Learning by Doing

Sketch of houseplant (Start 1/30)

I'm already thinking about what projects I'd like to take on in the new year. One has really got my interest and so I've started. I'd really like to make 30-50 sketches or "starts" from life.

In Alla Prima, Richard Schmid lists about 6 ways that you can start a painting. He advocates that you should know how to do them all, as the demands of each painting differ and so the best starting practices differ. As I apply that to colored pencils, I can think of about 4 or 5 ways to begin a drawing. Two of those ways I'm really practiced at, the others not so much. So, my idea is to repeatedly try out the 3 remaining ways to see what I can learn.

These would all just be starts, the point is to learn. So, I am not going to demand that I finish each one. In addition, I would like to work more from life than I have had been of late. So, I'm going to ask myself to do them all from life. I hope this will force me to get out the door and into the local parks and gathering places.

The above sketch is my first start - on a day when I couldn't get out, I drew a plant from my kitchen. I definitely enjoyed trying to apply what I've been reading, although I felt very much like a kid feels when they are first learning to ride a bike - wild and out of control!

 

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A Second Visit with the Tulips

Tulips
colored pencil on paper
7in x 5in
copyright 2012 Rose Welty
$45

Yesterday I mentioned one way that I'm trying to find my way forward. Today I'll mention another.

Sometimes when I feel stuck, I revisit an earlier piece. A few years ago I did a piece with tulips in acrylics. It is, in fact, one of my most popular notecards. I've always wanted to try it again in a different medium. I was looking to see the difference the medium makes and my own growth and change as an artist.

The acrylic version sold a few years ago. But this new colored pencil version is now available for sale. It is matted with an 8inx10in white mat, ready for you to frame:

Any questions? See my FAQs page or email me.

Choose your delivery

Free local delivery in 27587 $45.00 USD USPS Delivery $50.00 USD

The Pleasure of Simplicity

Yesterday I said, simple should be simple.

That's when it hit me. I was over complicating, saying unnecessary things, distracting from the main point. There was only one thing to say:

The Pleasure of Simplicity
colored pencil on paper
7in x 5in
copyright 2012 Rose Welty
$45, click for details

The Pleasure of Simplicity is available at my Daily Paintworks gallery. It is matted to 8in x 10in and ready to frame:

Simple Should Be Simple

Only sometimes it's not. A while back my charming husband brought home flowers. There was one that had gotten bent off, so I rescued it and put it in a little jar and put it on my kitchen windowsill. I think I enjoyed that single one as much as the whole bouquet. Somehow it reminded me to be mindful of small things, to enjoy the littlest of pleasures:

Immediately I thought how fun it would be to do a series of "simple pleasures" pieces based on my own life.

Well, the fun may be waning.

My first go at this first piece: The Underbelly (aka the ugly stage).

I tossed that a few days ago. Second go:

And today I'm going to give it a third go. Amidst the irony, I press on.

Dogwood Spring

Dogwood Spring
12in x 18in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty

Amongst all the colors of spring, the white of dogwood blooms seem to have a special elegance.

Azaleas

Azaleas
colored pencil on paper
7in x 5in
copyright 2012 Rose Welty
click to buy, $45

This week I was casting around for something to draw. I finally hit upon these azalea blooms - my reference was taken in spring on one of my photography mornings. Interestingly, the azaleas in my front yard have a few blooms right now - seems out of season, but they look lovely.

The weather has been cooler the last few days, I think I better gear up for some fall foliage photography mornings!

Azaleas is for sale at my Daily Paintworks gallery. It has been matted to 8in x 10in, ready for you to frame:

I Know That Face

The Artist's Eldest Son
colored pencil on paper
13in x 9.5in
copyright 2012 Rose Welty

Jumped into another portrait. I'm really enjoying doing these.

Dance of the Houseplant

Dance of the Houseplant
7in x 5in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty
$45

This plant sits right next to my kitchen sink. I look at it while I wash up each evening. For days a drawing has been forming in my mind - something a bit abstract - something that focuses on the amazing growth pattern of this plant - something that highlights the way your eyes move as you follow the light around the leaves. This drawing is very close to the image in my mind. This is what I see when I look at this plant - I'm somehow carried away by those leaves to a place of peace.

This plant was given to me several weeks ago. It was just a small little thing then, the plant is thriving and will have no problem covering my counter. As it was a gift, it's my response to the recent gift-themed art challenge.

