CRE8365 Day 15 - Leafy Sea Dragon sketch

I was really looking forward to today's prompt on CRE8365, it is "dragon",  I had been thinking for days about how I wanted to create a dragon, I knew I didn't want the obligatory dragon, there are plenty of evil looking dragons, I considered doing a cutesy one, but that idea faded as well.

So I turned to Google image search and began looking for animals that resemble dragons, from moray eels, to lizards, then I went to sea horses, they certainly have a medieval look to them, then I stumbled upon the leafy sea dragon, that is a sea horse but with an interesting look.

I originally wanted to do a sketch but then decided I wanted to take this further, today I stopped at the sketch stage, I popped it into Photoshop to darken the lines for today's submission so you can see it better, I wanted to leave the sketch light on the original drawing though, at least until I decide where I want to go with this.

Enjoy today's CRE8365 submission

http://cre8365.com

CRE8365 Day 14 - Peter Rabbit, all grown up sketch

Today's post was fun to draw, the prompt for today is "pets in clothes", I considered doing a dog or cat, but Pixelista's post the other day mentioned Beatrix Potter, I remembered her books about Peter Rabbit when I was a kid, so this drawing is a nod to Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, but as a grown rabbit, one that is in business, there is also a nod to Alice in Wonderland's rabbit, the one who was always late.

Peter grew up to be quite the rabbit and quite the businessman, his penchant for taking chances took him far on WallStreet. He is a snazzy dresser, preferring tailored, hand stitched white shirts, starched of course, with cufflinks, a real tie (no clip-on for him!), but his favorite accessory is his pocket watch,  it was a gift from Mr McGregor, who always felt bad about the times he chased Peter out of the garden. After Peter finished college, Mr McGregor was so proud of him that he gave him the watch as a graduation gift.

I did this drawing using 2 different Ticonderoga pencils, the HB2 (soft) and the HB2 (black), I used a #6 blending stump, it's been a while since I've done more than just a preliminary sketch with my pencils, I was going to finish this using pen and ink, but decided I liked the semi-precise smudgy graphite pencil.

http://cre8365.com

Hop on over and start being creative. :)

CRE8365 Day 12 - Happy Kitty Derwent Inktense

I am technically posting this a day late, but I did start working on the image on the 12th, so it's really OK, and besides, there are no hard fast rules about HAVING to get something done each and everyday, though that is what I have set my goal to be.

The prompt for the day was "happy", I couldn't think of anything other than the obligatory yellow smiley face, nothing wrong with that, but I knew I could do more. So I went to Google and search for "happy", the first couple of dozen images were of that obligatory yellow smiley face in all its different forms, then I began to see animals, mostly dogs and cats with smiles, natural ones, not digitally forced into a smile, though there were a few of those, most were just owners snapping pix a happy animal.

I found this cat that reminded me of that lucky cat you often see at Chinese buffet restaurants, the cat has a big smile, closed eyes and a paw up in the air waving at you, there is usually money of some sort associated with this smiling cat.

Here is the painting I created from that image, I used Derwent Inktense blocks and pencils after I sketched it in regular pencil.

 

 http://cre8365.com/

Source image
http://bingeeatingtherapy.com/2014/04/30-easy-ways-happy/

Doodle # 35

I did this doodle while sitting in jury duty, not actually IN jury duty, but waiting with the rest of the potential selectees, it is a monotangle of Paradox, I just started making triangle shapes, then filling them with Paradox, I left one triangle blank. It's funny, now that it's finished, I can't find the original triangle shapes, the tangle Paradox has an interesting way of blurring the original space-shape that is being filled. After drawing it in with ink, I used a graphite pencil to shade it.

I chose this tangle because I didn't have to think too much, I could just do it over and over and still pay attention to what was going on in the room. I ended up being there all day, I made it through the first 2 thinning where they cut people loose, it was at the final selection that I was cut loose, I am glad I didn't have to sit on that jury, I understand it took another 3 days, I wouldn't have minded being on a jury that only lasts a day.

