JennArt - fun artsy stuff

Why don't I draw more?

2010-09-27T22:09:00.002-05:00

Here's a really old sketch, done in 2002, I think. Pre-kids. Back when I could take the el downtown and go to the Art Institute's free day whenever I wanted.

January

2010-09-27T22:05:00.001-05:00

Soon things are going to be looking like this, ugh. Always liked this sketch, though.

The Sketchbook Project 2011

2010-09-27T16:01:00.002-05:00

Every now and then, I participate in a small-scale art thingy. With two, and soon to be three-children-under-four, I just can't delve into big landscape paintings or even colored pencil drawings like I'd like to. The first is too messy, and the second, too time-consuming.

As the kids get older, I'm formulating a plan for the basement: a combo of storage, workspace, play area, and art/craft lair. Someday I will get back into painting. I hope.

Anyway these small art activities help me stay in practice and motivated.

Most recently I've done things like drawing in my sketchbook every day of a particular month, or Art House projects such as The Canvas Project and the Sketchbook Project.

Then in the spring I applied to be one of four artists to be sponsored by a local design firm, Faucethead Creative, in Batavia, IL.

I wrote something completely nutty and dumb in my reasons for wanting to be chosen, something like "I'm a stay at home/work at home mom of two, we're expecting our 3rd child in the fall, I have an art degree but rarely get to use it, please pick me!!!" Totally lame. But then I got the email and found out they DID choose me!!! So I'm pretty excited. :)

Now I need to get going on my book before L-Day is here -- in a little over a month -- and things get reaaaaaally insane around the house.

So far I've glued a bunch of stuff into, and made a couple pretty bad sketches in my book. So no photos yet. But I will post some.... sometime...

New Moleskine watercolor book

2009-10-01T19:20:00.004-05:00

So far I'm really enjoying the paper. Not so great with Micron Pigma pens (see 3rd sketch), but it seems fine with a softer nib pen (1st & 2nd sketches). I can't remember the brand right now, but it has water soluble sepia colored ink.

I think I like the washy effect the drawn line gets after adding the watercolor. Since the ink isn't waterproof, it runs and drips and gets all mushy, which keeps the finished sketch from looking too stiff, which my drawings have a tendency towards anyway.

Daniel Smith watercolor sticks?

2009-09-27T21:38:00.002-05:00

I ordered a couple of these; have never used them and have yet to drag out all my supplies and try them out.

Has anyone tried them? What do you think? Have any tips or tricks for using them?

Trying out linoprint

2009-07-31T21:21:00.004-05:00

I love the planning and cutting stage... not so much loving the final result.

This one is not so great mostly because I was so excited to start on it, I dove in without really thinking through my preliminary drawing.

It's one of an edition of 22 for The Great Art House Print Exchange 2 show at the Art House Gallery in Atlanta.

May 31

2009-06-05T21:17:00.002-05:00

Not a great sketch, but part of the point of EDIM is the doing, not the finished product, right?

I am looking forward to doing this challenge again next year. It's good for me to draw every day, though sometimes it's so hard to get started, when all I want to do is go to sleep!

May 30

2009-06-05T21:14:00.002-05:00

This walkway is so pretty in every season: tall evergreens and thick shrubs make it feel like a tunnel, and at night the lights cast just enough light on the path but not enough to blot out the stars. It's one of the rare spots in the Chicago suburbs where you can actually see the stars.

May 29

2009-06-05T21:12:00.002-05:00

Terrible photo. There's actually much more subtle detail in this sketch. Still not my best work: the gazebo is leaning to one side and there's not enough value differences in the foliage.

May 28

2009-06-05T21:11:00.001-05:00

The photo is a bit blurry, but you get the idea. From a photo taken somewhere in downtown Chicago years ago.

May 27

2009-06-05T21:10:00.000-05:00

I always wanted a magnolia tree in my yard. This is from the Arboretum.

May 26

2009-06-05T21:09:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things from the garden.

May 25

2009-06-05T21:08:00.001-05:00

Feeling lazy tonight.

May 24

2009-06-05T21:06:00.001-05:00

Drawing late at night means drawing from photo references. This one's not too bad, unlike most sketches (as a result of not having as much visual info in photos, as when drawing a scene in front of me).

May 23

2009-06-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

Sitting out in the backyard with Dad.

