My Scribal Desk

My two art critics approve. LOL

My hubby built me this desk. It's made of solid Oak and is on the heavy side (well for me anyway). It is portable and the legs are removable. It even has a draw and the inside has room to store things like brushes and paper.

My next goal is a chair to go with the desk. :)

Paper! It makes a difference!

I'm continuing to learn about how to use color pencils. I've learned a lot about compliment colors, shading and layering. It's still hard to me and I feel a bit like I"m still in over my head. But I'm sticking with it.

I've been able to apply these skills to my watercolor and gouache work. I've also been working with Alcohol and Kosher Salt. And I'll write more later about my discoveries.

This post is about paper!!!!
OMG my Bristol paper isn't white. OK you artist types stop laughing at me. I have stated many times. I'm self-taught and I'm learning. Anyway...Thanks to Shannon for pointing this out.

I've had a pad of Borden & Riley, BleedProof Paper for a while. I decided to give it a try as Shannon works on this paper and likes it. She's an awesome talented artist and I hope to be closer to her talent some day. Or to let the world know about her talent.

We put a sheet of Borden and Bristol side by side. The Borden is WHITE!!!!! The Bristol looks dull and even yellow. I tried this under several different types of light. Sunlight = ouch, very bright. lol

Don't get me started on Bristol Sketch Series 400. This piece is done on the Bristol Series 400. The 400 is dull and not kind if you need to erase. Actually, I kinda like how this turned out but I think it's probably in need of another layer of color pencil. The 400 is expensive and super thin. Maybe I'm doing this all wrong. [shrug] Nuf said there.

Borden's is a bit tricky to work with. It's a very, very smooth surface and this took a little getting used to. The colors just pop. It's amazing. I also have less surface lines (texture) not sure how to explain this. But the color goes on smoother.

I have finished several pieces and I hope to have all of them posted in a bit.

Trading Cards? hmmmmmm

I have better individual close-ups on my dA site.

These are fun things to do. I've been experminting with a variety of media. The P, A, and stain glass are done in gouache and water color.

The Rose is water color and metalic water color. It's lost in the scan but it shimmers and looks kinda neat.

I also used silver shimmer for the Tunnel.

The dragon is a done with ink. Kind a cool.
All the cards are free-handed and done just for fun. I plan on do more as soon as something comes to mind.

Color Pencil Class?

On Tuesday I attended a Color Pencil Class? Well, not class in the strictest since of the word. A wonderful lady named Tina from PAL has agreed to teach me about Color Pencils and their use. It's informal which I enjoy. She's a good teacher with a lot of patience and very encouraging.
There are two other very tallented people in the class. One is my girlfriend S who does incredible art work. I have a link to her site on the side of my blog. The other gentle is B. He was working on some flowers. Oh MY!! It was beautiful. I feel so out of place. I don't know many art terms. I can't really draw fast. It takes me hours upon hours to get something to were I like it.

This is a very new media to me. I'm having a frustrating time trying to shading and show depth. What's the secrete? Why is it so hard? I thought this should be realitvely easy. No water. No brushes. No overwetting. Even mixing color should be easy. Sigh Why is this so different?
I've been searching the web and found a few helpful sites. I tried using the blending pencil which is a kind a cool effect. But once you blend it seems you can't do anything else with it that area.
I've used watercolor pencils and those seem very easy to show shading after I had water. I've done a lot of practice and I might post some scans. Just so I can see if there is any improvement.
Well it's back to the sketch book and a breakthrough of inspiration.

WOW has it really been this long?

I've been spending a lot of time on dA (deviantart.com) I did a book of prayers for a commision earlier last year and got ripped off. I'm heart broken but with the saddeness have learned a lot of lessons. If you click on the underlined link above, you can see it. One of the pages was done my girlfriend.

It will eventually go up on my web page. I so have to update that too. It's sad to admit, I let so many things go by the wayside. Well... enough of that. All I can do it learn and move on.

I have plans to start posting again. I'm excited and renewed.

First order of business is to finish organizing and cleaning the art room.
I made a huge missing mess looking for stuff. I taught a class on diapering techniques, last week. More on that later. It was fun.

I attended an art show yesterday called "Art in the Park". It was my first one. I've attended craft shows but nothing this focused. Many different types of media and lots of inspirations. I got some cards and had great conversations. I'm looking forward to following up with many of the artists. I only took one picture and that was at the very end. Everyone was packing up and leaving. The show was so wonderful, I forgot about wanting to take pictures.

The group is called PAL. Plainfield Art League. So many of the people were so kind and welcoming. My girlf friend and I are now Art Legaue memembers. :) My girlfriend and her hubby paid for my membership. :)

Well time to tackle the art room. :)

Scroll Blank - 4

Scroll Blank 4
Inspiration: Painted Prayers Book of Hours - Simon
My book is upstairs and will make the exact reference when I get up to my art room
Materials: Watercolor, Gouache, Crow Quill, various brushes, bristol

This was a challenge and stretch. I hate acanthus leaves. I just can't seem to get that twist. I kind a liked working with the darker colors which is out of the norm for me. I prefer bright colors that pop off the page.

I hope TRM's liked them.

Scroll Blank - 3

Scroll Blank 3
Inspiration: Painted Prayers Book of Hours - French 15th c. I think.
Materials: Gouache, Watercolor, Bristol, Crow Quill and mix of brushes.

This was a bit of strech and I'm not sure if I like this or not. Maybe in couple of weeks, I'll look at it and be happy with it. Only time will tell. I tried a new techinque this time which seemed to help. I layed a light wash and built from there. Normally it's slap the paint on and I'm done.

This was the 3 in series given to Henry so he could present them as a gift to the Crown.

I hope they were well received.

Scroll Blank -2

I probably should have taken more time with this one. I ended up spending 1 1/2 days on it. That wasn't the plan. I just got into working and forgot to stop and take a few breaks. Boy did I pay for it the next day and day after that. lol

This design inspiration is from Rohan Masters Collection. Roughly about the 15th century if I recall correctly. I used the same materials as I did in Scroll Blank - 1. This one has lots of details in the flowers. The lines and sqwiggles are done with a crow quill. But I can see now that some of them appear to be heavy handed. I should have taken breaks. Oh well, live and learn. I still have three more to go. But house stuff is calling my name.

Scroll Blank-1

Material: Pergamenta, 22K Italian Loose Leaf Gold, gouache, Calli black ink, crow quill, 20/0, 12/0 brush, traditional gesso base

The design inspiration comes from a book called the Visconti Hours.

I'm not a 100% happy with this but I'm happy I finally made something. It will hopefully be the first of five. I promiced to give all five blanks to a friend for a project he is organizing.

I need to get back in practice. I should have given more time drying time between laying the color and white work.

But overall, I'm just happy to have completed something.
It felt good sitting down in my new studio. Come to think of it, it's the first thing I've made (art wise) in the new studio.