Draw With Me - Week 13

Hello and welcome my Artsy friends, hope you are having a productive week.  Our weather turned cold again so I am back in winter mode though our snow is all but gone so that is nice.

So lets jump right into my drawing.  I must apologize for not accomplishing as much as I had promised last week. . . this gum surgery has slowed me down a bit.

I did managed to finish the shoe box and completed a good portion of the laces which takes longer as that is where the detail sits. . . I want to get them just right, it is the focal point for me.  I also have erased most of the grid lines now as I only need a few on the shoe itself.

I do tend to got back into an area if it catches my eye to add a little more shadow or depth but you have to know when to stop to. . . you don't want to over work it.  

It is good to take a break from you drawing for a period, this will give you some perspective.  Sometimes when you stare at something too long you loose sight. . . you need to look at the big picture.  This also helps when there is an area that may be giving you trouble. . . step away for a while, it will be clearer (honest) when you come back.

Keep working, you're doing great.

Sheila

PS  The winner of last weeks Derwent Graphitint Pencil blister pack is. . . drum roll please. . . Wendy of @littlenevabakes in Virginia, USA.  Congrats Wendy!  Since I didn't complete my drawing this week I think I will give away another Derwent Pencil blister pack.  Leave me a comment, follow me on Twitter, like my Facebook page, join my blog page here and I will enter you in the draw.  Good luck.

This Week In The Studio

Hello my Artsy friends, hope your weekend was lovely. . . mine was. . . quiet (sigh) nice.

I'm having a dental procedure done this week so I'm afraid I'm not going to feel much like working. . . I'm hoping for the best though, you know hope for the best/expect the worst.

I will be continuing on my Baby Shoe drawing, it should be just about done except for a few tweaks so stay tuned for that and another Derwent pencil give away (I love giving things away).

I'm still spending some time purging in the studio. . . it's a spring cleanse, feels so good to sort and eliminate. . . it gives me room to roam.

The above is a sketch I did of a photo I took a while back, I love bees. . . they are so industrious and such hard workers, great inspiration when I get bogged down.  I'm going to hang this on my board next to my 'Energy' word.  I find visual cues help me greatly when I'm struggling just as colour and music compliment my process.

Wish me luck at the dentist. . . yikes!

Have wonderful week friends.

Sheila

Draw With Me - Week 12

Hello and welcome my Artsy friends. . . Spring has sprung, how is it looking in your neighbourhood?  We are having a summer heat wave, it has been just glorious with 27C temps.  It's like having a holiday without having to go anywhere.

I have been progressing with my drawing nicely, maybe not spending as much time as I should but I just had to get outside and enjoy the fabulous weather we have been blessed with.  I have completed the toe of the second shoe, scuffs and all, along with the scalloped detail and now I will head into the lace detail. . . there's not much left to do now.  I worked the box as I have come along to limit my hand drag over the shoes themselves.

When working the shadows I like to set my drawing away from myself so I can look at the darks as shapes, I get a better idea of where they lie.  I continue to erase my grid as I work and I will go back into an area to add more depth with my 6B. . . it's all about the details now. . . I love this part.

We are almost finished. . . keep working. . . you're doing a great job!

Any questions?  Ask away. . . I'm here to help.

Sheila

PS  The winner of last week's draw is Rosa Yorke of Orleans. . . congrats!  I will be having one more drawing for this post.  Leave me a comment here or become a member, follow me on Twitter, like my Facebook page, leave a comment there and your name will be entered in the draw.  Good luck!

I will leave the background white, I want to focus on the shoes. . . draw attention to them only.

This Week In The Studio

Hello my Artsy friends hope you had a lovely weekend. . . I got so busy outside I almost forgot to post this.

We've been having a wonderful warm stretch of weather, such a nice reprieve from our cold, wet days of late.  So needless to say I haven't been spending a lot of time in the studio...it's just too nice to be indoors.  

I love this time of year where the days are getting longer, the sun is a little bit warmer and Spring is just around the corner. . . I just want to be outside soaking up that vitamin D listening to the birds singing.

I have been contemplating moving a few things around in my studio though not sure what I want to do yet. . . I have to think on it a bit.

In the photo above you can see my painting zone (yes I have zones for different activities. . . it's the Virgo in me) and sorry it is a little untidy that's why I need to purge a bit and re-organize though I find it so hard to let things go.  Do you have any suggestions?

I hope you are having wonderful weather too, get out there and enjoy. . . it's good for the soul.

Sheila

Draw With Me - Week 11

Hello my Artsy friends. . . how are you faring this week?  Spring has sprung around my neck of the woods. . . it is lovely to see the birds return and to see the snow disappear.

So we are continuing with our drawing. . . just working away at each section, reworking and adding more depth with our 6B-9B pencils.  It's the contrast between light and dark that gives you the depth in your drawing. . . it is where the interesting stuff is, what draws the eye.

As I work my way around my drawing I begin to erase my grid lines so they don't interfere with what I'm doing.  Really the grid was there just for placement, for my basic drawing, as I add my detail the grid is no longer needed.

I am using more of my darker pencils now, concentrating on leaving the highlights white and keeping those areas clean (a little bit of a challenge but if you keep aware of it right from the beginning, covering areas with a scrap piece of paper as you work will help).

