hat 8, last one

Different style. I doubled a thin yarn and made a thicker, unribbed hat.

Now to take them to an organization who will know of people with cold heads and have some hats to offer them. Either Meals on Wheels, Salvation Army, or the Soup Kitchen. Update: I took them in to the Salvation Army local office and they were quite pleased to have hats to hand out.

wrist warmers, done!

These were a gift to a cold-wristed friend.

Simple tubes with thumb holes. Silk/wool yarn.

knitted hats 5, 6, 7

Catching up with the photos and posting.

peeking around a wall

Looking into the new year, maybe.

A wall and a mirror worked out, though the expression is pretty suspicious--what's out there?

Pencil in the Handbook artist's journal.

Santa for holiday cheer

Idle sketching, hanging out with the family and enjoying the day.

Season's Greetings and Happy Everything to Everyone!

Pencil in the Handbook artist's journal.

Just to get up *something* that's a bit Christmassy.

A stuffed Santa doll, pencil in the Handbook artist's journal

knitted hat 4

Catching up on posting the photos. But knitting is ongoing.

some of the Santas

I have a large Santa ornament collection. Didn't put very many out this year. These are all wooden.

Pencil/watercolor in the Handbook artist's journal

the secret to an unmoving model

When he reads a paper book, Jim moves constantly, fingers, hands, arms, even if it's back to the same positions over and over. A challenge!

But I drew this while he listened to an audio book and he didn't move a muscle, at all! for over 10 minutes. It was amazing for the sketcher, who was very happy!

Pencil in a Handbook artist's journal.

Portrait of a friend

Painted over a span of about 7 hours, again with guidance from an expert.


Done from a photo, but I changed the dress and necklace color, and background.

11x14, oil.

the model never knew I was there

Pencil in the PaperBlanks journal.

stop a minute to decorate

Amid all the knitting and painting, I managed to get a wreath up.

(a week ago)

M, partial scan

One third of the painting, safe for work.

The outstretched shoulder and arm look odd, but that was the pose.

DS oils on 140# w/c paper, acrylic ground.

mirrored bear

Trying a different sort of bear piece. DS oils on canvas board.

the first attempt

I did the painting of the man in the previously posted sketch, and turned him into a white-haired Trotsky version of himself.

Lots of problems here, not the least of which is the jaundiced eyeballs from the gold background showing through.

But for a 2 hour session (that's 20 minute sittings with 5 minutes in between), I felt pretty good about getting a whole head down!

Daniel Smith oils on 140# w/c paper, with gold acrylic ground.

first sketch for portrait

A 20 minute sketch of F. in prep for a 2 hour oil painting.

Pencil on Strathmore drawing paper.

hat 3

Photo is a little fuzzy, but then so is the hat.

I cabled the first section, then decided it wasn't worth it for what little the cables showed.

Switched to knit fast and finish mode!

an actual fruit still life

A painting I actually took more than 6 hours to do, in 3 sessions, helped by an expert painter.

The distant background will get more work, but for now, I'm liking the rest.

A viewer can create a story of what is happening here--fruit clumped together, tablecloth pushed back, bowl tipped over.

I like to think this still life is a narrative of an event. Feel free to create one.

12x16 canvas board.

rolling tote

With art supplies, of course.

Pencil in the Paperblanks journal.

found on the internet

From The World According to Lupus, found via a friend's link on Facebook. She fell down walking on a flat floor and broke her foot.

and another one

Hat number 2 of this knitting surge, thick acrylic yarn.

knitting season again

I always make hats to donate at Christmas--lots of cold heads out there in our winters! First one done. Noro yarn because I like to watch the colors change.

first step on a still life

I set up a still life of a clay and plastic mask with base and fabric. Beginning the layout with a viridian drawing. Oil on canvas board