Have Pen Will Draw

Caricature at the Dumpling House

2012-02-25T22:23:00.001-08:00

My husband whether he likes it or not is an ongoing subject matter for my sketches. Here, we are waiting to be served at the Dumpling House. So inspired by the talk given by Pete Scully, I spent that time drawing my husband. He took a look at it and said, "My head is too narrow." Even though it was, I felt it captured him.

Book, "The Art of Urban Sketching" Puts Davis on the Map

2012-02-25T22:15:00.001-08:00

Fresh off the press, The Art of Urban Sketching, and the Friday Davis Enterprise

Pete Scully gave a wonderful presentation of a new book out about urban sketching at the Avid Reader Friday night. The book, The Art of Urban Sketching, presents different sketch artists through out the world and discusses their techniques and materials and how sketching affects them personally. Some are from Spain, Malaysia, Australia, South America, mostly big cities but Davis is in because of Pete.

Two pages devoted to Davis sketch artist, Pete Scully

Here in this photo there are some familiar buildings. Pete talked about drawing old buildings before they are torn down. Sketches retained the memories of their existence.

My Neighbor's Dog

2012-02-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

My neighbor's little chichuahua named Squirt. This was done on 300# watercolor paper. I traced an photographic image of Squirt onto the paper and then painted with watercolor using the same photo as reference. Size is roughly 8" x 12".

Squirt
8" x 12", watercolor

My Mail Carrier's Daughters

2012-02-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

My Mail Carrier's Daughters

Done from a photo that my mail carrier gave me of his daughters. I enlarged the photo and then traced the girls. As if I was sketching them live, I used watercolor and pen. I was a little afraid that Richard, the mail carrier, might be expected a complete, detailed pencil drawings. When I handed it over to him, he loved it. But next day, he told me his wife cried when she saw the sketch. Now that was a big compliment for a little sketch.

Birch Lane Sketches

2012-01-29T21:24:00.000-08:00

I sometimes take my 15 year old Maltese around the elementary school, Birch Lane right nearby me. There I can let him lose while I can sketch. These sketches were done with a bent nib fountain pen.

Leaves and a trunk face

Palm trees behind Birch Lane

Tulip in blossom

Tulip leaves

The Baby at the Restaurant

2012-01-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday after the church meeting, we head to Tea Cup Restaurant. Going there about every week, we end up seeing the same families there. Today we spotted this young family with two very cute boys. I attempted to sketch the younger boy. Being a typical one year old he was constantly looking around him. I tried to capture him in one position and then in another position....My attempts were mildly successful. But I did managed to capture a smile from him when he looked my way. He gave me a huge smile and then told his parents about me. Quickly I looked down at my sketch book and sketched away.

Cute as a button

Gnarly Tree Base

2012-01-23T20:54:00.003-08:00

P1040182, a photo by calliartist on Flickr.

More old trees with interesting texture.

Monster tree trunk

2012-01-23T20:54:00.001-08:00

Monster tree trunk, a photo by calliartist on Flickr.

I've been taking my dog out for walks but also taking my sketchbook and pens. Great chance to do more sketching. We walked over to the park nearby (Chestnut Park). It's an old park with old trees. Trees with many interesting textures. The hardest is how to show that without drawing everything.

Finishing Up My Small Hand Book Journal

2012-01-21T22:08:00.000-08:00

I had only a few pages left in my 3 x 5 in Hand Book Journal. Can't wait to get into my 5 x 5 inch Hand Book that I just purchased. I took my dog out for a walk and got these sketches in. Great chance to use the bent nib fountain pen as mentioned in a previous post.

Study of tree trunk

fire hydrant

Hens were a bit of a challenge to draw. They constantly moved. So it's quick gestural lines. And the bent nib helps to create the expressive thick to thin lines.

hens

Let's Draw Davis Sketchcrawl, Jan 2012

2012-01-21T18:11:00.000-08:00

The weather turned out better than I expected for today's sketchcrawl in Davis. The last two days were nothing but rain and I felt sure that today will be the same. Sunny but a little cool.

