Sunday Sketches - Barn

Hi everyone at Sunday Sketches! 

Hope everyone is great! More of the same for me:

1) our NWU political current events radio show continues at 11pm EST tonight, in case any of you have trouble sleeping and nothing else interesting to do -http://www.blogtalkradio.com/solidarityforevernwuat-large/2014/10/13/howdy-howdy-lets-get-rowdy-solidarity-forever-this-week
2) helping my mother blog - to post, get more followers, etc http://artsnquilts.blogspot.com/ - does anyone know of a fun blog hop like Sunday Sketches, but for quilters? Would love to find a way to get her more traffic
3) helping raise funds for my brother's adoption fees is still going on https://www.etsy.com/shop/aliciaraya?ref=hdr_shop_menu (25% of etsy earnings go towards helping my brother & his family adopt Shiloh, an orphan from Eastern Europe. More on this adoption & his successful adoption last year of a girl can be seen here: http://www.fromhouse2home.us/) I know selling art amongst artists is like selling coal in Newcastle, but it can't hurt to put it out there - you never know when a person needs a special custom drawing, like the one above!
4) Changed blog template. Am a little sorry about this - I actually enjoyed the other colour scheme for years, but it was hard to read. I am somewhat unhappy with the current scheme, but I don't have better ideas right now & it does the job. If anyone had groovy ideas re a blogger template/colour scheme, would love to hear it! Also added Etsy widget, which seems to show the current drawing I have above 


This sketch was a commission from the custom charcoal gig - the buyer wanted a 15 x 19 charcoal drawing of her grandmother's barn. Since i live in the rural South, I completely understand the draw of rural barn landscapes. I made the drawing on Rives BFK printing paper. The best part is that 25% goes to the adoption :D

I sell other random stuff in my shop - like tarot readings, custom oil paintings, some jewelry, photography, and the wood pieces I've been making with Jim these past 3 years. So please have a look, especially as the Christmas season approaches!

Hope everyone has a great Sunday

Sunday Sketches - Sadness

Hi everyone at Sunday Sketches! Long time no see! I have been busy with lots of insane stuff such as

1) radio show, political - music & technical assistance http://www.blogtalkradio.com/solidarityforevernwuat-large tune in tonight! 11PM EST
2) writing and assisting in the writing of essays regarding world politics https://www.contributoria.com/issue/2014-10/53f80cc14250074f61000281/production
3) helping my mother blog - to post, get more followers, etc http://artsnquilts.blogspot.com/
4) helping raise funds for my brother's adoption fees https://www.etsy.com/shop/aliciaraya?ref=hdr_shop_menu (25% of etsy earnings go towards helping my brother & his family adopt Shiloh, an orphan from Eastern Europe. More on this adoption & his successful adoption last year of a girl can be seen here: http://www.fromhouse2home.us/)

But through it all, I still would like to make time to visit the different peoples online I have shared art with over the years

This sketch was a commission from the custom charcoal gig - the story was to create a drawing that portrays an elderly person afraid to leave their house. I know it's probably not the most uplifting message/artwork, but i found it one of the more interesting commmissions I've received. The best part is that $9 goes to the adoption :D

Hope y'all have a swell day!

PFF - Epic Drawing

Hello all at Paint Party Friday!

I am hoping to make the rounds this week - I have been very naughty about being on line and connected, generally, which is why I've sort of given up on this process. Much to my detriment!

In any event, aside from all I do with my wood art, I have taken to working on this Epic Drawing. Its theme is dreams, the general sense of the oneiric landscape, as well as specific dreams/memories of the group of people I asked, and whom the reward was meant for.  Spawned by the Epic Painting Project,  the Epic Drawing was SUPPOSED to have been finished literally 2 years ago, and disseminated to everyone, in the form of little postcards sent out, cut out of the larger picture. But somehow it has not bloody happened. I feel sort of weird & bad about it, but I have faith that one day it will be resolved! Meanwhile....... I have fun working it.

This is it in its latest iteration.

So my question for all is.... should I cut it up into 4x6 postcard sized iterations and mail them to my buds, or should i spare the drawing and make copies and send them that way instead?

