Humans and their activities, At the River by Melisa McCurley

I haven't been out of the house today so I sketched from a photo. This is part of one of the photos from this week's WDE at wetcanvas.com. I just bought this little blank paperback moleskine notebook to keep in my car because I keep forgetting to bring a sketchbook when I go out. This is the notebook with thin paper and doesn't take watercolor well, so I added one of my little junk mail dots for color. I use them in my art journal a lot but I've been neglecting the journal for the sketchbook, lately.

Humans and their activities "The Focus" by Elisa Choi

My sister busy with all things IT. She's thinking of solutions to problems. :)

Human Beings and Their Activities, "The End of a Wonderful Life", Lynn Cohen

I'm sad today. We went to visit my aunt and uncle. Mimi fell a month ago and broke her hip. Surgery was successful. However, due to her dementia and very advanced age she is unable to cope with the pain physical therapy causes or to do movement on her own. She is now bedridden and we do not know how much longer she will be alive. They are in their apartment in this assisted living complex, a hospital bed brought into the living room. She sleeps most of the time. Very efficient and nice caregivers come in around the clock to care for her needs. This was the scene as my husband and I sat and talked with my uncle today. We took him out for a walk, the day was sunny and bright, the sky blue and the clouds beautiful. We enjoyed the forest of trees around the grounds.
But we had to bring him back to his current situation and it is hard on him. On the whole family.

I took photos and drew from them when I got home. I used pencil to repeat the grid homework once more, but not sure I'll do it again. I also used Tom Bow brush pens, watercolor and black ink pen on this piece. My heart is heavy. We have been blessed to have these two my whole life. She is my mother's youngest sister, the only living of three sisters in her family.

Thanks for listening.

Humans and their activities, Sirkka Jalava

In wintertime there are many activities going on during the dark evenings. Once a week we are some people gathering together and drawing qroquis and painting a living model.  Modeling is one activity, the painting an other. Here I have only the model.  But you can see in your

 imaging a group around her which is drawing or painting.

These are perhaps 5 -10 minutes drawings.

Humans and their Activties, "Another Art Lesson" by Lynn Cohen

Might as well give you the final lesson from Jane La Fazio at Sketchbook Skool today . We worked using a penciled, measured grid to learn composition. We drew in pencil first. (this not my style) But it was okay. And good, as if I'd done it my way I'd have grabbed a black pen and dove in. I did the pencil and then used water colors to paint it. Then realized I had a purple Micron pen in my cup on my desk and it was perfect to outline the "red cabbage". I also then saw I also had a red Micron pen which I used on the strawberries. I'd only wished I also had a green Micron for the leaves, but I did not. A little humor got into this one as I started eating the strawberry before I was done using it as a model.

The nine square grid we drew got all but erased. Others left in some squares as did the teacher. I guess I rebelled about that. I like my results.

Humans and their Activities, coffee time by Melisa McCurley

I did a couple of quick sketches while enjoying an overpriced bottle of water at Barnes and Nobles this afternoon. I added color after I got home.  I didn't have a waterproof pen with me when I did the sketches so the ink ran a lot. I was just glad to finally get a sketch done on theme. It's been a little hectic here!

Humans and their Activities, "Jane/Lynn's Plant" by Lynn Cohen

This human being, ME, is, as you know is busy with Sketchbook Skool. We are on our forth week and forth teacher. Jane La Fazio is a wonderful artist. She does drawings, watercolor, art quilts, Mixed Media, carved art stamps, her list goes on and on. Today I found myself feeling resistant to the lesson and at the same time went into my garden finding the exact plant she had drawn as my subject.
I then gathered up the same tools she used and laid it all out on my page just as she had done in her example. At the end I am not sure if this looks like a Jane La Fazio copy or a Lynn Cohen original.
Maybe a mix of both. I will try to see it as a learning experience and keep my inner rebellious child at bay.

The tools used included:

Farber-Castell PITT artist pen, size XF
TomBow black brush pen
Windsor & Newton watercolors
Pencil and eraser, yes she asked us to draw in pencil first and later erase those marks, not my usual cup of tea but I did it.

Humans and their activities, "Reading a Book & Playing Music," Penny StewArt

Thank you all!  I have so enjoyed reading your stories and viewing your lovely drawings this week.  Here are a couple of sketches in watercolor and pen of some little people from my imagination.

Reading a book relaxing under a tree

Little Girl playing music

Humans and their Activities, "Art Skool Teachers", Lynn Cohen

These humans are teaching art at Sketch Skool on line. The woman on the left is Jane La Fazio and the guy on the right is Danny Gregory (my versions).  Jane is the fourth teacher in the First Semester.
The Second Semester begins on July 4th. I've signed up for those classes as well with six new teachers.

I'm sure I am learning the use of new tools, being encouraged to draw even more than I already was, meeting lots of other artists from all over the world (there are over 2000 people in the first semester of classes on a closed Facebook Page and in class website sharing their art and commentary with each other).

I drew Jane and Danny while watching videos they used to present the classes.
Danny was introducing Jane in one and Jane was introducing herself in the other.

