Video Post and New Art

I hope you enjoyed my short little video. In full disclosure, this was the second taping. I did the first one and then realized that I hadn't turned on the microphone...

I've included all of the paintings below that I showed you on the video plus the two commissioned pieces that I have mailed off already.

Tiny - acrylics on 6 x 6 inch gessobord

Take me Home - acrylics on 6 x 6 inch gessobord

Max - acrylics on 6 x 6 inch gessobord
(commissioned painting)

Nell - acrylics on 6 x 6 inch gessobord
(commissioned painting)

Standing Strong - transparent watercolor on 6 x 6 inch cold press watercolor paper

Looking Forward - transparent watercolor on 6 x 6 inch cold press watercolor paper

True Colors - acrylics on 6 x 6 inch cold press watercolor paper (NFS)

Sketch for watercolor painting 

New Horizons - acrylics on 10 x 30 inch wrapped canvas

Apple? - acrylics on 12 x 16 inch wrapped canvas

I'm linking to the always colorful and inspiring Paint Party Friday! Head on over to see more beautiful art.

In the meantime, I wish you happiness, peace and joy in 2017! I'm glad we get to be part of each other's journeys! Thank you for visiting today!!

❧ Silke

Sketching with Paint

Here's something I haven't done in a long time - a sketch done entirely in paint. Last night, in about 45 minutes, I took a small canvas, a couple of paint brushes, titanium white, naphthol red and paynes gray and painted this woman's face.

No previous outline, no pencil sketch first, just paint and brushes. It felt good. I'm not sure what I'll do with her. Maybe develop her further, maybe paint over her. We'll see.

For now ~ from rainy Savannah ~ I wish you a cozy and peaceful Tuesday!

❧ Silke

Sketch for New Painting

After my last post I did go up to my studio to start on a new painting on the canvas board I prepped with plaster of paris (click here to see). I LOVE the surface after I sanding it for a bit and giving it a layer of gesso.

And I like the sketch just fine and am looking forward to doing the underpainting, but somehow I'm not feeling the inspiration that usually takes a hold of me.

I feel as though I've lost my art mojo... and it's freaking me out a little bit.

So, my fellow creatives, here's my question to you: What do you do to get your inspiration back?

❧ Silke

WIP and Food

A bit of art and a bit of food today! A good combination in my world...

I discovered a whole bunch of childhood photos of myself and am having fun working from them for a few paintings. Love how this drawing has turned out and can't wait to start painting today!

I was glad to read that I'm not the only one with trouble getting back into routine once it's been broken. One of the things that helps me is cooking and last night I made one of our favorite summer food: Baba Ganoush.

I had shared the recipe a few years ago in this post, along with a recipe for preserved lemons and hummus. We mostly eat it with cut up veggies like cucumber, carrots, radishes, or jicama. Easy to make and so delicious!

Happy Friday!!

Of Lemons & Turtles

Daniel and I both love Moroccan food and one of the ingredients often is preserved lemon. It's super easy to make them and they do make those dishes taste wonderful!

The recipe I use is from the Arabesque cookbook. If you click here, it'll take you to an earlier blog post that tells you how to make them. Give it a try!

Before we left on our road trip, Daniel made chocolate covered turtles to give to all the friends we were going to be seeing - and one tin just for us... These delicious treats were somewhat time consuming to make (making the caramel took a long time of just stirring until the temperature was right). But, boy oh boy, were they worth it! (Click here for the recipe)

I am glad all of them are gone now because I couldn't stop tasting and eating them...

And then this morning I roughly (and very quickly) sketched out another little portrait. Truly little - I found this 4 x 6 inch cradled wood panel that hadn't been used yet. Can't have that, can we now?!

I had more planned for today's post, but this day is turning out way busier than I thought, so I'll save the rest for this weekend.

Wishing you a fantastic Friday!!

From Drawing to Print

I should have titled this: "From pretty drawing to a somewhat scary print." Or intense print...

Today was a busy, busy day for me with preparing this image for my last print for my current etching class. It helps me to first draw the portrait I want to use before I flip the image horizontally and then paint it onto the copper plate with this stuff called "white ground" or "soap ground." Basically, where the white ground is thick, the acid won't bite as much. So, depending on how you apply it, you can get a nice range of values.