Hope all are well! Toodles

Creative Tuesdays - Ships

 Hi all at Creative Tuesdays!

This year has not been the year for blogging I'm afraid - but when I happened upon the CT blog after months, I noticed the theme - yay!!!!

If there's one thing I still have plenty of in the old sketch reservoirs, it's sketches of boats & ships of all sorts, from the huge painting project i FINALLY FINISHED sometime in June. People can look at it in the post below this one, in case it hasnt' been seen yet.

Another  issue for me has been being away from the house a lot and finding out that, unfortunately, not all my spiffy technology saves me while interacting with Blogger. Sigh...

In any event will y'all a great Tuesday and hope to see y'all soon! Happy summer.

Creative Tuesday - Lighthouse

Hi all at Creative Tuesdays! Nice to be back!

It's always hard for me to calibrate everything between one year and the next, which is why I'm so pleased that this week's theme is in alignment with my current project!

This is a sketch of Viña del Mar, one of the most famous and popular balnearios in Chile. It is home to a fairly popular international Latin American music festival we all like to make fun of, a casino, and a couple of castles and lighthouses.

Yes, I used to hang out a lot there back in the day, but if I remember correctly, all people ever did was gripe about how "all those Argentines" came up over the mountains to take over all the good stuff. Ungrateful beneficiaries of a tourist economy, I say! What would Walt Disney say!?!

Anyway below the tall tree is a place called Wolff Castle with its lighthouse which is some sort of museum, and somewhere beyond that is the aformentioned Casino where, it is said, ruined gamblers would on occasion take their lives by casting themselves into the surf.

Lately I like to listen to Magical Mystery Tour whenever working (for whatever reason) so I leave everyone with this great little Busby Berkeley inspired number:

have a great week y'all!

Sunday Sketches - Fiverr Holmes piece

Hello all at Sunday Sketches!

THis is another of the fiverr installment pieces - another piece for the Sherlock Holmes.

It's not exactly a collaboration - an author contacted me via the site fiverr to see if I would do these few illustrations for her book which I assume she's going to self-publish. I have been asked to do 5 in total, and this is the 3rd.

As can be seen here, the indefatigable friends are wandering through a cemetery, and see a mausoleum with the statue of a fellow with an outstretched arm on top.

While making this I had a chance to view a fun old movie by the Beatles - you can see the whole thing elsewhere but meanwhile, here's  a segment -

Hope all are having a great Sunday!

Sunday Sketches - Fiverr, Holmes playing Violin

Hi everyone at Sunday Sketches!!

This week I wanted to share one of my Fiverr pieces. Every once in a while the gig is dormant, but every once in a while I will still get them in.

These are apparently to go towards a book about Sherlock Holmes - have already done 2 and possibly will do more.

As can be seen, this scene shows a standard view of Sherlock playing the violin while his sidekick Watson reads a paper nearby.

Speaking of which, does anyone know the relationship or deal with Watson and Holmes? How did they get to be friends? What do they do aside from solve random mysteries? What's the back story there? I have never actually read any of the books - maybe I will someday.

have a great weekend!

Creative Tuesdays - Bottle

Hi all at Creative Tuesdays!


This bottle is one I drew just in time! Spending time with folks in Tennessee this weekend, thanks to a fun arts festival that included old car shows. 'Sans y Penser' is one of my fave Edith Piaf songs- something I like to listen to when drinking wine after all the hectic things of the day have been put to rest.

Am sorry to hear folks are unhappy about the Elections - there's a lot to be unhappy about, no doubt. In my view it doesn't matter as much as it seems to for various reasons I don't care to go into because

1) this is not a political blog
2) nobody asked me
3) I still remember somebody telling me re 'the three things you never speak about in polite company' and I guess the benefit or stakes aren't high enough for me to break that rule ;)

So, am double sorry I have nothing else more interesting to share, save this sketch of this bottle.

Hope all are having a great Tuesday!

SS - more mountain ocean sketches

Andes Mt

Torres del Paine, Andes Mt

Pier valparaiso

Vina del Mar, beach town

HI all at Sunday Sketches!