May 22

2009-06-05T21:04:00.002-05:00

No definitive sense of light in this one. That's because I started it at a sunny 9 AM, got interrupted, and finished it at an overcast 7:30 PM.

May 21

2009-06-05T21:02:00.003-05:00

The previous sketch, this one, and all the rest through May 31 are black ballpoint pen in my Derwent sketchbook. I love the result. I wonder how archival it is?

May 20

2009-06-05T21:02:00.001-05:00

I lived here for exactly half my life.

May 19

2009-06-05T21:01:00.000-05:00

Black ballpoint in my tiny Derwent sketchbook. My dad in North Carolina.

May 18

2009-06-05T20:55:00.002-05:00

It ended up being a much busier month than I thought it would... lots of work from clients, parents visiting. Somehow, despite everything going on, I managed to draw every day in May -- although some of the drawings took more than one day to complete.

The biggest problem? I got hooked on drawing with ballpoint pen, which takes FOREVER! Now that it's June, I finally had a chance to take pictures of everything and post them all.

This particular one is Pitt pen. I meant to add watercolor, but haven't gotten to it yet.

May 17

2009-05-17T23:53:00.004-05:00

Frustrated with watercolor, I decided to keep this one pen only. And anyway, it is drawn from an old black and white snapshot from the '40s or '50s... it almost doesn't seem right to add color that's not in the reference photo.

I loved going to Gramma's house as a kid. She seemed to have endless collections of extraordinarily fascinating stuff: globe pencil sharpeners, boxes and boxes of sparkly costume jewelry, a real working organ, a giant barn full of old things. All of which I was allowed to play with.

May 16

2009-05-17T23:52:00.003-05:00

Our new shed looks so lonely without any shrubs or trees around it.

May 15

2009-05-17T23:50:00.001-05:00

Our new elm trees; "baby trees" as our older daughter calls them as she's giving them hugs and telling them "it's okay, don't cry!".

May 14

2009-05-17T23:48:00.001-05:00

I confess, I was so tired the evening of the 14th that I skipped my daily sketch and did two the next day.

This and the next one are drawn from just inside our front door on a very rainy day.

May 13

2009-05-15T21:11:00.002-05:00

The same sketch with an in-progress photo. This painted lady on a hill is in Illinois, believe it or not!

May 12

2009-05-15T21:10:00.001-05:00

Better still. I think I'm just pressing too hard with that one pen I've been using.

May 11

2009-05-15T21:01:00.002-05:00

A little better. I went back in with a different pen and added some more detail. Still not happy with something, but I can't put my finger on it.

I've tried working from clear digital photos, clear printed photos, blurry digital photos, life (both out the window, as in this sketch, and plein air), and I am not liking much of anything I'm producing.

May 10

2009-05-15T20:58:00.002-05:00

I really don't like this one.

May 9

2009-05-15T20:50:00.002-05:00

The town in New York state that I'm originally from was founded in the very early 19th century, and it still has many homes in use today that were built prior to the 20th century. Many have original elements intact: original windows, a hitching post out front, initials of the first owners carved into a pane of glass circa 1830.

Here's one example of one of those houses; this one was probably built around the mid 1800s judging by the style. It stands next to a road that used to be a heavily traveled Native American trail, or so the story goes.

I seem to be struggling quite a bit lately to produce a decent sketch.They seem to be getting worse rather than better as my Every Day in May challenge continues... I don't know if it's the fault of working from very blurry Google street view images, or if it's my pen, or the paint, or the artist herself (and her ever-present fatigue).

May 8

2009-05-15T20:49:00.000-05:00

More armchair travels.

A bonus

2009-05-08T16:08:00.003-05:00

Here are a couple sketches I did of views out the windows on April 29th. You'll see from my scribbles that everyone was incredibly fussy that day. Sketching actually seemed to help... not the children so much, but me for sure.

I started drawing in this sketchbook last fall, then forgot about it when our second daughter was born in November. I was putting away some stuff and found it again, and decided to try using watercolors in it -- it's fantastic!

(Derwent sketchbook, various brands of watercolors, various brands of watercolor pencils. All work beautifully in this book. These in particular are done with watercolors and Faber Castell Pitt pen.)

May 7

2009-05-08T15:59:00.003-05:00

I needed a break from green, so I went through my box of old photos from western NY. This is from a walk I took with my dad.

Before the kids, I used to travel back to NY a couple times a year. Not so much now; now we go just for important surprise parties, weddings and funerals. It's surprisingly difficult traveling with two little ones and all their gear -- I had no idea they needed so much stuff!

