inktober 2016

Every October, artists all over the world take on the InkToberdrawing challenge by doing one ink drawing a day the entire month. Jake Parker created InkTober in 2009 as a challenge to improve his inking skills and develop positive drawing habits. you can check out his work by clicking on the link below.

The Inktober Initiative - Mr Jake Parker

mrjakeparker.com/inktober

This October I  decided to work with walnut ink,which has a lovely warm tone.   I was asked to do a

 series of Sepia tone drawings for a commission and walnut ink fit the bill for that as well.  

"Charlie"

walnut ink

9" x 6"

"Klaus" 1,2, &3

walnut ink

all 9" x 6"

"Daisy"

walnut ink

5" x  4"

'"Clover"

walnut ink in sketchbook

"Anny"

walnut ink in sketchbook

So far this October I have stayed on the subject of dogs but I have squeezed in a portrait or two as well.  ( Last September I did only portraits, of my daughter, using walnut ink.)

Whatever the subject, it is always good to get back to basics, and polish those drawing skills!

Day 12 - Basil

"Basil"

6.5" x 10"

watercolor and pen

So, I have a new project in the works, a sketchbook project, actually part of THE Sketchbook Project with the Brooklyn Art Library.  I just got my book in the mail yesterday and I am dying to get started.  The way it works is that they send you a sketchbook, you fill it and send it back to them to become part of their sketchbook library (How cool is that?!?) Also, it will be digitized so that anyone can view it online as well.  So today I started the rebinding process, as I plan to use watercolors and wanted a heavier watercolor paper in the book. Once I have it bound I will get started painting.  I have choosen as my theme "Familiar Friends" (from their list of suggestions) and will call my project "Fur-miliar Friends", because, you guessed it, I will be painting dog portraits.  

That's where Basil comes in.  I posted a request on FB and IG to my friends and family asking them to send me photos of their furry friends.  I got a ton, which is awesome because now I could probably fill 5 sketchbooks!

Days 9, 10, & 11

 

Okay so, it turns out painting isn't the hard part for me, its posting!  I don't get to the computer very often... I find it much easier to post to Instagram much more often because I can do it from my phone.  Anytawho... these are my most recent paintings for the challenge...

Day 9 I had my ipad(source of my reference photos) hijaked by my 5 year old and I was enjoying some quiet time on the couch with her, so I just drew from a magazine that I'd been looking at while we snuggled. I later added a few washes of black watercolor.

Day 10 is Mandy, a 7 month old Bernese Mountain Dog.  This was done in my 9" x 12" sketchbook.  I will be including Mandy in my upcoming sketchbook project (stay tuned) but I just couldn't wait to paint her.

Day 11 is Oliver, a 9 month old Bernese Mountain Dog, and Mandy's "brother". I did this in my smaller 6.5" x 10" sketchbook.  I keep starting paintinging/sketches in my sketchbook thinking I'm just playing around or warming up, then regret that I didn't do it on better paper...

Days 7 & 8

Yesterday I didn't have a lot of time but I managed to sit down and do a quick sketch.  I love the reference photo for this but it is tough to make it readable...

Today, I started this guy, still in progress but I might just start fresh... sometimes there's a mistake in the original drawing that can't be overlooked (or overpainted...). Anyway, I've got other things on my mind and so I'm not really giving my all.  it happens.

Day 2, Potter

Potter

14" x 11"

watercolor

This is the very handsome Potter, a Vizsla from Colorada.  I did a commissioned portrait of him in December and wanted to try him in just black for my new series.  The client gave me a bunch of great photos to work from and it was hard to pick just one for the portrait, so this gives me the opportunity to experiment more.  

His coloring is such a pretty golden tan and the painting was for a six year old girl, so this palette was perfect, I just couldnt help wanting to try it in grayscale!

Happy 2016!

Finley

watercolor
14" x 11"

Happy 2016!

I am looking forward to the new year and starting new projects.  December was chockfull of painting for commissions (Yay!) but I didn't get a chance to post here in the blog. Now that things have quited down, I am committing to another 30 in 30 challenge, focusing on my black and white watercolors of dogs.  I will work im my sketckbook everyday as ususal, but I hope to do some larger works as part of a series.  I find that focusing on a project like this works well for me, so here goes...

