Lab 40 - Bugs

Somewhere in an alternative dimension - I am a scientific illustrator.  That is a good dimension.  :)

I didn't follow the instructions very well with this lab.  I was supposed to use the pictures for inspiration to create stylized bugs.  But instead I drew those bugs just like in the photo.  I tried to get a bit stylized with the line weights like they suggested.  And I invented the colors more or less.  But ya.  My alternate dimension self could probably figure out exactly which bugs I was looking at in my references.  So I skipped the cutsie make-up names.

But I also really enjoyed drawing the bugs.  :)

Sketch Catch-Up

I've been looking at other people's sketching blogs.  I have a long way to go.  But I've also found my next book that I'll be going through.  More on that when I get it from the library.

 For now, a couple of weeks worth of sketches.  I'm not getting in every day - but I continue to try to.

 Crazy dried seed pod thing from Antioch Park

The truck and tree across the street from Anton's Tap Room while I waited for Jesse to use the restroom on date night

 I went to listen to my friend Russell play jazz, and I drew the bass player playing with him.

 The trees at soccer practice

 The grasshopper that clung valiantly to our windshield for many miles on the drive to Omaha

 Geese and trees from Antioch Park

These branches were amazing.  All twisted and wonderful against the sky.  I wish I could have finished this, but Jonas was done with this sketching nonsense.

Flower Tutorial

Back to Drawing Lab!  I completed the flower tutorial - which I'd been procrastinating on.  And as usual on the ones I put off - I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.  I've never done watercolor washes over-top of a whole lot of pencil lines.  I was taught to do as few light lines as possible and build depth with the layers of paint - but I really like the look of watercolor over the shading and scribbling.  I still went with the kids set of Prang Watercolors for this (it's so much quicker to grab that than squeeze out little drops of my liquid watercolors and build a palate and worry about squeezing out too much and wasting.  Clearly I need to invest in some professional dry watercolors)  But I did avoid the washable watercolors this time.  And I skipped the Crayola colored pencils in favor of my nice Prismacolors.  So much better.  I don't know why I waste my time with the kids stuff.  (it's just what's always in front of me, because I'm often doing this with the kids ;)
I skipped the steps that involved paint pens, as I have zero desire to own paint pens, and I went light on the acrylic "highlights" at the end.  Wasn't feeling the "take it to a crazy place"that the last few steps seemed to want me to go.  So ya.  I'm happy with this.  It's a pretty flower.  :)

Another trip to the nature center

This week I drew more trees and Jonas and I went to the nature center.

My skills with birds still leaves much to be desired.  Especially since I really enjoy painting birds.  I drew the owl  in pencil then added Crayola washable watercolors at home while making art with my 2 year old.  I am beginning to realize that working with washable watercolors, well, sucks.  I need to make myself a small palate of real watercolors to work with while I'm with the kiddos. Trying to build layers with a medium that washes away when it gets even slightly wet is very frustrating.

After we drew animals indoors we went outside and I sat on a rock and tried to capture the various textures of bark on these trees.  But by this time J had had enough of my boring drawing business and was ready to run around, not sit still.  You can see the lines of frustration as I tried to convince him to just give me a few more minutes.  Rushing and frustration did not help this drawing at all.

Today at the playground he was more patient with me.  I decided to challenge my fear of leaves and actually go for a leafy tree instead of the half dead ones I usually favor.  My pencils were all dull and I've lost my pocket-knife so I went with a fine-tipped sharpie pen and it worked out ok.  I'm not much of a cross-hatcher usually, so it was fun to play with a different technique.