Tuesday, June 28, 2011

"Oranges" Colored Pencil Study on 11x14 Canson drawing paper


I just finished drawing these oranges that I had on my drafting table tonight. I borrowed a library book on colored pencil techniques and decided to give it a try. The book looked very interesting and the images appealed to me. This is the result. I really like the way it turned out. I find the oranges look more realistic using the methods that was suggested in the book. I drew these always late in the day so I could take advantage of this kind of light. It made the shadows longer and much stronger. I did change a few things that I wanted to do using my own methods of drawing and I also wanted to give the drawing a little of an abstract contemporary feel at the same time by using different colors to fill in the shadows. Giving it a more modern look, I think made it challenging and fun.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

"Red Grapes" Colored Pencil Study on 9x12 Canson drawing paper


I finished my drawing this morning. When I got up, it was cloudy and raining and still is at the moment, so you must forgive me on the exposure of the image. It was an interesting challenge for me tackling these grapes. For one thing, as I was drawing one grape at a time, I was thinking, oh boy, I have 20 more to go, this may take some time to complete. But, it wasn't so bad and I was able to complete it in just a few days. I know that for some experienced artists, drawing time for them is faster. One thing is true about doing colored pencils, it's a slower medium that you just can't rush. You have to be relaxed and willing to take the time on your drawing, thinking things out thoroughly. My next drawing project will be oranges. I want to try to complete a fruit series and have them framed, all in the same type of frame so that they all match. That will be my new goal for the next little while.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

"Grapes" Work in Progress 2


I worked most of last night on this second part of my drawing. Just a few more grapes to work on and more shadows to do on the table. It's very bright in my Studio right now and the grapes are sitting on my drafting table. The shadows are not really that strong, just mostly at the bottom and inside where the stem is, along the center. At this point, I'm not sure whether I should add more grapes to the center because I feel it doesn't seem complete. I'm not sure if just making it look darker is the answer either. Well, I'll just keep working on it and see what kind of result I'll end up with. It's a good thing that it's fairly easy to erase and make changes as you want to, that's what I like about doing Art.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

"Grapes" Work in Progress


Tonight, I am sitting at my drafting table in my studio, and I'm drawing these grapes that I picked up at the grocery store earlier in the week. They are red imported grapes from the U.S.A and they taste sweet. I wanted to show that much like in painting, where you would perhaps do an under painting to tone your image before actually applying color to it, the same can apply using colored pencils as I've done here. I'm using a sheet of Canson Mi-Teints paper, which is my favorite paper to use for colored pencils. I hope you'll visit my blog to see the end result of this drawing.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

"Apple Trio" 11x14 Colored Pencil Study on Canson Drawing Paper


These apples may look a little odd, and that's because they were a little odd looking. I had acquired them at the front desk of my hotel in Victoria while on vacation. The hotel always keeps a bowl of fresh apples for hotel guests to take with them to their rooms or when going out. It's a thoughtful and appreciated service.
I began drawing these while on vacation and then ended up finishing them after I got home. The look of the apples themselves are what inspired me to draw them. Their skins were heavily veined with yellow patches on them, as well as having odd shapes. They made for interesting subjects to draw or paint. I like how this drawing seems to have an abstract quality to it. 
Soon I'll be thinking about what to do next, more veggies maybe?
  

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

"Comox Harbour,Looking East" 16x20 Acrylic on canvas


I'm still on vacation at the moment and it's great that our hotel has free Wi-Fi connection for the Internet. I'm taking advantage of it and posting this commissioned painting I did about 2 years ago for a couple who live in the Comox region on Vancouver Island. I had a chance to take a picture of it which is hung up in their living room. What luck, I thought! The painting is taken from Comox Harbour, at the east end of the harbour where you can see just a few sailing boats, a forested area and the mountains in the distance. At the time, I was standing on the docks when I took the picture which was close to 9pm in the evening in August and the sun was just setting in the west. I remembered how lovely the whole scene looked at the time. I'm glad I now have the chance to show this painting on my blog, hope you like it.