Then there are videos of them showing their sketchbooks full of marvelous art; followed by lessons on how to do this that or the other the way they do it.

I drew first on an "old ruined page from bleed through from markers used on the previous page".
I don't like waste. I used a Micron black ink pen 03 for the drawings and lettering. Then followed up later with Prismacolor Colored Pencils. It was fun to do.

Humans and their Activities, "Dinner Time", by Lynn Cohen

It was almost dinner time when I popped into Tacos Jalisco after work this evening to pick up some dinner for my husband. While I sat at a small table I drew in a steno pad I had in my purse. All art journals inconveniently left at home. But this worked. I kind of like the lines. I used my Prismacolor Premier colored pencils when I got home. It's drawn with a Copic black ink pen 0.3.

I think this couple looks like they really like each other as they eat and look intensely into each others eyes!  You can see my art on the wall at their table too! ;-) Its the cover from my book
"One Fish Taco Half an Order of Guacamole A Year of Drawing Over Lunch at Tacos Jalisco" Blurb Books.

"Humans Activities, "Really Quick in Line Line Drawing", Lynn Cohen

This was done really quickly while in line at Costco for gas just a few hours ago. Barely had time to do this much when it was my turn at the pump.

Sometimes a quickie is better than nothing at all. LOL Hope so anyway!

Humans and their activities "Chores Work" by Elisa Choi

Mom busy at the kitchen washing freshly bought meat at the market. She didn't change her blouse to a comfortable home clothes though but i like the stripes of colors.

Humans and their activities, Visiting an art exhibition, Sirkka Jalava

The summer is a great time for small barn exhibitions of art here.  I visited one the other day. You see, it is a barn of logs. It is in connection with  an art museum. The exhibitioners here are members of the local  art club (I am participating ) .

Humans and Their Activities, "My Paint Set", Lynn Cohen

Not to be left out of the group I drew and painted my Winsor & Newton paint set leaving off three pans at the top. Oops. The white and blue thing under it on the left is a holder for mixing tube paint colors and although I have them I don't use them. I also used a tooth brush to splatter some paint to give it the messy look it actually has.

I might post this over at Sketchbook Skool and see if I can lure any of those artists over to our blog.
We'll see if it works. ;-)
I sure am having fun there, this our third week and third teacher teaching lessons.

Humans and their Activities, "Life as Kibbutzniks", Lynn Cohen

I have embarked on a new project, an art journal filled with the life of my son for his fiftieth birthday
(which is tomorrow, but the idea came to me late, so it will be a belated birthday gift).

This is from the earliest part of his life. He was born in Israel on a Kibbutz. His father, an Israeli Kibbutznik worked in the cotton fields. I went there as a volunteer and stayed on after I met the farmer, who I married. Here I am pushing our son in a baby wagon, a large metal, hard bottomed contraption that later would hold several toddlers all going for a walk together. My son and his friends. I don't think my son knows about this blog so the book will be a surprise. If you come across this and you know him please don't tell. Thanks.

I used Copic black ink 03
Winsor & Newton Watercolors
Prismacolor Premier colored pencils (for the wagon)

Humans and their activities, "Busy Brother" by Elisa Choi

My bro busy with his Master's thesis. He's a programmer and very good at it. I wish he's a bit fat like on my sketch but in reality he's thin and doesn't seem to gain any weight no matter what he eats.

Humans and their activities, A branch heap, Sirkka Jalava

Many of you fellow contributors are used to sketch in the crowdes of people, but I am not. Perhaps I should begin to do it.

 It was raining in the morning, when I went out  and decided to burn a heap of branches, that I have gathered  together after the winterstorms.

So I did it. Here you see me leaning on my rake, which I have to help to keep the fire under the control. It is the time of the philosophying, to let the thoughts fly. It is wonderful  In the background you can see my house. I noticed, that I have not drawn it right, the roof is not correct, but it does not matter, I think. Behind the house there is a lot of trees and behind of them the sea. If I had a boat, I could take it and sail with it to America, if I could sail. The birds are warbling. Now , when the spring is here,  it feels, that I am living in a paradise, sort of. I love to work outside. And take it easy. Yesterday I sketched outside, in the greenhouse I sketched a wood anemone.

Have a nice Easter everyone! 

Humans and Their Activities

A sketch done by Charlie, he is trying to draw cartoons. This remind me of anime style. I am not sure what these guys are up to.

"Man Waiting for News at Hospital", Humans and Their Activities, Lynn Cohen

Another of my eight pages I drew at the hospital day before yesterday waiting for my husband to have surgery. This guy was waiting too. The people made such good models for me. Only moving a little bit now and then. I draw fast. You can see other drawings showing through these pages. I won't buy this book again. But I like the slick pages to draw on.
Just used a Copic pen, black, 03.

I've posted all eight of the drawings I did that day on my blog Getting My Feet Wet. You can come visit there and see them if you are so inclined.

"Results After Using Water Paints and Brushes", Humans and Their Activties, Carol Ann Henstra

Made the flowers  water paints as a card for my daughter.

Finished not aiming for identical as cover. This is inside.