Anyway there are old, abandoned but still intact train tracks like this one all over town. My dad and the dog often walk along this track in particular: it takes you from the center of town out west of the village through some fields. Very pretty scenery.

May 6

2009-05-08T10:47:00.003-05:00

I love spring; it's my favorite season by far: the warmer temperatures, flowers, everything budding and blooming, the soft greens and surprisingly vibrant pinks and purples... even the rainy days are beautiful.

Except rainy days are not so fun when you're two years old and want to go play on your new swingset.

This, as well as many of the spring sketches I'll be doing/have done this month, was drawn from the window of one of the rooms in my house -- which I guess makes it faux plein air, because I'm not actually outside. (With a baby and a toddler, I can't fathom the idea of trying to sketch and keep an eye on them at the same time!)

May 5

2009-05-08T10:45:00.002-05:00

A somewhat unsuccessful attempt at portraying an apple blossom. I am out of practice; it's kind of a stiff and lifeless drawing.

See the entire apple tree under the May 6 post!

May 4

2009-05-08T10:44:00.001-05:00

View from the top of the tower on my daughter's swingset. I sometimes see a horse trailer parked by one of the barns, but have never seen horses... wonder why?

May 3

2009-05-04T20:19:00.003-05:00

This one is pretty terrible. I didn't have enough time to sort out the shadows, so it doesn't look quite right. Plus, the perspective is off.

Next time I think I'll try watercolor first, then pen. Usually I do it the other way around, which results in a drawing that's tight and self conscious.... like this one. Not my best work.

May 2

2009-05-03T12:00:00.002-05:00

I think I've stumbled upon a theme: landscapes in my tiny Derwent sketchbook of places important to me. Heavy on the armchair travel via Google street views.

May 1

2009-05-02T00:01:00.003-05:00

I definitely recommend Derwent sketchbooks for watercolor and/or watercolor pencils and pen. They are fantastic: the paper is a bit more thin and smooth than I'm used to, but takes washes quite well, and holds up to minimal scrubbing.

Initially I was skeptical, but I have to say, this has been my favorite sketchbook for this medium of all the different brands I've tried over the years. In fact it's such a nice surface, it's actually fueling my ambition and making me want to fill it with landscapey things of all sorts.

I discovered that the town I grew up in, in western New York state, has recently had many of its roads and streets added to Google's street view. I love seeing all the places I used to know so well -- how many of them changed and how many look exactly the same.

This is the view from right in front of my old house.

It's Faber Castell Pitt pen (S), watercolors (various brands), on Derwent sketchbook. 6" x 4".

Every Day in May

2009-05-01T23:49:00.002-05:00

I'm making it public: I am committing to draw every day in May!

Moly exchange

2009-03-13T11:33:00.004-05:00

I've been participating in an international Japanese Moly exchange with some artists, though I have to admit I've been getting (very) behind and am currently working on two sketchbooks at the same time.

My sketch was the first one in the first book I received, and the book's owner hadn't chosen a theme, so it was up to me to decide on one, and I chose "home". Here, a scene from one of the windows of my home (pen and watercolor pencils).

A couple more sketches...

2009-03-02T13:56:00.006-06:00

...from my sketchbook that's currently being shown at the Art House gallery in Atlanta.

Drawing people definitely does not come easily to me, so it was quite a challenge to fill all 64 pages. Of course I took the theme, "everyone we know", pretty literally...

More from my latest project

2009-03-02T11:25:00.006-06:00

As usual, I procrastinated and left a lot of the sketchbook blank until the last minute. Good thing I work well with a fast-approaching deadline!

As soon as I received it, I did a couple drawings, then lost track of time until about a week before it was due. So I did something like 24 spreads, or 48 pages, in about two days, and got it postmarked and sent off to the Art House just in time. The book was 64 pages total (a 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine Cahier sketchbook).

The show is traveling to seven different cities, starting in Atlanta and including stops in Chicago, Washington DC, Philly, Boston, St. Louis and Brooklyn. Think it would be possible for me to check out the Chicago show with a baby and toddler in tow??!

New project!

2008-12-13T09:57:00.002-06:00

The Art House is having another show that I'm going to participate in. This one is called The Sketchbook Project, where they send artists a Moleskine Cahier journal which artists can then fill however they like, as long as it has something to do with the theme "everyone we know", and the size of the sketchbook, when closed, stays the same.

