IF–Pioneer

IF–Undone

This is Christmas with a toddler!

IF–Skinny

Too late, Horatio realized his scheduling error.

Pumpkin boy

A bit of a static, portrait sort of picture, but I wanted to play with the pencil line and watercolor some more.  I think I may have found the right medium for me, something I’m excited about.

Experimentation

I took a look at Marla Frazee and Helen Oxenbury’s books yesterday after some of the comments on my colored pencil work. I think part of my problem is the scanning (because the colors do look better in the original, even after trying to adjust in Photoshop). It’s kind of an oldish scanner. But I think part of the problem is the paper, too. I’ll have to do some research on that. The pencils are Faber-Castell, which are regular school pencils in Germany, and considerably better than the regular-grade colored pencils you get in the US. But I don’t know how they compare to professional-grade anything.

Anyway. MF uses black colored pencil to outline, and then does the colors with watercolor. So I thought I’d try it. The pencil repels the watercolor, so it doesn’t get covered up and doesn’t run. I kind of like the effect. (And this was just on the same paper I’ve been using, like printer paper but slightly glossier.)

IF–Fast

I’ve missed a couple weeks due to everyone in my house having the flu, but I’m back with “Fast.” I like the composition, but I don’t like the coloring at all. Partly it’s due to the scanning and materials–non-art-grade colored pencil on the equivalent of printer paper–but part of it is my general ignorance of atmospheric perspective and color theory. So uh, I’m open to constructive criticism here.

Babies are ALWAYS faster than their parents when it comes to getting into things!

IF–Germ

The one germ that will never be extinct is cooties!

IF–Pattern (alternates)

I had very little time to draw this week so these are quickies, but I enjoyed watching for patterns in all I did. Here are a couple alternates:

(The line of trees near my son’s school.)

The proportions are wrong, making it strangely disturbing…not to mention the odd neckware…still, it’s an idea I might play with some more.

IF–Pattern

This pattern was inspired by the golden cloth made from silk of the golden orb spider (also known as banana spider–the ones that look like Shelob down in South Carolina!). Those of you who liked the story of the 30,000-year-old thread might like this story.

IF–Infinity

Recently I ran across an article about the discovery of 30,000-year-old thread. They found, among other colors, pink. People used to think that cavemen were primitive and unintelligent, yet recent discoveries indicate complicated human development deeper and deeper into the past. When I see the art of ice age painters, it is obvious to me that they were complex people, with a sense of art that I can easily relate to–even 30,000 years later. To me, art is a part of the human psyche that has no beginning and no end, infinite and eternal.