Illustration Friday: Music

Value study

Sketch for Illustration Friday: Music

Just painted in the main values with some ivory black watercolors. Hopefully I'll have the color version finished and up soon! :-)

I'm a Little Behind on Email

Just thought I would leave a post and say that I am slowly catching up on emails/facebook messages. I respond at a turtle's pace because typing kills my wrist when I answer more than two medium length emails a day--so you can see how that would make me get further and further behind. I promise though I will answer them as quickly as I can and I'm sorry for the delay! :0)

Thankfully drawing and painting does NOT pose a problem unless I try to do way too much in one day.

Back in the Saddle

Sorry about the long break, I just finished up two books that were very close together and just needed some time away from drawing. My paints and brushes are calling for me again though and now I'm much more refreshed!

Drawing in My Sleep

Last night I was extremely excited about some new ideas I had about my style but was way too tired to work on them, so I fell asleep 'counting sheep' so-to-speak by imagining what kind of drawings I would do next. Then I woke up this morning feeling like I had worked on my art all night! I essentially dreamed about drawing--perhaps for several hours and now unfortunately have nothing to show for all that hard work lol. I'm still trying to remember what exactly it was I had drawn; at least that would keep the time put in from being a total waste!

Exotic Birds

Nothing like the fresh smell of exotic birds in the morning.

Illustratin Friday: Frozen

James lifted up the shivery little dog and wrapped a towel around him.

The Quest for Inspiration (Or, Oh Drat Where Did It GO??)

Painting by: Edgar Degas

Inspiration is a tricky little bugger. It plays hide and seek, arrives when you least expect it, and leaves without a trace.....sometimes for weeks at a time. If you think your job as an artist is just to paint, draw, and create then boy are you in for a surprise.

Many artists feel alone when they're uninspired. They wonder if others go through the same thing (yes we do) and wonder if other artist's slumps have lasted as long as their own (yes they have). But please take comfort in this fact: losing and gaining inspiration is part of being an artist. It is the ebb and flow of creativity; a natural swing of things that you will continually try to weather and work with.

It's careful balance. Don't push too hard when you're just not inspired, but also take responsibility and try to gain that inspiration back. Reading books about your favorite artists (Degas is one of mine), visiting museums, going for a long walk on a beautiful day, whatever works for you. Sometimes the best thing to do is take a break from drawing and do something completely different for a while. That way you'll return to your desk feeling refreshed (of course don't do that sort of thing when you're on a tight deadline!).

The main point is this: don't let it get you down or scare you. It's just the wave pulling back from the sand for a bit. It always comes back. Believe me, I have to remind myself of that many many times.