Sunday, June 30, 2019

One Month Of Sketching Everyday!

"Get on a daily routine... Working is a process not a product.
Success comes from the word, succeed: Latin: 'to under go.'
You must keep moving."
~ Nicoletta Baumeiste 

6-27-19 • Watercolor and Ink sketch from Pixabay.com photo

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~ Aristotle

6-28-19 • Watercolor and Ink sketch from Pixabay.com photo

 "The more you draw and paint the more fluent you are with your pen and brush."
~ Igor Babailo

6-29-19 • Watercolor and Ink sketch from Pixabay.com photo

 "Make today your day to start that uncomfortable new habit." ~ Jack Canfield

6-30-19 • Watercolor and Ink sketch from life

 "Out of routine comes inspiration." ~ Mark Kostabi


Stay Inspired and Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O


Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Symbols of Joy and Accomplishment

"Hummingbirds are symbolic of love and joy
and of accomplishing that which seems impossible."
~ Sandy Sandy

Hummingbirds can migrate more than 3,500 miles twice a year!
What seems like an impossible feat for such a tiny creature, happens without fail,
year after year. They often return to the place of their birth again and again,
to build nests and have 2-3 broods every spring and summer!

You can find out more about attracting and caring for these flying flowers
and about my hummingbirds here in SandyLand by going HERE.

Some say to draw and paint what you love and also to draw the same thing
20 times or more, so here's some more of my recent summer sketches!

6-24-19 • Watercolor and Ink sketch from Pixabay.com photo
6-25-19 • Watercolor and Ink sketch from Pixabay.com photo
6-26-19 • Watercolor and Ink sketch from a video
Stay Inspired and Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Sketch and Draw - Without Expectations

"One of the biggest issues that stops people from drawing is
their expectation to create something ‘good’."
~ Sara Yasin

 Drawing is a skill, like many others, where you can only improve if you practice and are doing it regularly. It has been suggested that you should draw the same thing at least a dozen times, and even as many as 20 times or more, in order to get proficient at it. So draw the same subject and the same pose over and over until it becomes better and better and easier for you to do. Get into a routine, even it's only 15 - 20 minutes a day and I guarantee you will improve.

Watercolor sketch from life - 6-20-19


"Throw away your ideas about making a ‘good’ drawing
and just get drawing!"
~ Sara Yasin


Watercolor sketch from Pixabay.com photo - 6-21-19
Watercolor sketch from Pixabay.com photo - 6-22-19

"Repetition is the key to mastery." 
~ Sandy Sandy 

Watercolor sketch from Pixabay.com photo - 6-23-19
"Draw, as much and as often as you can.
When drawing lies fallow, the skill diminishes."
~ Gene Black

Stay Inspired and Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O
 

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Drawing Is Good For The Spirit

"Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day,
for no matter how little it is, it will be well worthwhile,
and it will do you a world of good."
~ Cennino Cennini

I took a little break from drawing the state birds except for Sunday, but I
am continuing to make sketching part of my daily summer routine.
It's getting easier everyday and that feels really good!

6-15-19 • drawing with a grid for my upcoming class project
6-16-19 • Mountain Bluebird - Idaho State Bird
6-17-19 • Hummingbird Sketch in Watercolor Journal
6-18-19 • 15 min. Watercolor Sketch - Class Demo
6-19-19 • From a photo of a fresh flower wreath
Jerry saved this from the trash for me to sketch.
I set up and worked right from my computer.
"When you do a sketch from life or a photo, don't be afraid to move things around,
use your imagination and employ some artistic license!"
~ Sandy Sandy

Stay Inspired My Friends!

X ♥  O

Friday, June 14, 2019

From Arkansas To Connecticut

"Drawing teaches habits of close observation
that will always be useful."
~ Susanna Clarke
I have continued with the daily project of sketching the state birds.  I'm still really enjoying it and can easily do these pencil sketches in 10 - 20 minutes.  They are not the best drawings I have ever done, but that doesn't matter as much as the fact that I am making a habit of drawing regularly and they are getting easier to do. I really think some of you should give it a try. It's a great exercise. I am posting the photos here, but you can see them larger by going to this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_birds

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

Monday, June 10, 2019

Drawing The State Birds

"Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day,
for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, 
and it will do you a world of good."
~ Cennino Cennini

I don't have a lot of time for sketching right now, but I wanted to keep up with my summer sketching series, even if it is only for a few minutes each day, because I know that even a small amount of time has a lot of great benefits. So I decided to start a project of sketching the state birds.  Who knows where it will lead .... I'm really enjoying it and I can already see my drawings are going faster and getting easier.

I went to Wikipedia and got all the information I need to get started. The photos are all free to use, so there is no issue with drawing from them. I thought some of you might like to join me on this project! I am posting the photos here, but you can see them larger by going to this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_birds

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona
Here are the photos and my sketches from them over the past few days.
Won't somebody join me? 
10-15 min. pencil sketches
Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Charge on!

"Our ability to grow is directly proportional
to an ability to entertain the uncomfortable." 
~ Twyla Tharp

Still feeling pretty rusty, but I spent the last couple
of days getting reacquainted with some old friends...

You Are A Rhinoceros ... Charge On!



And another go at the cardinal on the pine cone ....


You can see the reference shots of this figurine HERE.

Keep Sketching Everyone! 
It's all down hill from here ...

 Happy Creating,
Hugs,

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Let Creativity Become Your Habit

"When creativity has become your habit;
when you've learned to manage time, resources,
expectations, and the demands of others; 
when you understand the value and place of 
validation, continuity, and purity of purpose, 
then you're on the way to an artist's ultimate goal;
the achievement of mastery."
~Twyla Tharp

June 2, 2019

June 3 + 4, 2019



Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

Saturday, June 1, 2019

THE CREATIVE HABIT






Today is the first Day of Summer Sketching 2019!
I just discovered an inspiring, author, philosopher and dancer, named Twyla Tharp. I am currently studying her book, 'The Creative Habit' and enjoying it very much; especially since I have decided to pursue The Creative Habit of Drawing Everyday again this summer!

I'm a bit rusty, but I drew 3 sets of 1/4 turn, 2 minute gestures this afternoon
and I feel pretty psyched!


Here's the first set with the reference shots, if you'd like to give it a try.
I'm putting together a short video explaining how I do this exercise and it will be
coming out soon. In the meantime, you can  go HERE to see photos and a detailed
explanation of the process.  Feel free to use these reference shots to do your own
drawings, if you want to. If you do, a mention, #Sketchingeveryday
(and a link if you are so inclined) is always appreciated!





"Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits.
That's it in a nutshell ...
In order to be creative, you have to know how to prepare to be creative."
~ Twyla Tharp

 Happy Sketching and Creating,
Hugs, 
P.S. See a link to Twyla's book on Amazon in the side bar.