A Look at my Sketchbook

Hanging outside on the back lawn today with my son, sketchbook, blanket, library books... and snacks.  I love the lazy days of summer :)

I forgot about these paint chips I had stashed in the back of my sketchbook.  They're fun to doodle on!

A Look at my Sketchbook

 Playing with blog header designs.........

Which is your favorite?  I really like the colorful dots.  I may scan it and incorporate it into a heading sometime.  I also like the feathers, but the handwriting with them.... not so much.

 I also have a few pen drawings from a few months ago...

By the way, if any of you happen to see an offensive video game ad displayed in my sidebar,  I sincerely apologize.  I've reported it to Blogher and they are working on getting it blocked.  I've come across it a few times and it's awful.  So really, I'm sorry about that.  I opt out of the "nasty" ad categories as much as possible, but sometimes I can't control all of them.  Does anyone else have that problem?

I'm considering switching to running my own ads with Passionfruit Ads.  That way I can have total control over what is on my blog and only have ads that I agree with.  

A Look at my Sktechbook

Playing with more arrows and feather-type designs.....

I bought these awesome fabric markers I'm dying to try out on a t-shirt sometime, but I gotta get all my ideas down first.  I have too many and I can't decide!

What designs do you like best?

A Look at my Sketchbook: Arrows

I've been doodling a lot in my sketchbook and have tons to catch up on.   I've been  busy creating... my favorite thing to do!

We'll start with my arrow sketches.  My husband says this one reminds him of transformers...haha!  That is not what I had in mind when I drew it, but I have to agree with him..... maybe it's the colors... or the stripes.

And then I drew a much more muted version of arrows.  This may be material for a watercolor painting someday.  We'll see :)

A Look at my Sketchbook: Owls

Is anyone tired of owls yet?

Not me!

I took a little trip down sketchbook memory lane and came across these two cuties I had drawn months and months ago.  Even with all the hype over owls I still love em :)

A Look at my Sketchbook

 Happy 2013!  I think I'll start off the new year with a few sketches of my favorite little boy.

I hardly ever sketch this kid live. He moves much much too fast.  So I usually sketch from photos.

I love my little boy and I love reading him stories!  I am constantly inspired by the beautiful illustrations in children's books.

These leaf drawings were inspired by a book called Grandpa Green, a really cute book about a gardening grandpa who makes sculptures from bushes in his yard that tell the stories of his life.  The illustrations are amazing!  I may attempt a watercolor along these lines in the future :)

Cereal Box Sketchbook Tutorial

My son has found a new interest in drawing lately.  He loves drawing out designs for crazy houses and cars he makes up.  I wanted to make him his own little sketchbook he could take around with him.  We have coloring books, but  having a blank sketchbook is so much better.  It encourages my son to use his own imagination :)

So here's what I came up with... simple sketchbooks with cereal box covers filled with good old computer/ copy paper.  These are super quick and easy to make.

Here's how I made them:

Materials: 
cereal box rectangles- cut to desired size
paper- cut to desired size
hole puncher
string

Step 1:  Punch holes in your paper and cereal box covers along the sides,  making sure the holes all line up when stacked together.

Step 2:  Place paper inside the cereal box covers and with the holes lined up, slip a piece of string through each of the holes along the side.  Loosely tie the strings together.

There you have it!  A simple sketchbook just waiting for you or your child to use some imagination on.

A Look at my Sketchbook: Practicing

A wise artist once said (I can't remember who) that you should draw something everyday.  It doesn't matter what it is, just draw something.   I don't come close to drawing every day, but I usually make it at least once a week.  Every bit of practice helps right?

Do you have something you are practicing at?

Besides drawing, I'm practicing at being a mother.  I'm not always sure when I've got it right, but I get tons of practice anyway!

Growing up it was all about practicing the piano.  I didn't enjoy it too much because it had become a chore.  Now I'd love to have a piano to practice.... funny how your perspective changes over the years.

A Look at my Sketchbook

Sorry for missing my usual photo of the week this week.  I've been busy potty training my son... and hanging out at the lake.  Sometimes I just need a break from blogging.  Does anyone else get that way?

Here are the sketches I whipped out this morning while relaxing in the sun.  I love that lake!

A Look at my Sketchbook

I've missed having geraniums to draw and paint this year.  Luckily my parents have some at their house!

Here's a little watercolor sketch (I call it a sketch because it's really not finished).  It rained on me before I could get it done.

And then I have a little pencil sketch.  Happy little red geraniums... I need to paint more of these :)

Trying to find my own style

In case you haven't noticed, I have a bit of what one fellow blogger calls  "Crafters' ADD".  I switch from one genre of craftiness to the next.  I never stick to one thing for too long.

