Doodles

Today was doodling a little bit.  I doodled with graphite and then also pulled out my watercolor horse to play with it a little bit more.
Hope you like my doodling!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Safar Final

Here is the signed final. Sorry for the bad photo, my scan is still a little washed out so I tried to adjust the contrast to be more accurate. I also cropped it so that you can see how it will look once framed.
Hope you like it!

Now what should I work on? If you want me to do something for you, post a photo and I'll see if I can work from it.
If I do choose your photo/photos, I'll give you the option to buy the finished portrait at a discount.

Safar WIP Update 7

Added just a little more to Safar and I'm calling him done.
I could probably just keep tweaking and that's when I know I just need to stop!
Safar was a joy to capture on paper as well as a challenge.
He's mostly white with chestnut freckles. He's known as a flea-bitten chestnut.
Anyways, I drew him to challenge myself to create the lighter colored animals with graphite.
I've found that both the extreme darks and the whites and light colored animals are the hardest for me to capture accurately.
For a dark colored animal, it's all about the highlights and of course for a light colored, it's all about the shadows.
Hope you like it and thanks for following along while I worked on him.

 Thanks for stopping by :)

Safar WIP Update 6

More progress on Safar
Approaching the finish line with this beautiful flea-bitten chestnut.
What a challenge to draw the lighter colored animals.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Safar WIP Update 5

Have ya missed me? I started a new job last week and until I get my feet under me, my art is taking a backseat. I will work on it when I can. Either after work or on the weekends but it will be a slightly slower process. LOL Not that I'm all that fast to begin with!!
Anyways, I worked more on Safar and he's coming along now!
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Third watercolor painting

Just for fun I decided to start my third watercolor painting.
It's been an interesting exploration and so far I've only used, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow and Burnt Sienna for my watercolor palette.

The photo reference came from WetCanvas.
Hope you like it so far :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

Safar WIP Update 4

Sorry I've been MIA!!
When my son and daughter-in-love had their baby three weeks early, I packed up and went there to help out when they called.  Then I got snowed in while I was there because the roads became very dangerous and my return home was delayed by a day.
So, needless to say the art wasn't worked on. 
Mom and baby are both doing wonderful.
Our new granddaughter is healthy, happy and a very good baby. 

Now that I'm back home, here is what I did today :-)

Hope you like it!!

Safar WIP Update 3

I haven't been working on this everyday.  Since our days started getting nicer again, I've been spending them outside while I can with my new horse.
However, slowly but surely I'm getting the anatomy and markings on Safar.  Hair is going on layer by layer.  So far I've only used 4H and 2H for the hair.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Safar WIP Update 2

I have been slacking horribly but part of not posting was the scanner was misbehaving and I couldn't scan what I've done. After working on it tonight, I have my scanner back :)
So, here is the progress on Safar.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Safar WIP Update 1

I apologize for "slacking" (as my daughter put it lol )on my art!
I got a new horse and for the last three weeks, I've been riding and getting to know him while the weather was cooperating.
Today, the weather isn't cooperating so I've finally gotten the working sketch transferred to the final surface.
I hope you like it!
Thank you for your continued support!!

 

Thanks for stopping by :)

Safar - WIP

Starting on my next one. Still don't have the eyes right but getting there.
This is Safar!
Again it will be a graphite drawing on 9 x 12 Strathmore Bristol Smooth
Yesterday's image

 Today's image
I think the prelim drawing is now complete for Safar. Now I need to get him transferred to the Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper and get going on him. Of course I had to darken the image so you could actually see the drawing.
His mom wants me to put mischief in his eyes LOL. Hopefully I can do him justice. Does he look mischievous to you?
Hope you like it!

 

Evan Finished!

YAY Medicine is all finished! I can see clearly again and the irritation is gone
I apologize for the delay!
Here is Evan completed and signed!
I really had a lot of fun drawing him with those wispy ears.
What a beautiful boy!
Hope you like him 

9x12 Graphite
Strathmore Bristol Smooth
Completed: 9/23/2013

I just realized I never posted this announcement on here! I apologize for that oversight ( no pun intended lol )
This was last week:
Evan is still set aside and I had started on my next one which is a nice flea bitten chestnut but now I'm dealing with a double eye infection and because I have to put salve in my eyes twice a day for 10 days, I'm sort of grounded on being able to draw right now but I will get back to it as soon as possible though.



