Annabelle's Wish

 

                                       

 

     

           Annabell's Wish        

     

                   

     

           By Peter Kirk Todd        

   

 

                               

     

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From my sketch book

This sketch is from my watercolor sketchbook of my grandson. He is crazy about baseball and I think a great all around player. I love to watch him pitch. He's so in control of that ball and has such great focus for a 12 year old.

Following the Masters - Robert Henri

My painting of Marine Storm Sea after Robert Henri

On the blog Following the Masters this month Michelle has given us the opportunity to paint from Robert Henri's paintings. Although I have his book The Art Spirit, I had not really looked at his work much before. I ended up loving the painting I chose, "Marine Storm Sea". Before I finished the two studies and my interpretation of this painting I was sure I could feel the surge of Mr. Henri's sea.

(above) Robert Henri's Marine Storm Sea

a pencil value sketch as well as a watercolor and some white gouache

I swear to you every time I take a photo of my work it looks different, like I've changed the settings such as the lighting settings ... and I have not. Any suggestion's?

Beau - Commission completed

Beau - watercolor aprox. 8" x 9

Matted to 11" x 14"

I've completed my commission of Beau. I was pleased with the results of this portrait and although I don't often do portraits, this one came together pretty easy. He's a handsome Australian Sheep Dog and it was a pleasure to try to capture his look on paper. Note, he has one eye that is pink and the other is black.

Home from holiday...

Seal - looking cute, bumming for some herring in the northwestern inland marine waterwasy of Washington

It's been a wonderful 3 weeks on vacation, but it's now time to look over my photo's and see what I can use for painting references (not to mention getting back to work on my commission's). I took a lot of photo's that should help me learn more about painting water. Here's a photo I took of a seal that was asking for herring from some fishermen. Isn't he cute? He might make a good painting subject don't you think?

Illustration's, who me?

sketches for a children's book -Nancy Van Blaricom

Although I have not been doing any of the art work I had originally thought my summer would be filled with, mainly water scenes, I have been busy with some new commission's. I have been asked to illustrate a children's book and since I know nothing about illustrating, let alone illustrating for a children's book, this has brought on a lot of research. I've been reading everything I can find that might help me and I think I'm off to a pretty good start. Here is a photograph of a few of the sketches I've put down on some office card stock, just trying to get some idea of what the characters may look like.

Also I have a commission to paint a portrait of an Australian Sheepdog.

I have a full plate don't you think?

Artist's Award Ceremony & Reception

Saturday I attended the Peninsula Art Association's Artist's Reception and Award Ceremony where I was thrilled to receive 2nd place in watercolor for my small Great Blue Heron painting.

Great Blue Heron #1, 5" x 5" watercolor

SOLD

There are so many wonderful artist's here locally that I was truely surprised when I found out I had received this award. I couldn't be happier.

Not quite finished ...

Beach Rope Swing - 10.5" x 15" gessoed 300lb coldpress watercolor paper

This is a painting I briefly talked about having started back in March on the 17th. Today after working on it awhile I see I'm starting to obsess about every little detail, so for now I'll stop.

This paper came from a block that had not been properly sized and watercolor is absorbed immediately... instead of throwing it away I decided I'd gesso the front and see if I couldn't be used that way. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it ... but need to remember that the paint doesn't sink in at all now ... making it easy to lift off.

The last of my bird series ...

Common Merganser: watercolor 5" x 5"

I think, for now, I'm done with my bird series. I find it hard to concentrate on painting the birds with my usual uptight detail painting style if I'm also wanting to paint more loosely.

I also have another painting started with the drawing down on the watercolor paper and some whites saved with masking fluid, but now I'm anxious to try to paint it looser than normal tendency's. Wish me luck.

Thumbnails and value decisions

Today while sitting in the house looking out at the rain coming down I thought how nice it would be to be out painting en Plein Air on a sunny day. As I was looking out the kitchen window I noticed the contrast between outside and inside the house. I grabbed my 50% grey Prismacolor Pen and a black Sharpie to sketch the contrast in value's.

In this sketchbook photo I used the white of the paper for my whites and lightest values, then the 50% grey pen for the next value, and lastly the black Sharpie to indicate the shadow/darkest value.