It's the same with art.  I'm always trying new mediums, methods, and styles... like these little drawings I made the other day.  I've seen other artists use this style and I wanted to try it out- it's fun!

There is so much to explore and learn!  I just want to do it all!  But.... I'm coming to realize that if I ever want to be an established artist, at some point I need to develop some sense of a "style".  I feel like I need to have a certain look that others would know me by, but I have no idea how to find that look.  Part of me feels like if I choose one look, that I'll have to stay with that forever and it might get a little boring, or I might lose the enjoyment I get out of making art in the first place.

So, any of you artists or crafters out there.. what are your thoughts?  Do you stick to a certain style or do you switch it up?  How did you find your style?

A Look at my Sketchbook

Well, next to unpacking, cleaning my old apartment, shopping for blinds and curtains for my new home, I managed to squeeze in a little sketching while hanging out in our backyard with my son.

I love having a back yard.... even though there are currently more dandelions in it than grass!  Oh well, they inspired this little sketch here, which I actually half-way traced and then colored in with the plants themselves.
It brought me back to my childhood days of  "painting" the sidewalk with dandelions :)

And here are a few other sketches of said dandelions and some other plants.....

A Look at my Sketchbook

I took a little trip to the park at Daybreak last week with my son and got a little sketching in while he was playing!  Drawing outside really makes me happy :)

Landscape Sketches

 I'm breaking out some old artwork from the archives for today's post.  I've been working on getting all my stuff scanned and it is a lot of work, but it's fun looking back at old assignments from my college days.

I drew both of these landscapes at BYU for a drawing class.  They remind of the freedom I had then  to go out and draw or paint outdoors on my own.   Those were happy times!

A Look at my Sketchbook

I'm still struggling to get those birdhouse gourds painted for Christmas, even though I only have a few days left to do it- yikes!   So for now, I'm leaving you with a sketch from last summer.  I was sitting on a beach in San Diego at sunset and it was heavenly.  I can't wait to go back someday!

Sketches of the litte guy

Here are a few sketches of the little guy I spend all day with- everyday!   I've been sketching from photos of him to get in some drawing practice and man am I out of practice- yikes!   Back in my college days when I was taking figure drawing classes, this would have been much easier.

I got a little frustrated with this drawing here below.  It is easy for me to draw a person, but it is soooooo hard to actually make the drawing look like them.  This has some resemblance to my son, but there is something about the eyes that makes him look different.  I  admire any artist who can really capture a person as they are. 

Portrait of Helen

This portrait is of the character Helen in Charlotte Bronte's novel "Jane Eyre"- my absolute most favorite novel of all time.  I think I'm a little obsessed with this story- do I dare admit that I've read it at least 8 times in addition to watching at least 3 different movie versions?!

I can't help it.  I connect with the main character all too well.  And of course the love story is compelling.

Last week I was watching a newer version on Netflix.  I got to the part in the movie where Jane is drawing a portrait of her friend Helen in their cold and brutal boarding school and I just had to draw the same portrait-cheesy, I know :)  I actually cried later on in the movie when the school master see's Helen's hair and cuts it off because he thinks she is being vain by having red curly hair.  In this movie, I can't remember if this happens in the book, but Jane proves herself a true friend and has her hair cut off too.  Aaah, such a good story!

Well, I am off to California at the end of this week!  Yes! One whole week of the beach, sunshine, and my husband- can't wait!

Studies of a Pear

I'm having sleep troubles again :(  This is a very frustrating thing, but it does give me time to do some sketching.   So last night I did a little sketching of a pear. Pears have such interesting shapes.  No wonder artists are always painting them!

Flowers in a Vase

 Yesterday I got out the good old sketchbook and had some quality drawing time.  I was in serious need of some drawing practice.  Back in my college days it was easy to keep it up because I had assignments due every week.  I had deadlines and motivation and time.  

Now I'm a stay-at-home mom and my time to sit down to draw is very limited.  I had forgotten how much I love drawing.  I don't ever want to lose it.

Grandma's Sketches

While sorting through my art stuff the other day, I found these two sketches made by my grandma.   My Grandma Heap (my mother's mother) passed away 11 years ago.  Shortly after she passed away I was given a packet of some of her watercolor paper, and I found these sketches inside. 

My grandma was a very artistic and talented lady.  She gave me a few drawing lessons and taught me to crochet when I was younger.  She could have done a lot with her art, but sacrificed to raise 7 children.  I admire her so much for that.  These sketches are some things I will treasure forever.