I believe I was the only person who brought anything to jury duty, you couldn't take anything electronic, no cell phones, no tablets, not even a MP3 player, most of the other potential jurors were very antsy with nothing to do, they couldn't even tell what time it was without their electronic gadgets to tell them. I have one more month to be on call for jury duty, it's not a bad thing.

I used a Strathmore Visual Journal with watercolor paper in it, 5.5"X8". I used a Sakura Micron Pen in 01,  Ticonderoga pencil to shade it.

Imaginary Animals #1

I finally dug out my book on Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals by Carla Sonheim, this book is about seeing creatures in ordinary everyday things, like faces in wood-grain, critters in the clouds and such. Today I was sitting at my desk and saw this little thing sitting on the floor, even though it looks like a bug, it's really a piece of dry dead grass with some roots attached, one of the dogs must have brought it in on their fur. In this little piece of grass I could see a flea, a moth, and a bird, the only artist's prerogative I took with it was the size and the colors on it. The shape of it is pretty much as it looks.

I used a journal I just got, a Strathmore Visual Journal with watercolor paper in it, 5.5"X8". I used a Ticonderoga pencil to sketch it, then I used Sakura Koi Coloring Brush Pen and a waterbrush to give it a watercolor look and blend it. I finished it with Sakura Micron Pen in 005. I might add some highlights with a white gel pen, but for now I'm enjoying it as it is.

Christmas cards 2013 (Doodle # 17-35)

Alrighty, been super busy but wanted to make some Christmas cards, since leading the zendoodle class a few months ago, and learning that at least one of the ladies in the class were going to be making cards, I felt like I really needed to make these cards... besides, it was so fun! Any excuse to get to doodle, right?

When I started I had no idea how many I would make, it ended up being 19 (plus one that didn't get scanned, I'll explain later), I just sat down several times over a few days and got them done. First I sketched them in pencil, then inked, then some got colored pencil, or colored marker, and/or shading with pencil. I used a gold pen, a silver pen, white pen and silver sharpie marker, on the scans the silver ink comes out looking grey, that's just the nature of the beast.

I did a combination of ZIA and cutesy bears, and one cutesy dog, the dog card went to my neighbor who gave us a rescue dog (Zoe). Turned out that I had almost exactly the number of cards I needed to give to everyone, I still need to make 2 more then I'll be done. The one I didn't scan went to a friend who just lost her husband, I made that card last (of this batch) and didn't have time to scan it.

All the cards with the exception of one are 100% hand done, including the lettering, the only one that I used Photoshop on was the Noel card (on the circles and letters only), I wanted to make the letters look like they were on a spherical surface, after doing the all the hand lettering on the other cards, I know I could have done that as well. All images can be clicked on if you wish to see it larger.

  This is the only dog, and it went to my neighbor up the road who gave us Zoe.

 The lettering was colored with silver Sharpie marker, the bears are shaded with pencil.

 The inside of this card says "A Very Beary Christmas".

 The circles of the balls and the letters were done in Photoshop, all the rest of this card is hand done. I used gold and silver ink on this one.

 I had a good time doing the lettering on this one, when it's first done, it looks so messy, then when I started adding the designs and color, it really came together.

 This one I thought I would be my least favorite, and it turned out to be one of my favorites once I added color.

 I incorporated a ZIA and a realistic leaf design.

 I tried something new by putting in the scrolls, wasn't sure if I would like it or not, but it turned out just fine.

 This was my most intricate design.

 I was running out of ideas, but this still turned out pretty good.

 PB didn't get this one until I colored in the black around the bear. The letters on this are colored with silver Sharpie marker.

 I began adding doves to my designs, I like it.

 I added more doves, I shaded around the doves to make them "pop".

 Some of the letters are done in silver Sharpie marker.

 Silver Sharpie marker...

 I had a good time drawing the bears :)

 Didn't like this one until I added color, then it looked just fine.

 This is the only one I did with colored pencil, it came out OK, it is actually brighter than the scan appears to be.

Another one with silver Sharpie marker.













Altogether, I used:
White cardstock 8.5x11 folded in half
Micron liner pens, black
colored markers
silver Sharpie marker
gold, silver and white ink pen
Ticonderoga pencil

Doodle # 16

Click to enlarge the images.

