Proven Formula For Increasing Skill

“Drawing is a frame of mind,

a loving embrace, if you will."

~ Susan Avishai

Do Eight Drawings in 15 minutes!

Discover how you can drastically increase your drawing skills,
when you sketch for just 15 minutes a day!
 

Models at Sandarosa Studio

Everything has a gesture!

Although often used as warm up for a life drawing session,

gesture drawing is an important exercise in developing skill in drawing.

Drawing from life uses different "muscles" than drawing from a photo does.

The brain processes 3D objects differently than when viewing flat, 2D reference. 

See more about gesture drawing  here:

Models. Timer and 2 Minute Sketches

I downloaded a free Simple Interval Timer (SIT) for my iPad and

set up 16) sets of 2 min. each with 10 seconds in-between ea. 2 min.

8 Drawings in 15 Minutes

Here's How To Do It -
• Start the the timer and sketch for 2 minutes.                  

• When the timer goes off,  turn (the model) 1/4 turn.      
• Repeat every 2 minutes.                                                  

• For 16 sessions, you can draw 4 views each                   

of four different models in just 33 minutes.        

• If you only have 15 minutes to spare, just do 8 drawings.
• And if you are really strapped for time, just do one set.  

Even a very small amount of time that is
allotted everyday will make a huge difference.

 Think of it as homework.
"I must warn you that it's addictive and the more you draw,
the more time you are going to want to spend doing it."
~ Sandy

A Quick Watercolor Wash is Added

 Join Our DrawingEveryday / SketchingEveryday Group on Facebook!

Gesture drawing is not just for figure drawing anymore!!

See more about 6 step sketching here.

Thanks for your friendship.

Happy Happy Creating!!

X ♥  O

Drawing is FUN!

“Drawing is a frame of mind,

a loving embrace, if you will."

~ Susan Avishai

Do 8 Drawings in 15 minutes!
Discover how you can drastically increase your drawing skills,
when you sketch for just 15 minutes a day!
 

Models at Sandarosa Studio

Everything has a gesture!

Although often used as warm up for a life drawing session,

gesture drawing is an important exercise in developing skill in drawing.

Drawing from life uses different "muscles" than drawing from a photo does.

The brain processes 3D objects differently than when viewing flat, 2D reference. 

See more about gesture drawing  here:

Models. Timer and 2 Minute Sketches

I downloaded a Simple Interval Timer for my iPad and

set up 16) sets of 2 min. each with 10 sec. in-between.

8 Drawings in 15 Minutes

Start the session and sketch for 2 minutes,

then turn (the model) 1/4 turn every 2 minutes.

For 16 sessions, I can draw 4 views each

of four different models in just 33 minutes.

If you only have 15 minutes to spare, just do 8!

A Quick Watercolor Wash is Added

"Draw, as much and as often as you can.

When drawing lies fallow,

the skill diminishes."

~ Gene Black

Gesture drawing is not just for figure drawing anymore!!

See more about 6 step sketching here.

Thanks for your friendship.
Happy Spring and Happy Creating!!

X ♥  O

 

Six Steps to Sensational Sketches

"Draw, as much 
and as often as you can. 

When drawing lies fallow, 
the skill diminishes."

~ Gene Black

Come learn how to draw a hummingbird

in the Six Steps to Sensational Sketches Technique

at my Special Monthly Class this Thursday 6-25-13.

6 Steps to Sensational Sketches from Sandy Sandy on Vimeo Happy Father's Day & Summer Solstice!

X ♥  O

Sketching Soothes my Soul and Saves my Sanity

Today's Sketch from George Stubbs' Whistlejacket

I've been getting back into sketching during my convalescence. Today I copied George Stubbs' painting, Whistlejacket. Sketching and painting takes me to a place where I am not aware of myself, the present, past or future. It connects me to a power that is much greater than I am. Without this outlet, I probably would have been much less content than I have been during this ordeal.

