paint party Friday....be gentle with yourself

My sketchbook page on Wednesday began with a tutorial from Shayda Campbell on drawing a wreath. Mine looks different than hers of course, and I put words into it that I need to remember. The thing is, this woman came after the words led me to paint her. I quite enjoy her gesture of gentleness

I am my own worst critic... as if I need to be or do everything perfectly. I am enjoying the daily exercise of drawing and painting, knowing there will be another one the next day.
The daily art is my favorite til I do the next day's work! No, I still love her, with her soft focus, and the gesture of protecting her heart by being gentle with herself talk.

Where do you find inspiration for your art? I will be going along, living life, and notice some little detail I want to interpret by painting or quilting.
I was looking through the I Like posters yesterday and Canadian Needle Mama had a picture of a chipmunk... and that caught my artist's eye

I liked the strong contrast around the eyes, and the tiny hair flicks of different colors, so I thought I'd try to paint it. I had to simplify the composition so fewer grasses, no background. It's between a drawing and a painting, starting with a pencil sketch, then using my KOI paintbox and waterpen, and the staedtler gray fineliner for detail.

I added little bits of white gel pen as I continued to add or subtract details.
Then I decided I was in love with my white cosmos this year, the lines and the subtle shading. A white flower with so much detail would be challenging to capture on white paper...

I had watched a Shayda Campbell video on how to draw flowers. Start with a pencil sketch of a circle, and a larger circle around that. I  did the ratio of outer circle twice as large as inner one.

then I looked at my image and saw two forward petals, so I did those engaging both circles. Then added in others behind, sketched out little ovals for the center. Went over this with my staedtler gray pen and started mixing light blue gray for shadowing.

bits of gold, and yellow green for the center, little dashes with the pen for definition, white gel pen to finish some highlights. Subtle but there, a few draped buds... no greenery this time but I am amazed that I captured the feel of it! Shayda said in drawing, which is different from doodles because of intent, remember to shade the dark lines, then contour with wisps of lines. I'm learning as I go.

so this was my sketchbook page til I wanted to try my tombow gray marker to compare it to the fineliner pen...

little quick azaleas in the corner. Do I mess up my pretty painting page with experiments? Why not, it's a sketch book...
Then I wanted to try the tombow pens and made an orange sphere with dots, too strong! Wouldn't dilute with water... ugly... crap! I walked away, cross at myself for messing up a pretty page til... I said, what if I draw petals around it?

aha! Suddenly I liked it, a lot!  Even the little tombow colored leaves were pretty a mix of turquoise and lime green.

Yesterday's sketchbook page... I quite love doing this!
linking to
Pink Saturday!
off the wall Fridays
https://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/