This is Monday 9/16/2013:
Another five days to go with the eye medicine but at least the eyes are starting to feel better! The medicine is a salve so it makes seeing clearly a definite challenge right now!
Hopefully back to drawing next week!

Evan WIP Update 8

Using my newly purchased Tombow Mono Zero eraser, hopefully a steady hand and a prayer, the whiskers are now in. I'm always terrified I'm going to mess the entire thing up putting them in but they always seem to come out OK.  Am I the only one that feels this way?  Do you have the same fears?
I also brightened some of Evan's highlights with the Tombow.

I believe Evan's finished but will set him aside for a couple of days and then see.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Evan WIP Update 7

Stepped backwards and removed a lot of the graphite under that ear!
YIKES was that a scary thing to do. 

Then attempted to put it all back.
I'm much happier with the wispy hair and also the white patch on his back. 
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping  by :)

 

Evan WIP Update 6

Getting Evan's Left ear Wispy bits along with his body is proving to be a challenge. Created a lot of soft edges and tried to also create some hard edges to try and maintain some order.
I was also having quite the challenge to keep the little white patch of hair that Evan seems to have. The wispy bits go over the top of it but keeping dark above white is really something I was struggling with tonight.
I think I've got it now though :)
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Evan WIP Update 5

Tonight's update is adding more of Evan's body and getting that part of the multi-colored upswinging tail that shows in.
I didn't work on this a lot today but here is what I got done.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Evan WIP Update 4

Started working on Evan's white bib.  Still have a long way to go!
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Evan WIP Update 3

YAY Evan now has a second eye!!
Not sure why I started with only one eye this time but at least he now has both of his eyes!
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Evan WIP Update 2

Today's progress with Evan.  Getting the tone correct for the face as well as some of his white hairs.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Big D WIP Update 6

Further tweaking.  It's starting to scan grainy but it's not grainy IRL.
It's also darker IRL.
I'm still trying to break the code of the elusive darks.  Yes, I'm getting darker but should I have started with the softer grades of graphite??
Should I spray what I have with workable fixative (YIKES) and then add more darks?
I'm starting to get nervous that I might mess up what I've accomplished so I think I'm just about tweaked out with this one.
Hope you still like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Big D WIP update 5

I've been "pushing the darks" with Big D. 
 He is after all a Black Friesian. 
I knew my mane was "reading" black but his body wasn't so.... I'm still tweaking
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Evan WIP Update

Started working on Evan.
Started with soft and then added hard graphite. Also blending a little with a tissue.
Evan is a beautiful Papillon and is going to be both a black and white challenge. So far, I really like how the ear hairs are coming along
9 x 12 Graphite on Smooth Bristol
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Big D WIP Update 4

Somehow I missed posting this update so.....
Here's where I was at when the weekend started.
I'm pretty impressed with the big guns!! 
I also purchased a tombow mono zero. Wow is that an impressive little eraser for getting some of those fine line highlights!
Almost finished now. I think just some tweaking and I will be calling this one done. Then onto my next black challenge.
Hope you like it!

Then I tweaked Big D a little bit on Sunday.  Can you tell where?
So here's what it looks like now.

Thanks for stopping by :)

Starting Evan

While Big D is out of sight, I started on my next one.
I made a quick preliminary sketch to work out form, etc... then tweaked it until I got a good match to the reference photo.
I'm pretty happy with how this went together so nicely and except for tweaking this drawing is ready to be transferred to it's working surface. 
I was really surprised when I kept track of time and this drawing was accomplished in 2.5 hours
Again, because I draw so lightly, the contrast has been changed so you can see what I'm doing.
Hope you like it!

