More Progress

Although it seems as though the to-do list is never-ending, my schedule has been balancing out of late and allowing me more time in my loft studio. Did I ever mention that there is a huge room on the second floor of the barn that will one day, Lord willing, be completely made over into studio space? It's enormous, and already framed out; it will need insulation, drywall, flooring and a heating/cooling system, but the "bones" are there. Lots of natural light, quiet, away from the house. One of these days, perhaps once more pressing matters have been addressed.

Anyway - much has been happening in the last few days (the gas and oil companies are in the area) - but more on that in a day or two.

This is coming along nicely and although it's drawn on rough watercolor paper (not really ideal), I like the way it's starting to come together. This piece, and a few others (providing my schedule stays uneventful) should be finished soon and I'll post more photos.

And of course, I forgot to include the boy's hands, which are holding the cat. *Sigh* If you look closely, you can see them in the second photo. Looks like I'll have to try this again.

I Hesitate To Post This...

...I mean, this one really is not very far along. The image of the cat is only a placeholder at this point; the head is barely sketched in, the body is indicated with a couple of pencil strokes and I've paid no attention to what it actually looks like - yet. The boy's clothing has no detail - right now it merely looks lumpy. The face is forming, but much is left to do.

The problem with posting (or showing anyone at all) incomplete work is that people have a tendency to look at it, see the areas that will be corrected as the drawing progresses and say "hmm, well, isn't that nice."

But it isn't finished!

This one will be, and relatively soon, so I can complete other work pending (a portrait of a German Shepherd, a mandala, and a mosaic), so if you check back in a couple of weeks, I promise it will look very different than it does today.

I should add that, like most people, I tend to be blind to some (or many) of my own shortcomings. I am, however, cognizant of the fact that I am abysmally inadequate when it comes to photographing art.

Not that anyone needed me to point that out.

So there's that.

One view.

A detail view. (By the way, it just took me nearly a half hour to upload this photo. Can you say annoying?)

ART!

Finally, eh? But I didn't do this; my friend Char, who who is a fiber/quilt artist in SK, Canada, made this and sent it to me, and what a surprise! My poor point & shoot digital camera cannot pick up the detail in the patterning or the gorgeous color in the fabrics, but I wanted to post a couple of photos nonetheless. This is a portrait of Stonewall SIR, our rooster, and he has never looked better.

If you want to take a peek at more of Char's work, Hey Dooders (under Stuff I Like) is her site.

And now for the pics:

And the detail view:

I can't wait to hang it on the wall!

Old Doors

This week has been, in a word, discouraging.

However, we did finally make it to the sawmill and discovered that a truck bed full of sawdust for the stalls is only $8 (and we don't even have to load it).

And...I scored BIG last night at an architectural salvage yard where I found the doors pictured above - solid wood, both pieces (four panels) for a grand total of $14. I had actually gone in search of loose table legs (I was recently given an antique solid wood exterior door, perfect to make into a new dining room table - but it needs legs). Table legs of the appropriate style and size were in short supply, but lo, I turned the corner and found these cool doors...and what a deal!

I am thinking about sanding them to a silky smooth finish, applying some really interesting (possibly ethnic) designs, and using aniline dyes to add some subtle color...the usual sand-stain-and-polyurethane doesn't seem to be...well, the right approach.

Add hand-forged hinges and latches, and voila! instant room divider or large window privacy screen.

What do you think? Good plan?

DH, Looking Pensive

He looks like a man with a lot on his mind, but he was actually watching a movie. I wanted to draw from the model, and this was a good way to get him to sit still (more or less), so, having plopped a hat on his head for effect, I was able to draw for a couple of hours.

Detail View of A Study in Oils

A Study in Oils

This is a two hour sketch in oils from the model.

Tiger, Tiger...

Remember William Blake's vivid poem, the first stanza of which begins this way:
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Incredible word-pictures.

Detail View of Cowgirl Up

Cowgirl Up!

Another time-intensive, large pencil rendering. Spontaneous "snapshot" images are so much better for the purposes of a portrait than those that are contrived or posed.

Detail View of Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait (with hat)

Pencil, burnishing technique.