Klaus the German Shepherd

"Klaus"

watercolor

8" x 10"

I just finished up another commission, and it was a great experience. The client gave me so many great photos to work from that I was able to play around quite a bit before I settled on the final pose.  By the time I started this one I had a really good feel for the subject.
Here are some of the sketches and color studies that I did...

My 100th day

My 100 Day project was complete on August 19th, but the end of August was so busy with the kids that I am just now getting to reflect on it...and I've already moved on to a new venture!  But before I talk about that, I thought I'd talk a bit about my 100 days.
Starting on May 1st, I painted in my sketchbook every day (missing a few) for 100 days, all dogs.  This was such a great learning experience and I'm so glad I stuck with it.  Committing to a single subject-dogs, medium-watercolor, and format-sketchbook, eliminates the "what will I paint today?" And just gets me started painting which is the hardest part. Most days I would end up doing more than that first sketchbook painting, whether it was working on a commissioned pet portrait or just working on more sketches. I would jump around with my approach, ( pencil sketch first then carefully layered watercolor, or jumping right in with washy gestures) but at least I always knew where to start.  This experience made me so much more comfortable working with the watercolor, as well as with the subject matter.  Now I'm going to try and apply this to portraits (people portraits) which is my first love.  I struggle with them, but I know it's because I want so much to be able to express my view. Hopefully committing to doing 30 portraits in 30 days will help me get closer!

Sydney

As I continue on my 100 day project, I am falling into some sort of a rythym of more finished sketches and quicker, less resolved sketches.  But mostly I feel like I've been "resolving" or

"finishing" these sketches more than I should be, being "sketches" and all.... So, I have resorted to having a sketchbook for my sketchbook.  The past few days I have done quicker, looser, sketches in my big 9"x12" book, before I do the my daily painting in my 6" x 6" book.  I feel like I should be working bigger and on loose watercolor paper instead of in this tiny sketchbook.  However, I committed to doing 100 paintings in the same format, and I do think it is a good practice.  I am learning a lot about watercolor but also about how I like to work. 

"Sydney"

6" x 6"

watercolor

Syndey is a beautiful Great Dane that lives on the 39th floor of a high rise in Chicago.  I can't wait to do more paintings of her.  Her daddy, my newphew Paul, takes a lot of great photos of her so I have alot to work from.  

Here is a look at my process...

Clover and Sport

Clover and Sport

10.25" x 13"

watercolor

This is the final of the painting I showed the sketch for yesterday.  I didn't end up submitting it to the show because I wasn't sure it was right.  I like parts of it, but it wasn't exactly how I envisioned it.  Part of me wishes I just entered it anyway...

Clover is my dog and Sport is Clover's (toy) dog.  Sport started out as my daughter's toy, but too much dog slobber and she willingly handed him over to Clover... he lovingly carrries that thing everywhere, and would never dare tear him apart.

working bigger

I am trying to start working bigger, slightly bigger anyway...

Clover and Sport, sketch

9" x 12"

watercolor

I originally created this sketch as an idea for the "Possessions" exhibit at the Attleboro Arts Museum.  I liked the color and general gesture of the initial sketch but needed to go larger in order to incorporate the legs and the "Possession" (his stuffed dog, Sport).  Seeing how that was the point of the painting, that needed to be the focus.  Increasing the size of the paper to 10.25" x 13" helped but I still think it could use a little more breathing room, compositionally.

Next time I'm starting with a full sheet and cutting down once the painting is finished!

my process... my product(?)

So, I've been thinking a lot about process, and product, and if I have one and if so, what is it...


I have started a new project, #the100dayproject on Instagram. Ella Luna the author of The Crossroads of Should and Must prompted her followers to spend 100 days creating something, and post it on Instagram.  Every day in May, I have posted a photo of a painting in my sketchbook.  Some are more developed than others, but I mainly intended to let it be a place to experiment, and not have the pressure of a "finished" product.  Sometimes I prefer the works in progress to the ones that I develop more fully.

Sometimes I like the finished ones.

