Printed Portraits

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Friends

6x6" woodcut prints
2012

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Awakening

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Awakening

Pencil, ink, acrylic, and oil on wood, 24"x48"

2012

 The brightest highlights were created by carving into the wood.

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[From the Sketchbook] Artist's Space

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[From the Sketchbook] Filling the Page

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Sometimes the many pages in my sketchbook intimidate me, especially since I'm in a class that requires me to fill the book in one semester. I also tend to hold some pages too precious. Who says that I have to only draw what I see around me? Who says that words and doodles aren't good enough for my sketchbook? Well...I often do.

This is one way I can loosen up and get one step closer to filling my sketchbook:

Pen and colored pencil.

I may or may not have done this during lecture....

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[From the Sketchbook] New Shoes

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I bought a pair of shoes the other day, and not too long after that, they were in my sketchbook.

Pen and watercolor.

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Sneak-Peek: Latest Portrait

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I am working on another mixed-media painting, this one involving pencil, ink, acrylic, and a little oil, on wood panel. PLUS I may have even begun chipping into the wood itself....

I don't have a decent picture of the finished piece yet, but I am far too excited about it not to give you at least a sneak-peek! 

This is a small section from the 2x4ft. panel.

My beautiful friend, Ann, let me use a photo of her for reference.

I will try to get a photo of the whole piece soon! 

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[From the Sketchbook] Yes, that is the inside of my refrigerator.

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Another homework assignment; I assure you, I am not as inventive (or food-obsessed) as this. I would have never thought to draw the inside of my fridge.

Pen and colored pencil.

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[From the Sketchbook] Gearing Up

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More from my sketchbook class! 

I drew parts of my bicycle, then added some watercolor washes.

Pen and watercolor.

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Oil Still Life I

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I had stubbornly avoided oil painting through the majority of my time at my university, but I could ignore it no longer; I finally took an oil class. I was quite sure that I wouldn't like this medium. 

Despite my best efforts...I think I may be warming up to oil. Stinky paint thinners, ridiculously long drying times, and all.

Still life in black and white, 16"x20."

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[From the Sketchbook] Camptosaurus Dispar

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I spent some time at the dinosaur museum with my sketchbook class the other day.

This big guy caught my attention:

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Grace Like Rain

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Grace Like Rain

Ink, pencil, acrylic paint, acrylic gloss medium.

Three panels, approx. 40"x48" total.

2012

I was excited to find this piece of plywood, which already had a drip effect in the grain.

Scripture verses are "raining" down along with the drips of ink and acrylic paint. ~Hence, Grace Like Rain. 

This may be the most personal painting I have done in a while. It's certainly different from the ones I have posted so far. I'm not sure what direction I'll go from here, but I know one thing: I am in love with painting on plywood.

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Nicholls Family

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Nicholls Family

 Acrylic and ink on wood, 2x4'

2012

These are my amazing relatives-and yes, that's how they spell "Nicholls." I believe the picture I used as a reference was taken sometime in the 1930s.

I did this painting on a piece of stained plywood and painted with India ink, acrylic, and coffee. The coffee was an experiment; it mainly lightened the wood just a little. I may try tea next... 

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Printmaking

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"Shining Through the Dark"

Woodcut print on rice paper

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Knock on Wood: Latest sneak peek

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This a small look at my almost-finished painting.

My photo reference was an old family photo, like most of my others. As you can see from this bit, this painting is different, more sketchy, and the figures are suggested rather than fully defined. I'm excited to show you the whole piece! I should be posting it soon...

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Cream and Sugar

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My great-great grandma, Lily:

Grandma & Grandpa 

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Charcoal Drawing: Still Life

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I did this charcoal drawing in my drawing workshop. This professor teaches an Academic, realistic form of drawing.

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Sketching Possibilities

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A small sketch...

I drew this quick sketch in pen and colored it with pencil. I used the same photo reference of my great-grandma that I used [ here ].

I'm considering making this into a painting, but I haven't quite made up my mind.

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The Reveal: The Musician

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Here is the almost-finished painting of my great-great grandpa. The portrait itself is finished, but I may add a little more to the background, probably a subtle framework. 

The black is India ink painted with a brush or drawn on with pen. I used acrylics for the highlights.

This painting is 32"x47."

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Practice Makes Perfect (or good enough)

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I like to draw a few small portrait sketches before creating a "serious" drawing. 

These are pen sketches of my great-great grandma: 

At first I didn't like working with a pen, because I couldn't erase imperfections, and I couldn't blend as I would with pencil or charcoal, yet sometime during my college "career" I fell in love with the pen. I love the hatch marks that can be made, and it forces me to look very carefully at what I'm drawing. Each mark counts! If I make a mistake, I call it character. So it both encourages me to be careful with the marks that I make, and forces me to let go of my need for perfection.

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In the Band: Sneak Peek

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Here's a sneak peek of my latest portrait:

 For my surface, I stained a large piece of plywood that had been cut into an oval by a helpful friend; it's roughly 32"x40-something inches (I keep forgetting to measure it). 

This obviously is not the whole portrait, but I will be posting that soon!

Not the best photo in the world, but it's only a preview, after all. The bad quality shall serve to increase your suspense for the full portrait soon to follow.
Do you feel your suspense increasing? 

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Handmade

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Pen, ink wash (painting with watered-down ink), and watercolor.

Embroidery and leaf earrings by { Brenna }.

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New Shoes

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Drawn in pen, colored with pencil.

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Sugary Sweet

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I painted this sugar bowl at a pottery studio. This painted sketch is of my great-great-grandpa, James, the same one I sketched [ here ].

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In the Neighborhood

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9x12" painting in acrylic.

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Elma Katherine

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I drew this from a picture of my great-grandma that was taken in 1929. She was either 14 or 15.

Drawn with a Uni-ball micro pen.

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The Musician

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This is another version of my great-great grandpa, James. I posted the first one here. 

The picture I used as a reference was taken in 1900; James is in his band uniform.

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