Drawing

“If nothing else is left, one must scream. Silence is the real crime against humanity.” – Nadezhda Mandelstam

| ssemchuk 
March 15, 2015
Storm
Storm, Mar 14, 2015, Oil on Canvas board, 6″ X 6″

So I’ve started working on a commission based on A Crane Called Frank. And I thought I would play with some of the oil mediums to see if they might be something I want to use in this new painting (which I’m calling Francine at the moment). I tried out Galkyd, Neo Megilp and Galkyd Gel. And in the process this small storm ensued.

And here is the beginning of Francine. I’m just building the background now. Chances are very little of this will be visible in the final painting, but we’ll see. I just need to put on a few coats of clear gesso to seal it really well and I will be ready to go.

Francine WIP
Francine WIP, Mar 14, 2015, Mixed Media, 36″ X 24″

Lastly, here are a couple of drawings from this week. One from a figure drawing class that I’m doing – no, she did not have an inordinately large head, I just messed up the scale – and a small drawing I did during the week while thinking about folded paper in preparation to begin Francine.

Model
Model, Mar 12, 2015, Charcoal on Paper, 18″ X 24″
Kids Game
Kid’s Game, Mar 10, 2015, Pen on Paper, 8″ X 10″

 

 

 

“Fairy tales are more than true…

| ssemchuk

February 23

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” G. K. Chesterton

Buttons Four
Buttons Four, Feb 21, 2015, Oil on Canvas, 8″ X 8″
Four Peppers
Four Peppers, Feb 22, 2015, Pen on Paper, 10″ X 8″
Ben's Timer
Ben’s Timer, Feb 18 2015, Pen on Paper, 8″ X 10″

“Do something instead of killing time.”

| ssemchuk

February 8, 2015

“Do something instead of killing time. Because time is killing you.” Paulo Coelho

Buttons Two
Buttons Two, Feb 7, 2015, Oil on Canvas, 8″ X 8″
Metal Puzzle
Metal Puzzle, Feb 1, 2015, Pencil on Paper, 8.5″ X 5.5″
15 lbs
15 lbs, Feb 4, 2015, Pencil on Paper, 8.5″ X 5.5″
Keys
Keys, Feb 5, 2015, Pen on Paper, 3.5″ X 5.5″

Your Life Goals are Not Your Habits…

| ssemchuk 
January 25, 2015

“Your audacious life goals are fabulous. We’re proud of you for having them. But it’s possible that those goals are designed to distract you from the thing that’s really frightening you—the shift in daily habits that would mean a re–invention of how you see yourself.”
– Seth Godin

It’s almost the end of January and I am already behind. I have more items on my list than I have time to do them. That’s ok though. Good things are still happening regardless of my lists.

In an effort to improve my drawing skills, I am building the habit of drawing every day. I’m also trying to paint every week, although that just isn’t going to work out all the time. As much as I may have liked to, taking my easel and paints to Canmore last weekend to fit in a few strokes here and there between ski runs just didn’t seem all that practical. I did paint this weekend with the evidence below (still not finished…). And I have been drawing. Evidence of that below as well.

Bellis III WIP
Bellis III WIP, Jan 25, 2015, Oil on Canvas, 28″ X 28″
Hand & Jolt Charger
Hand & Jolt Charger, Jan 18, 2015, Fineliner on Paper, 10″ X 8″
Stapler
Stapler, January 21, 2015, Pencil on Paper, 10″ X 8″
Yoga Strap
Yoga Strap, Jan 22, 2015, Pencil on Paper, 8″ X 10″

The first four hours.

| ssemchuk 
July 13, 2014
Peppers
Peppers, Jul 12, 2014, Ink on Paper, 12″ X 9″

Having recently read “The First 20 Hours”, I decided to put it into practice. I have studied colour theory before, so it’s not a topic that is entirely new to me, but I figured that I have a lot to gain by re-educating myself on colour theory and colour mixing. Right now it’s not a skill I can brag about. So I’m getting to know my friend Betty Edwards a bit better with her book “Color A course in mastering the art of mixing colors” and besides the fact that she continually leaves out the U in COLOUR, I am finding it very helpful. Some of what I have learned so far:

  1. Betty firmly believes (and I agree) that artists should be trained sequentially in, FIRST, drawing – learning to use line and then to add VALUE, SECOND, colour theory and LASTLY, the combination of these skills to create paintings. This is very logical in my mind. not absolutely necessary, but it appeals to my methodical side. In fact this reminds me very much of a particular post by Robert Genn that informs my personal educational mission to improve my skills as an artist.
  2. Betty has a three step algorithm for mixing colour – again, how can this NOT be cool? Now if she could only break down the painting of the Sistine Chapel into three similarly straight-forward steps, life would be truly good. Steps are: 1. Identify the colour wheel HUE that is the base of the colour. 2. Identify the VALUE of the colour and 3. Idenitify the INTENSITY of the colour. And mix the colour. Very helpful.