Graphite & Charcoal Cat Portrait Ready for the Birthday Party!

I think Vartz is ready for the Birthday Party! I will let the portrait sit for a bit and come back with fresh eyes to see if any minor tweaks need to be made. I started getting separation anxiety last night as I realized I would be parting with her soon, I may need to get a cat soon :)

Graphite & Charcoal Cat Portrait Commission - Demo 2

Just a quick update! Vartz is getting closer to looking like her self, not himself, so sorry Vartz! Many layers of graphite pencil have been added, blended and removed...many more to go. Mostly to add more shape and depth and to tweak a few areas where the resemblance is a little off but looking good for being completed on time tomorrow as it needs to be shipped Wed in order to get to the party on time :)

Graphite & Charcoal Cat Portrait Commission - Demo 1

Wow is this a cat or a jiggesaw puzzle, I think my eyes are bleeding ;) Just kidding :) This cat portrait is actually a lot of fun to draw as all of his stripes really make me get into the 'drawing zone' quickly. I have used mostly 2B and HB graphite pencils for his eyes and fur so far. I will likely use F or H for his wispy fur as get further along but establishing the darks first. Back to the drawing table!

Graphite & Charcoal Cat Portrait

This is the graphite sketch of a cat name Vartz that I have just started. It is a 50th Birthday gift for his person and it is a rush job so not sure how many posts I will do of him before he is finished due to the time. I darkened the graphite sketch so that it is easier to see online it is much lighter on the paper. I added more detail in the sketch than I usually do as he has so many stripes in his fur and the photo is a little dark so I don't want to get lost as I go.

I have been tagged!

Well, I have been tagged by a fellow artist who does beautiful watercolor artwork, Billie Crain. So here are 7 things few people know about me:

1. I have a fetish for boxes, empty, full, big, small why... I don't know..
2. My favorite foods are rice krispy squares, papyas and creme brulee
3. One of my toes curls underneath the one beside it, kind of like it is hiding
4. My nick name used to be Elmer Fudd when I was little because I pronounced the letter "r" as "w".... "You wascally wabbit...." ugh
5. My favorite color is red
6. I tried to shave my freckles off when I was little, didn't work
7. I was ticklish when I was little, but my brother tickled me so much he tickled me out and I am no longer ticklish
   
   And here are the artists I have tagged:
   Maggie Stiefvater
   Marina Dieul
   Bobbi Dunlop
   Mika

Cards of Graphite Portraits

These are examples of my cards that I have started printing. I started out printing just as copies for customers to go along with their portraits as usually they are for gifts so this way they would have a print of the portrait for themselves after they give away the original graphite portrait. The cards can be either vertical or horizontal. If they are for customers like the one for the anniversary gift I usually enter a little note inside the card but for the greeting cards that I am selling like the puppy I have chosen to leave it blank.

Watercolor Portrait of Baby Girl Completed

Well I think my first attempt at this watercolor portrait is completed. I will leave it a few days just to be sure but I am pretty happy with it. I lifted out some highlights and touched up a few areas. I may add more detail to the hair and I need to fix the pupils a touch but need to wait until they are completely dry. I tend to run into trouble due to my impatience and not waiting for the paint to be completely dry....aha what can you do ;)

Watercolor Portrait of Baby - Demo 3

Well more layers have been added to this watercolor portrait and I am happy to say she does look like she has been out in the sun too long anymore :) The brows and lashes have been darkened a little more and the lips have been plumped up.

I still have a bit more work to do, softening some areas, intensifying the background and maybe adding a bit more blush into her skin to see if I can make it a little less blue in some areas. I think I overdid it a bit in the underpainting, but it was so much fun! Aha, live & learn ;) I may also add more definition to the hair but will wait and see. It is easy to overdo it with watercolor for me so I may just leave the hair as is...

Totally cool right side/ left side brain 'test'

I just saw this on Maggie's site and had to check it out. It is so cool, give it a try and see, no you don't have do do any math or think, it is not a 'test' like that ;)

Watercolor Portrait of Baby - wip2

I have added many layers of alternating warm and cool colors to try to achieve a realistic skin tone. The background has been loosely established to better judge the skin tones. She looks a little too red right now, hopefully that will all balance out in the end!

Artwork on Display

The life drawing class I belong to is displaying it's work at the Coquitlam Public Library at 575 Poirier Street, Coquitlam, BC for the month of October and I have several pieces of art on display. Most of the artwork is figurative but there are also some other works on display.

Watercolor Portrait of Baby

I am spending more time doing watercolor now so thought I would post my latest watercolor portrait as it progresses. I am trying a new technique so I plan to paint this portrait until I get it right :) This is my first attempt and I figure if I get to 20 attempts and I am still unhappy I give up! Just kidding :) This is the underpainting done using only blue. The idea is to build up the structure using an underpainting and then add the flesh tones overtop...I think I may have gotten a little carried away with the underpainting.

Life Drawing Portrait in Graphite - Francis Sustained Pose

This is a 50 minute graphite portrait

of Francis done in two 25 minute sessions. I am so happy to have found this life drawing class! It is such a nice escape to have 3 hours a week to draw without worrying about the end result ;) It really enables me to just enjoy the process and if I have learned something at the end of the drawing session, it is a bonus :) I have tried to set aside time at home for life drawing but of course if I am doing my art, I am always drawn to either working on a commission or a more detailed piece rather than on drawing exercises. Getting out of the house too ensures I don't get 'pulled' away by other obligations!

Life Drawing Portrait in Graphite - Francis

This is a quick 30 min graphite portrait of Francis from my life drawing class that I recently started attending. Many of the pencil lines are not as soft and/or defined as I would like but hey, 30 minutes goes fast!