WHAT??A Treasure Hunt can Help my Drawing Skills?

Treasure Hunts are so much FUN!!!

This time of year my grandkids and I have indoor Hunts.  Treasures are hid in the basement and we take our flashlights and head out on the hunt.  

3 SNOW FRIENDS - Ink & Watercolour - 7 x 10 inches

Sometimes we search for Max's favourite Teddy Bear.  He loves to help us as he really isn't that happy seeing us play with HIS Teddy Bear.  Other times I make up a Treasure Box with cookies or other treats. Of course the spoils of the hunt are shared around.  Max loves to help with those hunts too.  

 

Treasure Hunts are more than just Fun. . .

Treasure Hunts make you really look at your surrounds and study them.  You begin to notice the differences in colours and shapes.  What belongs and what is out of place.  Important training for creating Art.  

SNOWMEN IN THE PARK - Ink & Watercolour

Grab your camera and take the Treasure Hunter's Challenge

1.  Head out for a walk. It can be inside or out. Your favourite park, around the neighbourhood or around the house. Pick something that catches your eye - a bird, a house, light on a faded leaf, frost on branches, people  . . .  Take at least 5 pictures of your subject from different angles.  

2.  Head for your studio and grab your sketchbook. 

3.  Start drawing

Play with your images and experiment with composition. Zoom in or Zoom out. Reverse the image by flipping the photo.  Fill your pages with drawings of your subject.  Challenge yourself to try something you would not normally do.  ie.  work bigger or smaller, extend off the page, change the perspective, . . .

My First Snowman - Part of Snowmen in the Park 

You can view more on My Treasure Hunt on Youtube "Build Drawing Skills with a Treasure Hunt"

My Treasure HUNT

I felt since it was January I needed to do something snowy for my first Treasure Hunt.  However, the weather here did not cooperate.  We have had days of rain!!  

Some of our family Snowmen - Get Started with this Free Download of 5 Interesting Snowmen

I headed to my family photos and found pictures of snowmen the kids and I have build over the last few years.  (You might not often take pictures of your snowmen but we do.  We do not get snow here every winter and when we do, it is only a few inches and often not great for snowmen.  So when we build a snowman, we always take pictures.)

My hunt was fun. 

I saw several different masterpieces.  Had a little trip down memory lane.  Found some very interesting characters to draw.  I am sure if you have snowy weather and can take snowman pictures you will get some great shots.  

My first two pages were probably what I would call my traditional approach. (See Snowmen in the Park above) But then I tried something out of my box.  I zoomed in, really close to my snowman.  I ran him off the page.  

Snowman No. 1 from "3 SNOW FRIENDS"

I decided he needed company.  

Snowman No. 1 & 2 from "3 SNOW FRIENDS"

I brought another friend into the picture.  

3 SNOW FRIENDS - Ink & Watercolour

I must admit I love my "3 Snow Friends".  It is something totally different that I would never normally do.  Yet, it is neat.  I opened my eyes to new things.  

I played around with colour palettes.  For my first snowmen I used purple for my snow shadows.  I really liked that effect.  But again, this was my usual approach.  

For my second group, I used a different palette - Cobalt blue and yellows to create the snowy sunshine look.  It worked really well.  

I started asking myself "What if . . ."  questions.  I started studying snow paintings to see how others handled the reflections of light on snow.  I googled snowmen.  I wondered about trying a few portraits of people.  I pulled out a few art books and reviewed shadow treatments.  I was on a roll.  THIS  is what builds your drawing skills.  Getting excited about your work, trying new approaches but most of all getting in that drawing practice in a joyful way.  

I started to think about my NEXT Treasure HUNT.  What about you? Ready to try?

I have prepared a video as well on this drawing activity: "Build Drawing Skills with a Treasure Hunt"  

To get you started I have a FREE DOWNLOAD PDF Snowman Activity Sheet that features our family snowmen.  You can find it HERE.  

A Full list of all my videos and links to their supporting PDF's is on my Website - Workshops - Videos by Wendy Mould.  

Happy Drawing!