This is a special doodle, it's a birthday present for a wonderful friend, she is a Halloween baby :) I was her caretaker for several years, her health is better now so she doesn't need me like she did, during the time I was her caretaker, we spent a lot of time together and we got very close, she considers me like her daughter and I consider her like a mother.

I worked on this for a couple of days, maybe 5-6 hours total, I didn't want it to get busy, I like the white space. I also debated about the shading, after deciding to do it, I am happy that I did it, it really sets off the piece.

I used something new and different (to me) to do this picture, I used tracing paper, it's almost like very thin vellum, it takes the ink very well, and it also takes graphite for shading very well. Being so thin and translucent, it does need a backing sheet of white paper in the frame to make the background look white. Even though it's thin and seems delicate, it is sturdy paper and holds up well to the ink, graphite, eraser, blending stump and all the handling it received before finally going into the frame.

I drew my design/line art in Photoshop, printed it off, then using the tracing paper for what it's best for, I traced the image in ink, then I began to add the doodles and details in ink. Once I was satisfied with the inking, I used a graphite pencil and a blending stump to add the shading.

I put this in a plain black frame, it's about 8x10, I did have to trim the tracing paper to fit.

Supplies:
01, 03, 08 Micron pens, black
black Ticonderoga graphite pencil
blending stump
Mead Academie tracing paper - medium weight - 9x12
black frame 8x10

I took it over to her house shortly after finishing it, she loved it!

Doodle # 12 and 13

This is from the Diva's Weekly Challenge #135: New Official Tangle "Well" I did 2 variations on the challenge, you will notice I didn't scan in the unshaded version, I decided I was doing that because I was a chicken, I was afraid of messing up my original so I would scan it unshaded, print it out and shade the printed copy... I will not do that again :) The only chicken around here is the kind we eat!
I just BARELY got this one done in time, fortunately I didn't have to go anywhere today (not that going places is a bad thing!), I have the whole day to myself... IT'S DOODLE TIME!

Click on image to see full size :)

This one has these designs:
Well
Prestwood
Allium
Bulb Lantern
Sand Swirl
Screen

This was done with:
#1 and #2 Ticonderoga graphite pencil and 01 & 03 Micron Liner - Black


This one has these designs:
Well
Cayla
PIA
Paradox
Scrolled Feather
Jitterz

This was done with:
#1 and #2 Ticonderoga graphite pencil and 01 & 03 Micron Liner - Black


I had quite the good time working with this challenge, I look forward to the next one!

Doodle # 10 and # 11

This is for the Diva Challenge #134 "Beamz - by Traci F"
http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/2013/09/weekly-challenge-134.html
WooHoo, I got this one in on time!

I did two of them, there will be 4 pictures here, 2 shaded and 2 unshaded (line art). I have been having so much fun with shading these doodles! Here they are, the first 2 are the ones I'm entering in the challenge, they are shaded:

These are the line art before shading of the two above...

The pattern called ensenter, I created that and I'll post a how to as soon as I can come up with it... it was the carved decoration on an antique piece of furniture I saw recently. It was the "in the center" of the decoration, thus the name ensenter.

These were done with Micron liner pens 005, 01, 02 and 03, a Ticonderoga pencil, other graphite pencils of varying softness.

Which do you like, the shaded or unshaded?

The patterns in these are
Beamz http://www.flickr.com/photos/stahnlunts/9098114407/in/photostream/ 
Waves http://tanglepatterns.com/2010/05/how-to-draw-waves.html
Ensenter (mine)
Chicken wire (haven't found a tutorial for this but know it's out there)

The strings came from here:
TanglePattern 027 http://tanglepatterns.com/2012/11/tanglepatterns-string-027.html
and
TanglePattern 005 http://tanglepatterns.com/2012/06/tanglepatterns-string-005.html

Doodle # 9

This was supposed to be for last week's Diva challenge #133, "Tipple love it or hate it", I didn't get it finished in time to officially include it in the challenge, I will add it to the list on the Diva's site for that challenge after the fact... I hope to do this week's challenge, but I don't know if I'll get one done in time either.