Today's location started at the Davis Farmer's Market and to end at Delta of Venus. Later I found out that the Delta closed early and besides no one was left except Pete and me. The turnout was a little sparse. Pete, Leah and a nurse from Fair Oaks. We all huddled at one of the picnic table at the Farmer Market, drawing each others, solicitors, food stands....

Then I've noticed a little girl about 2 walking along with a family behind her. Strange, though, the family did not seemed to be interacting with her. The mommy's alarm went off. I got to her before she got to the street and sure enough she was lost - "Looking for my daddy." Eventually, I was directed to the shop area where the manager of the market was able to locate the dad.

There's a couple of things that concerned me. One, the little girl would not or could not give me her name nor could she give the name of her dad to us. Secondly, if I had not noticed that she was lost, would anyone else? There were at least 4 other incidents where I figured a child was lost and located someone to take care of them. Maybe I had developed a sixth sense for these things.

All these sketches were done with a micron pen .005 and watercolor. I tried out the Derwent watercolor pencils (Inktense) and they just don't feel right. Maybe later I'll give them a try.

Pete

Man reading

Food stand

Leah

With this sketch, I used a fountain pen filled with walnut ink and then added the watercolor.

Coffee stand

Pencil Portrait Drawings

2012-01-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

These two portraits were done in pencil. One I'm happy with and one I'm not. It's been awhile since I had worked in pencil. So yesterday for the first time in a long time.

The first portrait of Obama is stiff. Basically copying the photograph.

Obama

With the portrait of the Italian opera singer, I tried a different approach. Instead of a linear approach I sketched in tonal values. Shaping with shading and then coming back with the line for accent. I love this approach. It's freer.

Italian Opera Singer

My former professor, Fred Dalkey, at Sacramento City College also used tonal values to shape up the features. It was amazing to watch. At first he puts laid down a shade of midtone but slowly he darkens an area and lighten up the other. Before we know it there's the eye.

All three drawings are from Fred Dalkey courtesy of a student of his.

Squiggly Lines

2012-01-18T19:22:00.000-08:00

As a calligrapher, I like to try out different nibs. In this case I had purchased a folded pen by Horizon from Paper and Ink Arts. It is derived from the ruling pen, an old tool commonly used by engineers, architects and artists before computers.

The folded pen allows for thick and thin lines in one stroke. But it takes practice. Here I've done a page of squiggly lines, manipulating the pen to flow from thick to thin. Just like a brush. With a brush more pressure is used to create the thick stroke, less pressure creates thin strokes. But in this case it is the manipulating of the pen that creates the thick and thin.

Squiggly lines, baby steps

Noodler Ink and Horizon Folded Pen.
Ink I used is called the Noodler's Ink. The black is waterbased but light fast.

There are some excellent videos on Youtube that shows the folded pen in use. But here are some from my flickr page, Calliartist

Fountain Pen with a Bent Nib

2012-01-08T22:11:00.000-08:00

My husband loves pens. He had started drawing and was searching for a good sketching pen. He came across a fountain pen with a bent nib and bought two, one was given to me.

I generally don't like using fountain pens. They clot. They don't start. They skip. And they require cleaning. But I decided to give it a try. I'm impressed. Nice smooth lines. Start when I want them to start. No skipping. Plus this pen does what other ordinary pens don't do - draw a thick to thin line in one stroke like a brush. With a brush, pressure is used to create thin to thick lines. With this pen the thick to thinness lines are created by turning the nib from point to side. Reminds me of my ruling and folded calligraphy pens. (But that's another blog).

Luoshi 709 Bent Nib

I found some for sale on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Calligraphy-0-6mm-Bent-Nib-Gold-Tone-Clip-Fountain-Pen-/250954018798

Close up

Creating a thick line on the flat bent tip.

From a thick to thin line. I've turned the pen on its side to create the thin line.

So now I had to try out this new pen. It's hard to not treat it like a regular pen. If I did, the lines would had be thick and heavy. So I worked with it like a brush and a calligraphy broad edged nib. With the combination of pressure and turning of the nib, I was able to draw expressive lines of various widths.

