Coloring Contest!! My friend Teya Sparks has proposed the brilliant idea of starting a coloring contest! And I even mentioned to her that I was a young fan of Rainbow Bright and Transformers coloring books! ’nuff said.
So here is my submission. Keeping with the sunny Spring theme this week I have decided to draw and color a “Sun Flower” with my crayons. The drawing is approximately 8″ x 10″ on card stock paper.
I have a new found respect for the crayon! And the contest is being judged purely on skills with a crayon.
The following drawings of the sun (stars) were created in response to Art Challenge #7: Sun Art, over at The Artist Challenge. The first sun drawing is also part of the CBS News Sunday Morning Television Show Art Library.
Each sun drawing is 11″ x 14″, and drawn on paper with a variety of pens, watercolors, paint pens, colored pencils, oil pastels, markers, and acrylic paint.
The first image of the sun represents the power and energy of the source of light and color, and life, in our world. The drawing is also abstract and impressionistic. The other two sun/star drawings focus on the tumultuous bubbling reaction within a star that produces the warm colors and heat amidst the black depths of space.
The accompanying video shows the drawing and painting process for the colorful abstract sun in a time lapse format.
This is an 11″x13″ drawing of a turtle, drawn and painted with markers, pens, paint pens, oil pastels, watercolors, and acrylic paint. The style is loose and impressionistic with an unconventional color palette and mixture of mediums. Shades of blue and green permeate the shadows around the turtle and in the background. This creates contrast between elements like the white highlights on the turtle shell, face, and leg, pushing them forward in the composition. And the variety of mediums in the artwork creates a unique surface texture befitting the turtle and surrounding foliage.
The time lapse video shows the process of drawing and painting the turtle, and how multiple variations and layers all exist within the same artwork.
The following artwork is entitled “Portrait of a Woman”. The slightly abstract and impressionistic drawing is approximately 11″ x 14″ and was created with pens, markers, paint pens, and colored pencils on paper. The portrait was drawn from life, as the woman reclined on a couch. A live subject helps me to capture a unique vibrancy and spirit that emanates from a person.
Interestingly, the woman in this portrait became very ill a few hours after the 20 minute drawing session. I think a certain anxious discomfort was visible before the physical symptoms of the illness were felt by her. It was a 24 hour illness, and she fully recovered.
Art Challenge #6: “The Fool” gallery is now premiering at The Artist Challenge. My contribution is a colorful abstract drawing of a face that represents some of the emotions behind feeling foolish. Drawn on an 11″ x 14″ piece of paper, layers of expression were built up over time with pens, markers, and paint pens.
Vulnerable feelings of sadness and embarrassment began the drawing, and despite the ultimate attempt at a smile, the reddening of the cheeks and watery eyes add to the complex face of emotions. The fool tries to ignore what’s inside and hide from the outside, stuck in an awkward and chaotic limbo, when honesty may be the truth that sets one free.
The accompanying time lapse drawing video offers insight into the creation of the colorful abstract face and reveals a hidden layer of emotion behind the final expression.
This is an abstract face entitled “Portrait of Lines and Color”. The artwork is approximately 11″x13″ on card stock paper, drawn and painted with markers, pens, watercolor, and paint pens. A few wisps of silver and gold paint pens were also used to give the drawing a shimmer from different viewing angles. The shimmer does not show up in the digital reproduction.
The accompanying video shows the drawing and painting process in a time lapse format. The video recording process offers a clear reminder of how the drawing looked during various stages of creation. And I think some very interesting images appear throughout the process that lend a certain experience, age, and depth to the final portrait.
The following artworks are part of a series of drawings/paintings of windows to the moon, each drawn and painted in an abstract style with different mediums. Each single window is approximately 12″x9″, containing a mix of media, including watercolors, pens, markers, colored pencils, paint pens, and oil pastels. The drawings are gestural and impressionistic, evoking a unique atmosphere when seen together or separately. The moon shines bright through each window amidst the dark night colored with black, red, and blue. Occasionally, the moon is visible during the daylight colored with blue, yellow, and white.
The Artist Challenge is well underway, with new artists joining every day! The project was started by artist Vikki North and I by challenging each other to create artwork based on a particular theme. This is my submission for Art Challenge #5 – Unrequited Love.
The first artwork is my submission, “Face of Unrequited Love 01″. The abstract face drawing/painting is approximately 11″x14″, drawn and painted with pens, markers, colored pencils, and watercolors on paper. The accompanying video shows the drawing and painting process in a time lapse format. The face was initially sketched with pen and markers. Washes of water and watercolor softened the portrait, followed by thick markers, and more watercolor washes, details, and highlights.
The second portrait drawing is entitled “Face of Unrequited Love 02″. This abstract face drawing/painting is approximately 9″x12″, drawn and painted with pens, markers, colored pencils, and watercolors on paper. There is an accompanying video that shows the drawing and painting process in a time lapse format. It shows a similar sketching and painting process from start to finish.
These are sketches of abstract faces in primarily black pens and watercolors. The first drawing is a pen sketch with water wash, approximately 9″x12″ on paper. The old face is an interesting foundation, utilizing the high contrast of black and white to create a striking and kinetic composition. The second drawing of a face, also 9″x12″ on paper, started in a similar style with pen and markers. Layers of black watercolor, marker, and white highlights were gesturally added to accentuate the fluid and wispy atmosphere.
This is a 9″x12″ abstract drawing of a bee, created with markers, paint pens, colored pencils, pens, and watercolor mediums. The vibrant, warm color palette and loose style adds a frantic feeling to the artwork. Quick strokes of color and medium are blurred around the paper with spatters of watercolor to create a sense of movement and buzzing. Silver and gold paint is also used to add a shimmering effect to the bee.
The accompanying video shows how I draw and paint the abstract bee in a time lapse format. The composition was initially sketched with light yellow, followed by rich oranges, reds, and silver and gold paint pens. Lush mixes of watercolors and white highlights were also applied to the entire artwork.
’nuff said.
The following drawings of the sun (stars) were created in response to Art Challenge #7: Sun Art, over at 