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

  Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75)

Are You and Your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  Here's how it works: Send me a few pictures of your paintings.  I will prepare material to facilitate a discussion based on your goals.  I am a sounding board, coach and teacher,  with suggestions, techniques and tips to help you meet your goals and move your art forward.  More info here.   Looking forward to Zooming with you.  

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

 

Story Telling - Part of the Painting Process - Painting & Drawing Tips

Have you ever walked into a play that has already started? 

 Lights, sounds and action are in full gear.  

You first thought is where am I?  What's going on? 

 You feel displaced.  Overwhelmed.  

Discombobulated!!

Reference for STUMP TALES - Resilience, Rebirth, Renewal come to mind when I see this Stump

As your eyes grow accustom to the light, your ears begin to filter the sound into an orderly fashion and your thoughts become gathered, you know what is happening.  Well, you think you know. Sometimes you become settled and in the flow and sometimes the flow never does come to you.  

It's a bit like seeing a painting.  

You stop and look at the painting.  Your eye is caught by colours, shapes and movement. You wonder, why is it that colour? How did this idea come about?   You probably aren't really 'discombobulated' but I am sure you have questions.  Wouldn't it be nice to talk to the artist?

STUMP TALES: The layout.  So much life encapsulated within the stump. 

Every work of art has a birth story.  

As you work, do you think about this story:  Why did you chose this subject. How did you decide on the perspective. What made you chose this medium.  Even the size and shape of the finished piece reflects your thoughts. What you felt was important.  What you wanted to emphasis.  

I have been dong video interviews with artists at our local gallery as part of the gallery's virtual art shows.  It really made me think about my practice and what my work means to me.  Some pieces are quick without much of a story while others are meaningful and have deep, rich, depth of meaning for me.  

(Check out January's GALLERY TALK with Jim Hatch. Jim is the featured artist in our Community Gallery for January.  As part of the Virtual Show, the gallery has arranged with me to do an interview with Jim about his work.  Hearing his stories added greater depth and meaning as I viewed his work.  FYI Going forward, I will be conducting interviews with each of the monthly featured artists at the gallery.  See Jim's show and hear his stories HERE.)

STUMP TALES: As the colours are added it begins to come to life. 

Stump Tales is one of those meaningful pieces. . . .

Hiking forest trails is a favourite for me.  They must have big old cedars, scraggy old cottonwoods dripping with moss, lush dense ferns billowing out of the ground and a babbling brook winding along the trail.  I am lucky, I have such a place not far from home and I walk there often.  

Stump Tales is about one of the old stumps on my trail.  

I am fascinated with the life oozing out of this stump.  No matter the season there is always action: ferns unfurling, covering the ground with beds of green.  Active blackberry vines creeping up the sides and winding into the grooves.  Lush, deep beds of moss clutching the roots and branches. A bushy tailed squirrel scampering for cover.  

I decided I wanted to paint it. 

It had to be a long, thin picture to emphasis the upward growth. The feeling of everything, stretching and reaching.  I needed to use my pens to get deep, dark lines.  Almost like etchings of layers of life laced over the stump. 
But I also wanted colour. I wanted to make it more than a dark shadowy area buried deep in the forest.  Amongst the decay and crumbling wood there is so much new life.  Bright greens, yellows and reds were needed to bring this new life forward.

  

STUMP TALES: WIP - I like the idea of a purple background, it gives  the feeling of abundant life around the stump.  

I am enjoying working on this piece . . .

Sorry,  but I was not able to finish Stump Tales in time for this blog post.  I am really enjoying working on it and do not want to rush it. I want my Stump to appear to pop out of the background so I need feel my way as I get close to the end  (I will give you an update of the finished piece, in a later post.) 

Do you feel the story behind your work?  Does it bring meaning to you, as you work on it?  Is it part of your 'joy' in your creativity?  Have you ever articulated your thoughts? 

I think the Story of a Painting is an important. 

It adds another layer of depth and meaning to a piece of art work.  It expands the conversation between the artist and the viewer.  I am enjoying my work with GALLERY TALKS as I find interviewing artists has turned into inspirational activity for me.  I get to hear their stories. It definitely enriches my experience as I view their work.  Very inspirational.  

