 365-day challenge to draw a picture a day, every day, for a year… Day ninety-three: Paging through a book about the woodcut in 15th-century Europe, I browsed upon one of Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem from c. 1440-1445 with traces of faded color. The mule caught my eye. In […]
Also tagged animal, art on art, oil