 

You can see two examples of TIPPLE in this image, plus
BEADLINES
a variation on
CUBINE
DIVA DANCE
ESCALATOR
FIFE
FRILLEE
HYPNOTIC
KUKE
PRINTEMPS
I included links to the site where I picked the doodles that would go within each section. The pattern in the middle that has the flowers and just below the flowers is my design.

This is my first Diva Challenge, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. :)

This is what it looked like before I shaded it.

 

The shading is what took me so long, I had the original line drawing done in plenty of time, but didn't know if I wanted to shade it or not, I also didn't want to upload it here until I was finished with it... so I scanned the line drawing, cleaned it up a bit digitally and printed out a copy, that's what I decided to shade before working on my original, which remains unshaded. I like the line art copy that I shaded. It took me a few days to get it shaded like I wanted it, I am glad I took my time on this, this is my first "big" doodle and I am quite happy with it. I did print out a second copy, that one I will color, though honestly I'm not as "in" to the colored ones, I really like the B&W shaded ones.

I did use an eraser to clean up some edges, places where I wanted to shade but not go over into another area, I didn't worry about going over, I just shaded, smudged, blended then used the eraser to remove the shading in the area of overlap. I used a white charcoal pencil, something that sounds like an oxymoron, I have noticed it really isn't WHITE, it has a bit of a yellow tinge, you can't tell until you lay it on some white paper, not sure if I will continue using it for this.

I'm pretty happy with it, PB says he likes the line art (without shading) better... oh well, each to their own.

I used a Micron 01 and 005 black liner, a Ticonderoga #2 pencil, some softer pencils and charcoal pencils, I blended with a blending stump and Q-tips, I added just a touch of white charcoal pencil.

Ticonderoga pencil and ProArt charcoal & graphite pencil reviews

I went to town yesterday, going to town for me means a 3 hour drive (one way!), we do have closer towns but to go to one that has any real shopping, it means a day trip.

I went to Hobby Lobby, I love that they are a Christian organization, there is a Michaels in that town, but that store is almost always poorly stocked and very messy, the first time I went there I thought they were about to close the store (for good) in the following days or week... so it's Hobby Lobby for me from now on, sorry Michaels, you had my heart and my money when I lived in Fort Worth, but the town I shop in now, well that store leaves a lot to be desired...

I went straight to the drawing and paper section of the store, as usual. I was looking specifically for some Ticonderoga brand pencils. These came recommended by an artist I watch on YouTube. You can find Mark Crilley's art supply video here, it should start right at the point where he briefly mentioned the Ticonderoga pencil, then he quickly goes on to the (Heavenly chorus) Prismacolor black pencil... ;)
http://youtu.be/xEBzCr_kNns?t=2m10s

I have never been wowed by a regular graphite pencil before, but these are pretty good, they are smooth and lay down a good line of graphite, they blend well too. You should be able to pick up a box of Ticonderoga pencils at any decent art supply store, they are prices inexpensively enough, if you have a Hobby Lobby nearby, you can sign up for their email newsletter and they will send you a 40% off coupon each month.
http://www.hobbylobby.com/email_subscriptions/subscribe.cfm

The other thing I purchased there was a 10 piece pencil set by Pro Art. These have 7 graphite pencils from 2H to 6B in hardness, it also contains 3 charcoal pencils in 2B, 4B and 6B (hardness).  I played with all of my pencils today, I used to do pencil and charcoal drawings, in the charcoal I used the different hardness' of charcoal in stick form and in vine form, but I've never played with graphite pencils in the different hardness', I had a lot of fun today, sketching, doodling, and shading some of my tangles (see my previous article below with a review on a shading Zentangle book).

The one in the middle is the one I purchased at Hobby Lobby, after seeing the prices on Amazon, I wish I had seen the first one in the line up! Oh well, I did have a 40% off coupon so I didn't pay too much at HL...




Well, this is my review of pencils today, hope you enjoyed it and let me know if you plan on using any of these pencils for shading...