Dance of the Houseplant is available for purchase. It is matted and ready for framing at 8in x 10in:

And because I just can't resist, here is the artwork with it's inspiration:

Please see my FAQs page with any questions, or feel free to email me.

Choose your delivery

Free local delivery in 27587 $45.00 USD USPS Delivery $50.00 USD

Stillness and Peace, colored pencil drawing

Stillness and Peace
$45
7in x 5in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty

Summertime around my house is not about stillness or peace. It's about jamming as much into each day as physically possible. We have lots of young boy energy to disperse each day. So when I saw this statue in Latvia on Google Maps, for the Virtual Paintout, I just had to draw it.

For the last several nights I've gotten to my drawing chair when quietness has descended on the house and happily drew myself some stillness and peace - at least enough to be ready for the next crazy summer day.

Summer days are an exhausting adventure to cherish - my sons are still at an age when they like having me about. :-)

Stillness and Peace is available for sale. It is matted to 8in x 10in, ready for you to frame:

Please see my FAQs page for any questions or email me.

Choose your delivery

Free local delivery in 27587 $45.00 USD USPS Delivery $50.00 USD

My Closest Neighbor

My Closest Neighbor
5in x 7in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty
SOLD

When you come to my house, this sight will probably greet you. This bird and it's family live closer to us than any other neighbors - they have taken up residence right outside the front door in a holly bush. They guard the basketball hoop as if we pay them - they are often squawking away on it. They are unafraid of letting you know that you have disturbed their nap time.

Yes, we have a family of mockingbirds in our yard. Despite the fact that they are "black and white" in a very colorful setting, I do find them a beautiful bird. They are very quick and rather brave in how they dart about staking their claim.

Spring Tulips

Spring Tulips
5in x 7in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty

My friend Jeanette Jobson issued a spring tulip challenge last week. Yes, last week - when it was still spring - it's in the 90s where I am and Jeanette is getting wet snow.

Enjoy spring while you can!

I, for one, am wishing that I had been more focused on getting the garden projects done when it was so lovely to be out there. :-)

Something Better Than Copying: Harold Speed 2

Dogwood Branch
5in x 7in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty
$45

"It is surprising how few art students have any idea of what it is that constitutes art." 

 --Harold Speed

Continuing on from last time, I've got a few tidbits from the introduction to Harold Speed's The Practice and Science of Drawing.

Speed spends the introduction (chapter 1) discussing what constitutes art, seeing as he feels that most art students don't know what it is. You have to love the frankness. ;-)

"It is highly essential that they [art students] have some better idea of art than that it consists in setting down your canvas before nature and copying it."

-- Harold Speed

If you take one thing from the chapter, that's it. Art is not photography. He has plenty to say about the necessity of accuracy, he just feels it is more of a "given" or basic thing that should be there and then the artist needs to go beyond that.

Speed also gives his goal for the education of a painter:
"The study, therefore, of the representation of visible nature and of the powers of expression possessed by form and colour is the object of the painter's training."

-- Harold Speed

Dogwood Branch is available for purchase. It will come to you matted to 8in x 10in and ready for framing.

Choose your delivery

Free local delivery in 27587 $45.00 USD USPS Delivery $50.00 USD

Spring Show Off

Spring Show Off
7in x 5in
colored pencil on paper
copyright 2012 Rose Welty
click to buy

Do flowers speak to you? It seems like they speak to me sometimes. When I'm walking along, just enjoying the scenery...daisies and pansies always say "here to brighten your day"...roses say "elegance is always good"...but bearded irises just say "look at me, I'm amazing." I love the irises nonetheless, but they do show off a fair bit. I told my son they wouldn't last too long in the garden, so he runs off the bus each day and counts how many we have.

If you are interested in Spring Show Off you can purchase it at Daily Paintworks. It will come to you matted and ready for framing, as below:

Spring Show Off, matted

Hope

Hope
7in x 5in
colored pencil on paper
copyright Rose Welty
click to buy

My kitchen sink is in the corner of the kitchen. Consequently, I have two windows to look at when I'm washing up. One looks onto a redbud tree of mine, the other looks onto a white flowering tree of my neighbor. I haven't had a chance to ask him what it is, but it so lovely this time of year. This bud is from his tree. It starts out green like it is here, then when it unfurls the petals turn white. I will be doing another drawing of the white blooms.

