Ponca Boy

9x12

Color Pencil

My latest endeavor. I've attended several PowWows and have taken hundreds of pictures.  This particular PowWow was at the Kearney Archway this summer (June 2012). The Oklahoma and Nebraska Ponca Tribes where there this year. I want to do a series of PowWow paintings. Right now he looks a little jaundiced 

Santa

11x14

Colored Pencil

Santa

Santa's done in time for getting Christmas cards printed!

Santa

11x14

Colored pencils

The background really makes it pop! Now he needs some eyebrows and beard.

Santa 

11x14

Colored Pencil

Santa has eyes! Things are coming along quickly now. Probably because if I want this done in time for Christmas cards it's going to need to get to the printer. I think I'll settle on "And to all a good night!' as the caption unless someone can come up with something better. 

Santa

11x14

Colored Pencil

Scary Santa! I'm loving the dimension the skin is starting to give his face! A little more dark skin tones and some eyes. Then to figure out how to do the beard and fur after the background.

Santa

11x14

colored pencil

Every year I say I need to do a pic for a holiday card but it's too late to get started when I remember. So finally I think this year I will have Christmas Cards with an original by me.  I've drawn this old guy in graphite and carbon pencil before and always thought he needed to be a Santa. I'm into about the third layer for his outfit with 5 more to go.  Now I need help with a caption for my Christmas Card. Santa here has made all his rounds and is worn out. He's a bit grumpy. Maybe not looking forward to Mrs. Claus nagging or getting the reindeer in the barn?

Baveras
(Goddess of the Sea)

16x20

Colored Pencil and Neocolor 1

She's done and I just found out I won First place with her in the Omaha Artists, Inc. Anne Baker Memorial Art Show

"Ancient Elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire"

We had to do an Artists statement so mine was as follows.

Baveras is the goddess of the Sea. She is wild and untamed but playful and caring. This describes my daughter, the subject of the painting. She is the goddess that grants artists their inspiration and their courage to literally sail to new shores with their works.  My daughter is certainly an inspiration and gives me courage to sail through life.

Baveras

(the goddess of the sea)

16x20

colored pencil and 

Neocolor 1 wax pastel

Now things will come together quick. I started the water with the Neocolor 1 wax pastels for two reasons. The are soft and go on very quickly but they also put down a lot of wax with the heat of the Icarus Board. This will give the water some texture. Now that I will have all the colors in I can see how they work together and finish up the hair and face. 

Baveras

(the goddess of the sea)

16x20

Colored Pencil
Neocolor 1 wax pastels

I've chosen a title! Since the show this is going in theme is "the four elements" and my element is water I chose Baveras the goddess of the Sea. She is wild and untamed but playful and caring. She is the goddess that grants artists their inspiration and their courage to literally sail to new shores with their works. Now to get to work on the water!

Baveras
(goddess of the sea)
Colored Pencil
Neocolor 1 wax pastels

16x20

This has yet to get a name. Any suggestions? It's for a competition in Oct. with the theme "the four elements" Earth, Wind, Water and Fire. It's the first time I've rendered skin tones and the first time I've tried it on the Icarus Board. I know, nothing like challenging yourself!  

Hens and Chicks

"Hens and Chicks"

8x10

Colored Pencil

on 1" cradle board

I've followed this process for mounting here.

http://esterroi.com/blog/2010/04/glassless-framing/

Macy Powwow

She won An Award of Excellence at the ANAC Art show! http://www.nebraskaartclubs.org/ and will be traveling around Nebraska for a year!

Hens and Chicks

I recently bought a device called an Icarus Board.  http://icarusart.net/ It looks somewhat like a light table without a light. One side of it gets hot and the other stays cool. Using it with wax based media it melts the wax as you draw to quicken the process quite dramatically!  This is my first attempt at using it.  I'll let you know how it turns out. First I map out where my colors are going to go with Prismacolor verithin pencils. Next I basically do the same with Prismacolor soft pencils not worrying about blending much at this point.

"Doc"

Won 3rd Place at the 

Second Annual 

Artists in Residence 

Art Show

Two of my paintings made it to the 2012 ANAC competition!

http://www.nebraskaartclubs.org/

June 13 -16 

Aurora Ne

Leadership Center

8x10
Colored Pencil

Black Cherry Pearl

Well she's finally done.  I really didn't know how I was going to address the windshield so I left it to the end. I even thought I'd leave it "clear" and not address it at all when I was erasing some of the residue off the white area to the right and above the tank (compare this too last post).  With that erased the windshield had a light grey residue still on it and it just popped out as the windshield!  I took a 10% cool grey and reenforced the grey of the windshield to include going over any chrome behind it which set it back behind the windshield nicely. I think Jim will like it!

8 x 10 

Colored Pencil

Now it's getting there! With the tank in I'm getting happy.

Several layers of Indigo Blue, Black Cherry, Dark Green and Tuscan Red. I wasn't quite sure about the how I was doing the glare on the tank but now love how it's turning out.

Black Cherry Pearl

8x10

Colored Pencil

Well I had been going layer by layer but found at this point that was impossible because you have to do layers 3, 4, and 5 at once to enable the blending process. Layers 3 and 4 are generally the same as 1 and 2 with Layer 5 and sometimes 6 blending and mixing. From left to right this is basically finished on the left.  Some final tweaking will be done once I get it all done.  It's important to mention to keep your whites clean as you go. They become "dirty" no matter how careful you are. I use sticky tack to pick up any big bits then use the electric eraser to thoroughly clean. If you don't use the sticky tack in a blotting motion before the electric eraser you will actually grind in color and make a disaster of your whites. A kneaded eraser will also smear and force in unwanted color if not done in a blotting motion rather than a wiping motion. 50 hours in! Why oh why do a pick such time consuming mediums and subject matter. Oh, that's right the CHALLENGE!

Shy and Mischievous

Supplies
Prismacolor pencils
and art stix
Canary Yellow
Poppy Red
Mulberry
Violet
Indigo Blue
Mineral Spirits

First layer of Art Stix

Using a Q-tip dissolving the wax

Second layer of Art Sticks

Dissolved then added some yellow highlights

Close up

I had to take a short break from the motorcycle.  The detail work was making me cross eyed!
This picture is being done for a show put on by the Nebraska Women's Caucus for Art called "More Than Sugar and Spice"
Picking a word or two describing you then depicting them in a piece. Hmm, not sure about it yet.  They colors here are a little off.  The face "glows" more in person.

Black Cherry Pearl

8 x 10

Another 17 1/2 hours later and another layer.  I really thought the second layer would take less time than the first but there were still a lot of details to keep an eye on.  It's taking shape quite nicely now.  Let's see if the next layer will be any quicker.

Black Cherry Pearl

8x10

Starting a new commission now that the move and the holidays are over.  Finally I managed to get all the undertone color layer done without impatiently moving on to see what the final look will be in just one area. Normally I work a section to completion before moving on. I want to gauge how long it takes me to do a layer (this one took 16 hrs.) Plus I will be printing each layer so I can keep an accurate log of colors I use.  Sometimes I get a good effect but can't remember the colors I used and how I layered them.