Coffee maker. My first drawing. My husband just loved this one.

My husband working on his drawing.

Budding lily

Maybe this will turn out to be my tool of choice.

Grabbing Every Chance to Sketch

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

I carry a thin Moleskinne red notebook and a micron pen in my handbag. Wherever I go, I grab a chance to sketch. ...have pen will draw!

My husband is the perfect model as he is driving. Intense concentration. In front of him are two cars.

My husband, again, a perfect model, as he plays the piano.

My husband loves to wear hats especially the yellow one.

Chad, a young relative, while he was chatting at Aunt Gim's 90th birthday party.

After the meeting, my husband and I would go to the Tea Cup Restaurant in Sacramento for lunch. A family were gathered at one large table. I wanted to draw in the little girl but she was hidden behind all the adults.

My son is waiting for his orthopedic to check his foot. At this time he had his cast on - maybe the brilliant pink.

My days are spend taking my son or my mother to the doctor. This time I brought my mother in. The physician assistant needed to examine closely a mole that had developed on her face.

Again, in the waiting room. My son is getting his x-ray to see how his foot is healing. Luckily he's right on track and now he does not need his walking boot as much.

People in the Meetings

2011-12-28T21:38:00.000-08:00

I find myself again sketching the various different people in the meeting. People that I have seen for many years but sketching them I realized how much I do not really noticed them at all.

In this particular church, everyone calls themselves brothers and sisters. They never described themselves as that man (or woman) but a sister and brother.

An older couple - very tall husband and very short wife.

An elderly English brother seating in the front row.

A young Chinese sister giving a testimony.

A young Russian brother

What Not to do with Water Soluble Pencils

2011-12-12T20:34:00.000-08:00

I discovered with water soluble pencils, I have to be gentle. Not to use it more like a pencil.

With this portrait, I did more crosshatching to create the shading. And then come back with water to smooth the crosshatching out. Instead, it looked blotchy.

So with the second one, I decided to work back and forth with crosshatching and blending with water. Much better. More of a delicate touch.

First portrait was a failure. Too much too soon.

Second portrait more of a success.

Here's another success. Again I worked gently back and forth between crosshatching and blending with water.

New Art "Toys"

2011-12-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

I've discovered some new art pencils. Watercolor pencils. As I was sorting through my art box I discovered a water graphite pencil that I had bought on a whim. Tried it out on a portrait drawing. Loved the watercolor effect after applying a tab of water. Like smearing but without the dirty fingertip. So then came the obsession of buying the "right" watercolor pencils. Fortunately, the UCD Bookstore was having their annual 20% sale. I bought the Derwent Inktense Colored Pencils and Derwent Sketching Pencils.

Derwent Inktense Colored Pencils are not the typical watercolor pencils. They are actually ink instead of watercolor so the colors are much more brilliant. The Derwent Sketching Pencils were not the Derwent Watersoluble Graphitone I was looking for. But they work just as well and they come in 3 values; light, medium and dark washes.

The water soluble pencils add a dimension to my drawings and I'm looking forward to using them in the upcoming sketchcrawls.

Celebrating our Wedding Anniversary

2011-11-22T20:49:00.000-08:00

Today is our 26th wedding anniversary. So my husband planned a movie and dinner in Sacramento.

First we went to the Tower Theater to see "Like Crazy". It has won awards in the Sundance Festival so I figured that it must be worth seeing. It was.

Before we entered the theater, there was a sign of another movie. Interestingly enough my name was in that title. Should I take it as a sign? (no pun intended)

Tower Theater

Next dinner! To Joe's Crab Shack we went. It is not a shack at all but a huge place. With a menu of seafood that would satisfy anyone's taste in seafood. We were seated next to a window. We could see the Sacramento bridge, the river and some of the lights of the boats on the water. Right below me is a boat at dock. Nice colors of warm yellow and blue. The door is what caught my eye. It was wide open, welcoming anyone to come, it seems. Everything was in place...ship shape.