Today someone offered to buy the painting I did of their dog.  My question is, should I let this be a product, as in should I sell my sketchbook pages? or make prints of them? or just leave them be as my "process" and work on new separate pieces if someone is interested?

Overall, I have enjoyed the process of sticking with a single format (6" x6" sketchbook), medium (watercolor) and subject (dogs) for an extended amount of time...and that's good because I still have 69 days to go!

One more Dash...

Okay, just more more of Dash...

"Dash, from above"

9" x 12"

watercolor

And here is the process for this one...

Dash, take 3

"Everyday is like Sunday"

8 1/4" x 9 3/4"

watercolor

Way back in January, when I was doing the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge, I saw my old friend Melissa's photo of her Golden Retriever, Dash, and just HAD to paint it.  I fell in love with the pose and of course I'm a big sucker for Goldens...I painted twice in January, and just couldn't seem to capture what drew me to it in the first place.  I tried again this week, but I think the lesson here is that some photos are SO good as photos, that they don't make good watercolor paintings...

what's new in May...

Well, I have been MIA for a while, but very busy making art!  I have been dilligently fillling my sketchbook everyday and posting the painted sketches on Instagram, (you can follow me in Instagram @cindymcd)...

as well as working on some larger pieces that I will soon be listing on Daily Paintworks.com...

"inky"
9" x 12"
watercolor

Also, I am excited to announce that that I am now represented by the Walsingham Gallery in Newburyport, Massachusetts.  They have five of my dog paintings and I hope to receive some commisions through them as well.

progress, process

Today I painted a little schnauzer, and boy, did I enjoy the process.  It was just a picture I found, no expectations, no deadline. Just a cute face and a limited palette. 

I'm not quite done yet.  I need to adjust the pattern of lights and darks, and maybe add a little more color, but overall, I like it.

Here is it, with another dog-in-progress...

I really like the sketchy-ness of this larger one, and am being very tenative so as to not overwork it.

setting up to sell

I have decided to try out the "Daily Paintworks" auction function to sell my work.  I am not sure if I set it all up correctly, so this is somewhat of a test...

So today I'm listing this painting:

"Finley"

7" x 7"

watercolor

Click the link below to go to the auction

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/351335

Challenge Finale

"The Dogs of January"

30, or so, Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Well, I may not have finished 30 complete paintings (I think I did 27, not all of which made the final cut...) but I certainly learned a lot about watercolor and started a good painting (nearly) everyday routine.  I hope to continue painting nearly everyday, though I am anxious to start different subjects, and eventually get back to acrylic.

Here is what I worked on yesterday...

I can't wait to get back to working from life, maybe more portraits, and I'm really liking ink washes right now.  So stay tuned to see what's next...

Made in the Shade

"Made in the Shade"

4" x 4"

acrylic on panel

My Clover again...This is from a super hot day last week at the playground.  He had to follow us around and check everything out, including climbing up the stairs, until he finally plopped himself under one of the slides, in the shade.

I started getting too fussy with this one and had to stop.  I'm trying to keep to a painting-a-day schedule, but so far this week I've only done two, sending the day after revising.  I find I miss a lot of things when I paint it all in one sitting, without stepping away from the painting.  But usually I can commit only one hour or two to painting, so...  I'm far behind on the 30 in 30 challenge, but at least I'm still going.  20 in 30 isn't bad, right?

Day ? - Clover

"Clover"

4" x 4"

acrylic on panel

What day is it? I think, being the sixteen of September that it is Day 16 of the 30 in 30 Challenge.  But this is my 11th painting and I'm not sure I'll catch up at this point so...

Here is a painting I did for a Daily Paintworks Challenge, to paint a pet from a black and white photo, so as to make sure you establish a light and dark pattern.  I started with this photo of my dog Clover, from about 5 years ago.

All I had was a photocopy so I really had no reference for color, other than Clover himself.  I used a limited palette of Cadmium Red Light, Yellow Ochre, Phtalo Blue and Titanium White.  I started working with the reference photo and my painting upside down to block in the major shapes of light and dark...

Then flipped it once I felt I had that in place, and add some smaller details...

Then painted out the quilt that is to the left because it was distracting and didn't make sense.  Not sure is this is better, composition-wise but overall I like the painting.