I'm interpreting the theme to mean everyone and every living thing important to me: my family, friends, pets, plants, etc.

So I started mine last night -- here are the first two sketches. They're not too awful bad, especially considering that drawing people is definitely NOT my strong point. I think I'm going to really enjoy filling up the book.

Oh yeah, and even more important than the sketchbook show... we had a new baby on November 5th! Her name is Lauren and she is the quietest, calmest baby ever... we are so lucky!

New paintings

2008-11-25T10:41:00.004-06:00

The first paintings I've done in years. Very unlike my normal style... maybe that's why I really enjoyed creating them. Acrylic and oil pastel on tiny little 3"x3" canvases; for a show at the Art House Gallery in Atlanta, GA, opening Friday, December 12.

Thinking about weddings...

2008-09-29T16:30:00.003-05:00

Five and a half years ago when my husband and I got married, I used one of my sketches for the program and favors. I was a little crazy and decided to do a lot of the stuff myself: design and assemble my own invitations, favors, decorations, placecards, welcome kits for out-of-towners, etc.

My brother and his fiancee are planning their wedding for next fall, and with it feeling more fall-like around here, weddings have been on my mind lately.

Here's the drawing I did for my wedding. It's Micron Pigma pen on watercolor paper (can't remember the brand or whether it was hot or cold pressed or something in between), with watercolor on top. It's about 6" x 6" and depicts the gazebo in western New York where my husband asked me to marry him.

I should do more colored pencil drawings

2008-09-07T21:07:00.003-05:00

I really enjoy doing pet portraits (like this one, done Christmas 2006 for a good friend), landscapes, botanical subjects, and so on. Why I don't do more of them, I don't know... (oh, right... there's that whirling ball of energy mere two hour a day napping toddler of mine..!)

August 31

2008-09-01T20:51:00.003-05:00

Woo hoo! My every-day-in-August challenge is over, and I did it -- I drew something in my sketchbook every day. I think I need a break now...!

One for August 2nd

2008-09-01T20:46:00.003-05:00

I missed drawing on this day, so I did one at the end of August to make up for it. I have to say, it's really not that good. The paper is just terrible for large areas of watercolors and watercolor pencils.

August 30

2008-09-01T20:45:00.002-05:00

August 29

2008-08-29T20:45:00.000-05:00

Drawing with the fussiest toddler ever.

August 28

2008-08-28T20:43:00.001-05:00

This is one of the best things I've ever bought. It's been all over the place with me: NY, Santa Fe, Mexico, on a cruise, New Orleans.

August 27

2008-08-27T20:43:00.000-05:00

August 26

2008-08-26T20:41:00.001-05:00

August 25

2008-08-25T21:42:00.001-05:00

Today, a lazy sketch done while cooking dinner. I'm still recovering from my marathon colored pencil session the other night, so I didn't feel like being too ambitious today!

August 24

2008-08-25T21:41:00.002-05:00

It's surprising how sometimes the sketches that start out the worst, turn out some of the best.

August 23

2008-08-25T21:39:00.002-05:00

Prismacolor Verithin; not quite finished, but I stayed up waaay past my bedtime working on this and needed some sleep. It looks like her, but needs a little more work. I'd forgotten how long it takes to do a colored pencil piece!

August 22

2008-08-25T21:36:00.001-05:00

An honor

2008-08-23T17:27:00.006-05:00

Thank you so much to Nadine, who sent me this award -- I am so honored! My first award for my very first blog, yay!

The rules for accepting this award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the blog that nominated you.
3. Nominate 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on your blog.

So, I'd like to nominate some of my favorite artists and their fantastic blogs:

Andrea Joseph's Sketchblog
Broadhurst Street
Nina Johansson
See. Be. Draw.
Omphaloskepsis
Anita Davies
Jennifer Lawson

Some extra stuff

2008-08-22T15:55:00.006-05:00

I seem to be on a watercolor pencil and water soluble drawing tool binge, so I thought I'd create some samples of all the pencils and things I own. It's helpful to be able to refer to them as I'm drawing, when I need a specific color -- like for purple coneflowers -- I can see exactly what I have and what the color will look like on paper, dry and wet.

It's also easy to stick the sketchbook (6" x 6") in my bag to take to the art supply store so I can figure out what colors I'm missing that I "need" (ha ha) to buy.