 "If you get into the habit of sketching, you'll never be bored." ~ Me

George Stubbs' Whistlejacket

ROM Cam Walker

After reading this blog post by one of my favorite bloggers, I ordered my cam walking boot online.   Read the comments for this post if you are in the market (or may be) for a boot yourself.

 Yesterday I got my cast cut off (again).

I got new x-rays and was fitted into my new stylish black boot. About 10pm last night, it started hurting. When I took it off, I could see it had partially cut off my circulation, so I am wearing it very loose today. I see the physical therapist tomorrow and will request more information on fitting the boot properly.

Spring has sprung here at the Sandarosa. Jerry took this photo of a momma turkey and her brood from the kitchen window.

And one of Chuckie the Woodchuck under the bird feeders, yesterday.

(Does Chuckie have nipples or am I seeing things?)

And Fuzzy Tail, congratulations, looks like you are expecting twins!

There's never a dull moment around here at the Sandarosa Animal Sanctuary!

The Feral Cat Saga continues, but I'll leave that story for next time.

Have a great evening everyone!

On Memorial Day, Let Us All Remember

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" ~ Maya Angelou

Too Much To Share And T.M.I. !

I started looking at my Squidoo Lenses this past weekend and realized most of them had way T. M. I. - TOO MUCH INFORMATION ! So I decided to break them down into more digestible chunks.

I've got two new lenses so far. I hope you find them interesting, helpful and worth your time.

An Obsession With Hummingbirds was inspired by a comment left recently here on my web log.


Simple Sketching Steps contains a new drawing demo.

In Simple Sketching Steps, I also explain my materials and make supply recommendations. My SketchingEveryday Blog starts in one week, so if you plan on following along and doing my sketching challenges this year, make sure you read this short lens and pick up any materials you may need.

THEY'RE HERE!!

I saw the first arrivals today. There are at least two of them, maybe more. I've got three feeders up now and I am in hummer heaven. Be sure to check out my Five Steps to Happy Hummers and get lots of tips on starting (or increasing numbers) of your very own hummingbird colony!

Screaming, Rearing and Charging

I'm sitting here on my screened-in back porch with two hummingbird feeders hanging on either side of the door. Jerry said he had one dive bomb him this morning, but I have yet to see one. I've been working out here for a couple of hours and no customers yet! Oh well, I did take Rudy for a spin this afternoon. He was a perfect gentleman. Rita, of course, carried on like a maniac. I figure when I ride Rudy, I get two for the price of one. Rita gets her exercise too. While screaming like a stallion, she entertainingly demonstrates her athletic ability, rearing, bucking, leaping, spinning and charging. It's quite a workout. More than I'm up for, FOR SURE! :-D
Here's a quick sketch of Rita today. I'm starting to draw more again, in preparation for my summer sketching series... I'm dreading it and looking forward to it at the same time. Hee Hee, Go figure.

Oh Where, Oh Where Can My Hummingbirds Be?!

OK, they're late. I'm beginning to worry. The first males have been arriving here around the 19th or twentieth of April for several years. (I write it on my calendar.) We did have a very cold winter here, but according to hummingbirds.net, they've been spotted as far north as Canada. Oh dear . . . I put up another feeder today by my studio window. Maybe I'm just missing them. I'm on edge and everything that goes by my window catches my eye. I'm even dreaming about the little cuties. Oh well, I'll try to be patient. Today's sketch is one I did in preparation for my studio drawing classes that I did in Florida last week. (And, I have been informed that the course was a huge hit with all the students.) :-D

An Obsession With Hummingbirds

I will be traveling and giving s few drawing demonstrations next week, so I thought I'd better practice a little today. Not drawing as regularly as I would like, my session started off slow and a little rusty. After a short time however, it became much easier. Here's a few steps of one of today's sketches. No hummers have been spotted here yet, so drawing some will just have to quench my thirst for now. Last year the first one showed up here on April 19th, so it shouldn't be too long of a wait now!

Ah, Accomplishments!

"For an artist, any accomplishment is merely a minor victory over failure, and no more than a small step up the steep and tortuous path towards excellence." ~ Ian Semple

Busy Busy Busy - See yesterday's Spirit Art post here!

