Hi Lynn,

I have moved the topic here - I want to thank you for your kind offering to teach me!! What a wonderful gift!!! I cannot go out to classes or anything like that now - although i did once time a few years ago - but too much fatigue for that now so your offer to teach me - I cannot tell you what that means to me!!! How very kind of you!! I hope I will be a good pupil!

I'd love to try to graphic pencils water wash...I do have brushes I think (will have to dig them out from under the bed - along with all my art stuff)....I traditionally have done better with straight line type drawings like buildings and such although I am not very good at perspective but manage...I usually draw from a picture and haven't ever had to much luck drawing from visions in my head - but who knows what pathways may open up now!

What types of subjects did you draw with the graphite?

I really cannot thank you enough for your kind offer...I am really excited about this!!

Maybe I can learn how to upload pictures so you can examine them too

Thanks so much!!

Tonya

Tonya - the pencil we used to draw value studies with today is called "General's Sketch & Wash #588". It is marked "all-surface graphite". You draw with it, shade in middle and dark values, then apply clear water with a watercolor brush. It is much like doing a pen and ink drawing with a wash over parts of it.
Here's an idea - assemble your art supplies, put on some music that you really love, and just put down on your paper or canvas whatever flows through your mind onto your surface. Don't overthink what you are doing, just do what comes naturally.
I am reading a book on abstract painting & collage - The Creative Edge by Mary Todd Beam. It is a very upbeat, freeing kind of book and just what I need right now. There are wonderful exercises in it, some very interesting paintings & great quotes by various people. I find it very inspiring and you may too. Just bought another one yesterday on the same subject but haven't read it yet - The New Creative Artist by Nita Leland.
These are from the Beam book - "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to reamin an artist once he grows up." Pablo Picasso
This is so true - I am always telling my students to concentrate on having fun and do lots of practicing between classes. Relax! Don't worry about the results. Once you get your creative juices flowing, your painting will happen.
"I don't know what I'm doing most of the time, but that's ok because I have a lot of fun. And, isn't that the great gift of art? Always seeking, always growing and always having the time of my life." Tom Jensen
If you want to, you can send me a PM with your email address and we can take our art lessons/discussion off the forum if you wish. Or, if others are finding it fun and useful, we can continue to discuss here. Lynn

Tonya - are you on Facebook? I have some paintings there and that is a fairly easy way to upload your art and make it available. My high speed internet is slow as molasses most of the time, so I can only send one image at a time and it takes forever. Or, if you use a service like Snapfish and some of the other photo sites you can upload to those.

Tonya:

There is a simple tool to make perspective fairly easy--it's only 2 pieces of cardboard fastened with a paper fastener or something else at one end that you look at the object or building part, make that angle with the 2 pieces and then put the "cheater" on the paper and draw that angle. I made mine out of strips of thin but rigid plastic.

Illustrated directions at http://www.hitentertainment.com/artatta ... eater.html

Tonya,

I know everyone is different but I just wanted to mention that my 87 y.o. mother, dx in 2/2010 an in an SNF with significant recent declines, is still doing art. She was an art teacher for about 25 years and always enjoyed acrylic painting and pencil and charcoal sketching.

She has lost the interest and/or ability to pursue her other interests, like reading and knitting, but her interest and ability connected to art remain strong. In fact, we recently bought her a small desk and chair for her room so she would have a good place for drawing.

I think it is great that you are pursuing your interest in art and hope that it continues to give you satisfaction!

Julianne

In the class I took yesterday people were working on all sorts of subjects, so it really didn't matter. One artist was working on a huge flower macro. I was working from a photo I took in the Caribbean of colorful beach houses, palm trees and colorful boats. One person was working on a portrait. You name it, it was probably covered!
Do you have a collection of your own photographs? People usually have an emotional response to a photo they took themselves, so it's easier to get passionate about a subject you already captured yourself. Or, just draw things around your house or yard. It's a really good exercise for any artist to draw some every day. It improves observational skills and improves painting skills too. Have you ever done a contour drawing? That is a fun way to practice observation and see the interconnectedness in the things around you. Lynn

Lynn, Julianne, Gail,

This is great - thank you so much - I will try what you suggested - got the stuff out last night.....
I don't do facebook - I find it too overwhelming for me....I could look into snapfish.....I have a high speed connection...

For awhile I tried working with the book "drawing on the right side of the brain"....I was already ill and reading is not much of an option for me anymore....I have a lot of trouble comprehending what I just read unless it's very short - like these posts......

Gail - thanks for the tip on perspective! Maybe my buildings will look right!

Julianne - It gives me a lot of hope and comfort knowing your Mother paints and draws and that you help make it possible for her to enjoy that!! I think that is what Craig was talking about when he was saying trying to connect with long time things that make us who we are.....how sweet of you! I suspect the arts are going to outlast most other things for me too the way things are going.....I was sorry to read of your Mother's recent decline.....will be thinking of you....

Lynn, thanks for all the tips - the music is such a great idea because I love to sing so much - so singing and drawing seem like a wonderful experience....not sure I know what contour drawing is.....

I am really excited about this - thanks to all of you....sometimes it's hard to figure out what to do with myself between the fatigue and what I cannot do anymore....If I had energy I'd get out there and be an advocate for people and caregivers for LBD and I'd clean my house! But since I am so limited...maybe I can share here and do some of these things that you all are helping me with!! Thank you again so much!!

Best wishes,
Tonya

Here's one of my "through the window" photos - I am going to try to learn how to put up a photo...Photography doesn't exhaust me - especially from my chair but sometimes I do have trouble with mild tremors or my vision.....But I really enjoy it...I have a zoom lens and a birdbath right outside my window.... Thanks for letting me share this with you all!

Wow!! that is a beautiful photo Tonya. Great work!

Thanks Ger!! You're too kind!!

nice picture Tonya….could only be nicer in a Jambalaya...

Craig:

Shame on you. Although in Cajun country, many a songbird has no doubt ended up in many pots and skillets. As they say about the plague of nutria, just make killing them illegal and the Cajuns will clean them right out. Wonder if they taste like doves?

Gail

wonderful photo tonya... i love watercolors and have recently tried pastels... the time i'm painting is so peaceful and relaxing... even if it doesnt turn out exactly how i want it.. i hope you find the same comfort in your new adventure.. its honestly been my saving grace.. a mini vacation..

have fun.. happy painting!!
cindi

Thanks everyone for your encouragement!!! Craig it's been so hot here I think the poor bird was almost cooking already! Good thing for the birdbath!!!

May start to try to draw this evening...thanks again everyone!!!

Best wishes,

Tonya

Gail…

four and twenty redbirds….