40th World Sketch Day - Sketches

                                    Colored Pencil on Mixed Media Strathmore Visual Journal
                                                                          5.5 X 8

Some of you may not have heard of a "Sketch Craw"  or World Sketch Day but it's kind of like an Internationally observed day to sketch everywhere around the world.  Oh no, now I have the Martha and The Vandellas song "Dancing In The Street" playing in my head.  Anyway, it's also kind of like a college bar crawl, going from place to place sketching for the day.  Wine or alcohol optional, but sketching your lunch is encouraged.  I however only had a few hours in the morning to spare so I invited lots of friends, students and other known sketchers to participate.  For more information see link:
http://www.sketchcrawl.com/  or the Facebook Sketch Crawl site at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2204425203/?fref=ts

The crazy weather we have had here in VA had me searching for an indoor/outdoor location close to home (due to a busy schedule), and of course a bathroom since there will be coffee involved ;-).  It seems the more I try to plan anything outdoors the rains come and ruin it.  So with coffee in hand, my small sketch kit and a folding chair I headed off to a local nursery to get started.

It is advisable if your inviting friends to a business location to call in advance to get permission.  In this case Richmond's "Great Big Greenhouse" was gracious enough to let us come in early at 8 AM.  A really nice nursery with wonderful plants inside and out.  It was really hard to NOT shop for plants and great garden and home accessories but get down to the business of sketching.

So I placed myself near the front entrance in the greenhouse so I could be aware of the few who said they might join me.  Near the collection of indoor ferns on sale.  After getting started on a small vignette at the edge of the plant table I greeted a previous student of mine, Cheryl who was happy for an excuse to get out sketch, shop and catch up.  You know this is also a great social event, if others hadn't been on summer vacation several others said they would have come.  Here's a photo of the ferns from my iphone:

I actually sat a little lower than this view when I did the above sketch.  The day went from threatening clouds to sunny skies so I opted to stay in the greenhouse.   I next moved on the Bonsai plant area which I love, and found a really neat asian garden lantern.  Since I'm on a quest to learn pen and ink sketching, I'm currently leaching myself this thru a 75 Day Sketch Challenge.  Only Ink is allowed, no pencil underneath  just ink.  I started this on June the 28th and will end it on Sept. 10th.  Each day you have to sketch something in your journal for 75 days.  I figure this would make me practice a more sure line, since it can't be erased or camouflaged by adding color.  Brenda Swenson started this challenge on her blog at:  brendaswenson.blogspot.com/    She's a water color and ink sketcher and does some really great work.  So as I bungle thru sketching with a micron pen in a Dick Blick ink sketchbook I received as a promotion, I'm learning to shade, hatch and double hatch my way thru the challenge.  I hope by day 75 it gets easier and faster and maybe a tiny bit better.  (By the way I'm going to have to check out this sketchbook more as it does not show bleed thru, is smooth for the pen and it's soft grey sheets would take some white pencil for highlights. After the challenge that is. )

I actually love journaling, travel journaling and working my way thru new challenges.  Sketchbooks need only be for you, not shared or publicized but enjoyed.  Getting out my first sketches always makes me feel better about how far I have come on my art journey.  Danny Gregory, author of "An Illustrated Life" and "An Illustrated Journey" encourages folks to journal, and document, but most of all enjoy the process.   Although many do so in watercolor and pen, I choose to mainly work in my beloved colored pencil, but still I can see the use of ink when called for and definitely for the script part of the page.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend, whether on not you observed World Sketch Day or not.  The next one should be in October this year as they seem to do 4 per year.  Grab your sketchbook and whatever your favorite media or just a regular pencil and try it.  I know next time I'm planning on making it past lunchtime before I cave in and shop!  ;-) Keep it colorful!

Gloria
And her new plant adoptees spent the rest of the day in her garden and conservatory getting acquainted....... 

Plein Air Colored Pencil Painting - On The James River

A week ago Richmond had it's second Plein Air Event sponsored by Brazier's Gallery 

on West Main Street.  Nationally known artists from around the country and locally competed in an week of plein air painting with the beneficiary our local Richmond Symphony.  Having participated in a past Richmond Symphony fundraiser and as an ex flute and piccolo player, it's a great group to support.  Two of my friends and I went down for the Fast and Fresh painting on Sat. morning where artists where set up on Monument Ave. in various locations to paint from 9am to 11am, with a judging and sale afterwards.  I have to tell you I met some plein air painters I had only read about in Plein Air Magazine, I was a groupie for sure.  Oil, watercolor, pastel and acrylic all media represented except my beloved CP.  But what this morning out had accomplished was just what I had hoped it to, inspire and motivate my two friends to try plein air working for the first time.  Resulting our plan to do so this last Thursday.  