After I had finished painting, I packed up everything I needed and went to the print studio, where I prepared a lovely acid bath for this pretty lady. And, voilà, after only seven minutes - all etched!

I love the colorful reflection in this photo!

I had to print a proof immediately and also transfer the image to a second copper plate so I can prepare a background as a next step.

The print is a little dark and I can see where I didn't wipe the ink quite enough. Also, when I print her in color rather than black, she'll lighten up quite a bit. The background? Something lacy I think... to go with my previous "doily print."

While the print isn't quite as sweet as the drawing, I love how she changed personality in the print. She looks so much more determined!

And because many of my blog friends participate in Sunday Sketches, I decided I would, too. I may  not have time to visit everyone there at the moment, but it looks like a great group of people, and I think my quick drawing qualifies as a sketch.

Wishing you all a beautiful Sunday evening, a good night and a fantastic start to the new week!

Sketches & Underpaintings

Sometimes I find myself in a creative dry spell, and other times everything just spills out of me... This is one of those "other times"... 

The first face is drawn on a layer of fiber paste, which makes it feel like I'm drawing on handmade paper. Really nice!

And in the underpainting you can really see the texture - sort of grainy, but soft. It takes a little getting used to painting on it.

Do you remember this sketch above? Well, she was just a little too cute for me. So, I lengthened her nose and moved her mouth down a bit (and closed it!) and like her so much better!!

Do you see the pretty papers showing through? I had gotten them from here on Etsy a long time ago. In fact, I had forgotten that I had them. Not anymore! They are so fun and colorful and I'm sure some of them will be peeking through in the final piece...

I think the underpainting turned out beautifully! She looks so soft somehow. We'll see how she changes with color washes over the face and her hair and background also painted.

And just because ...  a picture from the opening of the student art shows at the school last night. Lots and lots of great art! We got to connect with quite a few students and also friends who came to see everyone's work. Quite inspiring!!

Wishing you a most relaxing and peaceful Sunday!

Works in Progress

First of all, thank you for all your comments lately! I love this exchange we've got going here in blogland!! 

Well, I've been busy...

With this sketch above (on another square canvas), I am trying to draw and then paint a woman looking down. I am not sure how I'll manage to have her eyes not look like they are simply closed. Any suggestions? If they end up looking closed, I'm sure it'll still look good. She looks so inward right now, and a little sad.

This lovely, on the other hand, is wide awake and somehow looks expectant. Or something. I'll be eager to see how she develops when I start with the underpainting.

And ... FINALLY ... I've painted another portrait onto a copper plate to etch this afternoon. Lara is becoming a layered print! I'm not sure yet what to do with the background plate(s). Any suggestions?

Well, it's a cold day here and I'm enjoying it in my warm and snug little studio.

I hope you are having a great Monday as well!!

And to all my German friends and readers: Ich wünsche euch einen wunderschönen Rosenmontag!!

A new sketch

A new face is emerging on the canvas I showed you yesterday. Often, I don't think of a name until I am finished with the painting, but this time, while I was sketching her, I kept thinking "Lara." So, I think that's what I'll call her. We'll see. Next step will be an underpainting again - I really enjoyed that last time and it made the colors so very rich. I also have to tweak with her left eye a bit - seems a little too big now that I see the photo.

This morning, besides sketching her, I've already prepped three other canvases. I feel compelled to do lots of painting and here's the reason: Daniel had quite an intense cold this last weekend and I woke up with a sore throat today. So, I'm making art while I can. Maybe it's just allergies - here's hoping!

Wishing you much love today!

♥♥♥

This morning's work

I love this stage of the painting process when I've gessoed in the area for the portrait and I start sketching the face. That's when they come alive to me and I start wondering who they are and what their story might be. What's her name? Is she thinking or dreaming? I think she might be remembering something or someone. She looks wistful to me. A tiny bit insecure.

Now I'm off to class and tomorrow I'll continue painting...

Wishing you a wonderful Thursday!!

A new sketch and some rambling thoughts...

First of all, thanks so much for all your wonderful comments on my first print! I'm glad  you like it as much as I do. Yesterday, I did a fairly quick sketch of a portrait I can use for my next etching project.  She's a rather intense young woman, but for some reason all the women I draw or paint look at little intense. 

