Finally finished this charcoal portrait of one of my grandaughters

I've started teaching charcoal drawing classes and with that, I have rediscovered how wonderful they are! I did a Corgi a while back and then it was no stopping me! I like toned paper as it gives me a third color to use within the piece. If you haven't started using charcoal, have a try. They can be messy on your finders, but you can just erase your fingers with your kneaded eraser!

Illustration Friday's theme to match is "Sparkle"

So I am using my "Charlie" in the silver sugar bowl for this challenge. This was created in colored pencil! I will be offering a new colored pencil class starting April 12, 2016 in Exeter NH at Seacoast Artist Association!

Pastel students

Here are two student pieces that I think I posted when they were half done. These are gorgeous. My students were looking at the same image to draw from, but the results are so individual and expressive of their personal style. I love them both!

My new class

My next new class "Learn to Draw the Human Head" begins tomorrow. I purchased a replica of an actual human head, for the students to draw. I've been getting to know him and have named him "Sherlock" since he will help my students to uncover the secrets to drawing the human head. I'm really looking forward to this class. So many of my students have difficulty when I say, "okay now we will draw a face". Eyes don't line up, or they are too small or too high on the face. I can't begin to explain what I have seen represented as a "nose"! Lips usually aren't too bad but hair is always a problem. As for ears, they are hidden under the hair LOL!!! I'm hoping after this class, that all those problems will be corrected, at least for these students.

Image by Leonardo DaVinci.

Cape Buffalo continues!

Here are a few more steps. I thought I was done, but realized after looking at the horns for a couple days, that they were just too light. I also went back and added more darks in the face, ears, nose, well just about everywhere got more layers! It's always a good idea to take a break after working on a drawing, so you can see it with new eyes when you come back to in. I was adding detail up to the point I had put a mat around it and was about to sign it. When I was sure I was done, I signed it and finished framing it! Hope you enjoy it. It is for sale if you are interested. Contact me directly.

Amazing student work

I am giving private lessons to a new high school student and he gave me permission to post this piece. I love the way the student was able to capture the various tonal ranges with just pen and ink, on the lilies and the lily pads, even the way the shadowing appears on the water under the plants. Truly an exceptional student!

I am excited to continue with these lessons and can hardly wait to see what he will produce once he gets a real handle on tonal ranges available with pencil and charcoal. Stay tuned!

New classes

I'll be holding 2 new art classes at Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter, NH starting October 29th. One is Learn to Draw and the other is Colored Pencil. Each class runs for 2 hours and is 8 weeks long. If you are interested, shoot me an email and I will send you a flyer!

iPad sketching. Illustration Friday theme: Surveillance

Each time I pick up my iPad to do some sketching, I have a different experience. This is a really good thing! So much to play around with i8n only one app so far. I can imagine the fun when I download more apps. This one was done all on one layer with one brush. Done in Sketch Clup with stylus