Joyful Purpose

What's your favorite FLAVOR?

 

A "sketch" is quick small strokes with a pen or pencil

like this:

 

 

a "contour" drawing is using long continuous lines and basically creating the outline of an image

like this:

both are great ways to draw

with the sketch you can feel and form the shapes of your object whereas with the contour drawing you see and draw your outlines which creates a more organic and less accurate line.  

 

They each have their own personalities and flavor!

 

I like to "sketch" with a Rotring Art Pen with a Fine Sketch Nib or a Noodler's Sketch Pen filled with Noodler's Bulletproof Black Ink.

I prefer a micron .005 pen when I do a contour drawing.

 

What's your favorite?

and what do you like to draw with?

 

Raven Studies

This weekend I worked on studies of ravens in preparation for a series of  wildlife watercolor works.  I am exploring the use of paint, image and words.

I used the words of my go to inspiration Mary Oliver

Ravens

I don't know what the ravens are saying this

morning of green tenderness and

rain but, my, what a collection of

squallings and cracklings and whistles, made

with the ruffling of throat feathers and the

stretching of wings, nor is it any single speech

one to the rest, but clearly, an octet, since

they are eight coal-black birds with

dark-brown eyes. I have been in this world just

long enough to learn (not always easily) to love

my neighbors and to allow them every

possibility. Maybe the ravens are talking

for some ultimate vicious but useful purpose, or

maybe it's only directions to the next mountain, or maybe

it's simple, silly joy. "hello, ravens," I say, under

their dark tree and, as if courtesy were of

great importance, they turn, they clack and spill their

delicious glottals, of no consequence but

friendly and without the least judgment, down and

over me.

Weekend Works

I headed out to the sand yesterday and did these ...

and brought along this ...

This is my travel kit: total dimensions - 6"x8"

watercolor journal - 5.5 x 8

micron 005

hybrid technica by Pentel

Faber Castell drafting pencil with HB lead

eraser

lead sharpner

Nijii waterbrush

travel palette - watercolors

travel palette - gouache

Pen and Ink Fountain sketch pen

These travel pocket palettes are sooo cool - you can find them here

or make your own - check out this one

 

Journal Work Inspiration

One of my favorite things to do in a journal is to do line drawings enhanced with Copic markers.  Here is yesterday afternoon's excursion ...

The inspiration ~

Online Classes

It seems as though the economy and time constraints have caused all of us to hunker down and rethink things - speaking for myself this is true.  Online classes keep coming in my path and while they are not the same as going and being present they are a wonderful alternative.  I had been encouraging my dear friend LK to do one for some time now and lucky for me and many others she has.  Be sure to check her out.

That being said I have been asked by many of you if I would consider an online class in lieu of a physical one.  My first step would be to see how much interest I would have?  So I am putting out the proposition....

If you are interested in either "online" class please contact me for the details at armfield@att.net

ANIMAL SPIRIT GUIDES

"All things share the same breath - the beast, the tree, the man ...the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports."  Chief Seattle

Many Native people believe that animals present themselves to us in the form of guides and teachers. In this class we will journal about why certain animals are prominent in our lives, what we can learn from them and how we can express ourselves through our art using them as guides.  The techniques we will explore will include using b/w photographic images along with paint, pen, pencil, color and poetry.

La Canzone del Mare ~ Song of the Sea

“You have heard the beat of the off-shore wind,  And the thresh of the deep-sea rain;  You have heard the song  - how long?"         Kipling

La Mare will be our muse in creating a unique book filled with poetry, photographs, drawings, paintings, and more.  We will walk the shores for inspiration and to capture images of deep beauty. This class will focus on the Sea and all the wisdom she has to offer. 


These will include such topics as~

Digital Photography - layout, settings, and design
Post Production editing - photoshop, iphoto
Sketching from photographs and objects
acrylic painting
water color and pen sketches
preparing background papers
coptic journal construction

Journal Thoughts

Sketches from the Lake

Here is a journal page of some heart shaped rocks and a feather all found at the edge of the lake,  This is a piece of journal paper that I had gessoed and then painted.  I like having some texture and background to start out with - makes it more interesting.