Big D WIP Update 3

I finally brought out the big guns to achieve the "black" that I wanted.
When I knew I was going to try practicing black, I knew I needed something more than 4B graphite pencil. So, I bought a 7B and 8B along with a Kimberly 9xxB.
I really should have started with these but I was a little afraid of how black they can be.
Big D is really starting to come together now.

Hope you still like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Big D WIP Update 2

Beautiful weather has kept me outside during the day.  Weeding and what not around the yard and in the garden and then we've been experiencing a lot of power outages during the early evenings and sometimes lasting well into the early mornings.  So, I haven't worked a whole lot on Big D.
Here's where I'm at now and I hope to do some more tonight.
I'm finding Black animals as challenging as White ones LOL.  Anybody have any tips on getting the black, I'm all ears!
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Big D - WIP Update

Big D is transferred to his working surface and I've started blocking in the darker areas. 
 As always, I've started with the eye. 
Due to the quality of the photo, some artistic license is being used.
So far the drawing is being done with a 2B pencil.
Oh and this is a 9 x 12 piece of Strathmore Bristol Smooth.
Because I start light, I've increased the contrast so you can see what's been done so far :)
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Big D - WIP

YIKES! Can we say I'm a glutton for punishment? OK, I've started my next challenge and challenge it will be. I'm drawing a gorgeous Black Friesian gelding. His nickname is Big D.  
The problem is the photo I'm using is not that great.  
However, I wanted to challenge myself so.... Here is the start.
Obviously this is just the sketch getting the layout correct.
I've darkened the drawing so you can actually see what I'm trying to do here.
Once I'm happy with the sketch, I will transfer it onto the working surface and start the details.
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Gabbi Final

I just realized I never posted my final for Gabbi.  This is a 9x12 graphite portrait on Strathmore Bristol Smooth.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Gabbi WIP Update 6

Added tone here and there and refined her tail a little bit better. Now it will sit for a couple days and then I'll look again but at this point, I'm saying Gabbi is finished though I haven't signed her yet!

I leaned a lot with this portrait and I also learned after doing the last two "white" animals that depicting white takes just as much work as depicting any other color. 
I Thoroughly enjoyed the process of getting Gabbi to come alive on paper and can't wait for my next project.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Gabbi WIP Update 5

Continuing to add tone and more tone.  The whole area is now covered.  Does that mean this graphite drawing is now a painting?
I've always heard that if you covered all available area that meant it was a painting.  If you just covered part of the paper, that meant it was either a sketch or a drawing.  I have no idea but I do know this is the first complete graphite I've done at this size!
I'm not done but approaching that elusive finish line now :)
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Gabbi WIP Update 4

Tonight I worked more on the blanket, her nose, the background behind her right ear (viewers left side) and then started putting in some of her hair and tone on the other eye (viewers right).
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Gabbi WIP Update 3

Worked more on the gorgeous hair that Gabbi has. I also started adding the nose. Still a lot more tweaking to go but this is where I ended today's session.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Gabbi WIP Update 2

While Continuing on today I blended the background a little bit using 6B, 2B and then using a blending stump or tortillon.  Practicing new techniques with this because I've never really blended using a tortillon before. I've always just blended with a harder grade of graphite.   Also started refining some of the ear and face on the viewers left side and still messing with the eyes.
Hope you like it so far :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Gabbi WIP Update

Gabbi's proving to be as much of a challenge as her Mom says she is Haha.
Am I the only one to struggle with the eyes?  Getting Gabbi's eyes to where I'm happy with them is proving to be quite the challenge for me.
I've drawn the prelim. sketch onto the Bristol Smooth and have started laying in the darks and working on her eyes.
A Lot more work yet to be done but if I can't get the eyes right, I'll scrap this and start over.
9 x 12 Graphite
Stratmore Bristol Smooth
Hope you like the progress so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Gabbi - WIP

Next up is Gabbi.  This will be another white animal depicted in Graphite because I need lots of practice :)
I finished (I think) with the prelim drawing.  Getting all the features accurate was a definite challenge for sure! This is really drawn lightly on white paper but in order to show you what I've done so far, I really had to increase the contrast and decrease the light!

Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Domino Update FINISHED

Here is the final signed, finished and SOLD drawing depicting the light colored coat of Domino also know as "Spotty".  I'm pleased with how this came out and thrilled that the owner of Domino is also pleased with how this came out and chose to buy it!
I'm now starting on a cute little white Maltese dog updates will be coming soon :)
Hope you like the finished piece!

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Domino WIP Update 5

Tonight's work was to make subtle changes.  Can you find them?  Well, I'll help you out just in case you don't see them all.  The biggest change was to try and add the color variations to the skin around the mouth.  I also added some spots that I can see in the photo reference.  I increased the depth in the ears, darkened some shadows, lightened some areas of the face and I'm approaching the finish line with this one :)
Hope you still like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Domino WIP update 4

Hello, I hope you had a fantastic weekend.  We had gorgeous sunny weather!  Unfortunately, the weekend is now over.
After working on Domino today here is where I ended the days progress. Today was all about getting some of his "spots" in.  He has a very cute face with pink and dark grey/black markings under his white hair.  They are subtle (at least in the photo reference I have they are) but they make him who he is so I'm trying to get them in.

So that's where I ended it today.
Hope you like still like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Domino WIP Update 3

Still pushing the "darks" just a bit on the shadowed areas of the horse.  I also started working on his face.  Even though I own a horse, I'm learning things about horses anatomy that I didn't even know I didn't know.  A couple days ago I was a little worried if I was going to be able to pull off the fact that this is a white/grey horse but I'm starting to like where this one is heading and I think now that I can do it :)
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Domino WIP Update 2

Today I worked on getting more contrast by pushing the darks in the shadowed areas.  I still have a long way to go with this portrait but I'm really liking how it's starting to pop off the page :)
Hope you like it so far!

Domino - WIP - Update 1

Transferred Domino to his working surface which is Strathmore Bristol Smooth.
 As always, I started with the eye and then moved onto the shadows and mane but not so sure about his eye yet. 
Mostly 2B with a little 4B (for the eye and shadows).  Definitely a challenge to make this look like a white horse.  I think the "key" is CONTRAST but that's just a guess LOL.
A lot more work will go into this before he is finished.
Hope you like it so far!

Domino "Spotty"
Graphite on 9 x 12 Strathmore Bristol Smooth

Thanks for stopping by :)

Domino - Spotted Horse Sketched

I put a request out to my fans on Face Book asking for help.  I would like to draw more light and white colored animals because they are the hardest to master.  So, I asked my fans for help supplying me with good quality reference photos of their pets.  If they like what I've drawn, they can then purchase it at a discounted price or just get a print of it.
The portrait I'm working on now is a result of that request.
Meet Domino, his owner describes him as "extremely cheeky" Spotted cross horse :)
Don't you just love his expression?  I sure hope I can capture it!
I've sketched out the prelim. and I'm now ready (I think) to transfer it to the working surface.
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Beautiful Andalusian - Update 4

I finished this beautiful boy tonight :)
I really like how the mane turned out and of course since that's the center of interest for this portrait and glad it's interesting :)
I hope you like it!
9x12 Strathmore Bristol Smooth
Graphite: H, 2B and a smidgen of 4B

Thanks for stopping by :)

Beautiful Andalusian - Update 3

I've decided to name this one "Mane Attraction" because his mane is just so beautiful!
I'm really liking how the mane flows but I think it needs more contrast.  The horse is a light grey and the mane is lighter yet.  Light colored animals are so hard to achieve with graphite and it's all about the contrast. I'm working this whole thing using two graphite pencils a 2B and a H.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Tiger WIP Update 7

Tweak it some and signed it.  I haven't mentioned lately that the awesome reference for this was used with permission from Woxy on Deviant Art.  Thank you Woxy!

Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Tiger WIP Update 6

Worked on this for a few more hours today and except for tweaking, it's finished :)
Rick now says it's his new favorite so I guess I accomplished what I wanted to!
Before now the long haired kitty Sweet Huia was his favorite.
I need to figure out what color to use when I sign it.  Any suggestions?
Any Suggestions for helping me name this one??
 Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)