August 21 - and an achievement!

2008-08-22T15:50:00.003-05:00

This is the very last sketch in my sketchbook, quite an achievement for me because I have never been able to finish a sketchbook in all the years I've been keeping them. I have dozens and dozens of half finished ones all over the house, on shelves, in boxes, on tables, etc.

This is a sketch of my favorite childhood toy from the early 70s, Coco the monkey. He does look a little creepy here... maybe it's the fact that, like the Velveteen Rabbit, he's pretty worn out! It's also EDM challenge #6, I think; my first official one. A fitting way to end the book, don't you think?

August 20

2008-08-22T15:48:00.001-05:00

It's been a particularly humid week here, and looking out the front door, I can tell. The trees in the distance tend to change color based on the weather: gray when it rains, blue when it's humid, bright green when it's cool. I really like our view.

August 19

2008-08-22T15:43:00.002-05:00

Another drawn from a photo sketch, another one I'm not totally thrilled with. I was trying to capture the way the sun streamed through the trees but it's not quite right.

I also was trying out some new art supplies in this sketch: Derwent Inktense. They definitely are brighter colors than the other watercolor pencils I have (Derwent, Daler-Rowney, Prismacolor). Not sure how I feel about them yet.

Though the Caran D'Ache Supracolor II pencils seem to be a nice blend (no pun intended) of the Derwent & Daler-Rowney and the Derwent Inktense. They're heavily pigmented but the color doesn't overwhelm the drawing.

Maybe it's only the almost-fluorescent green color of the grass that's bugging me here.

August 18

2008-08-22T15:40:00.003-05:00

I'm not at all happy with this one. I think I'm actually starting to prefer drawing from real life as opposed to a photo, as in this sketch, even despite the difficulties that may entail (my short-attention-span 19 month old, for one!) It's just easier to see the subtleties in value and color, in person -- there's so much more to a scene than any camera can ever capture.

August 17

2008-08-17T22:45:00.003-05:00

First the ink sketch, then the watercolor pencil version. I really like this one for some reason.

It's interesting how much my drawing has improved this month. I've been neglecting it for so long, but I guess it's kind of like riding a bicycle -- once you know how, you never really forget! My drawing's gotten more confident and looser. I don't know if it's evident to anyone but me, but I can see it. And I'm liking it.

August 16

2008-08-16T22:32:00.005-05:00

I was going through some old sketchbooks the other day and came across a drawing I did years ago in a similar style, scribbled with a black ballpoint pen.

It's a technique that reminds me a lot of a great class I took in college from Michael Torlen, called Art in the Dark. Here's the class description from Purchase College:

"A drawing and painting experience, working from flash slides, master slides, and directly from observation. Concepts and processes are discussed in terms of the space-forming cues: position,
size/shape, overlap, figure/ground, and brightness/contrast. Exercises performed in a semi-dark environment encourage peripheral vision and a unified field response. Media include
chalk, pencil, brush, and paint."

In other words, drawing from blurred or dark subjects forced us to see the whole page, instead of focusing on the details. The lesson I learned is, pay attention to your drawing / painting, don't worry so much about slavishly recreating the scene in front of you (that's what cameras are for), and don't be afraid to exaggerate contrast to create a more successful piece.

August 15

2008-08-15T16:50:00.003-05:00

After breakfast my daughter and I drew together. I borrowed her Crayola colored pencils. Their quality is surprisingly good, though I did notice a faster waxy buildup than I get with my Prismacolors. It's been a long time since I've used this medium -- maybe it's time to break out the big box of 120!

August 14

2008-08-14T16:48:00.001-05:00

The view from my computer desk, drawn while drinking coffee and enjoying the silence before my daughter woke up. (Micron Pigma pen, Derwent and Daler-Rowney WC pencils)

August 13 - the worst sketch ever

2008-08-13T16:45:00.002-05:00

I learned that paper with any sort of tooth just does not work with dip pens. The nib kept catching and I kept getting frustrated; finally I just gave up (can you tell?!) This looks like my toddler drew it... oh well. Next time will be better.

10 days late

2008-08-13T09:58:00.003-05:00

Since I missed sketching on August 1 and 2, I'm doing them later. Here's one of them.

August 12

2008-08-13T09:56:00.002-05:00

I'm not really happy with this sketch. The shape's not quite right, and the foreshortening is wrong so it looks like it's floating, though the shadows on the lower left side are pretty good.

