I was doodling on my IPad, and I cartooned me! Now I have a new Avatar for my blogs. I love the app, Adobe Ideas, and drawing freehand on my IPad! It’s credible professional tool for the artist and HiRes!
“A Little Sunshine”
I enjoyed using these bright sunny colors! I’ve got spring fever, and I’ve got it bad!
6″x6″ Acrylic on Canvas, painted around a 1″ edge.
Mr. Blue Sky
I’m looking forward to seeing more blue skies. These palette knife paintings have been from memory, as we don’t have any green in our landscape yet this year. Spontaneous is more fun anyway! 6″x6″ acrylic on canvas, painted around the 1″edges. It’s a bit like frosting a cake!
“Painting the Roses Red”
When I had a rose garden I was intrigued by how they opened. I haven’t been able to keep them alive through the winter in the colder climate we live in now, at least not the Hybrid Tea Roses I like the best.
I want to try this again, and apply the colors more separately. The palette knife is new to me, but I’m learning and having fun!
6″x6″ Acrylic on Canvas, painted around the 1″ edge.
Palette Knife Play
If it’s been a long time since I’ve painted, why not use lots of paint!
I enjoyed slopping it on liberally!
6″x6″ Acrylic on canvas panel
Getting Back in the Swing
Some life drawing to get back into the creative flow again. It went very fast this time. I had time to spare, in 1 hour and a half.
Pastel on paper 10×18
Playing with Paint
And now for something completely different… I realized that I hadn’t painted since last winter, and painting is my mainstay. The project that had consumed me for the past six months was in pastel. This morning I was in the mood! I never use a palette knife, but I wanted to play and experiment. I proceeded without a plan, or an image in my head, just lots of paint on my palette, and a knife. I am reasonably satisfied with the outcome, and I know how I want to proceed tomorrow, with a plan, loads of fresh paint, and a blank canvas.
Time for Life Drawing
Now that the picture book project is behind me, I have time for life drawing again, and to spend time with my art buddies. 🙂 We meet weekly, it is one of the best learning experiences I’ve had.
I liked this pose, I would like to try it again, from another angle, possibly the back.
19.5″x 12.5″ hard pastel on beige pastel paper
Khor Wakow School Celebration
I finished the last of the 28 pages of illustrations today! This is a rendering of the school as it will look, and with traditional dancers celebrating in front. The picture book “David’s Journey”, by David Jal was created to raise funds to build a school in his village in South Sudan. I am celebrating too!
Gaar Ritual Illustration
It’s getting close to my deadline for the picture book, I’ve been so intent on reaching for that I haven’t spared anytime for this blog. I will try to post more of them once I’m under less pressure.
This illustration depicts the controversial Gaar Ritual, where a boy goes naked into manhood, receiving the trademark lines of the Nuer tribe across his forehead under a blade. The right of passage grants the him privilege to own cattle, marry, and raise a family. It is tradition, and important to the author, but how to illustrate it in a American child’s picture book? I showed him before he goes under the blade. In earlier times their would be more nudity, before the village was touch by the western world. A cow is sacrificed and distributed, he is at least present in the picture. On the right the author is looking back and reflecting on this day. It will be up to the author to decide how to describe this delicate issue.
TracyB.art 