Currently Browsing: Cataract Surgery 38 articles
The Final Lectures Series: Which Question
Note: If you’re playing the home version game—today’s image on the blog’s landing page is a sketch of Dame Margaret Rutherford. It’s in the video. This is part two in my farewell to teaching series of posts. In today’s video (an excerpt from the mid-session webinar in my last Drawing Practice class), I address […]
In Context: Acceptance
This is from my 5 x 8 inch or so Hand•Book Watercolor Journal I was carrying in my purse at the time. I was sitting in the eye doctor’s office for the umpteenth time, sketching people in line at the counter as I wanted for my appointment. (I am fascinated by winter coats and so […]
Working Opaquely with Watercolor
Today’s sketch isn’t an example of leaving something out (details on the shirt and jacket) to balance something else. I simply wanted to only paint the face, beard, and background. I thought about painting the shirt and jacket but I liked the lines that were showing through. (Sometimes you simply fall in love with your […]
Sometimes Leaving Something Out Emphasizes It
I know I like to get fussy. I know I like to go into detail when I am sketching. I especially love sketching beards and hair. I remember in February when I was watching “Murdoch” and I made this sketch—I was struck by this actor’s incredible hair. I can also remember how, as I sketched, […]
Working with Ink Washes on Toned Paper
Over the last couple weeks the students in my on line class drawing practice class have been working with values—learning to see value shapes, to judge and compare one value to another. Understanding values, the relative lightness and darkness from one area of a subject to another, and the ability to translate those values to […]
Even if Your Vision Is Giving You Fits You Can Still Get Some Sketching Done
This is a short pep talk. Your glasses don’t fit. The prescription isn’t right. Your vision is blurred by cataracts and any number of things that can happen to eyes. And you just don’t feel like sketching. Tough do it anyway. It keeps you prepped for sketching the next time your vision isn’t as blurred. […]
In Context: Last Year I Watched a Lot of Cooking Shows
This is Paul—a contestant on the Great British Baking Show Holiday Edition, season not noted down. Yep, the woman who takes notes on everything relaxed her standards last year. Didn’t seem to be any point, I was watching so many cooking shows. I couldn’t get out because I couldn’t drive (post-cataract vision effects). I […]
Minnesota State Fair Plans
I don’t know if the Minnesota State Fair 2020 has been cancelled. (It takes place the 12 days before Labor Day each year.) As I write this in advance of my posting date the clock on their site reads 101 days, 11 hours, and 11 minutes to Fair. But my personal Fair adventure this year […]
In Context: Life Before Covid-19
A week ago, a couple weeks ago(?) Covid-19 took out the grand finale of Ink Master 2020. In the grand scheme of things, and with so many lives lost, it’s a small thing. But still a disappointment for the three finalists who won’t get to battle it out and find out who is “Ink Master.” […]
Learning to See Freckles Again
I think it’s important to keep looking for new visual vocabulary approaches as our eyes change, so here I was on non-watercolor paper, playing around with thoughts of freckles. Even if you don’t have a vision change you can still come at a visual observation with a fresh eye and search for new ways to […]