I've been thinking about why life seems so much easier and more joyful to me this year. Last year it seems that I slipped into anxiety early on and never quite recovered from it. Every little thing seemed like a huge deal to me. Stuff I now hardly think twice about, nearly had me reduced to tears last year.

So, I've been wondering what brought about that change and I think it started when I began with my daily (well, almost daily) gratitude list. It seems like such a little thing, but I think it is changing the way I view my world. I started looking more at what is good and beautiful in my life than I worried about what might happen (my worries are usually about what could happen, rarely about what is actually going on).

It reminded me again that a joyful life is nothing but a string of joy-filled moments. Difficult things happen in everybody's life and they will happen again in mine. But right now, while it's quiet and peaceful and all is well, I have decided to enjoy the little things, the peaceful moments, the quiet beauty that's all around me, the books I'm reading, the art I'm making, cooking, baking, eating, playing with our pets, spending time with friends... you get the idea.

Hand-in-hand with this, I have noticed that I have become so much kinder toward myself. I usually feel kind toward others, but I'm often quite hard on myself. Which accomplishes nothing. Nothing! Kindness on the other hand frees me from much anxiety and guilt and allows me to simply move on when I haven't quite accomplished what I thought I should.

So, am I grateful right now? You betcha!! 

Here just a few things that brighten my day:

Also, Jewel (one of the black bears being studied by the North American Bear Center) had two cubs this morning. If you click here, it'll automatically take you to her den cam, which I am totally addicted to these days...

Happy Sunday to you all!!

Sketching

First I'd like to thank you for all your Christmas wishes and visits to my blog! I love getting slowly back into my blogging routine. Although at the moment I find the thought of going through all my travel photos of the last month to show you a few select pictures quite overwhelming. So, I'll do that when the muse strikes me. 

For now, I felt inspired to pick up my pencil and do a drawing for Tam's (willowing.ning.com) class Fabulous Faces. My sister, Caroline (you can visit her blog here), reminded me of Tam's Life Book class that we are both now signed up for. With the year-long Life Book class that is taught by several wonderful mixed media artists, we also got the Fabulous Faces class and this sketch is for week 1. 

It's quite different from my "usual" portraits, but I had such fun with it. Plus, it was soooo good to do some art again after quite a while. 

I'll have to visit your blogs this week sometime to find out what you all have been up to! I have missed you all!!

Sketches

There's one component from my now past drawing class that I hadn't shown you yet - sketches from my sketchbook. As part of our homework, we had to turn in 20 sketches every week for 8 weeks.

160 sketches total!

Each one was supposed to be drawn with ink (no erasing) and not take longer than 30 seconds to one minute.

Some weeks I enjoyed it and others not so much,

but I could definitely tell that my sketches were getting better as the weeks went on.

One thing it is teaching me is to see the essence of what I want to draw in just a few seconds.

No details, just the feel of it.

And if it doesn't look right (like Ramses who looks like a fox in the sketch below), that's fine. There was no grade for this so it really gave us great freedom to just dive right in. 

Today I am practicing my art in the kitchen as I am planning to bake quite a few things to have on hand in the freezer. Two loaves of my favorite bread (click here to view a past post I did on it) are already in the oven.

Tonight, we'll have fresh bread with boursin cheese and ripe tomatoes from the garden for dinner. And a salad to go with it. It's one of my favorite summer meals...

Can I just say...

... my drawing class is AWESOME!!!

Get this - we went from drawing lines and circles last time to a big honkin' still life!! Like with vases, planters, lamp shades, bowls and lots of other stuff! When she first mentioned that we were going to draw all of that, I thought I hadn't heard right! But, alas, my hearing is working just fine...

Our first assignment was to draw a small thumbnail sketch in our sketch book to figure out size and space relationships. On my sixth attempt (but who's counting), I felt like singing: "By George, I think she's got it!!" and dance a little jig of happiness!

My professor thought it was good as well and I was able to start on the big drawing (18 x 22 inches). The drawing below shows how far I got in the sketch phase before class was over. Time just flew by! And get this - there is homework and I have to come in to the classroom in the evenings and/or on the weekend to continue with the drawing before next class.

It's funny how when you actually want to take a class and learn, homework seems just wonderful! I rarely felt that way as a kid in school...

I leave you today with these spring flowers from our garden...

and my wish for a creative and fun day for you!!