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Sweet and Sour : Carbon Footprint #41

Sweet and Sour : charcoal and pastel still life drawing

It is a well tested phenomenon that 20 minutes after eating a Chinese meal, you want another one Seems it goes for drawing them too

During the last large still life drawing, I discovered that splendid orange shadow cast on the noodle box and knew it needed a picture of its own - more space to breath

I am loving this paper too - Johannot by Canson - it gives a very soft, velvety finish to the drawing that I really like. I am keeping working notes on all the papers I try in an online scrapbook. So if you are another weirdo who loves paper a little too much, then leave me a recommendation for your favorite at The Paperphiles

Hey, for some women it's shoes - me, I go weak at the knees in a paper store. I remember the day I found Kate's Paperie in New York - boy that was a good day!

(Actually, I quite like shoes too)

Description : Large charcoal and pastel still life drawing of left over sweet and sour sauce and Chinese noodle box

More Magical Woodland Drawings

Well the new shelves are really paying off - I have 4 new oil paintings drying, as well as the promised second Chinese Take Out drawing And whilst they were drying, I found time to finish the second embellished giclee print. This one is in Red Oxide, Violet, Oxide Green Tint and a few smudges of White

I think I shall treat myself to another charcoal forest drawing soon, just because they are so much fun to draw And now I just need to organize some more drying space

Hmmmm - more shelves?

In Celebration of Nostalgia

A Slice of Solent, miniature colored pencil landscape drawing

The first week in August usually finds me in a nostalgic mood and maybe just a wee bit homesick too. My hometown of Cowes, Isle of Wight awakens from its pleasant year long snooze to host an invading armada, aka Cowes Week Sailing Regatta

and everything just seems to double

The population, energy levels, entertainment venues, the noise, the price of drinks, the time it takes to get served at the bar...

For those of my friends who made it home this year, I trust you managed to raise a glass of Mount Gay for me - hope to see you next year!

New Studio Shelves - Hoorah!

Yay! I am celebrating my new shelves with some more grape paintings

The bottom shelves can move up and down, so that I can easily set up a still life at different levels. They are also large enough to accommodate more than one arrangement, so I can work on multiple paintings or drawings at a time. The top shelves will be for storage and I can never have too much of that!

I am very pleased with myself for putting these up, partly because I did it all myself, and with only one emergency call to my DIY guru (thanks Dad!) Partly because I re-used parts salvaged from an old closet, so the total cost was only $13 But mostly because it is one more thing off my Grand Idea List

As a wise man once said "I love it when a plan comes together"

Chinese Shadow Play : Carbon Footprint #40

Sweet and Sour : charcoal and pastel still life drawing 30" x 22"

As I was setting up the still life, I fell in love with that shadow looming on the back wall. Such drama! But as I continued to draw and took the time to look closer, other quieter elements of the arrangement started to quicken my heart

So, in order to share what I see, my fortune cookie predicts there will be another chinese take out in my future Hey ho - such are the sacrifices for art

Description : a dark dramatic shadow looms in the background of this large charcoal and pastel still life drawing of chinese take out - noodle box, crumpled paper bag and broken fortune cookie

22″ x 30″, charcoal and pastel still life drawing

This charcoal and pastel still life drawing is part of the “Carbon Footprints” series

Pastel Palette - choose your combo

OK, as requested, here are the Pan Pastel colors I currently have, although you don't have to limit yourself to this small selection

TIP : click on the image to enlarge it and read the color names.

As a guide, for the first embellished woodland print, I used Magenta, Turqouise and Green Oxide Tint.

So which colors would you choose?

Seafoam Pastel Ripples Through the Enchanted Forest

Hoorah! I am very pleased with my first embellished giclee print

Back in May, I was pondering whether to add color to the charcoal drawing of a forest. I was yearning to add magical color, but reluctant to give up the elegant black and white drawing... when it occurred to me that I could have both.

After scanning the original drawing at a high resolution (600dpi), I ordered large prints from Imagekind. Two types of paper looked like they might have enough texture to take the Pan Pastels I wanted to use. This one is my favorite, Somerset Velvet, with enough tooth to hold the pastel, with the luxurious feeling of working with a quality watercolor paper - yummy

(I am still working on the second print: too much texture for my taste, and less fun to work with)

Both the paper and ink are archival quality, and these guys could get really big! Up to 58 x 44 inches, although I'm not sure my easel would manage that, I'd have to work on the floor. That's it, Lulu is banished from the studio - doggie paws were not the kind of embellished prints I had in mind

I have a notion to do a set of 4 prints to represent the seasons at some point, but I am also taking requests. So please help me out and leave a comment with your favorite color scheme to inspire a creation - one dark color, one mid range and one highlight should be all I need

Description: Burgundy red and seafoam green pastel ripple through the woodland, adding enchanting mystery to forest shadows.

Black and White Charcoal forest art print from Imagekind

Burgundy and Seafoam Pastel Forest art print from Imagekind

pssst - I'm Hiding in the Basement

framed artwork lines my hallway - want to buy some?

What a blistering week here in the scorched Northeast. The basement is now the coolest spot in the house, so what better way to escape the heat, than to catch up with all my framing.

Those pictures that I was smart enough to make in a "standard size" have been matted; backed with acid free foam core and wrapped in protective glassine paper. They are ready at a moment's notice to pop into my stash of standard frames for a future show. These chaps, however, were all a slightly awkward size and needed custom frames of their very own.

Will I ever learn? - I sincerely doubt it

And yes, that is Lulu's Christmas stocking still hanging on the fireplace - ever hopeful, that dog.

Chocolate Cupcakes in the Big Apple

Chocolate Chocolate Chip - charcoal and pastel drawing : at HVAA Show in Gramercy Park NY

I am very excited that The Hudson Valley Arts Assocoiation accepted my large charcoal and pastel drawing "Chocolate Chocolate Chip" (30" x 22") for their annual juried show at The National Arts Club in Gramercy Park.

Celebratory Pie ocurred shortly afterwards at Blue Smoke : Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae to share scrumptious!

You can see the show until the end of July, so stop by if you're in the city : address below

Here's a selection of my favorite pieces - they're all drawings what a surprise!

Take a closer look at Anne Schlomer's Award winning charcoal and graphite drawing "437, 13th Street" on her website. And also Mary Felton's exquisite charcoal portraits of horses, birds and some humans too!