I painted this using only my value sketch as my guide. This was an enjoyable exercise for me. I really had to think when choosing my colors that were back lit and in shadow. I'm not sure I did a good job of showing this, but when I converted this watercolor to black and white, below,

it seems pretty true to my original value thumbnail.

Start to finish Watercolor

SOLD

Jarrells Cove Store-watercolor 8" x 10"

I decided to put contour (modified) drawing and paint to a test. I wasn't sure if I would be able to make a complete drawing using the contour method and have it resemble anything when I completed the painting. I tried to use a loose method, which is always a challenge for me.

This is my reference photo. This is a little store at a nearby marina. There is a lot of green going on, but still l like the photo.

I ususally don't take advantage of thumbnail work, but decided I'd try a few, working out my values and colors.

This photo above is where I stopped. I let it set a while wondering where it was missing "something".

This is the same as the first photo....... finished after adding some value here and there. I am pretty happy with the results of my drawing. It may not be photo realistic but it has something I am pleased with. I wish I had taken a photo of the drawing before I added some pigment. I will definately continue with my contour drawing.

Another Contour sketch

This time I found my prop in the pantry. I chose this Folgers Instant Coffee jar because of the bright recognizable container . To keep this from getting too serious I decided to do this sketch standing up with the sketchbook in one hand and my pen in the other hand. I didn't spend time with measurements. I wanted to get down some lines, keeping my pen on the paper as much as possible and not trying to make this a "correct" drawing, yet, as Charles Reid says, make it an expressive drawing. I think while it may not be accurate I've accomplished what I set out to do.

I find contour drawing so freeing. In researching contour drawing the other day in my art books I didn't want to sit down and work in my Nicolaides - The Natural Way to Draw book or my Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain or my Key's to Drawing book .... but I did remember seeing in my books by Charles Reid's his wonderful contour drawing approach. A year ago or maybe two now I purchased his "Pulling Your Paintings Together" . In the beginning on page 9 he says "When you do a contour drawing, you must think of your pen or pencil as being on the model, not the paper. You must concentrate totally on the model, the drawing itself, good or bad, doesn't matter. This doesn't mean that you're slashing about with your pencil. On the contrary, you're working slowly, with great care, totally absorbed in your subject. For once this communion is gone, you will never have more than a passable drawing." "In contour drawing, it's also important to attach the subject to background shapes with out explaining all the subjects boundaries. " In this sketch above, I decided afterward to show some magazines and binders that were on the table .. as well as the edge of the table. All too late I think. I'll take note and try to remember this in future contour drawings.

For now, I am thinking I'll work through this book. Maybe you can expect a book review in the future.

I have a lot of trouble getting my scans to show the light colors in my sketches and watercolor paintings. For instance, the light shadows past the shadow you do see ... I've tried just about every thing I can think of. Do any of you have this trouble?

Monday's watercolor sketch: contour hydrangea

It was a beautiful sunny day here today yet still this morning a little cool at 38 degrees. With the sun shinning I wanted to sketch this hydrangea plant someone had recently given us. I did this contour drawing in my Aquabee 6" x 9" sketchbook using my Noodler's Ink and Lamy Safari pen and finished with some watercolor washes. Although I didn't see any pink in the blossoms I found I kept wanting add some to the white petals I saw. What I did see was GREEN. The leaves were a variety of greens, the cellophane around the plant was clear with some green swirls and the white blossoms had an occasional green flower petal. I think it would be wise for me to make some green color charts so that I can reproduce the greens I see.

Plein Air with a twist

These two works are really from one original plein air painting I did some time ago. I was never happy with the painting but for some reason I didn't throw it out like I should have. I had seen a painting in a gallery that had a similar treatment done to it where with every tonal change on the painting a gold line was drawn around it. (I wonder if the artist was as unhappy with her painting as I was with mine?) It was really quite attractive so I thought I'd see if I couldn't save this painting by trying the same method. I didn't like the original composition so first I divided the painting in two and found I liked them each better apart than one painting, then used a gold gel pen to show the tonal changes. I don't think it helped the painting much but I did enjoy the process. Click on the bottom photo to enlarge, for some reason the other photo doesn't ... not sure why.