 On June the 20th my two art friends and I,  plein air painted at James River Park in Chesterfield County, VA.  I of course worked in Colored Pencil while the other two worked in oil and acrylic.   Working with other painters is not new to me as I am often the only one working in colored pencil.  My usual goal when working outdoors with painters is to accomplish as much as possible in the same amount of time as they are willing to work onsite.  My slower to develop media means I'm usually the last to leave with less accomplished.  I accept that fact and by now I have learned to set a few goals for myself for each outing.  This time the goals were to get as much done faster than I have ever done in the past and to get a good feeling of atmospheric perspective.  I worked on an 8 X 10 hardboard that I had primed a while ago, a pale greyblue color with Colorfix's Blue Haze Primer, creating a sanded surface.  It seemed the perfect color to work fast and fresh on my own (see reference to the plein air event above). 

Above is the cropped view of my photo taken before I started. 

After scouting out a location at the park with a view of the James (which was very muddy after some thunderstorms the night before). We set out to work, my friends for the first time ever working plein air.  I thought to myself, "if it's their first time then I just may be able to accomplish a lot this time".  I usually work on white Ampersand Pastelboard (my favorite because of the ability to get truly light - lights) colored pencil being a translucent media.  This meaning the blue under-color of my primed board will show thru and change my hues and brightness.  On this bright and relatively cool June day I would be able to work more quickly not starting with a white surface.  Here is what I was able to    

accomplished in a 3 hour period of time (above).  Now this photo turned out a little more warm in tone than the second one to the right, not sure why.  The right one is also a bit bluer than the original due to my great photography skills, not sure why either.  ARGGG.  After arriving home and a quick bite to eat a late lunch, I took the above photo and sat down to work less than 30 more minutes on tweaks and missing info like: the ripples in the water and deepening the tones a little.   Really, I only worked a short time on this.  You will notice I added a smaller version of a tree on the on site photo to the lower left foreground, to point your eye into the painting a bit more.  Not sure if I like it but it's there to stay.   

What I learned this outing:

 #1 You cannot use watercolor pencils for an underpainting on the Colorfix primed surface, it will lay down well but when hit with water the color beads up on the surface and does not sink in like it does on the Ampersand Pastelboard I usually use.  When I have worked on the pastelboard I work 5 X 7 but this blue primed sanded surface allowed me to work 8 X 10 and get a lot done.  However it would have been faster if I could have underpainted with the WC CP's.  With this subject matter the blue hue of the board did not impact the overall tone much.

   

#2 Working with inexperienced plein air friends allows me time to get more done, thanks Kathy and Suzanne for trying this with me.  Next we are off to Suzanne's.

#3  There's nothing like getting out to see other professional artists plein air paint to get the inspiration juices flowing.

#4  I have great friends who will accompany me to paint plein air and to go out of their comfort zone and try new things.   

So everyone get out there and do some sketching, painting, observing.  Whether it's fast and fresh,  or as slow as CP we all can benefit from working outdoors.  First time or not we all have something to learn.  I'm already contemplating my next plein air goal in colored pencil.  Have a colorful day!

Gloria

CPSA Acceptance for the third time = Signature Status and Trademark information

                                               
                         "Harley's Davidson" 18 X 18 Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelboard

This has been a crazy year for me and I apologize for not having made more entries.  You see I have been nursing my left shoulder since forever it seems.  After rotator cuff surgery on March 4th I was finally able to finish the last details on my CPSA entry for this year the day before the deadline.  Having to work in my immobilizer sling was not easy.  With my submission complete, I began teaching my classes for the spring session.  Which brings me to the day I found out about my acceptance......

A friend and I had just returned home from a great museum trip to the National Gallery in DC, to view Albrecht Durer's pen and inks sketches for his paintings and for a jaunt around our favorite places to visit at the National.  Durer's work was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit.  I also had a chance to show my favorite Dutch master still life's to my friend, who had never seen them.

