Monday, December 28, 2015

Seven Years of Advent Candles

A friend was wondering how I draw candles for my Advent calendars.  Her question prompted me to think of all the candles together, and so I created this collage in PowerPoint.  It's seven years of Sunday candles, cropped from all my calendars.  I like the variety of shapes, colors, words, and styles -  realistic or abstract, simple or detailed. 

Each drawing space is small (about 1-5/8" high) and it may look a bit fuzzy above.  For a clearer view, click on the image.

The columns are years 2008-2012 and 2014-2015;  I didn't draw a calendar in 2013.  The rows are the four Sundays in Advent, with a candle added each week, somewhat like the traditional Advent wreath. 

For more about my calendars, including the words and the drawing materials, click here and here

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Advent Calendar 2015

I've finished my 2015 Advent calendar drawings.  As in the other years, it felt like time well spent.

This daily activity helps me reflect on the hope and joy of the season.  If you might like to try something similar, click here for more information, including template links and prior years' calendars.

Each drawing space is small (about 1-5/8" high) and it may look a bit fuzzy above.  For a better view, click on the image.

For a listing of words, sources of words, Copic colors, and other materials used,  see below (or click on "read more" to see it)

Friday, November 27, 2015

Advent Calendar Template 2015

The Advent season begins this Sunday, and I'll begin drawing my 7th annual Advent calendar.  I'll plan to post the drawings at least weekly. 

My first Advent calendar was drawn in 2008, and afterward I wrote about what I learned.  It explains why I've made the calendar an annual activity.

To see my previous Advent calendar drawings, click as follows:
My friend Sybil also posts her yearly Advent calendars in her prayer-drawing blog, Praying in Color.  Click here for her 2014 calendar, here for 2013, here for 2012, here for 2011, or here for 2010.  I'll also link to her 2015 calendar as it appears.

If you'd like to try this activity for yourself, you're invited to click here for several different templates on Sybil's blog.  Along with my calendar grid I'll be using this year, she offers a tree with different shapes for the days and two versions of a tree-lined pathway.  She also shows some finished examples, including mine.  You can also click here for a few more calendar ideas from Sybil.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Doodle with Green, Blue, and Purple

A doodle with curves and dots.  Tall flowers, maybe, or glass vases?
  • Copic marker colors used: G12,40, B000, BG53, V12,20, with "0" colorless blender to mottle top areas of shapes
  • Pen: Copic multiliner 0.5 black
  • Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Pineapple - Watercolor

One of our art group participants brought in a pineapple last week.  So I painted it.  I'm happy with it, except for the bottom edge of the fruit. 

  • Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolor numbers 1A, 2A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A.  For more information about the watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
  • Paper: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Blue Glass Pitcher - Watercolor

A friend asked me to draw her grandmother's blue glass pitcher.  After experimenting with my typical pen and markers, I felt that watercolor would have a better chance to capture the pitcher's lovely mixture of clear and milk glass.  But my post-childhood watercolor experience has been very limited - abstract wash backgrounds for my drawings - and this pitcher made a challenging subject for my first "real life" painting.

Fortunately though, a few months ago, I joined a weekly art group at our area's senior center.  It's led by a very good artist and educator, who was able to get me started and make suggestions along the way.  I'm happy with my finished painting, and even happier that my friend likes it too!
  • Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolor numbers 8A, 9A, 14A.  For more information about the watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
  • Lyra Aquacolor crayon numbers 5610001, 47, 76. For more information about the watercolor crayons, including my color chart, see this post.
  • Paper: Canson Aquarelle Arches, cold pressed, cut down to ~ 6 x 8".   The paper looks bluish gray in my image, but it's really a very light cream color.  

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Bright Tropical Blossoms

A pebbly pot with bright tropical blossoms.  Doubling the black lines made a big difference on the flowers and leaves. 
  • Copic marker colors used: Custom color YYR2000, R02,29,35, Y08, B32+"0" colorless blender+ G12 on alternate horizontal stripes, E84 + "0" and E81 for some pebbles, E87, W5, YG05, G07
  • Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black; white gel pen for highlights
  • Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Blue Vine Doodle

Just a few curving lines and rounded shapes. 
  • Copic marker colors used: B01,05, BG57
  • Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black
  • Paper: Neenah, drawing area about 3 x 4"

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Two Drawings for Friends


Two three-panel drawings from January.  The drawing above was inspired by three beautiful poems written by a friend, who included them with my birthday card.  I gave her my illustration with my thanks.

The one below was drawn for another friend who requested "snow on trees." 

  • Copic marker colors used: I didn't keep track of them
  • Pen: Copic multiliner 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 black
  • White is the paper (top left, bottom right, large areas of bottom left) or Copic opaque white
  • Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4-1/4 x 5-12"
  • Words (top drawing): Blackbird sky, Paths of tears, Gingko gold

Thursday, January 8, 2015

January Daily Drawings - Completed

I'm trying a "daily drawing" idea for January and maybe beyond, with a computer-printed grid like my annual Advent calendars.  Each rectangle is 1-7/16" x 1-5/8".  The drawings can look blurry in the blog post, so please click on the image for a better view. 

The small spaces work well for me to focus, relax, and draw what I see.  My subjects are things inside our house.
Week 1: Garlic, a poinsettia center, blackberries, a shell, a tomato, a knit hat, a silver pin.
Week 2: Flat leafed parsley, a rug motif, a cup, spool of thread, crocheted lace edge, candle snuffer on ruffle edged dish, can of colored pencils.
Week 3: Layer cake, turtle necklace, ginger root, a radish, basket with mail, small gold-tone scissors with ribbon, pottery candlestick.
Week 4: Green onions, a leaflet of grape ivy, staple remover, folded cloth, a satin bow, slice of pie (apple-cranberry-raisin), part of a tea strainer
  • Copic markers and multiliners:  I don't plan to list them all, but if you'd like to know, please leave me a comment, and I'll be happy to add more details.  I used a Signo Uni-ball white gel pen to draw the lace for January 15 and to add some highlights on a few other days.  Also a Signo Uni-ball gold gel pen for January 19.
  • Paper: Neenah

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Landscape with Sepia Lines

A small watercolor landscape to start the new year.  I added some lines with sepia multiliner and a bit of shadow with brown marker.
  • Copic marker colors used: E44
  • Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 sepia
  • Watercolor wash background: Lyra Aquacolor crayon numbers 1,5,47,48,70,75,76,83. For more information about the watercolor crayons, including my color chart, see this post.
  • Paper: Scrap of watercolor paper, approx. 2-1/2" square