Laurelines

February again, on several fronts

There's the fall show front, here represented by a color, texture, and composition study of hyacinths made in my ever-present portable studio, also known as my Stillman & Birns Alpha Series 8 1/2 x 11 sketchbook. This is the fun part! Who knows what relationship the final pieces will have to these studies. We will all find out in time. Oh, and that's a sweet gum ball at the bottom of the page. More fun with textures!

There's the illustration front. This is a portrait of Zach Clayton, a columnist for Walter Magazine, making his debut in the current issue (February 2014.)  He was easy to do. He has lots of facial architecture, unlike some of my other subjects. Do you sense a smidge of frustration in that last phrase? Clever you.

 

 

 

The last two are images from my personal drawing/painting front, a project I started earlier this month. It's a long story, that one, and I'll tell it soon.

 

 

 

 

Four from February

February finds me a little scattered. I'm trying to simplify means and method and media in sketching. Here I had to work quickly (which is, after all, what sketching IS) because baby Miles was sure to wake up any minute. I've used two Pitt Artist pens,  a smidge of watercolor, and a fountain pen. Would love to pare down my sketching gear, for now, to these three basics.

No surprise, I'm back to drawing on my toned Strathmore paper. It's addictive. I first used it 2 or 3 years ago and I've been in love with it since. Below is my tabletop, a view the day after a Norwegian meal I prepared: 

Below: two of many drawings on various subjects in a series. Could I get any vaguer than that description if I tried? 

And I've got to get started seriously on my work (both paintings and drawings) for the upcoming fall show! The theme is plants: mostly flowers, but some trees, etc. I have to figure out a way to produce pieces that are personal and powerful. Otherwise, there's no point ;D.