Sketch: Near Chesapeake and Lagoon

Near Chesapeake and Lagoon, 4" x 4 "

watercolor sketch on Arches scrap

This house looked cozy with a light dusting of snow covering the roof and ground. I seldom draw buildings but sketching and telling myself 'no pressure' made this fun to get on paper. After, looking at it on-line I'm not sure now if I was able to properly indicate snow. Also, the odd shaped roof and the angle I took the reference photograph made the perspective a challenge ... but, I really had fun painting this.

This is another scrap of paper I had taped to the same piece of foam-core as the last sketch. After painting these two sketches I'm finding these small scraps of paper are fun paint on and allow me to lighten up and paint more loosely. I'm now looking through my paper pile to find more.

Winter Snowfall

Winter Snowfall 3" x 4" Arches Watercolor Paper

After receiving snow the night before we were happy to see sun shining on the newly fallen snow as we took our daily two mile walk.

I'm trying to get into the habit of sketching with my watercolors. This was done on some Arches 140 lb. coldpress watercolor paper I had taped to a piece of foam-core earlier last year. I'm pretty stingy with my paper, never wanting to waste even a small piece.

December Bear Sketch

Holiday Bear on cardstock

Today as I go through the house picking up a few of the holiday decoration's to put back in stroage boxes, I gathered up this bear and his female counterpart that I had sitting on the couch. He's been with me a number of years and I've often thought of painting him but never took the time. Today was a great opportunity. Darn, why didn't I paint it on some nice watercolor paper? Freedom comes easier when there isn't the pressure to make it perfect, don't you agree?

Are you thinking of some artist goals you'd like to accomplish this next year?

Are you taking stock of all your accomplishments this year?

Bad timing ...

This photo shows the center of the room, while the bookcase is being painted.

As you may remember, in my post earlier this year on (August 16th), I did a lot of cleaning and eliminating of unused items in my studio. I still feel as though I'm pretty crowded and want to get rid of even more stuff from the studio. I've emptied my book case and painted it white. I've left this book case unfinished for years - and now, during the holiday's, I feel the need to paint it,...bad timing. This gives the bookcase an illusion of looking like there is more space and not stopping the eye with a darker look of unfinished wood. I've also taken out my artists type drafting table to give me more room and I will try to get by with the storage table you see here to paint at. Also, I'm thinking of adding a little more color in this room with a valance over the window, leaving the walls white ... but why the urge to do this now.? All of this is really bad timing don't you think?

Hopefully soon I'll be finished with this project and it will inspire me to use my watercolors once again.

Happy Holidays

Another Sandpiper

Here's another bird for my small 5" x 5" bird series.

Tag ... you're it!

Celeste, who does beautiful oils has tagged me. When you've been tagged you are supposed to mention who tagged you, (that would be you Celeste) then tell 7 things about yourself. Then you're supposed to tag 7 others . I was tagged some time ago, but that was to tell some "weird things about myself" ... who me, weird???

1. I use to read a lot of novels. Now the only time I seem to be able to finish a novel is when we are out on our boat ... where I've been known to finish about a 5 books in 7 days. Now I seem to read only how-to books, art books, art marketing, art promotion, self help books.

2. I'd rather be in the Pacific Northwest than anywhere.

3. Although I usually paint in watercolor I love oil paintings.

4. I love learning about building anything. I don't build anything, but I love learning how others do. I think I may have been a carpenter in my last life the way I am intrigued with power tools. Well, I guess I like learning anything that I know nothing about. I think I drive people nuts by asking "why?", "now when do you do that?", "do you have to do it that way?"..... I want to know everything from the ground up.

5. Of all household chores, I dislike emptying the dishwasher the most. It always seems to need to be emptied in the most inopportune time.

6. I became a Master Gardener - in Oregon, about 12 years ago. Also I was a professional cake decorator. I must have really grown tired of them both because I'm not interested in either now.

7. I am a procrastinator. I am trying to overcome this but it's amazing how it keeps creeping into my life.

Now you know a little bit more about me.

Some of the people I want to tag I've frequented their blogs for awhile, some of the others I've recently found. Lets find out some more about: Manjiree, Nancy, Helen, Andy, Laura, Toni and Steve