I am continuing to show the sketches I am using to plan & finish a large painting of the ocean I am to do. An continuing to sketch out different scenes of areas I have been to in the past, and some that I have not.

These mountain and scene sketches are from Chile - from the North areas, through the South. Vina (the last image) is from a wonderful city we loved to hang out in the summer - parties, swimming in the ocean, arts vendors, mimes, etc ---

Reminds me a bit of where I live now I suppose (Asheville) only... minus the ocean

I wanted the moment to state that it takes courage to be an artist - I'm sure everyone understands this! Not only because expressing oneself expresses vulnerability, but because one has to always confront one's own ineptitude and failures - I have painted 4 watery things (no photos yet) and each was very frustrating and failed - but the last one was more rewarding.

Confronting one's own fear in the hopes of getting better takes courage.

Also have quit smoking for the 13th time in 3 years - so far am 3 or 4 days along, and the result is something like a permanent state of PMS - eating lots of crap & being in a horrid mood. The most I've remained quit has been 3 months - wonder how long it will go this time?

I was hoping to win this blender at a sweepstakes, but it didn't work out :( Ninja Kitchen System - Gifts for Bride & Groom (Google Affiliate Ad) maybe next time

Hope all are having a great weekend!

PPF - Ocean painting updates

Nat'l Geo water acrylic

Hi all at Paint Party Friday! Am still working through this process. I am taking a dual approach of seeking to paint water and sketch landscape elements I might use in the final piece.

Am having fun but being frustrated by the water abstracts at the same time. The one at left is actually done in acrylics (since I had to be out of the house that day), and based of a cool National Geographic photography book we had .

All the drawings are charcoal.

Andes mountains

I feel sort of behind in this process. Unfortunately, last week I was involved in a lengthy, painful slide-presentation project that consumed all my time, and a big chunk of time during the summer is devoted to selling art at fairs anyway - I have still to clear the final drawing, but am making progress as much as possible.

possible scenario

I will share more on Sunday, but for now this is what I am up to! Hope all are having an awesome time, and hope to catch y'all by Sunday eve at the latest! Go art!

BTW- I can't resist, I though painters would LOVE and APPRECIATE the sight of this painting elephant --  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk

video below as well

it is absolutely adorable! I think this is the only sort of animal who can do this - though maybe different sorts of simians can as well.

Valparaiso composite

Happy PPF!!

SS - JITS

Hi all at Sunday sketches! This is another fiverr piece, which essentially ended up being a logo. It was one of those involved images that cost client more than $5.

The company was a Jujitsu magazine - so one can notice all the small little details related to Brazil, martial arts, and fitness.

The hardest thing (as in time consuming) was the type. I had to measure and very carefully draw. After that, filling in (using various models off the net) was pretty easy.

Hope all are having a great Sunday!

PFF & SS - Pet Dream

Hi all at Paint Party Friday!

I'm happy to say that I have a new painting commission! More information on that later - it is very exciting to me.

This week, however, I wish to submit another of the drawings I have completed for my fiverr gig. For this one, as can be seen, I had to draw an adorable puppy with a tuxedo, and the site title below. Not thrilled about the type, and the doggie was weirdly hard to draw, but am reasonably happy with how it turned out.

Just for fun, and to make it more 'painterly', I decided to embellish it a bit on Photoshop - and the result of that can be seen here below.

That's it for now! As usual, will strive to get to everybody, even if it's as late as Sunday! PFF is a wonderfully lively blogging group, and I do love both seeing & commenting on everyone's site - likewise am very grateful for those who make a comment on every single post (you rock!!) and thus strive to be that person as well. However, I acknowledge it takes a lot of time, which is why I leave myself till the end of Sunday, since weekends are incredibly busy as it is, what with art fairs and whatnot.

On another note, thanks to all who viewed/voted for my ThriftyFun contest!!!! I won after all :D

Here's another one I submitted - this time it's a photo that my husband took. He's a big photographer, and has a marvelous nature photography series documenting the 4 seasons in Appalachia. It is currently on display at the Southern Appalachia Repertory Theatre lobby in Mars Hill, NC. In any event, the photo can be seen here.

