bird sketch

Can you tell I'm really loving this little moleskine sketchbook? Had some fun yesterday drawing this blackbird, using the new illustrated bird book I got at Borders as a reference. Now all the page needs is some writing....

more sketching and typeface doodles

More sketching. Not crazy about this sketch, but am trying to find my style sketchwise and just keep plugging away at it. Also I doodled some type as well. Another area I want to practice and get better in. It's actually pretty fun drawing type. Am working on another piece right now in my little book. I found a fantastic coffee table book in Borders on the deep discount table outside and it has amazing drawings and illustrations of birds. I'm working on a drawing that uses one of the birds from the book as inspiration. Will post that one when it's done.

another drawing, and Hot Fuzz

This is another drawing sketched quickly while waiting for class to start last week. I had to surreptitiously sketch so the gal wouldn't know I was drawing her. I think she felt me looking, but it didn't get too weird. The perils of the artist...sigh.

Today I went to see the new movie, "Hot Fuzz". The two guys in it were the leads in "Shaun of the Dead" a fabulous film that I thoroughly enjoyed (even though I'm not a horror movie fan; go figure). Anyway, their new movie is excellent. Funny, surprising, poignant in spots. Filmed in a really unique way. I highly recommend it!

Two weeks of school left, then on to Portland. Yikes!

a few more sketches

A couple of more sketches drawn while waiting in various places this week....

sketch in the parking lot

This morning I had to get to school early to pick up my piece from the Student Art show and I had about a half hour before my class started. So I plunked myself down in the car and drew the parking lot environs. Now I know that doesn't sound particularly exciting, but you know what?...it was cool! All the shapes, the lines. It took some concentration. Can I say again how much I'm loving this drawing thing? I think the purchase of this little journal has been one of my best ideas yet. I want to try out watercolors on these little drawings too. Maybe next week...

another sketch

I sketched this yesterday as I was waiting for class. In the library, again. I so enjoyed doing it! I could've drawn for hours, but unfortunately only had about 20 minutes. Enough time to get this little drawing done.

Only four weeks until my initial trip to Portland to secure a place to live and start looking for work. Artfest really fired me up about Portland. Instead of driving back from that great event looking at the trees and thinking, "Well, another year till I see this again", I realized I'm going to be in that environment all the time! I feel great happiness about that. My soul needs to be surrounded by trees and nature. It's really important for me at this juncture of my life.

some on the fly drawing

This is a quick sketch I did last night while waiting to get into my classroom at the library. I surreptitiously glanced at this girl sitting across from me and stole as many looks as I could, (I didn't want to freak her out) so it was a little tough. One thing I learned...I have SO MUCH to learn! I need to practice, practice, practice, and learn the medium I'm working with. I haven't done much drawing in pen, so it's a whole new area I have to get a handle on. The shading was tough; I wasn't sure how to do it. Lines are a whole different thing than shaded pencil areas. I need to study my anatomy book more. It's easy when I'm copying a drawing from a book, but in real life, I'm lost. Also, I need to take a look again at Danny Gregory's book, get into the zen zone of drawing.

I love this little Moleskine journal I got last week. It's small, so it's the perfect size for carrying anywhere. And look at the absolutely cool postcard that came in it! I love it!

I'm looking forward to filling this little gem up and starting on another one.

vampire or Marilyn Manson?

Ok, somehow this portrait ended up as either a vampire or Marilyn Manson. I'm not sure exactly what happened. It started out as female and normal looking, then kind of morphed into a kinda scary guy. Go figure.

I did this at Artfest, and the only reason I'm posting it is because the folks there who saw it loved it. I'm not all that thrilled with it myself. Oh well, different strokes for different folks, right?

Here's a fun little piece I did in Karen Michel's portrait class. We collaged, then painted. Funky!

Artfest

Finally I have a little time to sit down and write about the wonder that is Artfest. The piece above is a portrait I did in a class taught by Karen Michel, a very talented young woman and excellent teacher. I learned so much in her class, and can see I will be using the techniques she showed us often.

I've come back SO pumped up; the creative energy is almost keeping me up at night. All I want to do is paint, draw, collage and create. All art, all day, everyday. That's the space I'm in right now.

Artfest is so inspirational and such a charge for the creative battery. To be in that beautiful place, surrounded by Puget sound, forest and green (so much green!), then be with all those people (over 500 this year) that are artists, well, it's awesome. I met so many interesting folks this year. Several were from the UK, from France, and other countries as well. One of the highlights of the trip was the Friday night beach party. There's a little outbuilding down on the beach with a big fire pit next to it. The weather was really beautiful, pretty warm, so we hung out by the bonfire for quite a while talking and soaking in the view. I met the fellow who came up with the 1000 journals project (check it out...it's fascinating) among the group at the bonfire, along with a couple of gals from England. Let me just say...it was totally cool! I thought to myself, "I've found my peeps!".

I have more art I did while there, but am spreading it out a bit so can post more tomorrow and the next day.

Back from Artfest

I arrived back from Artfest last night, and am still catching my breath. School all day today, then home and a little more work before bed (and a quick post!).

I will write more about Artfest and post some pics soon, hopefully tomorrow.