Time Traveler-Project 3-Fauve Inspired Portrait

The bonus class for the Time Traveler course, taught by Ce Duff, was inspired by the Scottish Colorist and Fauve artist, James Duncan Fergusson, whom I had never heard of, but I loved learning from this lesson. I, too, love the brighter, more intense colors and the color combo in this painting. The link for this course is on the sidebar.

Again, I used the teacher's version to learn from, but I can't wait to paint one using my own photos and ideas! Acrylics on mixed media paper in my 8 x 10 in sketchbook, image size is about 7 x 7 inches.

My sketch in Stablio pencil after I gessoed the paper. By the way, I rarely have all, or any, of the materials or colors on the supply list and tend to use whatever I have on hand when I sit down to create. I also tend not to follow the videos exactly, as I get zoned into painting and forget about the video instructions. Nevertheless, I always learn from the process, just by doing it!

I sprayed sealer/fixative over the pencil, because it's water soluble, before painting an undercoat of red over the whole thing.

The pencil lines have been gone over with a brush and black paint.

Starting to add first colors...

More color added in layers and I straightened up her hat. More colors and adjusting to be done before I turn her loose. Loving these colors and looseness!

Her face changed quite a bit in the final painting, but I still like her. The colors are actually brighter than in this photo, and not as greenish. I love her and she taught me a lot! Can't wait to paint one using my own photo!

I have actually completed a whole course without getting sidetracked in the middle of it! Yay, me! I have several half-completed courses stacked up to finish, plus a couple that I haven't even started yet. This one grabbed my attention and held it to the end, plus I got a lot of sketching done in between, so I'm a happy camper!

I have a few post drafts to publish, and I'm working on a portrait inspired by Jeanne Marie Webb in my sketchbook, but my next project is to cover the armature I have ready (of a head and bust) with paper clay, and I still haven't found the right jewelry and accessories to finish up the two cage dolls I have done. My head is so full of things I want to try and create that it sometimes gets overwhelming. But I very rarely get bored!

Keep creating and be safe and well!

Time Traveler Class-Colorist Portrait in Black Outfit

Okay, I'm starting on the colorist portrait, and I don't usually copy what the teacher (Ce Duff) is painting in classes (this portrait is inspired by the Scottish colorist, Frances Campbell Boileau Cadell/ CA Cadell), but this time I decided to, although I'm sure it will look nothing like hers when it's finished. For one thing, I couldn't copy anything exactly, if my life depended on it, and, as I've mentioned before, I have difficulty drawing/painting what I'm looking at. But here goes! 

I'm painting it in my 8" x 10" mixed media sketchbook in acrylics, and I'm trying to copy the teacher's image, which is a combo of a few images. My first attempt at sketching the image with a Stabilo pencil on the gray background has already taken a detour, because I wasn't paying attention and got her too far to the left, plus the proportions are off in a number of places, but I decided to leave her where she is, since it's a practice piece, and I'm really interested in painting the color black. The background objects will just have to be on the right instead of the left side of the head in the finished portrait. 😳

I've gone over the Stabilo pencil with a water brush pen to try to establish some darks here. She looks terrible! The off places really showed up!

I tried to adjust the drawing, especially her face and hat by taking an alcohol pad and taking off part of the hat and all the pencil marks where I had re-adjusted so much that I couldn't tell what was what, and re-sketched most of it. Still not happy with her, her left shoulder is really bothering me, but I'm going forth with the base layers of paint. Maybe, I can correct her some as I paint. Not a good idea, I know, but here I go! 

The first paint layer is in place, plus a second layer of black on the coat and hat. The background is not actually blue!

I've sketched in a vase and flowers on a shelf in the background with a white pastel pencil. I also included a small cedar chest that my dad made for me when I was little.

Here I've started to add some color, and I'm trying to decide on just a little something on the shelf on the other side. I tried a few ideas that didn't work. Also, the teacher decided to remove the little bar decorations from the dress front, so I did too. I kind of liked them though?

More color added, and a bit of pattern. I kind of messed up her eyes, so decided to have them closed. Trying to form flowers. 

Continuing to adjust everything. I like the little smile on her face, kind of like she's thinking of something secretive.

In my adjusting everything, I lost the quirky grin, which I regret, but I lost the too light highlights on the hat and collars too, which I like. I decided on a couple of flower petals on the shelf. 

After much fretting and fiddling with colors, shading, etc., I am calling her done! I realize that the petals on the shelf are too big, but since this is a learning piece in my 8 x 10 in sketchbook, I'm not going to fret about her. She taught me a lot, and I loved every minute that I worked on her. Acrylics on mixed media paper. I did put her little smile back. She has a secret! 

Sorry about the picture quality. The light kind of glared on it. I'm thinking I need to replace my really old camera, or perhaps the photographer. 😏

Now on to the bonus class, which I have already done a lot on. It's a lot different and more colorful than this one, and just as interesting! I love this course! 

Keep creating and doing the things you love! It's good for your soul!

