Illustration Friday: "Idle"

Here is this week's IF topic. I diverted from my original plan of depicting idle construction workers. I was just dying to make a painting from sketches that I did earlier this week when I went to see my nephew play roller hockey. I wanted to illustrate the topic of "idle" like an engine idly running and ready to accelerate. These two players' engines are running and they are definitely ready to go!
I think I got the painting bug since this is the second canvas painting that I have recently done for IF.
This piece was done with acrylic paint on canvas.

Giraffe Eating - Class Project #1

Here is the first project that I will do with my students for this school year. I can hardly believe that I spent all day trying to work out this simple design. However, the hardest part about putting together art lessons is making them challenging, yet achievable. I think this design will have a lot to offer kindergarten though 8th grade (those are the grade levels that I teach).
This first lesson is a contour line drawing lesson, with minimal shading. Since my approach is progressive, the next lesson will focus more on shading, with the other lessons adding other techniques and approaches.
After experiencing a little bit of burnout by the end of last year, I am finally getting excited about teaching again. It was a nice summer break but now I am ready to take on another year's challenge.

July 27 Sketches

Did a bunch of sketching yesterday. The first two are studies for the next Illustration Friday topic. The rest are from my nephew's roller hockey game. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post the hockey drawings because they're pretty rough, but here they are anyway.

First pic done with pen and India ink. The rest done with Sharpie pen.

Click on images for large view.

Illustration Friday: "Tango"

Finally finished this week's IF topic. I was determined to finish it if I had to stay up all night.
Initially, I tried to find a way to tie in a military theme to the topic, because the phonetic military word for "T" is tango. But I eventually went with a more literal interpretation, probably one of many dancers that will be posted for this week's topic.
Done with acrylic paint on canvas.

IF - "Hollow"

Illustration Friday's topic this week is "Hollow". I went with a Sleepy Hollow approach. Since I never read the book I checked it out from the library and read it. The book is a lot different from the movies and a lot more cleaver.

Done with brush and India ink. I wanted to use color but I was just too busy this week to spend much time on it. Actually, I think b/w add to the atmosphere of the story behind the illustration.

EDM #232

EDM #232 "Draw something that you recently bought"
Done with India ink, colored inks and color pencil.

Thought I would try to get into the weekly challenges again.

This drawing makes it seem that I might be a rather healthy eater, but don't be deceived. I had pizza 3 times last week. Not a very good way to lose weight. Ah, there is always tomorrow ...

Pictures from the Art Reception

These are from just before people started to arrive. I was not able to take any pics during the reception since I was giving the presentation.























One of my posters that I created for class. van Gogh was the man!

One of the portfolios made for students. They were made from Trader Joe's bags. I got the idea from a kindergarten teacher who gave me one of her extra portfolios.

Master-pieces Art Experience - Student Work

Master-pieces Art Experience was a 6 session summer art course for grade school children that I just finished teaching last week. There are at least a few philosophies that went into the approach of instruction in these sessions. First, and foremost, we are all creative beings and the visual arts (or any other art forms) are an expression of who we are.
Secondly, great historical artists studied great artist historical artists. Every single artist that we studied in our sessions studied other artists.
Third, within a great work of art, other works of art can often be found. For example, in our sessions, instead of copying an entire work of art we recreated a section of a masterpiece. Through this process we were able to make a new work of art from the larger piece.
The lowest grade taught was 2nd grade and the highest was 6th. A couple of adults even sat in a few times. It was a lot of fun and I hope to possibly teach Master-pieces again next summer.
The examples of artist that we studied were (looking at the pics from left to right): M.C. Escher, Picasso, Degas, Kandinsky, van Gogh, and Monet. (Click on pics for larger image)
Color pencil, watercolors, and oil pastels were used in the sessions.
We are having an art reception tonight to celebrate the efforts of the students.

Another Quick Sketch

I did this quick sketch while waiting to pick my son up from Wed night church.

Done with a 0.9mm mechanical pencil.

Death to Drawing?

This afternoon, as I saw the mail carrier approaching my door with a small cardboard box, my excitement was immediately stirred as I anticipated its contents. This is the time of year when Communication Arts puts out its annual illustration publication, thus I intuitively knew what was nearing my doorstep. I always look forward to the illustration annual and seeing the latest ideas and techniques used by the world’s most skilled artists.
On the introduction page of the exhibit, Karen Powers is quoted saying, “I had expected to see more manipulated photo/illustration with lots of overwrought digital wizardry and was pleased to see that was not the case. So much of the work still involved traditional illustration techniques based on strong drawing skills.” Since I am familiar with the abundance of “digital wizardry” that is passed for skill in contemporary illustration, I was looking forward to being blown away by drawings, paintings and other hand-rendered media.
Well, I am now wondering if Karen was talking about a different art presentation, because the majority of the illustrations in the Comm Arts Illustration annual were either digitally generated or digitally enhanced. Granted, many of the images were skillfully done, however, artists seemed to rely so heavily on the computer that their efforts venture more into digital cut and paste rather than drawing skill. Some work was much like a glorified coloring book.
Still there were nuggets of inspiration with examples of old school illustrators like Brad Holland and Gary Kelly. I always enjoy seeing their work as they execute their conceptual and drawing skills into their illustrations. Their work is a breath of fresh air in a field where so many gee-wiz techno geeks exist. I wonder if Brad and Gary were new to the field would their work would even be accepted into the Comm Arts annual of today. One could only speculate.
As one who has not yet “made it” in my illustration career, I guess I have to either accept the direction that the field of illustration is going or be left behind. Ah, if only I were born ten years earlier!

Sketch at the Yogurt Shop

Was out with the family today taking photos for a new series of drawings that I plan to soon get started. As we took a break for frozen yogurt, I was able to draw a quick sketch of a customer cooling down with her treat. Though it was a bit cooler today, the past few days have been 100+ degrees. I am ready for it to cool down so I can get outside and draw!

This sketch was drawn with a 0.9mm mechanical pencil.