Let's Draw Davis, November Sketchcrawl

2011-11-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

It has been raining during the week and I was afraid that this Saturday sketchcrawl would be rain out. Ah, thank goodness it wasn't.

Meeting outside the Davis Art Center, there were a lot of new faces. Two of those were a couple from Portland who knew Pete from previous outside of Davis sketchcrawls. It was interesting to hear them talk about the various sketchers they know around the world. Sketchcrawls events make the world a smaller and cozy place to live.

Other participants included a recent college grad, someone who used to worked at the PDQ, an artist from Stockton,....various different ages.

The weather was perfect and sunny so many of us set among the picnic benches to sketch the playground or around the art center.

My first sketch is the Davis Art Center. It's a colorful building of purple and aqua colors with touches of maroons and yellow. Definitely a very artsy building.

Davis Art Center

Later I moved to the Rainbow City play structure where my sons used to play quite a bit. It was memory lane and I knew I had to do a sketch here.

Rainbow City Play Structure

Then the weather started to turn cold. We all set around the picnic table and chatted. So there were opportunities to sketch each other.

I guess I was getting tired of doing complete sketches...so I just add background colors instead.

Pete Scully

Jennica

The longer we set, the colder it got. My hands turned red and itchy; something that has never happened before. We all decided to walk to the meeting place, the Yolo County Library and defrost there. Once my hands thawed, I managed to put in 2 more sketches of ceramics animals in the library.

Ceramic Dog Table in the children's section

Ceramic Dog on Books at the Snack Lounge

Great time, great people......and Pete had his exhibit there....great display!

Davis Sketchcrawlers Nov. 2011

Many Faces of Sleeping Leonardo

2011-11-16T21:02:00.000-08:00

Over a period of a couple of weeks, right before I sleep, I sketch Leonardo, our dog. When we first got him, we had him sleep in the hallway in front of our bedroom. Before he came to us, he slept in the same bed as his master. So this idea of sleeping in the hallway was new for him. He adapted. But we eventually gave in or at least halfway. On his own bed. And he knows that this is his bed for the night.

These are the first positions that he assumes for the rest of the night. Each night it's a bit different. I think that if I had sketch him 365 nights, there will be 365 positions he would start off in.

These line drawings are enough to portray this white dog.

Trader Joes Choc Chip Dunker

2011-11-13T20:39:00.001-08:00

Trader Joes Choc Chip Dunker, a photo by calliartist on Flickr.

Just love these dunkers. I only can find them at Trader Joes.

Life Drawing - Slowly Improving

2011-11-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

I'm making a breakthrough in my drawings at the life drawing sessions. Here, the first two drawings are done in charcoal and white conte. Then with the different size tortillions and stumps helped to create the different shades. Realizing this made all the difference in the world.

20 minute pose

Long pose.

Seems like we got a lot of back of the model.

Quick pose. Conte

Small Golden Tomatoes

2011-11-03T14:52:00.001-07:00

Small Golden Tomatoes, a photo by calliartist on Flickr.

A monochromatic study.

Via Flickr:
oil on canvas paper, 15 x 8 inches

Finally a Painting

2011-10-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

The red potatoes oil sketches helped with giving me the idea for this painting.

Set up

Quick brush outline

Establishing values and local colors

Painting more thickly

A black and white

Finished painting

Red Potatoes

2011-10-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

More oil sketches....I was on a roll with red potatoes. But this time I remembered to show the process.

When I start a sketch, I begin with a line drawing with a dry brush of similar color of the object. Then I proceed with a block out of dark values. Just 2 values. Once established I continued painting usually with a dry brush. But as the painting progress I'll get wetter paint and thicker.

I'm tempted to paint every little nick and blemish. Only it gets frustrating. I had to remind myself just to get the impression. Hopefully, I was successful.

Three Potatoes - beginning

Three Potatoes - finished

A Potato Cut Up - beginning. Like with all my sketches, I beginning with a line drawing.

A Potato Cut Up - mid way

A Potato Cut Up - finished