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

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

 

A Nice Note And Drawing Everyday Update

I had a nice email this morning from Maurice Scheetz. He wrote;"Greetings Sandy Sandy, I am trying to return to the earlier joy of the "Artist Way" and perspective - to re-establish and re-order the "artist studio" that used to give me so much comfort. A birder/ walker/ friend that I met on wooded trail and I - have just begun to meet at my place - my excuse to re-new my art - to draw and paint together. So I found a copy of your Sensational Sketches in Six Simple Steps in a notebook of mine and that led me back to your web site and thus to this note. On our next meet-up, we plan to use this demo of yours as a jumping off point. Please subscribe me to more!"

Today's photo is of two of the senior students from my studio drawing classes that I did in Florida the week before last. We all did the Hummingbird Demo that Maurice is referring to. (And, I have been informed that the course was a huge hit with all the students.) :-D

You can print out your own copy of my step-by-step demo here. Only 5 weeks until Drawing Everyday starts up again folks!

Free 10 Week Photoshop Course!

I'm repeating this info. from my web log today, as I don't want anybody to miss out on this great deal! I just signed up for Creative Techs' 10-Week Photoshop Course by Jason Hoppe. My friend, Nancy Louie, alerted me to this incredible deal! This course is FREE, but since it is already in session and I didn't want to miss any of the ones that have already aired, I opted to purchase the full 10 weeks of recordings on audio file and PDF handout for only $50.00! Wow, how awesome is that! Now I can listen to all of them at any time and repeatedly if I need to. Sometimes (or I should say usually) this technical stuff takes some trial and error and review with me. Each new weekly recording should be active by the Monday following each Thursday class.

Feb 26: Week 1 - Photoshop Basics
Mar 5: Week 2 - Photoshop Layers
Mar 12: Week 3 - Selection Basics
Mar 19: Week 4 - Advanced Selections
Mar 26: Week 5 - Masks
Apr 2: Week 6 - Pen Tool / Shape Layers
Apr 9: Week 7 - Drawing Tools / Brushes
Apr 16: Week 8 - Retouching
Apr 23: Week 9 - Color Correction pt1
Apr 29: Week 9 - Color Correction pt2

The Education You Deserve

The Nuthatch is one of the only birds to go down the tree head first. They remind us to get involved; jump in "head first" rather than just test the water with our little toe. My 2008 Spirit Art Workshop is coming up fast.

"A man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind." ~ James Allen