Lion WIP #4

Lion.  28 x 42cm  on  Waterford & Bockingford drawing paper 300gsm

I got a little more done yesterday. It's slow work all the hair from now on is in the shadow. I am enjoying this challenging male very much.  

It's been so cold here this week, a good excuse for staying indoors and in the art room.  Our temps have been as low as 4 deg C with daytime high's 14 - 17.  which is cold for us.  It should be a little warmer today as the rain has set in.    tossing up...  housework - v- artwork.   Maybe a little of each.  LOL. 

Lion WIP #3

I managed to get more done the last 2 days on the Lion.   More to do on the mouth and get those whiskers happening and a little more work on the hair especial the dark under hair. The top 2/3rds will then be complete. There is a rock at bottom right corner.  I should have him finished over the weekend.

Hope you all have a great arty weekend.

Lion WIP #2

Lion 

I progressed a little more this week.  I was hoping to be further along but I have had a week of running around.  I still have a lot of work to do on his face and the hair/fur.  He is slowly coming to life. As you will have noticed I dart all over the place.  LOL  I don't seem to be able to just work from a corner and concentrate on a small area at a time.     :)
With so much detail on his face it's going to take a while but I am enjoying the challenge of this majestic lion..

WIP #1 Lion.

Lion.  28 x 42cm  on  Waterford & Bockingford drawing paper 300gsm

I have roughed in the start of this piece.  so much work to do on the long hair and the face. I think the eye is completed.  A lot more challenging..LOL  I love a challenge.  Another quite large work. I am loving these giant lovable wild animals.  This is mainly a head and shoulders and comes courtessy of the WetCanvas reference library.  

Back grounds or not.

Referring to the last project of Mags...the magpie. 

I'm never sure about mixing mediums other than the little touch of color that I usually add. It's always hard to know if we should have a BG or not when we do animals in graphite. Some artists say without a BG the picture is not complete.  I always feel that Pen & Ink can work without a BG . Watercolor and oils need a BG.What do you all think?
The housework done and our trip all finalized. All bookings made...so time to settle down back into my artwork.  We just have to sit back now and wait for the big trip.

My next project is going to be a Male Lion...the mate to the Lioness. I should get started on that today.

Have a great Arty Day.     

Mags Finished.

Mags.   8 x 10" on Arches smooth paper.

I didn't really enjoy this piece.   I did the BG  in both pastel and  prismacolor pencils.   With the pastel dust it is hard to get  the black working with Mags being in graphite.    It has been a goos experiment all the same.  

Mags...update.

Mags.
Still a lot to do yet...  working on tones especially on Mags and more work in the tree branches.

I have been having fun here with Mags.  I subscribe to Ozsale.com.  Where in au we buy thing as much as 70% off the retail price.  You have to be quick to purchase as each sale is only up to 3 - 4 days.  I was so excited when I saw Faber-Castel had a sale on there.  I jumped in quick as these items were half price.  I had to wait about 6 weeks to get them but they arrived on Wednesday.  Here is what I purchased.

Colored Pitt Pens..  Chartcoal Pencil set.  Graphite Pencil set. Pastels. Art sketch Diary.
The lot incl postage was $98. au.


 I have already experimented with the lovely soft pastels on the BG here .  

Mags WIP

Mags on Arches smooth paper.  8 x 10"

Mags is our resident magpie. He comes every day along with his mate Sobersides and little bubs.   LOL they are the names we have given to them.  They have heart for breakfast and what ever they can can get the rest of the day, toast, bread, ham.  They certainly don't go hungry. They have trained us well ;)
Still lots to do on Mags.   Black feathers are difficult but I have more layers to work on yet.  

Possums dinner time.

This is the first time they have allowed me to hand feed them with Banana chips.  They love them.as well as carrot, pumpkin and grapes.  It's taken some time and patience, so worth the wait.
They are gorgeous.

Lioness Finished.

Arches 300gsm Smooth Paper  43 x 35cm

I have finally finished the Lioness.   She feel like a friend with the time it has taken to complete this.  I did give you plenty of updates with her.   I am thinking maybe a male Lion next to keep this lady company.  


 I would like to thank.   Rod Haley ( Flickr).  Thank you very much Rod for your permission to use one of your superb photos. 