I was down in the dumps last week - I had been trying to photograph some birds and not having even mild success. Then, as the sun was setting I looked out at that tree and saw these elegant buds - my hope was restored and I went out with my camera. I got some great shots and went out again the next day and found more beauty - even a few birds.

If this "Hope" has caught your eye, you can purchase it at my Daily Paintworks gallery. It will come to you matted (to 8in x 10in), ready to frame, as below:

Hope, matted to 8in x 10in

Just A Glance

Just A Glance
5in x 7in
colored pencil on paper
copyright Rose Welty
SOLD

American Robins are quite plentiful around where I live. They are some of the first birds you see as winter slips away and spring edges closer. I love their beautiful golden breasts and dark gray heads - a lovely combination. They are quick - you only get a glance before they take off.



Also a shout out to Ann Thompson Nemcosky - I was a part of her daffodil challenge over the weekend. Ann does some lovely work and has been a good friend over the years. We met through our blogs but really got to know each other better studying a color project together. Check her out!

Keeping An Eye

Keeping An Eye
5in x 7in
colored pencil on colored paper
copyright Rose Welty
click to buy

When I was out photographing flowers the other day, I turned away from the tulips and was startled by this cardinal standing behind me. He didn't tell me what he thought of my photography, but he did allow me to grab a few quick shots before he scampered off.

This piece was done on Stonehenge "Fawn" paper. It's a "tan" sort of color - the paper shows through in several areas.

"Keeping an Eye" is available for sale at Daily Paintworks. It will come to you matted to 8in x 10in, as below:

matted "Keeping An Eye", copyright Rose Welty

Spring Burst

Spring Burst
5in x 7in
colored pencil on paper
copyright Rose Welty
Sold

The other day I was on a walk with my husband at lunch time - this tree stopped me in my tracks. We were walking more for exercise than viewing pleasure so we had to push on, but I did go back later with the camera and snap a few photos.

It is a gorgeous time of year here. The whole town is yellow - there is that much pollen in the air - but the blooming trees are absolutely stunning.

Spring Burst has now sold. You can purchase it as a notecard at FineArtAmerica. For other originals I have for sale please see my gallery at Daily Paintworks.

How I Work: Step One

value drawing from A Place to Park

Ever wonder what goes into a colored pencil drawing?

Step One: Value Drawing
I draw the whole piece in one pencil. I just begin sketching and work out lights and darks. (In the piece above  you bright sparks will notice that the door at the top of the stairs has two colors in it - that is what happens when you shut things down at 11pm and decide you just really need to make that one part a bit darker before going to bed!)

Most colored pencil work begins with a refined line drawing and then the artist colors it in. This is largely because colored pencils are transparent and you can't easily "paint over" or "wipe" a section that has gone awry like you can with oil paints and other opaque mediums.

For me, seeing an image build before my eyes is like magic. I just start off with a few shapes, keep adding them like a puzzle and then TADA, I have some thing recognizable. Coloring in a line drawing is just not as fun.

Or dangerous! :D

Bluejays and Gratitude

Bluejay Spark
colored pencil on paper
7in x 5in
copyright Rose Welty

Bluejay Spark
I've named this one Bluejay Spark because bluejays often add a spark and a shine to my day as they jet past me on some bird mission. Their bright colors remind me of all the beauty there is for us down here to enjoy.

This piece may well end up in the Nature Museum Gallery show that my local CPSA group is doing in the coming months. Unless, of course, I decide I'd rather enter the one I started today...see the beginnings on my facebook fan page.

Gratitude
The last few days I've been working on my thankfulness - reminding myself how my life is blessed. Truly, I have so much to be thankful for all around me. I've been listing 5 things each day or so - just to remind myself of all there is - and to have them written down to look back over in the years to come. It's a great exercise, I highly recommend it.

American Robin, colored pencil on paper

American Robin
9in x 13in
colored pencil on paper
copyright Rose Welty

Today is a bright sunny day - just gorgeous with it's inviting light and yet still on the cool side. When I started this piece spring was far younger - the days were still gray, nothing had really bloomed and we were still all wearing heavy coats. It was, just in that "gray" time, that American Robins seemed to flood our neighborhood. Their warm colored chests stood out so brightly in all the gray - small promises of the end of winter.

That same redbud tree is now changing from it's glorious purple blooms to bright green leaves - how quickly the landscape changes.