August 11

2008-08-13T09:54:00.003-05:00

I've been experimenting with blueberry muffin recipes lately. This one looked a lot better than it tasted.

August 10

2008-08-10T23:39:00.003-05:00

It's funny how I've lived here for almost 2 years and never realized there's so much interesting stuff in the house to draw.

August 9

2008-08-09T23:37:00.001-05:00

Looks better on the computer screen than it does in person! Micron Pigma pen and Daler-Rowney watercolor pencils.

August 8 - into the woods

2008-08-08T15:22:00.003-05:00

We went to the nature center near us and I found this great little ravine in the woods with trees growing up the sides. Lots of tangled exposed roots and bright yellow-rust colored soil. Plus a nice boardwalk with a railing on which to set my supplies and sketchbook.

I had my 18 month old with me again, and so I had to draw reeeeeally fast, because the lunch I packed for her was quickly disappearing. When the food's gone, we have to move, or else somebody gets very upset!

I think drawing quickly is a good thing for me. What do you think?

August 7

2008-08-07T15:21:00.000-05:00

More drawing-while-exhausted. And in very low light, too. Makes it hard to see the details, like where exactly his eyes are. I am definitely way out of practice drawing animate objects.

August 6

2008-08-06T15:18:00.001-05:00

Today I'm too tired to move, so I drew what I could see from my chair... one of many toys scattered all over the room.

August 5th's sketch

2008-08-05T15:26:00.001-05:00

I like drawing the tangle of roots even though I don't particularly like the subject itself!

Portrait exchange

2008-08-05T09:01:00.005-05:00

I keep forgetting to post this portrait I did of Nadine. I'm not very good at drawing people by hand -- the proportions are always a little off, the likeless not quite right, the drawing a little too stiff and labored-over, so I decided to do this one digitally. It's done in Photoshop CS3 and is unlike anything I've ever done before... not my usual style, but a fun experiment nevertheless.

And here's one I did several years ago in the traditional manner (pencil on paper). I think it's the most recent portrait I've done, so that shows you how often I draw people! It's not quite right, it looks a little awkward and messy to me.

Every day in August, August 4th

2008-08-04T22:18:00.002-05:00

A herd of buffalo (really!) near our house. Drawn very quickly -- in less than 1/2 hour -- because my 18 month old daughter was getting very antsy in the back seat. Pitt Pen and Derwent watercolor pencils.

(Almost) every day in August

2008-08-04T20:59:00.002-05:00

I decided to participate in the one of those sketch-every-day-during-a-specific-month challenges. And hopefully this won't turn out like my other art-related good intentions ("I'm going to finish a sketchbook this week!", "I'm going to sketch every interesting wildflower I come across at the arboretum!", etc.).

I missed Aug. 1 & 2 but one of these days I'll do two extra sketches to make up for it -- that counts, right?!

Here's the sketch from Aug. 3: a loaf of bread, in pen and watercolor pencils.

A little experiment...

2008-08-01T23:14:00.004-05:00

When I was a little kid, as far back as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist. Even before I understood what that meant, that's what I wanted to be when I grew up.

After art school, however, earning money for rent and food became a priority, so I got into graphic design -- lots of work, decent money, and the chance to sneak in some "real" art every now and then.

So I've been freelancing as a graphic designer and illustrator exclusively since 2000... before that, I had a couple staff positions, but found that I really liked the variety and freedom of freelancing... the irregular paychecks, lack of benefits and paid vacation days, not so much.

Lately, since the end of '06, actually, I've been only able to work from home. That limits what I can do, of course, since so many companies want designers on-site. And with the economy, work has slowed waaaaay down, and even my stable clients are giving me fewer projects.

So I decided to try my hand at making digital scrapbooking kits. I love drawing and designing patterns, and I know Photoshop and Illustrator well enough to use them in my sleep (and in fact I think I have!), so why not?

I'm excited to say I have finished my very first scrapbooking kit, and it's now available on www.scraphead.com. Yay!

It's all based on one little doodle of a flower, done in ballpoint pen in a notebook... Amazing what software can do!

Going through some old art stuff...

2008-07-21T21:37:00.004-05:00

I found my Santa Fe travel sketchbook. This is from a solo trip I took eight years ago. I loved New Mexico... so much art & culture, so inspiring. This is the book in its entirety.