Time Traveler Class-Two More Figures Watercolored

 I enjoyed doing project 2 in the Time Traveler (link on sidebar) class so much that I did another one! Kuretake Japanese watercolors and gel pens on mixed media paper in my sketchbooks. It's a lesson on 1920s fashion illustration, using 2 figures to tell a story. I don't know how much of an illustration mine is, but it sure was fun. 

I haven't figured out yet why the backgrounds in the sketches are gray. They are actually white. I don't know if it's in my lighting, my camera, or my computer. I am also seeing everything through brown slow growing cataracts right now, so that may account for some off colors. Sorry! Hopefully, I'll get it straightened out soon!

Figure 1 with a bit of background with a mechanical pencil and I decided to add our little dog, Kibbles, who we lost in 1997 and is still very much missed, to tell a story.

Added figure 2 and some more background and started going over pencil lines with a fine black zig marker.

Everything gone over with the zig marker

What a difference color makes! Ready for finishing up details!

And I've added some details and re-outlined everything with gel pens and called it done. The colors are not showing up in the photo quite like the real thing, but this is the best I could do.

If you are interested in 1920s fashion illustration, you should check out Ce Duff's classes and work. I don't always follow the teacher, but she is waaaaay better at it than I am!

Anyway, this has kept me busy for a few days, along with doing more meditation stone paintings and play in watercolor from a free class before Christmas! Now I want to do the fashion illustration on a real substrate using old personal photos...

But, first, I need to finish projects 1 and 3 in the Time Traveler class, which are both acrylic portraits that I have started!

Time Traveler-Project 2 Watercolor

Project 1 in the Time Traveler course with Ce Duff, which is an acrylic portrait, is still a WIP, because I couldn't wait to get into project 2! I LOVE sketching the models, and I borrowed these from Pinterest, hoping I don't get into trouble for using them in my sketchbook and sharing them on my blog, even though they are not exactly like the models that inspired me! As usual, I didn't follow the teacher's video explicitly. I tried though!

This study was supposed to be painted in gouache, but I don't have any, so I used Kuretake Japanese watercolors. It is about placing two figures together with a background, which tells a story, in illustration style. This is what I came up with, inspired by the class and ideas meshed together from Pinterest. A little imagination was also thrown in!

Mechanical Pencil Sketch of Figures

Zig Fine Marker over Pencil Lines with Background

First Layers of Paint

The Roses and (later) a Fine Pink Stripe Within the White Stripe Didn't Work Out

This is where I've stopped on it, after adding some details and going over the lines again with a black gel pen. The colors may be a little rich for a typical illustration, but I tend to like brighter colors in art, so I'm pretty happy with it.

Can't you just hear these two party girls gossiping about what somebody is wearing, or who they're with? 😁

I enjoyed creating this project study so much that I almost have another one done! Different girls, different story! I want to do some more, using my mom's old photos of relatives and backgrounds. So much I that I want to create, learn, and try, and so little time left!

Stay safe and well, and keep creating!

Last Post of 2021! What's on my Desk?

 This is my last post of the year, and I got a new portable, adjustable height, desk from our niece's family, that just fits in front of my recliner, so I won't have to juggle everything in my lap while trying to work on projects! Hubby assembled it for me yesterday, and I'm already using it! I can also eat on it if I want to. :)

The first four photos are works in progress from the Time Traveler class with Ce Duff. I have shared some progress pictures of some of them before, but this is where they are now. All are on mixed media paper in my sketchbook, acrylics and watercolor. Y'all know I can't work on one thing at a time, which is why I get very few things finished! 😁

I have sketched in a table with a box and a vase of flowers behind her with a white pastel pencil.

Both watercolor- 

lacking final details

Bonus project portrait in the Fauve style and colors

The next 3 are also works in progress, just started, from some of the free classes in Ivy Newport's Twelve Days of Creativity, leading up to Christmas. These are the ones I was most interested in, but they are all great classes. I don't know ho long they will be up, so I watched the videos and did the basic beginning with notes.

Inspired by the Happy Town class with Yvonne Morrell. Background layers and Stablio pencil sketched buildings with a dog. I kind of used her building idea, but the dog is the little Pekingese we used to have, and whoops! most of her got cut off! I will post progress pictures with the whole dog...

From a class with Jeanne-Marie Webb, which should be on a round canvas, but is in my sketchbook, of a portrait with nature, leaves and flowers.

Just the beginning layer, which I think I'm going to change color on, for an abstract landscape using cold wax and a palette knife. I haven't found the landscape I want to use yet, but I will.

Anyway, these are some of the new things on my new desk to start out the new year with, along with my stack of old works in progress. Hopefully, I will get some of them finished soon!

I was hoping to get at least a couple of these finished so I could include them in my blog book for 2021, but this is as close as I got. I will post them as they are finished, whenever that is!

Stay safe, healthy, well, and creative!

Hope you all have a blessed, creative, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Time Traveler Class--Another 1920s Figure and Fabric Patterns

I decided to add another sketch to warm up 3. Not perfect, but I'm kind of pleased with her, except for her hair being too tall. I used a Zig calligraphy marker (I may have penciled her in first).

