sandy
2008 Archives
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2008 Hummingbird Demo
KISS ~ Keep It Sensationally Simple!

Sensational Sketches ~ In Six Simple Steps

 

Drawing Lesson ~ First Step

Today's drawing shows you how to hold the pencil when you first
start your drawing. It's so much easier to first block in shapes this way
and keeps you loose without getting caught up in details too early on.
I recommend a good quality spiral sketchbook, 6" x 8" or bigger with
a medium weight drawing paper. You'll also need a soft
drawing pencil (2B - 4B) and a kneaded eraser.

 

 

Drawing Lesson ~ Second Step

Ok, now you can tighten up a little and hold the pencil like you would
to write. Add some of the main details. Correct and refine your sketch,
but don't get too nit picky! Keep in mind that this is an exercise.
It doesn't have to be a masterpiece!

When out of the studio sketching, I stop with this step and add the wash later.
So all you need to take out with you is a pencil, eraser and sketchbook!
My motto is: "KISS ~ Keep it sensationally simple!"

sandy
sandy

 

Drawing Lesson ~ Third Step

I start this next step by generously wetting the surface of my bird
with clean water. I go right up to the edge of the figure so
the paint would flow to that point and the
strokes will blend together.

 

 

Drawing Lesson ~ Forth Step

Here I use a thirsty, *dry brush that's loaded with watercolor paint.
I usually use a combination of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna
to make a gray, but any dark color will do. I'm more concerned with
value than hue. I start squinting a lot from this point on. This makes it
easier to see big shapes and values. I float in pigment, giving the
figure shape by rendering values and a few details.

*The brush is damp, yet dryer than the paper. 

sandy
sandy

 

 sandy
sandy
 Drawing Lesson ~ Fifth Step

When the figure is dry , I add a few more
calligraphic strokes on the dry paper, quickly dampening
some with a clean *dry brush to soften various edges.

sandy
sandy

sandy
sandy

 

sandy
sandy
Drawing Lesson ~ Sixth Step

All I've done here is add a background wash after the bird is dry.
I do the same thing as in step three. I wet the entire surface
where I want my wash to be with clean water, again being careful
to stay in the lines. Then squinting, I float in my pigment
with a dry brush.

2009 Demo................See More about my sketching steps here!

From my Spirit Art lettter - 9/4/08 ~ Last week I was contacted by Ralph Serpe; artist, writer, musician and webmaster, about having my "Sensational Sketches In Six Simple Steps" featured on his blog. He writes; "I own and maintain a very popular blog on Art Instruction. My site receives over 20,000 unique visitors each month, and I have a subscriber base of nearly 9,000 artists, all hungry for fresh new content." I checked it out and saw it was of very high caliber. Of course I said YES!

Visit: http://www.artinstructionblog.com and see this demo with comments.
sandy
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sandy
2008 Archives
June ../.. July ../.. August

 2007
June........July......August

 2006
June........July......August

 

 

 

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License to use these images may be available through private treaty.

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