Around here

2008-06-09T22:16:00.002-05:00

Some sketches and paintings of things around my house and town.

Hometown

2008-06-09T21:36:00.003-05:00

I grew up in a small town in western New York. It was so small we didn't even have a McDonald's until I was 12 years old.

When I was growing up, I couldn't wait to be old enough to move away. Then, while in college, my parents sold the house I grew up in and I was suddenly homesick. I decided to do my senior project in college as a series of drawings and paintings of my hometown. Nowdays, every so often I'm able to go back and add sketches to my collection.

Mediums are ink, colored pencil and oil pastel.

Travel sketchbook: Morton Arboretum

2008-06-09T21:31:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite places in the Chicago area, so it's not a true travel sketchbook because it's nearby... though going there always felt like a vacation. There are acres and acres of prairie and forest with a few gardens mixed in. I used to be a member and loved to go early before my classes started (I earned a certificate in botanical art from the Arboretum) and walk the trails.

Travel sketchbook: Santa Fe

2008-06-09T18:52:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite places on earth is Santa Fe, New Mexico. When I was 27 I decided to take a vacation by myself and settled on Santa Fe after reading about its significant fine arts culture. Plus Georgia O'Keeffe had a house there, and so many artists currently call it home.

Being from the east, I was also intrigued with the landscape of the southwest, so different from anything I had ever seen. Imagining a place with no green fields, no woods, no rivers and streams, but instead red soil, scrub brush and cactus, seemed foreign to me. I ended up loving it so much I almost moved there.

Impulsive decisions seemed par for the course for me in my 20s. When I graduated from college in New York State, I decided to move to Chicago. I didn't have any family here, only knew three people in the whole city, and didn't even have a place to stay when I and my two suitcases arrived in June. I've told the story so many times since then, and everyone's response is, "you are so brave!" I think it's more the blind certainty of youth. I figured, if things didn't work out, I'd just buy a return ticket to Rochester, no big deal.

Here it is 13 years later, I'm married, own a house, have a kid and another on the way. I think things worked out quite well. Now, set in my ways and secure in my life, I can't believe I was ever that type of person who could move 1/3 of the way across the country or spend a week in New Orleans or New Mexico alone. I'm kind of proud of it, I think.

More old stuff

2008-06-09T18:44:00.001-05:00

All this old stuff is motivation to get away from the computer and make some new stuff to post. I tried a little sketch the other day of a tree, and wow am I rusty.

Drawing is a little like riding a bike or swimming. If you don't do it regularly, it's not that you ever really forget how, but it takes time to get back to the level you were at before you gave it up for other, more pressing concerns (in my case, instead of art I've been busy mostly chasing my daughter around and making her get down off the tables and since she's learned to climb.)

In fall 2003 I started on a program to earn a certificate in botanical art, and finally completed it in November 2007. It was even more fun than art school in the early 90s. Now I'm wondering, what next?

Travel sketchbook: New Orleans

2008-06-09T18:25:00.001-05:00

My husband and I honeymooned to New Orleans and took a short cruise from there to Mexico. I carried along my favorite little 6x6" spiral bound sketchbook and did quite a bit of drawing while we were there.

I used a Micron Pigma pen and my Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolor field box (www.winsornewton.com/products.aspx?PageID=163&ProductID=642) which I'd refilled with better quality paints. It has 12 half pans, a water bottle, water cup, mixing areas, and a travel brush -- it's the best art supply I ever bought!

Here are some of the sketches: watercolor only or watercolor and ink.

Some old stuff

2008-06-09T18:04:00.001-05:00

I am going to try out this art blogging stuff and see how it goes. Intentions are to post new stuff frequently... but I am ashamed to say all my sketchbooks have gone untouched since mid-April. My 17 month old daughter, a diabetic cat, occasional freelance graphic design work, house stuff, and my husband really do provide excellent opportunities for procrastination... sigh... but here goes nothin'!

A bit about me: I'm a lapsed artist (BFA painting & drawing 1995, certificate in botanical illustration 2007), self employed graphic designer and, more rarely, an illustrator, living in the western Chicago suburbs. I grew up in western New York State and love nature. My favorite subjects are landscapes, plants, and animals. Favorite mediums are oil pastels, graphite, colored pencil, watercolor, and quick little drawings in my sketchbook (usually Micron Pigma pen and watercolor).

Here are some sketches from about 1996 to this past winter, in no particular order.