3 Things Pumpkins teach you about Drawing and Painting? Painting & Drawing Tips

FALL is here!  My favourite COLOUR  Time of the year!!!!

I love the reds, oranges, and rusty browns of fall.  And I really enjoy painting with those colours. Pumpkins, Ghosts, Witches and Black Cats are not far behind.  And what awesome subjects to work with.  

Pumpkins in the Field - 4.5 x 6.6 -Drawing & Painting Pumpkins is a fun way to practice and build confidence in your work.  

But My Favourite are Pumpkins . . .

Not surprising I guess because of my colour confession.  But really, drawing and painting with the colours you love makes practicing new skills soooooooo much easier.  

What can Pumpkins teach you?

(Special Pumpkin Support:
My Youtube Video: Colour Theory: Using Pumpkins to Learn about Colour.  

Free Downloadable Pumpkin Reference Pictures here: Pumpkins are Popping Out!!)

1.  Drawing skills: Pumpkins are very user friendly, there is no perfect shape.  This means you can draw freely and confidently without your Inner Critic jumping in to comment on every mark. 

Happy Face - This little guy will give you a smile as you draw with Confidence

Your Pumpkins can be fun drawings with simple line work, realistic or cartoonish. 

Pumpkins for Sale - Practice drawing and make fun little cards for family and friends

Or more realistic: 

A few pumpkins and a few leaves and right away you have an interesting image

2. Shadows and Light: Working with a group of pumpkins you can experiment with Shadows and light. I like to try different colours in the shadows to see how they change the mood of a piece.  

The blue shadows against the white makes for a cold almost creepy sight.  

Who knew a quick colour change could create such strong, defiant images: 

The purple shadow colour really makes the pumpkins stand up and be noticed.  

3.  Designing with Colour: This is my all time favourite way to approach my pumpkins.  Playing with composition and learning more about what makes it tick.  When you pull everything into play: line work, shadows and light and colour it needs a plan.  Working small in a sketchbook you can quickly do several pieces and feel success almost instantly.  

Pumpkins on the Shelf - Putting it all together - Line Work, Shadows and Colour

I like to add a bit of foliage into my design.  The hard round shapes are a good contrast to the curvy lines of leaves.  

To take your practice further check out my Youtube Video: Colour Theory: Using Pumpkins to Learn about Colour.  

Free Downloadable Pumpkin Reference Pictures here: Pumpkins are Popping Out!!

Special News: 
Show and Classes coming this November at Landmark Pop-UP Gallery, 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock.  

Show: Nov 3-28, Wednesday - Sunday, 11-5pm 

Classes: Thursday, November 10 & 24 - 10-12:30pm.   Drawing and Watercolour  with Wendy - $50 each, max 5.  Content TBA.  Beginners to Advanced Welcome.  

 Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

Contact Me for:

1. Private Drawing Lesson: (3 Sessions 2.5 hr each $250)  North Langley, BC (Walnut Grove) 

Do you want your animals to breath, your flowers to sparkle or your people to walk?  Whatever subject your like to paint or draw I can build a drawing program for you.  Private Lessons allow you to focus on the skills you wish to develop.  Wendy is a experienced teacher, providing a calm, relaxing experience as you learn how to use the principles of drawing.  Beginner to Advanced are welcome.  Special rates for younger students.  Contact Wendy for More info

2.  Online: Teaching, Mentoring or Critiquing Your Work - Don't live in the Fraser Valley,  I would be happy to tailor a program just for you online.  Drawing and Painting Lessons, Mentoring you on your Art Journey or Critiquing Your Work with an Eye to Move It Forward.  Drawing & Painting Lessons: 2-30 sessions $75.  Mentoring or Critiquing 30 minutes sessions $25.  Flexible schedule and sessions can be longer or shorter depending on your goals. 

3.  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

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

Can Pumpkins REALLY help you to DRAW BETTER?? - Painting and Drawing Tips

Push. Slide. Release.  It is great to be back on the Ice. 

Yes, curling season is beginning and although the game will be a little different we will be able to curl this winter

. 

Pumpkins in the Garden - Wish the pumpkins I grew would grow this big.  Love contrasting colour with line work.  (Ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)

Practicing before the first game is fun and also challenging. (It has been over 7 months since the last game) You are probably wondering how practicing can be Challenging, especially when you are repeating the same thing over and over.

