Toronto Arts and Crafts Sale 2018

One-Long-Line Drawings

I'm all prepared for the show tomorrow. I'll be selling my original watercolour paintings and my One-Long-Line Drawings. They are so fun to draw. I just keep my pen on the paper and let the line wander. 

This is my 7th year in the show. I love it! Come by my table on the main floor and say Hi.

Pencil Portraits

I looooove to draw so, even when there isn't time to paint, I always find time to draw. These are 6B pencil studies from my sketchbooks. I use the Faber-Castell 9000 Jumbo pencils because they are so nice to hold, and kinda 'chunky' with some weight to them. ; )

Here's a pic -

a couple of sketchbook pages

 Today, with my 8x10" sketchbook, I finished a page of little pencil portraits.
And over the holidays, I had fun sketching some elephants. (Baby elephants are so frickin' cute!)

antelope sketchbook page

Here's my Antelope study page from my sketchbook, done in mechanical and 6B pencils. The rings on their horns are quite fascinating and more defined than I previously thought. It's fun doing these studies before venturing into a painting. I like the free images website called Pixabay. : )

Other news.... Inktober starts soon!

Sketchbook - Rabbits!!

Sketchbook page of rabbits! 

I used two pencils for this page. I just discovered the Faber-Castell Jumbo 9000 6B pencil which is quite smooth and dark. I love it. It's the green one on top of the second pencil, a .07mm mechanical. I blocked in with the mechanical pencil  then just went for it with the dark Jumbo pencil. : )

horse gestures

Having a blast with pencil, drawing these horse gestures! I spent some time reviewing horse anatomy, from one of my favourite animal drawing books by Jack Hamm called "How to Draw Animals". Then, with the help of free images from pixabay, I drew as many as I could, as fast as I could. : )

Sketchbook - animal pages

My March sketchbook is filling up nicely. I love to draw draw draw, but it doesn't leave much time to paint paint paint! ; )

sketchbook

Here are a few pages from my March sketchbook. 

I use 6B pencil or .07mm mechanical pencil, depending on my mood that day. Except for the last page, I drew the portraits from life. 
I used to draw everything on newsprint, because the inexpensive paper kept my drawings loose. But now I've got random saved pieces of newsprint kicking about... 

As of March, I decided to keep a sketchbook. It seems to be forcing me to take more care with my drawings, which is great. I do believe that it's all about the drawing. And, being tight and specific in sketchbooks is helping me draw confidently and loosely when approaching watercolour paper. : )

Meerkats! - YouTube sketching videos

I've posted 4 quick videos (about 1 minute each) of me sketching on my YouTube Channel. Click here to see the others!
This is one of my favourites, of two meerkats! Enjoy.

drawing freely!

Recently, I spent some time sketching at the wonderful Toronto Music Gardens. I was inspired by a few wonderful books by the awesome NY artist Veronica Lawlor, about drawing free of judgement, analysis or interpretation. Just take the line for a walk! Google her and check out her work. Her drawings are fascinating.

So, working with a Micron 03 pen, I just drew what I saw as quick as I could.  Here are four more I did.

I really enjoyed this approach, loosening up as I went. Lots of drawings quickly, with no time to think in between. Now, to paint them... : )

Save the Rhino Day!

Today is Save the Rhino Day!

I drew this with 6B pencil on newsprint.

iPad Art

Awhile back I was fooling around with the SketchBook Pro app on my iPad. It's really fun drawing on the screen with a rubber tipped pen called a stylus. I'm also interested in incorporating pattern into my art more. 

And now, off to the Riverdale Art Show for day two!

peaceful morning

5x7"painting with 8x10"mat.

I am very happy with the simplicity in this painting. I wanted to capture the peacefulness I experience while cycling early in the morning.

King George Craft Show

Come on out to the 1st Annual King George Craft Show in Toronto this Saturday May 2nd from 10-2pm! Lots of vendors! I'll be selling my paintings and my one-long-line drawings. The drawings are in cute colourful frames.

a Tuesday in April

SOLD
I spent this rainy Tuesday urban sketching in a dry cafe, drawing people.
$40 - 5x7"painting with 8x10"mat.
Here's my process - 

I drew with my 6B pencil on a small hot-pressed watercolour pad.

You can see my tiny palette, that was once an eye shadow kit! Very unobtrusive!

Also, my small water container, a rag and my size 14 watercolour paint brush.

Another customer sat down, so I quickly added her, left of the blonde woman.

Happy with this one... and onto another. : )

Teaching and Horses

The lovely talented artists in the Self-Portrait Drawing Class I'm teaching did wonderful on Thursday night!

And... today I did a little 'horse homework'.