Draw A Hummingbird in Pencil and Watercolor Wash

See Sandy's Six Steps to Sensational Sketches!

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 I produced this video several years ago, showing the basic approach
to my pencil and watercolor sketching technique.

Refine your skills with this simple step-by-step "Six Steps to Sensational Sketches" Technique. Why not give this easy method a try!? Here you'll find helpful information on the process, lots of inspiration and suggestions on the basic supplies you'll need.  Watch the video through the first time or two without drawing, then follow along, pausing the video to catch up if you need to. Start sketching today and I believe after watching this video and following along, you'll be amazed at the results as you see improvement with each effort. *Note: I show this wash technique using two colors, but if you want to simplify things, you can just use black.

Happy Creating My Friends!

Come Join Our Summer Sketching Session on Facebook!
 

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Here we Go Again!

"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
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I believe anyone with the desire and with daily practice can develop the ability to draw. This is a sampling of drawings from seven summers in a row, (2006-2012), of drawing everyday which were posted on http://drawingeveryday.com I have not practiced this skill daily for several years, but decided that 2017 would be the year to do it again, because I love a challenge and I know first hand what benefits and advances daily practice (of any skill) can produce. So won't you join me this year, for a summer of growth and accomplishment? Follow my blog and join our facebook group for over 90 days of sketching everyday from June 1st - August 31st!

Come and join our facebook Drawing Everyday Group! 

Thanks for stopping by!

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Bears and Crows in Pencil and Watercolor

Spirit Bear

This morning, I decided to do another painting on Yupo paper. I set my alarm for twenty minutes, thinking I might submit it to the Twenty Minute Challenge.  I redrew yesterday's sketch on Yupo paper with a black Prismacolor pencil and then painted quickly and boldly with transparent watercolor.  I have been thinking about the mystical Spirit Bears up in British Columbia ever since I saw this National Geographic video.

I have been practicing contour drawings which made me realize that I don't draw the interior of my subjects enough. Contour drawing should be about exploring and expressing the shapes inside of the outlines. This was done from the bear photo I posted.

This bear figurine has a lot of shape and texture which I really got into and overstated. In drawing, I try to practice, improve, learn, grow, push my boundaries and not to be too concerned about the end result.

Two minute gesture drawings are a great drill and help you to see the big picture without getting bogged down in the itty-bitty details. This is a plastic toy bear that I have sketched many times. I kept turning it a quarter turn after each 120 seconds. See more sketches and a photo of this bear.

These two minute gesture sketches of a crow are done with a 3B pencil. When each two minutes is up, the crow (a Halloween decoration) is turned 1/4 turn, the same way as the bear above. I strongly recommend this exercise! Remember everything is sketchable.

I'm not the only one sketching bears these days! YAY!! Thanks Susan!

Susan Bronsak posted these adorable critters on her blog here and here.

I hope you are getting inspired and your summer is off to a great start!

Thanks for reading and as always, I'd love to hear from you!

Jon Gnagy - Mountain Lake Demo

Approximately 7.5 x 9.5 " done with grey and black charcoal sticks in my sketchbook. I liked working smaller in pencil yesterday. Perhaps I didn't work big enough for the charcoal or maybe I just like the pencil because I am used to using it.