When I returned home, I checked my email from my phone and found a puzzling email from Paula Parks from the CPSA.  She was informing me of a possible hitch in showing my piece at the International show this summer.  Had I gotten in? Had they posted the entries early?  I quickly checked the website and found they had and I had!  After a very goofy happy dance, I returned to my senses and now re-read the email.  She was asking if I still planned on showing my piece at the convention and if I had permission from Harley Davidson Motorcycles to show the work.  She explained that they were very protective over their trademark and if I chanced showing it there might be fines or penalties.  Well, I have to tell you I never thought of this!  I thought the trademark logo was the wings image you see on leather jackets driving down the road very fast.  I spent the next 2.5 hours on Harley Davidson's website trying to find out how to reach them to get permission to show this work and gain my signature status.  You see this is my third acceptance within the prerequisite 10 year period of time, so it gives me my signature status in the CPSA and the right to place those letters after my name.  If I couldn't show it, I would not get the status!  I was a wreck and had to find a way to get a real person on the phone or by email.

You see I started this piece, not as my entry but as an example for one of my students, who had until this winter only worked on still life and botanical pieces.  He drove his motorcycle to class one day, and after I had razed him about being on a death machine, I told him he should do a piece with it as the subject.  Something for himself, not his wife.  We all know that when you work on something you love you do your best work.  This started my winter class for 2013 as "Shiny Subjects and Reflections".  I demonstrated and coached him thru his piece and I also worked on mine, in my free time.  I wanted to show in the class how to capture reflections in metal, glass, and other materials.  It was only when I realized I needed surgery that I came to the fact this Harley had to be my entry into the show.  It was from a photo reference I took on vacation on St. George's Island, FL.  I cropped it to be a square image, zeroing in on the workings of the bike.  I tried to finish it before surgery but this was one tricky and detailed piece.

Anyway I wrote emails, called and left messages at the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Co., in WI.  After two weeks of waiting and trying, I received an email stating I could show and sell my original.  They wanted to be clear that I was not to make reproductions of the work, no giclee's or digitals without a license to do so from them.  And I was to respond back that I understood their position.  And I did.  Now the above piece will be exhibited in the 21st International CPSA Exhibit in Brea, CA at the City of Brea Art Gallery July 31-Sept. 13, 2013.

I have to tell you I have seen many many pieces of motorcycle art in galleries, shows and competitions over time.  I never thought this might be a concern if you were not using the logo.  What I have learned from this:

1.  If your going to use a product in todays world that may have a trade name/trademark, do your homework.  Get permission before you put hundreds of hours into it.
2.  Plan out your piece so that the name/trademark is not on the image in it's full state.
3.  And count your luck stars when a big conglomerate gives you permission "Thank You Harley Davidson Motorcycles"!

I did ask about how to go about the licensing of prints and the cost, for curiosity's sake, and it's been 2 weeks and I haven't heard a word.  But at least I can go ahead and show my work.

I've waited to post this until I had word so you'll be seeing a few more completed pieces in the days to come.  Have a colorful day!
Gloria
 

  

2013 First New Piece

                  Backlit Teapot and Grapes 12 X 16 Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelboard SOLD

Another new piece finished and ready to be framed, but it seems to have me stumped as to which or how to frame it.  My normal go to frame (wide black with a strip of antique gold) just doesn't say wow!  So I'm looking at my options so the piece looks great and it still goes with my collection.  This seems to be an on going issue every several months.  My series of Backlit usually go with the above mentioned black framing but the warmth of this one just doesn't sing when given that option.  I usually am struck by the framing dilemma when my "go to" frame is no longer available, which usually happens when I have just settled on a great new one, reframing or framing a number of a new series that way.

Keeping your collection uniform looks great in your booth at the Art Center Gallery or your tent when showing outdoors, but sometimes it's just not the right frame for the piece.  I don't like to pigeon whole my design or color choices by the "norm" framing options, it stifles my evolving creative juices so to speak.   So if I settle on one this one may make it to Crossroads for tonight's opening, but don't count on it.

Pardon my being absent for a few weeks after a sprained ankle and shoulder problems seem to have gotten in the way with my art.  Attending PT for the should has me thankful that it's my left and not my right.  Realizing my art is so important to me that I'd be lost without it.  I hope your New Year has you thankful about something great in your life and your day is as colorful as my snow covered but sunny day here.

Gloria