Attn.: Artists - Sketching Everyday Challenge

My sketching everyday blog has just started up again for the 4th summer in a row! It feels great to be "back in the saddle again"! This year, I'm posting a photo at the beginning of each week. If anyone chooses to sketch it and send in your results, I'll post them on my sketching blog the following Sunday with my interpretation of the image. Here's this week's photo of Squamie, the Barred Owl at the Cedar Run Refuge.

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it." ~ Margaret Thatcher

Squidoo Lens Reviews By Mimi

I got several mysterious emails today about my Sketching Lens on Squidoo. The first one from Jimmie said; "I'm amazed. You make it look easy! Beautiful and instructive lens. (I'm visiting from Mimi's blog where she reviewed your lens.)". Hugh, I thought, I wonder who Mimi is. Then I got another couple and this email from Joan Adams. She wrote; "I'm visiting from Squidoo Lens Reviews too! Congratulations on a great review and feature." So I emailed Joan and asked her "What's up?" She told me that Mimi had reviewed my "Six Steps To Sensational Sketches"on her blog, Squidoo Lens Reviews. Wow, Thanks Mimi! Thanks Joan and Jimmie and all you other great folks who take the time time to send me your thoughts and encouragement! I am honored. I swear, I meet the nicest peeps online!! :-D See Mimi's review of my lens here.

My Upcoming Drawing and Watercolor Workshops

I've been getting organized for a few workshops I have coming up. I'm posting them here, incase any of you local followers are interested.

I've already got a few people signed up, so if you are interested, dont' delay! You can see more information on my main web site or here under workshops.

Chairville School Art Show And Demo

The Chairville School Art Show was a huge success! The school's new art teacher, Denise DeAngelis did a wonderful job of organizing it. It ran very smoothly. Despite the cold weather, people turned out in masses. Grouping all the paintings by artist worked out very well. I got quite a few remarks from artists that it was the best student/artist show ever! My Pencil And Watercolor Sketching Demo went very well. It was fun to connect with all the kids and adults with my interactive demonstration. I got a lot of great feedback. Next year I want to be further away from the music though, as I'm not used to shouting for such a long period of time.

Friend, student and fellow artist, Lee Gates' paintings were very popular with the kids.

The most popular paintings by far though, were these two paintings of the shark and the seal. I'm sure the shark was a big hit with all the boys!

Fun With Foxes

Here's another sketch I did from a photo by my friend, Sally Vennel.


And here's today's resulting watercolor painting using the sketches from her photographs with some imagination and artistic license.

Fox Face on Facebook

My photographer friend, Sally Vennel, posted an album of her foxes on Facebook this week! Truly wonderful images of amazingly gorgeous creatures, the new pictures inspired me to do some sketching today. Here is Sally's photo and my working sketch from her reference. This drawing is not meant to be a finished piece of artwork. Her photos are copyrighted, so it's always proper to get permission before posting other peoples' work or if you are copying photos to be used in artwork that will be for sale. I usually draw from photos for concept, structure and design exploration, often using reference from 6-8 photos for a single painting. The practice helps to develop and refine my seeing and improves my hand-eye cooridination. During the summer months of June - August, I draw and post a new image everyday on my sketchingeveryday and drawingeveryday blogs. I teach drawing classes and workshops and I am currently getting ready to do a drawing demo at an art show next week. See lots of Sally's beautiful photos on her Natural Images By Sally Vennel Blog.

Koala Bear Sketches and Painting

Check out my "off season" post I just put up on my Sketching Everyday Blog!

Colorado Trip

I'm traveling light this trip. Here's a picture of my little sketching box and two different sized sketch books I brought along with me. I did throw in some colored pencils right before I left the studio this morning. I used the small sketchbook on the plane today and did a few paintings using my pencil and wash technique. See my Colorado drawings, starting July 22nd on my Sketching Everyday Blog.

New Sketching Lens On Squidoo

I put together a new lens on Squidoo today called
Sensational Sketches In Six Simple Steps.
Of course I used one of my favorite subjects for the demo!