Johnny 5

 

"Johnny 5," marker on 5x6.9 140 lb Arteza Watercolor Paper

I used Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens to create this drawing of Number 5 from Short Circuit as part of my Christmas present for my boyfriend. We’re both huge fans of the Short Circuit movies, so I wanted to do him justice. This piece was demanding with all its tiny details, but the end result is one of my favorites.

Fiend Skull

Marker and Pan Pastel on 5x6.9 140 lb Arteza Watercolor Paper

It is always fun working with Pan Pastel. : ) 

Unicorn

 

"Unicorn," Marker on 5x6.9 140 lb Arteza Watercolor Paper

Created with Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens, this pointillism unicorn was a surprise for my boyfriend, who loves unicorns. I truly enjoyed working on it. It brought me back to my childhood, when I would spend hours drawing horses. This is the first horse I’ve drawn since those days.

Onion

 

"Onion," colored pencil and soft pastel on 5 x 5 on 98 lb paper

The onion was the most available subject today.  I began this one with a sketch using Dahlia Purple and Parma Violet Prismacolor pencils.  It was time to pull out the PanPastels.  I did a light wash in Violet and then Yellow Ochre.  I added Red Iron Oxide for the darker spots of my onion.  I made my shadows using a combination of those colors, all in pastel, along with a little Neutral Gray.  I used the colored pencil to add some finishing details.

I wanted to use a complimentary color palette to create a recognizable onion.  My main goal was to create realistic color and texture.  I will be creating some onion abstractions in my next sketches.

Emergence

 

"Emergence," pastel on 9 x 12 92 lb paper

I thought about sitting on a sandy hill at night, listening to the Gulf of Mexico.  I made a non-representational painting, focusing on the emotions of that night, rather than attempting a landscape or a figure.  I felt in touch with something spiritual, something higher.  The mystery of the Hale-Bopp Comet, visible in the sky the entire time I visited Venice, Florida, that year, only added to that feeling.  In addition to the mystical, I felt an incredible sense of serenity.  I chose many purples and blues, as these are colors I relate to divinity and magic.  I chose oranges to represent the feeling after sun has gone down, and greens to help convey the feeling of serenity.  I worked entirely in pastel on black paper, marking without thinking, without planning, just feeling.  This is an emotional piece.

Tie-dye Storm

 

PanPastel on Strathmore Watercolor Paper 9 x 6

I played with PanPastel a bit at the fountain in front of St. Jude's Catholic Church.  The rain started falling on the paper before I had quite finished.

Pear in Colored Pencil

 

Colored Pencil on 5x7 Canson 98 lb paper

I used a demo from Arlene Steinberg's Masterful Color for this bit of practice.  Despite its small size, it took a long time.