Almost There Watercolor Painting

Almost there!  Four big fluffy sheep all teaming up to help each other reach a juicy red apple.  The reality...the three bottom sheep have just realized they won't be getting a bite and they're pretty ticked off about that.  Ah yes, the corporate ladder in the barnyard.  Drawn with Micron pen and painted with Koi watercolor paints.

Bright and Cheery Sloth in a Tree

The second time around drawing a sloth seems to have had better results for me.  It's the kind of animal that needs to be practiced to really capture their unique look.  Drawn with Micron pen and painted with watercolor paint, acrylic paint, colored pencil and gel pen.

Hang Ten Surfer Bear

Last piece of art for the evening.  Surfer bear!  Oh yeah hanging ten in his little speedo, creepy.  Should have been surfer shorts but didn't realize clothing was essential for a bear until I had his hairy legs already drawn.  I still love him for his great big ears and pink nose.  On the agenda for tomorrow a sloth and a babirusa.  Have a great night!

Hip Hop Koala and Dolphin Drawing

A koala and a dolphin as a hip hop duo got my imagination going for this ink and watercolor drawing.  How could I get these two animals to hang out?  Of course!  Laid back in the pool, graffiti streaked walls in the background, gold chains, teeth and matching tattoos just totally pissed at the world for their oppressed circumstances.

Just Can't Help Myself Ink and Watercolor

This Dromedary or one hump camel out on a beautiful sunny day can't seem to stop stealing socks from the laundry line.  Easy to steal them off the line but it must be tricky putting socks on with your mouth.

Hawkward Bird Ink and Watercolor

Another bird on the way this one is a "Double Hawk" when Noble requested this I had to clarify what was meant.  I immediately thought of two harks like a coat of arms.  What I later learned was that it is a hawk with four wings instead of two.  The net taught me that it's a symbol of an awkward long silence where the bird comes out to pronounce the moment as such.  Straight drawn with Micron and painted with Koi watercolors.  I have a bear on the drawing board but I'm beat hopefully I'll have time tomorrow to spend on it right now I'm off to get some much needed rest.

Kitten's Last Chance Pen and Watercolor

As I was painting this I kept thinking, "I'm gonna get you, yes I am."  Patrik requested a kitten jumping after a flying bird.  I really went for the facial characteristics trying to capture mature ease in the birds face as well as the immense desire for the kitten.  Both animals being led off the page in their movements.  Drawn with Micron pen, a resist layer of Crayola crayon and painted using Koi watercolors.

Most people recognize blue claw crab in a red cooked color. This is how I remem

Most people recognize blue claw crab in a red cooked color. This is how I remember them while growing up. We had saltwater lagoons dividing all the roads in our town so each backyard had access to the tidal waterways. Which meant great crabbing, if the adults caught one with no claws we were allowed to play with them. I once played with a 1" crab with claws thinking it was so small it would be safe. It wasn't. It pinched my finger and boy could it leave a lasting impression. I still recall how painful it felt.

How to Live With a Cat Drawing

We used to live with cats back in the 90's and I do say live with and not owned. As anyone with felines know the cats rule their own lives and everyone elses around them. This was drawn in my Smashbook on a fun polka dot page and colored with Crayola watercolor markers. Playful and relaxing fun. Would you like to see any drawing how to's here? Maybe a step by step of a particular subject? Let me know with the contact form below.

Itchy Icky Terrible Little Thing

Anyone whose had school children that experienced this creature know all too well what it is...a lice bug. The drawing is a much larger version, in reality they aren't much bigger than a pin head. Nightmare bugs. I suffered through picking these out of my daughter's hair when she made the nice/mistake offer to share her seat in a library with a girl who had no where to sit.

Sea Turtle Kind of Day

The sky was clear and blue I searched hard to find even the slightest blemish, eventually a plane contrail went by.  Otherwise the only distraction from the sky were the glimmers of sunshine dancing on the leaves at the top of the slightly moving trees.  I drew these turtles while enjoying that moment.  Sea turtles, they're so majestic and at ease with themselves and their surroundings.  It's how I felt today.  It was a sea turtle kind of day.

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First Time Drawing a Badger

I drew this badger as an artist trading card gift for Sarah in Canada.  It's been a long time since I made an ATC!  Drawn with archival ink, added color with alcohol markers and gel pen.