Have a great day all!

Sunday Sketches - possible Fiverr piece

Hello all at Sunday Sketches!! As I was stating earlier, now that I have finished the EPP, I am happy to go back to other artistic pursuits, such as.... fiverr!!!!!

This was an on-spec thing I didn't spend much time one but a possibility of being chosen is to get to illustrate someone's vampire ebook. Eek!

That would be cool indeed, we'll see what happens. I'm not anywhere near 1000% thrilled with these drawings but that's just the way it is sometimes - at least on the bright side was working without a model! That for me is pretty HUGE - it's very difficult for me to do anything quasi coherent/convincing unless I am, essentially, copying - either from photos or real life. So in that aspect... am pleased.

Hope all are well at Sunday Sketches! Will come round towards the end of the day so as to grab as many ppl as possible.

Sunday Sketches - and drawing as therapy

This is pretty interesting - it showed up in my inbox. The article relates 'the healing power of drawing'.

"When we learn that we have a serious illness, we may be overwhelmed with emotion and barely able to think straight. Bernie Siegel, MD, who wrote Love, Medicine & Miracles, a groundbreaking book on the power of attitude and outlook on healing, suggests a strategy that can help us cope. He says that we should get out our crayons and markers and draw—yes, draw. This can help relieve our fears and anxiety—and may even give us insight into feelings we are not consciously aware of."

The rest of the article shows things that one might analyze when looking at art through the prism of health.

And now, for Sunday Sketches, I submit some freeform sketches, of the type that would lend themselves to some sort of therapeutic analysis due to the meditative state through which they were sketched.

I will strive to get to as many participants I can btw late afternoon sometime tomorrow and Monday- and encourage all to do the same! Always great creativity on display in this 2nd year anniversary they are celebrating.

As an aside, I have a question re. comments features on Blogger -

I see that some blogs have the capacity to respond directly to a commenter. My blog does not seem to have that. Is there a workaround? Any insights appreciated!

Sunday Sketches - another Fiverr piece

Once again, almost too late to participate in this week's Sunday Sketches hosted by Sophia, I submit another Fiverr gig, from my "I'll charcoal draw anything you want!"

Interestingly enough, 75% of my orders have involved portraits or self portraits (in this case). THis presents a peculiar set of difficulties not the case when drawing random objects, etc.

This difficulty can be summed up with an interesting factoid attributed to a famed plastic surgeon - apparently, the only difference between a 'beautiful' person and one of average looks can amount to only a few millimetres' difference. The ration between a woman's eyelids and the space between her nose and upper lip, for instance, must be identical. If the distance is even a millimetre off, this woman is no longer beautiful - and this minute distance must be fixed.

Leaving aside the ghoulish idiosyncracies of the commodity-fetish glamour world, the paraphrasing above illustrates PRECISELY why rendering a faithful likeness can be so difficult. If a millimetre separates a belle from a turnip, this same millimetre is what separates one person's face from another's!!!

I had this grave problem with this guy's picture because, at one pt and regardless of what I did, he kept looking like a certain famous person whom I won't mention so as to not sway others' experience. Finally I felt OK enough to submit it.

SUNDAY SKETCHES - Children

From another fiverr gig comes this request to draw two charcoal children to be used as a computer background. A neat idea!

I relived how fiendishly hard it is to create a true likeness of someone, especially from a photo. For some reason, it was harder from a photo than from real life!

THis will be my Sunday Sketches submission for the day

cheers!

Sunday Sketches - micro comission

Appropriately timed for Sunday Sketches, here is a micro commission for a site called fiverr that I did for some people.

The fun of charcoal is that it allows many depths of expression with little colour, which is fun for me since I tend to go for the exceedingly oversaturated look re. my colour pallete.

Another fun part is finding is looking a bit like a chimney sweeper afterwards, what with all the charcoal all over the place!

All please peruse the other great entries on Sunday Sketches. Another week of creativity in action.