October, the Big Draw and Happily Ever After

In October, the Big Draw events happen.
If you're in the UK, you can see the list of free events HERE

I always try to do at least one drawing in October.
It helps keep my eye in - and truthfully, you get absorbed in drawing to the point it's almost meditative.

This year, I wanted to do a portrait - and the very lovely Miranda Dickinson,author and singer ( website HERE ) said that I could use her photo as a reference.
So I drew this portrait of Miranda's mum and daughter, hoping that I could capture the feeling of love and ease, between the two generations.
For those of you who know Miranda, you will also find the title of her latest release in the pile of books...

Happily Ever After

For the curious amongst you, this was done on Winsor & Newton paper, Medium Cartridge 70lbs, using a Derwent Graphic Designer pencil, Grade F.

As always, this can be found, along with all my other paintings and drawings, on my gallery site Pat Elliott Paintings - HERE

Robbie

Here's my latest dog portrait, a lovely crossbreed called Robbie.
I have done a work in progress for Robbie - and you'll find that on my other blog HERE if you'd like to see it.

I drew this one on watercolour rough paper, because I wanted to see if it would give Robbie a more 'alive' feel.
His owner has the drawing now and I'm thrilled to say she loves it.
Her words 'You've given me back my Robbie. I feel as if I could pick him up and cuddle him.'

Robbie

Now we can relax!

 Here I am drawing in my sketchbook, with a very intent audience!

Was I drawing something so very fascinating to a dog? I don't think so.. just a negative drawing  ( where you put graphite all over the paper and draw your shapes with the eraser)

and a Christmas bauble

ah yes, Christmas bauble.. now I know why so intent..  because I mustn't forget a certain stocking...

and now its hanging in the fireplace a certain little dog can relax! :)

Drawings, table and connection

Good morning friends!

Shall we go in reverse order?
We will, so I'll start with connection. I reported a fault with my internet service on Saturday - and because it was the weekend, had to wait for Monday until an engineer could come.

What a wonderful man he was. My connection was having an intermittent fault, holding then dropping the service. It was so irritating, because you guessed it - it dropped when I was part way through something. Each and every time! 

This man was like a dog with a bone - he wouldn't leave until he had it fixed good and proper! The equipment got changed, the lines were tested, the microfilters, the junction box, the telephone exchange. He found the reason why and fixed it, though he was here between 8am and 4pm!
He's my hero :)

So what did we do with no proper service?

Hubby refurbished an old table to fit in with our colour scheme; it will live in the porch.

I completed a few drawings ready to paint:

and Missy was just grateful when all the works were done and she could rest!

Drawing Lilies

Thanks to Sharon and Mora over at Painting Friends, we have a section called "Drawing Corner"

This month they explained negative shapes, gave us many examples and provided reference pics for us to practise on.

I thought you'd like to see my practise pieces.

First, the negative spaces

then lightly drawing in the flower

and finally - the finished drawing.
I will be painting this :)

oh and if you have never seen Sharon's blog, you're in for a treat - HERE
and Nora's blog - just as fabulous - HERE

Just sketching

A friend asked me recently if I could draw.
That's not as daft a question as it first sounds, because with some paintings you barely do any drawing.

So I decided to do some drawing..

 First you get my coffee cup.. well, mug - as I usually only have one coffee a day, the breakfast one is a big one!
This sketch took about ten minutes to do.

then, a quick sketch - sitting out in the summerhouse, doors wide open,  the sun shining on us - and Missy keeping guard lest a bug try to enter our little piece of Heaven. Sketch done in under 2 minutes - because live subjects move :)

Its been such a busy weekend in the garden, pruning and clearing up from winter. So I do apologise if I haven't visited your blog - I really do try to keep up with each of the three hundred I follow - but it is getting harder.
I must learn to read faster and type quicker!

Drawing a man

I'm getting daring - drawing a man all by myself, not as part of a workshop project!

But if we don't dare, we don't learn.
Whether this chap works as a painting or not, I will have learned something from the endeavour.
And I'll have some fun, too :)

The drawing:

drawing

here 's the latest drawing.
I love drawing, its so restful and time flies when you are absorbed in it.

When I draw for a painting, I only do the basic shapes, because the paint will do all the work of making my concept come alive.

Maybe not all, perhaps I do have a brush in it somewhere!

The Setter Crew - stage One

I was recently asked to paint a picture of three English Setters, all together.

Having received the photos, I made this initial drawing

from left to right,
Remy, Jamie, Deacon

Penguins 1

Here's a beautiful pair of penguins seen playing underwater.
This picture shows the drawing and first tint to the paper.
It will be my latest painting.

Young Remy

Not only did I paint the Duchess Remy, but I also made a portrait of the younger Remy.

Here are the first three stages
Enjoy the process.....

Drawing



Background washes




Eyes and nose

Mr Rhino, sir!

I'm practicing wild animals at the moment.
This rhino was done in Inktense pencils without water. I may well add water to it and see what develops.


I have a few wildlife photos (thanks to Becks) that I can use to make paintings, so I want to improve my drawing before I lay brush to paper.

Mr Rhino, sir! ( what else would you call him?) is the first of my practice pieces. Eventually I want to paint him in the loose style I have recently been using .

In the Garden

In the garden, when the sun is shining, but not too hot, I sit outside on the patio at my little bistro table and I sketch.
These little pen sketches are not the local wildlife, but little practice pieces from a book called "I can Draw"
Can I draw? I'm always learning!

Just a scribble...

Just a scribble?

Why yes. And no.

The scribble of the daffodils has a purpose. It whiled away a few spare minutes and gave me pleasure. That is purpose enough.
I show it to you to show you that not every time you take pencil to paper does it have to be a masterpiece.

Now, this scribble was done with Inktense pencils, so I can wet the drawing after it is finished and get a more painterly look. It still won't look like a masterpiece - but again - it doesn't have to!

If I really like the composition and think it might well make a masterpiece, I can always come back to my sketchbook another time and use it as a reference for when I want to draw the masterpiece on watercolour paper.

So get out and draw.
You'll enjoy it for its own sake.
Masterpieces come later !

Practice!

Every day, practice.
Draw something, paint something.

It doesn't have to be a full picture, but practice you must.

How else will your masterpiece be a masterpiece, unless the elements are done competently? How will you ever improve?

All these things said to me on my artistic journey by my tutors.

I think practicing your drawing and painting skills are a little like life really.
The more effort you put in to it, the more you get from it.

I wonder how many hours a day DaVinci spent drawing?
I think I'd feel like a slacker in comparison !

Daily practice, I do it.
Really, its enjoyable and not a chore at all .

Summer School

Summer school for art club starts today!
Art club proper is on summer recess, the summer school is a couple of hours on a Friday where we all bring our own projects to work on. The tutor gives help and advice as necessary.

I have drawn a picture, which is now ready for painting and the first washes will be laid down today.

Here's the drawing:

Pencil drawings

Some days I only make pencil drawings.
This keeps my drawing skills fresh - and black and white can be more evocative than colour.
The two pics above are of a friend's cat. The first in her younger days, and the second, her sunset years.

Both done from photos - because as anyone who owns a pet will tell you, they don't stay still for long! All part of their charm.

Pencil drawings sometimes take me much longer to create than paintings.
I think its because with pencil I am more likely to do a defined representation rather than the suggestion of the animal - as in the Chicken painting in the earlier post.

I love drawing. I spend hours at a time drawing. Its not unusual for me to look up and five hours will have flown by and I will have been in a world of my own. Very relaxing. Everyone should give it a try .