Long Forgotten Laundry

A goldfinch perched in flowers that took up residence within a forgotten pair of jeans.  I just loved this concept when I imagined it.  It's very exciting to have it here brought to life.  Drawn with archival ink pen, painted with watercolors and accented with alcohol ink and colored pencil.

Shared with Paint Party FridayA Favorite Thing

Tropical Watercolor Painting Red and Green Macaw

04-11-2013 I enjoyed researching this red and green macaw for my watercolor painting.  It was so easy to get whisked away to tropical settings with bright colorful animal life.  Most of our backyard birds here are brown and black with the occasion cardinal, gold finch or blue jay.  Imagine my surprise if I were to see a neon green or a triple colored bird like this at our feeder!

Shared with Paint Party Friday Artists in Blogland

Gentle Lamb So April Begins

04-01-2013 March is so tumultuous with its on again - off again winds, cold days then switching to warm days it's nice to finally have a pleasant lovey dovey month like April.  Our daughter Isabelle was born in this month and the only family member in the household fortunate enough to enjoy a warm weather birthday.  This painting was made with ink pen, acrylic sprays, shimmering watercolors and alcohol markers.

Shared with Art Journal Every Day

Spring Lamb Work In Progress

03-23-2013 Here is the cutie on my work desk right now.  Thanks to Bernice for sharing her picture for artists to draw.   The little lamb is Mary's (me) couldn't resist silly humor but no actually that is my reference for the colors I plan on painting the lamb.

Shared with WOYWDW

Sunday Sketches

Colors and Car Shows

08-13-2012  There were so many drawings without color, sometimes I just get a lot of line work produced, it's kind of a manic period when this happens.  To add color and shading tends to need a more calm mind.  After my work last night and a good night's sleep I was centered enough to finish a couple requested artist trading cards (pictured here) and some draw daily 365's that I didn't have time to color over the weekend.  We went to a local car show it was a perfect cross section of lines, curves and colors that definitely got my mind in the art zone.  There's only one more drawing to add color to and it's an object from the every day matters list.  There's always tomorrow.

You can also see other Artist Trading Cards

Not Much Longer Now

02-17-2012 For Draw Sketch Doodle the weekly prompt we had to make was something wintry.  This snowy bird was the first thought that came to my mind.  During the colder months we feed the song birds.  This year we've seen a lot more Robins than Cardinals and I miss the masses of them that were here last year.  As the title says not much longer now soon it will be spring and the cold weather will be a distant memory.

Illustration Friday Pick of the Week

01-21-2012   This week has been truly incredible for the entire family.  Let's quickly recap.

My husband has been making marked progress building his motorcycle after finishing the frame welding he's moved on to the tank.  He's a critic heavy on the negative but eventually, with a lot of brow furrowing, he'll create something he is pleased with.  Our one year old daughter has finally decided to join the walking after almost 3 months of speculative consideration.  Our three year old daughter is as happy as a clam with a morning featuring snow and the fantasy of what she can create.  Our seventeen year old daughter got her permit and has officially driven on the road.

For me personally my husband brought home a Papillon, I've wanted one of these dogs for many years.  The first day he was home my mom came over and we went shopping for him.  My favorite thing about him is that he is an adult dog and housebroken.  Last night he jumped up on my lap in the rocker and we read a book together.  The only thing missing?  A cup of tea but I wasn't going to disturb him to get it.  To finish up the week I woke up to a comment on my blog congratulating me?  I found out that my Winter Squirrels Preparations drawing has been featured as Illustration Friday's Pick of the Week.  Over 500 talented artists participated with the "Prepare" theme.  That is what I call a Fabulous Week.

Winter Squirrel's Preparations

My submission for this week's Illustration Friday prompt "Prepare" drawn with Micron pens and Prismacolor colored pencils.

We have a squirrel that lives in a nest high in the tree farthest from the house. He enjoys coming up on our deck and gazing over 'his' property. One day I caught him up there licking on a straw from a discarded milkshake cup. He has also been known to like licking cheese off of discarded taco bell packages.

When I was baking holiday cookies I threw a peanut butter one out for him. He promptly took it and hid it, unfortunate for him I thought as the rain would surely melt it in time. What actually happened was our Shetland Sheepdog Star ate it. Poor squirrel should have stuck to acorns.