See GALLERY TALK with Jim Hatch by Wendy Mould HERE.    

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

  Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75)

Are You and Your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  Here's how it works: Send me a few pictures of your paintings.  I will prepare material to facilitate a discussion based on your goals.  I am a sounding board, coach and teacher,  with suggestions, techniques and tips to help you meet your goals and move your art forward.  More info here.   Looking forward to Zooming with you.  

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

  

Behind the Scenes of a Pet Portrait - Painting and Drawing Tips

Are you an Animal Lover?  I am.  

( If not, this may not be a post for you.  Maybe wait until next week's post on how a Treasure Hunt can improve your drawing skills or last week's post:  5 Ways to Build ART SKILLS while HIBERNATING this Winter)

Max is my BFF - He likes to join me on all my Adventures

My dog, Max is a 4 year old minature poodle.  He loves to join me for walks, hikes, kayaking and even outdoor sketching.  Well I think he likes the hiking part in the outdoor sketching and then of course he is always happy to sleep while I work.  Seems all dogs are happy to do that.    

And yes, I have drawn several portraits of Max... 

ME FETCH?! - Max's baby picture.  Still my favourite.  

(And he still prefers me to chase him rather than him doing the fetching)

And of course - Max has a business card, print, mug, notebook and even a t-shirt.  Once I completed his drawing I could digitally put his image on anything!!  And I have.

Thinking of getting into Commission Work - Join me, Behind the Scene

 Steps in Creating a Pet Portrait

 1.  The photos

I encourage pet owners to send me several photos.  One with the pose they are looking for and others just to give me more information on what their pet looks like.  A picture may be worth a thousand words but it doesn't always tell you everything you need to know for a realistic drawing of an animal.

Pictured above, some of the fellows I have had the pleasure of drawing.  

2.  The plan

This is an important part of the process.  Often several emails will go back and forth before a final plan is approved.  I use photoshop to crop pictures and to draw in details.  It helps in the discussion.  I usually offer several options for how a picture may be designed.

 

3.  Once a plan is in place the drawing begins. This is the fun part for me.  I really enjoy working on the animals.  Watching them come to life on my paper is very exciting.   

4. The Proofing Process
This can be a tense time for me.  When the drawing is done, I photograph it and send the proof to the owner.  I know that my drawing might be a good drawing of a cat or dog but the question is 'Does it look like their cat or dog?'  

Yes, there is a revision process.  And this is something every artist must be prepared for.  I do warn my clients that small changes can be made but the paper will be damaged if I try and make big changes. Usually it is a matter of tweaking values and adding/removing minor things.  Again the emails will fly back and forth as I make the changes, photograph the picture and send a new proof along.

  

TEDDY -  One of this year's Christmas Commissions

Pet portraits often are more than just one animal.  Sometimes it is a collage of favourite pictures and often it includes the owner as well.  Many times I need to do research as body parts are missing in the photo.  In the class of little Teddy above, they owner wanted to see some of Teddy's eyes.  Sometimes I am adding a paw or tail that has been clipped in the picture.  All of these things make for the kind of  interesting challenges that I like.  

                             WALKING BUDDIES - This is me with my old guy Rusty.  

5.  The Finish

I like to give a light spray of fixative to my drawings just to hold the graphite so it doesn't smear in transit.  Once that is done I cut a mat for the picture and package it up to go home.  

Drawing Pet Portraits can be a very rewarding experience but it is not for everyone.  You are creating someone else's plan.  Not being alone in the driver's seat, can be a new experience.  I enjoy the challenge but not everyone does.  

If you would like to chat with me about getting into commission work.  Drop me a line.  

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

  Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75)

Are You and Your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  Here's how it works: Send me a few pictures of your paintings.  I will prepare material to facilitate a discussion based on your goals.  I am a sounding board and coach with suggestions, techniques and tips to help you meet your goals and move your art forward.  More info here.   Looking forward to Zooming with you.  

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,