I got rid of my smartphone some months back because I decided my free time could be used better. I put a journal in my purse so that the next time I had 5-10 minutes, I didn't reach for my phone to check my e-mail or Facebook and used that time to sketch instead. While I really, really miss my phone, I realized I didn't need to have a computer in my hand all day long. What I really needed was a return to creating art, whether making sketches, painting or just having fun playing with paints. Here's a few:

Winter trees are an excellent opportunity to focus on the structure of a tree's trunk and branches. 

This pathetic young tree sits in my front yard, still a baby tree. It has that Charlie Brown Christmas Tree look to it, doesn't it?

Woeful looking or not, it provided excellent journaling practice...

Christmas has come and gone, with nary a snowflake in sight.  Well, maybe one or two, but not enough to stick. I felt a snowy winter scene was in order to remind me of what was to come this winter.

A few months ago, I stumbled across a photograph taken by fellow Michigan resident, "Dr. Farnsworth", and it was a stunner. He graciously allowed me to use his photo for painting (thank you!).  My interpretation is a bit different than his beautifully simplistic and peaceful snowy scene, but I hope I did it justice in his eyes.

I've also posted a few more Autumn scenes in my Sketchbook Gallery.  Take a look if you like.

Happy Winter! (the fun and agony has only just begun)

Summer, please come back!  I miss you already....

Speaking of which, I also miss all of my artist and blog friends.  I've been absent from the internet for a while, as you can see.  I blame it on Summer.  But... I'm baaack!!! Hopefully you haven't all left me by now, but I totally expect that you would have moved on.

Anyway, after a wild whirlwind of summer vacations and getaway weekends, most of which involved water of some form (pools, lakes, water rides), hot, hot sunny days, and sometimes camping, lighthouses, cliffs, DJ music and Tiki bars, I think I'm going into Summer Withdrawal.  Does such a thing even exist?

So.... what a great way to bring back the memories than by painting some waves.

Want to see more waves?  Water? Lighthouses? Sunsets? Tiki Bars?  Here's a small sample of my Summer (click on a photo for a larger image/slideshow, or hover the mouse over the image to see notes about it):

Now, I must admit that Fall is my favorite season, with all of its splendor and glory.  But, but, but... I'm just not ready for it yet.  Give me a week or two to get into the proper Spirit of Autumn.  In the meantime, I'm back to reliving the Summer.

Hope all of you had a great Summer too!

Inspired by Brenda Swenson's 75-day contour drawing challenge, I thought my drawing skills could benefit by d.r.a.w.i.n.g   s.l.o.w.e.r.  The goal is not to get a likeness of your subject, but to pay attention to every line with your eyes and hone your observation skills by not lifting your pen off of the page.  

I may have lifted my pen occasionally.  Its hard to do it as one continuous line!  Pen is preferred over pencil so that you don't erase your mistakes.  Lines aren't supposed to be perfect.  Brenda Swenson explains it a little better here.  It takes only a few minutes to do a contour drawing and is a great way to "loosen up" before more formal drawing or painting.  As you can see from my contour drawing above, you can make out what the subject should be, a small boy in the grass with a chair, but I found it funny that I turned him into such a pouty boy looking like Winston Churchill.  Here is the reference photo:

I'll be posting more contour drawings periodically.  Try it, it's a fun exercise!

Ahhh... THIS is what Summer is all about.  Spending time on the beach.  

Another quick 15 minute sketch, no pre-drawing, just to exercise my skills.  It's not perfect, not intended to be.  Just enough to capture the essence of what I was seeing.

Ahhh... after so many months of rain, cold, rain and more rain, it is finally warming up and the sun is starting to come out.  We've had an exceptionally cold and wet Spring.  This sketch was done in 15 minutes, no drawing beforehand, just straight brush to paper.  It was a fun exercise.

Here's to hopefully many more sunny Summer days to come!

Trying to be better about carrying a sketchbook around me for when the nicer days occur.  Also for when on vacation or camping... Going back to the basics - contour sketches, fast sketching, gesture sketching, thumbnails, all of it to brush up my sketching skills.

I found a photo of Hines Drive I'd taken last Autumn and it appealed to me today.  I used a carpenter pencil as I'd not had a lot of experience with it before.  Also used a smudger (what are those things called - the rolled up pointed paper sticks??) to blend a few things in.  Took about a half hour.

Here's the reference photo.  I tried to simplify the photo for drawing purposes but not sure I succeeded.

After a long, long drought of no artistic creating at all, I hope I'm ready to jump back in.  I know I've said it a few times prior, but honestly, since I was ill about six months ago, I've had no desire to create.  I know I'm not the only one - it seems a lot of my art friends are going through the same thing.  You'd think that with adversity I'd need to create more, not less!  Thanks to all of you for understanding - even when I haven't had the desire to be on the computer to check out my friends' art blogs.  I promise.... soon.... I'll be back on a regular basis.

Must think Spring.... Must think Spring.... I think I'll be able to hold on just a little longer, waiting for Winter to end!

In the meantime, I'm slowing getting back into the painting spirit.  Keep forging ahead, right?

P.S.: I guess I should have wet and flattened the paper before shooting a photo of it. The paper was a little curled, making the vertical lines appear curved as well.  It is not that way in the original.  Perhaps I'll take a better photo of it and replace it.