Some Silly Sketching

I keep thinking of this quote by Dr. Suess, “In my world, everyone's a pony and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies!” So I decided to do more silly sketching. Embracing silliness isn’t foolish and can reduce stress and promote a sense of joy and playfulness. Engaging in silly sketching is not a stupid exercise. It can reduce stress while fostering creativity, innovation, and fun! This is today's Drawing Everyday Watercolor and Ink Sketch called 'Some Silly Sketching' I'll be posting my sketches regularly on our Facebook Drawing Everyday Group throughout the summer. You are welcome to join, even if you don't draw. ✍️

Day 12 ~ SE-12-25

Embrace Freedom

 "Horses teach us to face our fears and embrace freedom."

Day 11 ~ SE-11-25

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

I used the same models on June 3rd & 4th last year!

Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

Some Pony Love

"All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, 

to be loved by a little girl."

~ Author Unknown

 

  

"No heaven can heaven be, 

if my horse isn't there to welcome me." 

~ Author Unknown

Beanie Baby Pony Drawing

"You don't have to be young to find comfort in a stuffed animal."

"In a world where everyone seems to be larger 

and louder than yourself,

it is very comforting to have 

a small, quiet companion."
-Peter Gray

Draw, Refine, Repeat

"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, 

it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all." 

~ Michelangelo

  One of many sketches I did for last weekend's "Paint Your Pony" Playshop here ... 

"There is always more to be found by exploring the same subject again and again." ~ Dion Archibald

The Essence of Art

"Art is the essence of awareness." 

~ Louise Nevelson

"Consciousness is the glory of creation." ~ James Broughton

Expanding Awareness

Art that serves an artist best 

is an experiment in expanding awareness." 

~ Peter Londo 

"Awareness without action is worthless." ~ Phil McGraw

Repetition Is Key

"I like to employ a form of repetition, 

in which the same elements recur but 

in different and unexpected ways, 

rather than being discarded as soon as

 they are understood or passed over." 

~ Graham Nelson

 Before I put the wash on, I refine and clean up the drawing with a pencil and eraser.

 Here I am using an eraser shield to help me get into small areas.

 

"Repetition and variety create unity." 

~ Virginia Wiering

#ThrowBackThursday - Way Back!

‪"Perhaps one of the most essential exercises in learning to 

draw or paint is the copying of master works." 

~ Igor Babailov

Leonardo da Vinci's‬ Horse

Although da Vinci did hundreds of drawings, only a handful were ever finished.
 Known to be a procrastinator and a perfectionist, it is very hard to find a drawing
of his that hasn't been left undone.

Copying old masters (or new masters) drawings are a valuable aid in art development. 

If you are up for a challenge, why not break out of your comfort zone and give it a try!

"When you copy a drawing by a highly skilled artist, you are not only exposed to his
or her drawing techniques, but at the same time you study their thinking process.
If the drawings are studies for a finished painting, you can also learn how the artist
developed an idea from beginning to end."

See a good little article with some tips, techniques and insights here.

Forget Inspiration

“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. 

Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. 

Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. 

Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice.” 
~ Octavia E. Butler

 

I decided to do an easier option design for people who would rather not do the full body pose.

I am down in Delaware today doing my Workshop at the Rehobath Art League, so I hope I get a few moments to soak in some fresh sea air!

Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

 

An Increase In Power

“That which we persist in doing 
becomes easier to do, not that the nature 
of the thing has changed, but that 
our power to do has increased.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
~~~~~~~~~~

My model today was my little Misty from Chincoteague Breyer Horse.
 

I had an idea to use her in the theme for my next Watercolor on Yupo Studio Workshop here
on July 23rd. Her head seemed a bit large, so I used some artistic license there.
 

 

I refined the composition a bit and drew this to fit an 11 x 14" mat. It looks like a coloring book page right now. I will tweak the drawing a little, do a value painting and full color version

before I finalize the design for the workshop. I love all of the planning, drawing, painting shopping,

cooking and prep work that goes into every class and workshop I teach here.

Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

 

In The Starting Gate ~ And They're Off!

“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning, 

chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end...

because in the end, it shows you a whole new world!!
Make an attempt.”
~ Manoj Arora

 I started off today with 2 minute gesture drawings of my little fat pony figurine.

To see the step-by-step process of how to do these quick sketches, go here.
~~~~~~~~

I added a wash of watercolor to give the pony dimension and personality.

I'll be going into a lot more details of this technique as the summer rolls on.

I'm hoping I'll inspire you to take on the challenge and do your own daily drawings

this summer, right along with me!

Feel free to use my photos. If posting online, please include #DrawingEveryday

 attribution and a link back to where you got the reference, thanks!

It feels really good to be back in the saddle again!

Hugs and Happy Creating!

And don't forget to join our DrawingEveryday facebook group!
~~~~~~

X ♥  O

 

Thinking of Fall, White Horses and the Jersey Devil

Today I've been working on this year's Cranberry Festival Program Book. I've been doing the cover for about ten years and it always features the Jersey Devil. Since the festival is a fund raiser for the restoration of the White Horse Inn, this year I'm featuring the White Horse again. Here's one of the many sketches that are floating around the studio. 

Reiner Klimke Clinic

Dr Reiner Klimke (January 14, 1936 – August 17, 1999) was a German equestrian, who won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage at the Summer Olympics — a record for equestrian events. He appeared in six Olympic Games from 1960 to 1988 (excluding 1980). This sketch is from a photo taken at one of the only clinics this master horseman ever gave in the United States.

It's a Filly!

Another quick pencil sketch from one of the best days of my life. Less than an hour old, Rita is still all wet in the photo.

A Mother's Tender Touch

A quick sketch done from one of the photos of the birth of my horse, Santa Margarita.