Then I went over her some with a water brush pen and used a white Conte pastel pencil to cut the top of her hair down some. Much better! Moving on to a sketchbook exercise now...

Some practice in sketching design motifs and painting fabric designs. I sketched the motifs with a Tombow marker, and since I don't have any gouache paints, I used India ink as one background and acrylic inks for the others. Not a good idea, because the dried ink was kind of slick, and the colored pencils I used were difficult to use on the backgrounds, so I only did the basic design, with no tiny details. I got the idea though!

The solid black background above wasn't really solid. It was supposed to have a pale pink design in it, but I couldn't get to my large set of colored pencils, so I used a light red, which didn't show up in the picture. I went over it with a white Conte' pastel pencil, and now it's almost pink (below)!

These motifs and fabric designs could be addictive too, especially if you made up your own! I "borrowed" these images off Pinterest just for practice. Hope I don't get into trouble!

Now, on to the first painted project, which is a lesson in colorist portraiture! It's a lady in black, wearing a black hat, against a dark background, in acrylic paints, and it may take me a while to finish and post her. Stay tuned for the next adventure! 😊

Time Traveler Warm Ups 3

Warm up #3-I tried to sketch these in a continuous line without using the proportion guide or sketching in pencil first. As you can see, I didn't do too well, as only one has her feet still on the page! 😁 I tried, though, and they were fun, and I love them.

I seem to have trouble seeing what I'm trying to sketch. I see the skinny models in the images, but my sketches seem to be heavier, and some are downright pudgy, which is fine with me, and is common these days, but in the 1920s the model illustrations were really thin. I see it. Just can't draw it! 😞

Anyway, it's fun, I have skipped some of the sketchbook exercises that didn't have drawing in them that came before the ones I've shared, for now. As I said, I've always wanted to try fashion illustration, and this was a good chance to dip my toe into the water! I'm glad I did...

Time Traveler Class Warm Ups 1 and 2

I sketched another figure illustration for practice and couldn't figure out how she wound up so short, because I was using the same measurements I used on the first ones, so I sketched her three more times and wound up with quadruplets. I used the same proportion guide for them (and different pens) and I still haven't figured out what happened. I do notice that I'm getting some of the heads a bit too small for the body though. That could be because I'm holding my sketchbook flat on my little lap desk, with the head pointing away from me. Do you think? :) Anyway, moving on to warm up #2!

Warm up #2-Sketching heads with hats in one continuous line, which I had read difficulty doing. I tried, but wound up just sketching from images on Pinterest with different pencils and pens. You can see I let my water brush pen get carried away a couple of places on the water soluble marker. My sketchbook pages are messy, but that's ok. I'm learning!

These were fun and addictive, and I will do more, but I'm moving on to warm up #3!

Hope you all had a great and safe Thanksgiving! We still have much to be thankful for!

New Class-Time Traveler (Fashion 1920s) Warm Ups 1

So I've started yet another new class! Ce Duff's Time Traveler class on Ivy Newport's site (see link on sidebar) about 1920's fashion intrigued me, so I thought I'd give it a try. I've always loved the flapper style of the 20s. I've watched part of the videos, and I haven't done the sketchbook spreads about gathering inspiration in figures, colors, patterns, etc. yet, but I did find some pictures on Pinterest to use as inspiration for the warmup sketches and to study the proportions of fashion illustration. Not as easy as it looks! 

I am dealing with cataracts and shaky hands, so my hand/eye coordination and proportion control is hard for me. The ones I've sketched are using different tools, such as a cheap mechanical pencil, black gel pen, Stabilo pencil, and a Pitt fine tip felt pen. I was going to draw some more today, but my vision is a little blurry. 

Trying to get proportion measurements in my head...

The one in the middle is the first one I tried, and I don't know how her body got so much bigger than her head. I measured everything! But then, I've never been good at measuring anything. 😒 The other two are better, and I went over the on on the left with a black gel pen.

More practice, but I'm still having trouble fitting the figures into the measurement guide! The figure on the far right is the same as the one below, only I've added water to the Stabilo pencil sketch above.

Going to practice a few more of these, before I move on to the next warmup exercises, which are of heads with 1920s hats and gouache painted figures telling a story. There are also to painted portraits of ladies in hats included, one a color study! 

I haven't quit on my other projects. Just letting them marinate while I decide what to do next on them! I've also cleaned out a bit of stuff this week, but still desperately need to clean my dining room table off so I can have a better place to work. It's not easy trying to do projects while holding them in my lap in a rocking/recliner. Maybe soon!

Hubby and I got our covid booster shots the other day. Prayers that they help keep us out of the hospital without any terrible side effects from the shots! We are still practicing covid safety when we have to go out too. Prayers that those of us that don't have it stay safe, for a swift recovery for those that have it, and that the virus goes away soon!

Stay safe, well, and creative, and if I don't post again before then, Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! We still have much to be thankful for! :)