Currently Browsing: Drawing From Life
Richard Doesn’t Have a Clue
Yesterday was Father’s Day and like many fortunate people who have parents who are not only still living but living nearby we spent the afternoon with Dick’s dad CR. We brought treats and sat and talked. Later we struggled to get him into clean, fresh clothing. CR has lost the ability to stand for even […]
10th Anniversary—The Great Minnesota State Fair Sketch Together
The dates have been posted, make your travel plans. Sketch Together organizer Marty Harris has the buttons ordered and we’ll be getting together on: Saturday, August 25 and Monday, August 27, 2018 The 10th Great Minnesota State Fair Sketch Together More details on meeting places and times closer to the event.
A Little Hiatus While Some Technical Issues and Deadlines Are Addressed
I have some great posts in the draft stage, including a review of the journal today’s image was created in, and of course the Stonehenge Aqua paper review. However, I’m stretched very thinly right now as I balance teaching the Drawing Practice class with resolving some long standing technical issues about my website. Because of […]
2018 Drawing Practice—Drawing Live Subjects in Public
All my life, one of the most exciting, energizing, and simply fun experiences I’ve enjoyed has been while I’m sketching live animals. It doesn’t matter if I’m at home with a dog visitor (we don’t have live in models any more) or out and about in the field checking out wild turkeys or walking around […]
In Context: At the Allergist’s
Sometimes it’s the line or angle or shape of a subject that attracts us. We need to get it down as quickly as possible because we don’t know when the subject will leave. (My first subject was called away before I could do any development.) Sometimes it’s the volume or brilliance of something contrasted against […]
In Context: Snow Piles
Typically on New Year’s Day I go and sketch at Como Zoo. This year, it seemed impractical to try to park (Como is always crowded on New Year’s Day), walk the long distance to the entry, walk to the Aquatic building (where I could sketch puffins), and reverse the process while keeping my toe warm […]
Why Drawing Practice Matters and What Your Line Can Tell You
Readers of my blog know that I love observing my process. I can’t help myself. Even during emergencies. I think you can learn a lot about yourself and find ways to always sketch. On November 19 I fell in a friend’s foyer. I was rushing across the foyer to my fanny pack to change my […]
Drawing Practice: Two Things to Try When You’re Sick
We all catch a cold, come down with the flu, sprain a muscle or two, even break a bone now and then. But it’s still important to keep up with your drawing habit. I had a particularly rough time keeping up my daily practice the past few weeks. A cold went to bronchitis and my […]
Making a Simple Brush Holder for Your Travel Brushes
This year at the Fair I wanted to use real brushes with water, not water brushes, when painting. Since I stand when I sketch it meant I had to have a way to put all my supplies and journal on one work surface. Dick and I made up a prototype “travel table” using plastic corrugated […]
World Beard Day—September 2, 2017
That’s right, today is World Beard Day. This celebration of beards falls on the first Saturday of September. (Click on the link if you want to find out more background.) Why am I writing about World Beard Day? Everyone who knows me knows that I love to draw men with beards. Beards are marvelous. Beards […]