Trying different mark making methods

I am addicted to taking online art classes. I am planning on doing a blog post reviewing all of the classes I've taken both at Sketchbook Skool and on Craftsy. But for now, I will just talk a little about one of the classes I'm taking - Paul Heaston's Pen and Ink Essentials on Craftsy.

Paul is a master at pen and ink drawings - especially with hatching. For my homework (for this class and Koosje Koene's Sketchbook Skool's Seeing klass drawing selfies), I drew myself using the scribble method of mark making and indicating value.

I really liked this method of mark making as it got me to loosen up and really just pay attention to values, rather than lines.

Next, I used the basket texture technique in another selfie value study. Both of these drawings were done from a black and white selfie photo.

I also liked this method, though it is more deliberate and time consuming. But, it did help me concentrate just on values.

What do you think of these mark making methods? Have you tried them?

Highlight of My Trip!

I just happened to be in Paris in time to attend the book signing of one of my favorite artists, Lapin. Lapin is a French mobile illustrator, urban sketcher, and Sketchbook Skool teacher living in Barcelona. I love his style and have learned so much from his Sketchbook Skool kourse. He is definitely one of my major influencers for my artwork.

On June 14th, Lapin was at Artazart, an amazing design and art bookstore in the 10th arrondisement in Paris, to sign his new book, paris je t'aime. We made the trip out to Artazart and took the Metro - getting off one the wrong stop, about a mile away from the shop. On the way, my 9 year old, Chloe, was wondering how many people would be in line for the signing and whether Lapin would invite us over to his house for coffee and show us his sketchbooks, etc. I warned her not to get her hopes up as that was not likely to happen.

We were one of the first to arrive and waited patiently for Lapin. In fact, Chloe bought a little book to illustrate while we were waiting. And I was lucky enough to pick up not only paris, je t'aime, but also one of Lapin's other books that I had been wanting, Barcelona, Modernisme, Beyond Gaudi.

After much waiting, we were able to get Lapin's signature and also mentioned that we will be going to Barcelona the next day. To my surprise and delight, Lapin offered to meet us there in two days for a sketch!

Lapin started this signature in Paris and finished it two days later in Barcelona.

When we met in Barcelona, Lapin drew Chloe and me!

In our copy of the Barcelona, Modernisme, Beyond Gaudi copy

I had told Lapin when we sat down that I was showing Miguel Herranz's Sketchbook Skool's lessons the day before since Miguel was sketching El Born's Cultural Center, right where we were meeting. Lapin called Miguel and asked him to meet us as he lives very nearby in Barcelona. Miguel is an amazing illustrator and Sketchbook Skool teacher, so I was very excited to meet him and have the opportunity to discuss art and share sketchbooks with him as well!

It was so much fun to share my sketchbooks with them and to view theirs. We also talked a lot about art and what they are working on (Lapin has issued 5 books this year! and Miguel just completed one). I also tried to draw Lapin, but it was very hard for me to do so while we were talking. So, I started this at our meeting and finished it later.

Lapin's card with his self-portrait is affixed above  my drawing. — Lapin's card with his self-portrait is affixed above my drawing.

Meeting Lapin and Miguel was the highlight of my trip. And afterward, Chloe told me, "I told you so, Mom!"

Drawing inspiring artists

One thing I definitely love about the Sktchy app is being able to pay tribute to artist who inspire or support you by drawing them! I did that with varying degrees of success over the last few days.

Vin Ganapathy is a huge inspiration for me. He has been one of my teachers at Sketchbook Skool and is one of the first artists from whom I've bought original artwork! I love his portraits done primarily in Tombow brush pens. They are so expressive! I used my watercolors, Kuretake brush pen, and some of Marc Taro Holmes's watercolor techniques to draw Vin here. I loved the shadows in this inspiration photo.

Jane Royal is a beautiful water colorist who I've met on Sktchy. She paints people with the minimum of graphite lines and really lets the watercolors do their magic. She has been very supportive of my art. I wish I had captured her likeness better here. Nut, it's the thought hat counts, right?

Who are your favorite artists? Have you drawn or painted them?

Trip to Monterey in Comic Form

In Danny Gregory's Sketchbook Skool Polishing klass, he taught us to document our days in comic form. He said that the point is not really any one individual daily comic, but the accumulation of the days over time. I tried to do that, but realized that my daily activities are pretty routine and repeatable, and, frankly, not very exciting to motivate me to do it. But, on a recent trip to Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove with friends, I found the idea of a daily comic as a usual and fun way to document and remember the activities we enjoyed and shared together. Here are my comics from that three day trip.

Progress on Athena Mixed Media Illustration

Juliana Coles's Sketchbook Skool Polishing klass has really inspired me. In working on illustrating a Greek mythology book with my friend, Steve Seinberg, I've found that using mixed media will allow me to incorporate all of the symbols and information Steve wants to convey about the goddess, Athena, visually.

I love Juliana's method of layering and adding to the piece over time as well as letting the art speak to you and become what it wants. Here are the first three phases of my Athena illustration.

What do you think? Any ideas for further phases/changes?

Mixed Media Sketchbook Skool Homework

This week's Polishing klass for Sketchbook Skool is being taught by Juliana Coles who is a mixed media artist. In her klass, Juliana showed us how she layers mixed media on drawings to create multi-layered art that she continues to work on over the course of months or even years!

I tried Juliana's methods with a 5 minute sketch done with my figure drawing group. My friend, Steve, is writing a book on Greek mythology and has asked me to help him illustrate it. I started this mixed media piece with the goddess Athena in mind.

Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Warfare

I plan to keep working on this further. What do you think of it?