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Artistcoveries

Discovering the joy of art

Category: Graphite Pencils

A Challenge to Myself

Many years ago I heard a motivational speech about overcoming our weaknesses. It’s not enough, the speaker advised, to simply … More

Barrington Barber, Drawing animals, Melissa Washburn, Robert Louis Caldwell

Drawing Through

I learned something today. Of course, I try to learn something every day, and usually I do come across at … More

Drawing animals, Drawing Through, Melissa Washburn

49 Dots and Other Drawing Exercises

In the summer of 2021 I downloaded an art instruction book by Barrington Barber — Learn to Draw: 10-Week Course … More

Barrington Barber, Drawing exercises, Fundamentals of Drawing

The Shadow Knows

I’m old enough to remember “The Shadow” radio program. Although it began in 1937, a bit before my time, it … More

Craftsy, Drawing Source, Frank Readick, Gary Faigin, Mad Charcoal, Marina Fridman, Portraits, The Shadow

School’s Out!

Being a life-long learner, I seem to naturally move with the rhythms of the school year. My excitement peaks each … More

Barrington Barber, Fundamentals of Drawing, Summer vacation

Close Your Eyes… And Draw

In learning art, we hear over and over again about how important it is that we LOOK at what we’re … More

Abstract Face Doodles, Blind Contour Drawing, Lily Sol

It Ain’t Me, Babe

If you’re old like me, you’ll remember this Bob Dylan classic. “It Ain’t Me, Babe” is said to be one … More

Art Media, Art supplies, Bob Dylan, Collage

Making Messy Art

Many times I’ve said that creativity is “making a mess” — but that’s only part of it. The rest of … More

Bad art, Barrington Barber, Creative process, Karen Abend, Making messes, Sketchbook Revival 2022, Tamara LaPorte

More Academic Drawing

A little over a year ago — March 2021 — I shared a sketch I’d made while following a demonstration … More

Academic Drawing, Ashley Bane Hurst, Authenticity, Basic Shapes, Comparative Measurement, Confidence, loose watercolor, Sighting, Sketchbook Revival 2022, Suhita Shirodkar

Let’s Pretend

As I browsed through the various workshops offered during this year’s “Sketchbook Revival”, one in particular caught my attention. It … More

attitude, Confidence, Expectations, Fear, Ida Andersen Lang, Pretense, Sketchbook Revival 2022, The King and I

Graphitint Pencils

I buy a lot of art supplies. Some I purchase because I really need them. Others I buy because I … More

Derwent, Graphitint, Water-soluble pencils

Subtle Influences in Art

I’ve always had a fascination about influences. I love reading, for instance, that Mary Cassatt was influenced by Japanese woodblock printing, … More

Influences in art, Neurographic drawing

Make of It What You Will

“Art Days” with grandsons Madox and Carsen are always fun times around our house. Our most recent Art Day involved … More

Art and children, Drawing Games, Mythical Createures

Art Misconceptions

Because I had a very limited acquaintance with art as a child, I grew up with a lot of misconceptions, … More

Acrylic ink, Arnold Fletcher, Art Media, graphite, Ink, Kate Berry, Oil, Oil Pastels, Watercolor

From Afar

From the time I first began oil painting, I’ve been aware of how very different art looks up close as … More

Bert Dodson, Catherine Holmes, Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques, graphite, Keys to Drawing, Shading Exercises, Value studies

Rocky Falls: Value Study

When I began my current project — Rocky Falls — I first made several small “value sketches” designed to help … More

composition, focal point, Reference Photos, Rocky Falls, The process of painting, Value studies

Tonal Bars

A few days ago I picked up Keys to Drawing — my current favorite “how to draw” book — and … More

Bert Dodson, Exercises, Tonal bars, Value scales

A Shopping List for Learning

I like lists. Some people do, others don’t, and I’m one of those people who is always making one list … More

Art Studies, Artists Network, Self-Evaluation

The 5-Minute Burn

Got your phone? You probably have it in your hand, right? And it probably has a “timer” feature included with … More

5-Minute Burn, Bert Dodson, Drawing Exercise, Observation

Disoriented Dreams

Throughout much of my adult life, I’ve had a recurring dream. I see myself at an airport, and I’m trying … More

Going in Circles, Karen Abend, Ranunculus, Sarah Simon, Sketchbook Revival, The process of art

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