Here is are samples of Face Masks available for sale from my merchant account. There are many more available as well. Although these are not surgical grade, CDC recommends the use of masks.
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Music Instruments
Working on a new project of musical instruments. These watercolor pieces are completed on 9×12 rough watercolor paper and will be available for purchase as prints and products on my merchant account with Fine Arts America and Pixels. Completed the saxophone and had fun changing it to a digital abstract using Topaz Studio 2 AI photo-software. After using this software it has inspired me to take out my camera and start taking photographs again!
Calling this “Tractor Display”
I added a few touches to an art study I completed while attending a painting class at the local college. I pondered whether I was going to Gesso the canvas board, then repaint another scene. As an afterthought…after staring at this painting much too long, I decide to capture the essence of country living by adding “county fair” theme. Here is the final product with tractor and corn stalks. It’s a perfect painting for someone whose decor is vintage or country, or someone who likes tractors. Nontheless, it’s for purchase. Below is the before and the after. You can see other paintings and photographs by visiting Fine Arts America/Pixels.
16×20 Acrylic, $100 
Work in Progress – Oil painting
A work in progress. I decided to try using oil paints since it is similar to Acrylics. I love the ability to walk away from the painting and come back to blend the paints. When using acrylics, you have a limited time to move the paints around since the paints dry so quickly. More so when you live in the high desert of Oregon.
I am using a mixture of Zen oil paints , their Infinity oil palette set, which the owner claims in non-toxic, and 12 Shades of Grey oil paints that I purchased at Jerry Artarama art store. Both decent oil paints with deep pigments. I also purchased a few tubes of water soluble paints from Windsor Newton. Makes for great clean-up with soap and water. So that I don’t have to use turpentine for brush clean up, I found out that I can clean the traditional oil paints with oil (vegetable or olive oil) and follow up with dish soap.
Bamboo in watercolor
There’s this Sketch A Day app available for android and iphones that I base my daily sketches on. The app provides a prompt, gives ideas to select your art piece and a community of supportive artists. If you have a chance, visit the site and start your habit of drawing!
Orangutan and Giraffe photos and…a hawk
I’ve been gone a couple of weeks babysitting my grandchildren and while I was gone, took a few pictures while out at the Sacramento, CA zoo. My favorites are always the giraffes and the primates. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a planned outing and the temperatures after midday was in the 90’s, so I rushed through the zoo and took only a minuscule amount of pictures. Nonetheless, I thought I would share a few photos with you! You may use them for traditional art, but unfortunately, not for digital art.
#paintspicsprose #animalphotos #artreference #photosforart #photographyresources #giraffe #orangutan #hawk #photosofanimals
Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain, Challenge #2–drawing upside down
I started the book Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards a week ago. When I started drawing several months ago, I evidently tapped into my right side of the brain. The book gives a great overview of how each side of the brain develops the intellectual and psychological patterns of our life. As I have continued through the book, the exercises are evidently confirming my artist growth, since its been easier to draw.
The second exercise of the book asks that I turn a picture around and copy it backwards suggesting that I tune out any outside sounds and allow the left side to relinquish control. The instructions are to draw without distractions for an hour. The left side of the brain will see the upside down drawing as non-nonsensical and allow the right-side of the brain to take over to drawing. There are 2 drawings that I copied out of the book upside down: 1)Pablo Picasso’s, Portrait of Igor Stravinsky, and 2) Spiderman. I was not allowed to turn the photo around to check my progress, otherwise, the left-side of the your brain will try to make some sense out of the drawing, and interrupt the right-side of the brain’s process.
The book points out that many students feel conflicted when asked to draw upside down; obviously, the logical side of the brain wants to see the picture right side up. When I started drawing, I was tempted more than once, to turn the picture right side up. Surprisingly, once I turned over my drawing, I was amazed at the similarities of the two drawings (see below). It only took 10 minutes for me to draw, although, Betty Edward allows an hour to complete the drawing exercise. Not perfect, but not too bad. I ran out of room on my paper for Portrait of Igor, so I finished his head on the reverse side of my drawing paper. I included 2 pages from Betty Edwards book so you can see the comparison.
Challenge: If you are following the drawing challenge, find a simple photo or drawing and turn it upside down. Grab a pencil and paper, find a quiet room and take an hour to draw the upside-down photo/drawing. Do not get tempted to take the photo and turn it right-side-up. Once your are done, compare your drawing. Below is my drawing. Feel free to share yours if you decide to do the challenge!