 

I hope you are enjoying my drawing lessons as much as I'm enjoying sharing my process with you.  If you have any questions please ask away.

Keep on drawing. . . you're doing a great job.

Sheila

PS Yes, I'll be doing another draw for a blister pack of Derwent drawing pencils this week but first the winner for my last post is . . . Patti Agapi of Orillia, Ontario. Congrats!  If you would like to be in on this week's draw leave a comment, follow me on Facebook or Twitter, re-post this post or follow this blog then I will have a name to put in the hat.

This Week In The Studio

Hello Art lovers. . . we put our clocks ahead over the weekend, you know spring ahead. . . how does it affect you?  I find morning a little difficult, it seems so much earlier. . . funny how your body/mind notices these things.

Nothing too exciting going on in the studio this week. . . I think a little Spring cleaning is in order, it's always a great thing for me to tackle periodically to regroup after the long gloomy days we've had over Jan/Feb/Mar.  Some of you may find it crowded, some may find it messy. . . all I can say is it works for me.  Do what works for you.  I love to see where creatives work. . . it gives me a sense of the person.

To give it a new look and a fresh start I will often move furniture and zones to change it up a bit. . . you know what they say 'A change is as good as a rest' this often inspires me.

You can see my work table, drafting table and my large oak desk where I store all my paper. . . I gave it a little cuteness by adding a polka-dot silk curtain to hide the storage underneath.

I think it's good for the soul to take a break from the regular and take stock, see where you're at. . . for me a fresh space makes me love my studio all over again.

Take care and have a lovely week

Draw With Me - Week 10

Well hello my drawing buddies. . . how goes the creating?

Have you had much time to work on your pencil drawing?  I've been managing to fit in a little here and there though we have had a little sickness running through the house so I must say I haven't accomplished as much as I would like.  

I do have to remind myself and I will tell you too that it is the process of creating which is the most rewarding for me, not the finished product . . an important step in your journey.  Drawing for me is meditation. . . I can escape all the laundry, cooking, cleaning etc. when I sit down to draw and clear my mind even if it's just for a brief period and I think we all really need that in our day.

I am still working my drawing from the top left and fanning out wards.  I will often go back into a section and rework as the mood strikes me if I see something that needs to be tweaked.  Something else that helps me to progress in a drawing is to periodically  'clean up' my white areas to keep them white.  these are areas you have left for highlights. . . they can become smudged when moving back and forth over the area.  Take your knead-able eraser and form into a point or flat (what ever shape you need) and lift out graphite.  Using your small white drafting eraser is also helpful.

So continue working your drawing and let me know how you are getting along.  I'm here if you need me.

Sheila

Happy Drawing

PS  The winner of the Derwent drawing pencils blister pack for last weeks draw is Susan Hemann of Ohio, congratulations!  This giveaway thing is so much fun I'm going to do another!  I will be giving away another blister pack of Derwent Graphitints.  Follow my blog, like my FaceBook page, follow me on Twitter, retweet a Tweet, leave a comment or share a post and I will enter you into the draw.

This Week In The Studio

Hello my Art loving friends. . . hope you had a fabulous weekend.

We've had a bit of flu/sickness in the house over the last couple of days so I've been laying low/taking it easy and popping my vitamins in hopes it won't catch me. (crossing my fingers)

One thing I have been doing though is continuing with the Right Brain Business Plan. . . this has been a great guide for me.  Now the author, Jen Lee, is hosting a summit that companions her wonderful book.  She is having guest speakers giving tips for your business.  Great info if you are a right brainer like me.  If you are looking for more direction in your business check out this book.

I'm continuing with my Baby Shoe drawing for the Draw With Me series and I will have the draw for the Derwent pencils Tuesday evening so get your name in.

Have a great week of creating and exploring.

Sheila

Draw With Me - Week 9

Hello fellow Artsies. . . are you ready to get at our drawing?

So as I mentioned last week I begin working my drawing from the top left corner as I'm a righty. . . if you are a lefty you work from the opposite side. . . makes sense right?

I start to block in the most obvious shades which gives me a base to gauge my shades.  I like to use my HB pencil (the one I used to lay down my base line drawing) it's fine enough to fill in the grain of the paper albeit smooth. . . the darker and softer the pencil the more it tends to sit on top of the paper.  I find it better to create layers of pencil and gradually build to the dark.  If you try to use your dark pencils too early they are very hard to lift off if you need to. . . the layers will give your drawing more depth.  At the beginning I like to use HB, 2B, 4B. . . save the 6B and 8B (or darker) until the end.

Also, the dark pencils will smear very easily. . . makes a mess of your drawing and nobody wants that.

Keep working on your drawing and I will do the same and we will see how far we get next week.

Happy Drawing

Any questions?  Please don't hesitate to ask. . . I'll see what I can do to help.

Sheila

PS  The winner of the Derwent Graphitint blister pack for last weeks draw is Heather Williamson of Kanata, congratulations!  This giveaway thing is so much fun let's have another!  I will be giving away another blister pack of Derwent drawing pencils.  Follow my blog, like my FaceBook page, follow me on Twitter, leave a comment or share a post and I will enter you into the draw. . . simple.