Lioness WIP 7

Arches 300 gsm smooth paper   43 x 35cm

I should have this finished over the next couple of days.   When it's finished I will miss seeing her face. LOL I get so attached to my animal drawing... It's like getting to know them and making friends while drawing them. I don't know about adding the touch of color to this one.  There is the green grass but I am not sure.I need to think about it.  

Lioness WIP #6

I didn't get much done this week on the Lioness.  I have had a sore throat and a cold which settled on my chest.  Happy to say I am feeling a lot better and getting back to the drawing board.

Our Trip

We have been very busy lately working on the plans for our upcoming trip overseas later in the year (Aug/Sept/Oct).  We are making this a special trip as we feel this will probably be our last trip overseas ... unless we win on the Lottery.  ;)  Most of our stops will be for 3-4 days.  First call San Fransisco, Las Vegas (Celine Dion Concert) Grand Canyon by helicopter ) , Denver  up to South Dakota (  Mt Rushmore) and most importantly to see my dear friend Maria, some of you may know Maria as Pencil Sanity. Then to Wyoming (Have a cuppa and dunk a ginger cookie with Gary and Vicki Keimig ). Visit Yellowstone National Park, A wildlife day tour. Then flying  across to North Carolina and make our way over 3 weeks up to Williamsburg, Pennsylvania, Connecticut. Meet up with very dear friends for many years that I met on the internet, the Maddare family that we have  previously met when Nev and I  married in Vermont 7 yrs ago.  Charles Maddare walked me down the isle ...well the grass bank in the gardens of the lovely Fairbanks Hotel in St Johnsbury. does that count for an isle.  LOL.    Then we go to New Hampshire, Maine, I will meet up with my dear friend Jill  in Maine that I met in an art forum a few years ago.  Then  finally onto  Boston for a few days. Revisit "Cheers"  where Nev had his 60th birthday on our last trip.    Leaving the USA sadly and  flying  to the UK  for 10days to see family, then flying to Beijing /Shanghai tour for 2 weeks, then  a few days leasure  to shop and  just wander  .  Then back to Sydney and home.

Dry Cleaning Pad.

1.  I have recently found this amazing tool. I would not be without one now...  The pad does not need washing as it cleans it's self.  It is also great for cleaning drawing tools.  shapers, brushes etc.

2. Fold as directed and rub to clean off any marks that you get around your drawing.

3. As you will see in the third image it leaves crumbs of  rubber.  Sweep them away with your brush.

4. It leaves a nice clean surface and no damage to the tooth on the surface.

I have researched the availability and most art stores carry them.  Dick Blick has them.   I paid $14.95 in Au  ....They are much cheaper in the USA.
http://www.dickblick.com/products/alvin-dry-cleaning-pad/

Lioness WIP #5

 

Now comes  the hard part...All the rock :)  Still lots to do yet.  Her front paw will be outside the frame. I thought it would give a more 3D look.    Hope she looks like she's jumping off the paper.  LOL  or maybe a friendly paw to be stroked.  

Lioness WIP #4

 

 A little further on now. I have done quite a lot this afternoon but the light is not good now so I will post another update in the morning.   It's interesting as this seems to have all the shades of graphite in it.  I like that. 

I have been Featured.

Art is Fun
I am very thrilled and honored to be chosen  Featured Artist on
  "Art Is Fun"  
Many thanks to Thaneeya. 
Please take a look around the site while you are there, there are lots of interesting articles etc.

http://www.art-is-fun.com/detailed-pencil-drawings.html

Lioness WIP #3

Arches 300 gsm smooth paper   43 x 35cm

                                               

Copyright Rod Haley.

I got a bit more done on this yesterday.  There is still a lot more to do but the head is now taking shape.

Lioness WIP #2.

Arches 300gsm paper 45 x 35 cm

Resuming the Lioness.

Arches 300gsm smooth paper. 45 x 35 cm

Just to recap on where I am at with the Lioness.  I am posting the last update.  It's back on the drawing board. I should get a little done today.
A large drawing for a nice change. Just mapping out getting some base working. The size when finished will be 45 x 35 cm plus the border on Arches smooth 300 gsm paper.
The lioness ref photo comes courtesy of Rod Haley ( Flickr).  Thank you very much Rod for the permission to use one of your superb photos. 

Chakra WIP comission. Finished.

10 x 8" Prismacolor Pencil and Graphite on Canson 220 gsm smooth Paper. 

Here is Chakra all finished.  I will leave it for a day and then look if it needs any tweaking.
The bottom of the Love Box is done in CP as it didn't have a good look in graphite.