 True, if you watch me I look like I am just repeating an action.  But there is more.  As I  throw a draw (a light rock that only goes as far as the circles on the ice) I am doing other things.  I am getting the ‘feel’ of how hard I need to push the rock.  I am checking my body position to see if I am in a good place.  I am watching to see if my aim is accurate as my rock slides away.  I am also watching to see how my rock is sliding and curling on the ice.  (The ice is different all the time. How much my rock curls and how easily it slides on the ice changes all the time.). Practicing the same shot over and over allows me the freedom to focus on all the other variables. 

 Using Repetition can help in your Art . . .

Pumpkin Booklet - Lots of fun drawing different pumpkin pictures.  Having different formats made it very interesting. 

 I love the fall colours and all the Halloween decorations. So no surprise I love to draw Halloween things too.  Drawing Pumpkins is one of my favourite things.  They come in so many shapes and sizes and look awesome with some pen work.  But best of all, they are very forgiving.  There is no PERFECT pumpkin.  They are all different. 

Pumpkins on the Table - I just coloured the 3.  Really makes a neat contrast with the others, eh?!(Ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)

How Can Pumpkins Help you Draw Better (or the Secrets of the Jack-O-Lantern)

1.     Drawing the same subject repetitively helps you learn your subject.  You will see your line work grow with confidence with each new drawing.

2.    Repeating your subject challenges you to look at it in different ways.  It gets your creative juices flowing.  (Now that I have 3 pictures, I have lots of ideas for other ways of drawing my pumpkins.)

3.    Focusing on a subject sparks your awareness.  Since pumpkins are everywhere right now I found I was studying them everywhere I went and taking pictures. I even checked out a few on line. 

4.    Feeling comfortable with your subject means your are free with your line work.  Your gesture lines will be looser, you will capture more of the characteristics of your pumpkins.  They will become more individual and not just generic shapes. 

Pumpkins in a Pile - I love the way the colour flows with this one.  The Blue shading really gives it a cool almost ghostly look. (Ink, watercolour, coloured pencil) 

5.    After the first few drawings you will find yourself experimenting with colour as well.  I tried several different colour schemes with my pumpkins.

I like to teach artists how to draw with pen and ink.  I find if they are comfortable with the subject it is easier to introduce new skills.  Learning how to change your line work to make it interesting and tell your story can be fun.  And really, what is more fun than drawing a stack of pumpkins in a bin!?

If you would like to join me I have semi-private classes scheduled for Oct 8 & 23 at the Artswest Showcase,  Landmark Pop-up Gallery, White Rock.  On the 8th we play with pumpkins and on the 23 I thought I would work with candles and make Christmas Cards.  See bottom of this post for more information.

Drawing Cupcakes - What a fun way to play with line and colour.  Really the sky is the limit as to what subject you can use for practice. (Ink & watercolour) 

If pumpkins are not your thing, try another subject that inspires you.  You will notice a change right away.  Even as you draw the first you are starting to think about the second.  Then the third.  Suddenly you are noticing things and the fourth one comes to life.  I know looking at my pumpkins I realized I haven’t even got into the whole Jack O’Lanterns thing.  That will bring to mind a whole new batch of ideas. 

FACE-TO-FACE Gallery show!!

Artswest Showcase

October 1 - 31, 2020

Landmark Pop-Up Gallery - 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock

Full Covid Safety Rules in Effect - Only 6 in the Gallery at a time 

Open: Wed 10-5pm  Thur & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5pm Sun 12-5pm

Come see what our Art Group has been doing - Lots of new Original pieces of Art, special

One-of-a-Kind Art Items and special gift items for any occasion.  

Bonus Show Activities - Semi-Private Classes:

Learn Drawing Skills making Christmas Cards - Fun with Candles and Ink

Oct 1: Drop-In Painting Class – Doris Biddle 2-4pm
Oct 4: Fused Glass – Gunilla Kay 2-4pm
Oct 7: Acrylic Painting Class – Joanne Dennis
Oct 8: Learn Drawing Skills with Pumpkins & Ink – Wendy Mould, 
Oct 14: Acrylic Painting Class – Joanne Dennis
Oct 23: Christmas Card Class – Candles & Ink - Wendy Mould, 
Oct 29: Ceramics Class – Doris Biddle

All Classes 10-12:30 pm except where noted

Classes $50 each.  Some supplies included

Registration:  Contact Wendy  

Do you have big/small projects on the go?  

Looking for a sounding board, help, suggestions, techniques. You and your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  I am available for Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75). more info here.   

  
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