Drawing Ideas

When I am not painting, I usually am working with pencil and paper.

My favorite drawing pencils are Derwent Inktense, they are colored pencils that when you paint over them with water take on an intense colored ink appearance, and once dry are permanent. Places that you can find these pencils are; on line at  Dick Blick  http://www.dickblick.com/products/derwent-inktense-pencils/ and locally at Boundless Arts in Grand Blanc MI  http://boundlessarts.com/ .

      Some of the sketches I use as reference for future paintings, others are finished art, and still others become subjects for digital art.  An example is the red and orange tone drawing, that I photo copied and changed colors on my PC to see what a different version would look like.  The digital image looked so good on it’s own that it became an art work that I loaded to my web site; http://fineartamerica.com/art/digital+art/schiros/all 
For more examples of digital art check out Digital Art on Fine Art America.

original drawing

Photo shop changes to original

Extreme Gesso

"Roots" 24 by 24 inch acrylic on canvas, by MB Schiros

Putting gesso on my canvas use to be a boring part of painting, now I love it.

I have to give Caroline Jasper  http://www.carolinejasper.com  credit for this.

Carolines workshop got me started using red gesso for painting, and is still my favorite method to start an acrylic painting.  But sometimes I just have to experiment.

   Wanting to compare results of different background starts, I use 3 different colors of gesso to paint the same subject, a simple still life.  One sheet of watercolor paper was coated with a light green gesso, the second with a blue and the last with my favorite red.

  Thought I would share the results. Each has a slightly different mood to it, even though it is the same subject painted. I have to admit I feel bolder on a red back ground than any other color.

This still life started out on a blue ground

 This started with a light green gesso

this one started with a red gesso background

       And of course I had to go one step beyond, with a multi colored gesso start for a totally different subject.  Using a 24 by 24 inch wrap canvas, that I thought I would share the beginning step and the final result with you.  Holbein makes wonderful colored gesso, and Matisse makes what is called background colors that work very well, too Hope this inspires you to try something new.

This is just the gesso canvas, using a mix or red, blue and white gesso, and yes it is turned on it's side.  I find it much easier to paint stripes this way.  To see more of my work visit Art by Mary Schiros.  And please share my blog with your friends.

The Final painting..."Roots"

The Edge Gallery: Mini Event ..."Animals in Art"Adopt A Pet Fu...

The Edge Gallery:





Mini Event ..."Animals in Art"Adopt A Pet Fu...: Mini Event ..."Animals in Art" Adopt A Pet Fundraiser 20 % of sales goes to the Fenton "No kill " Rescue Group Be Closer 3rd Thursday ...

Todays doodle by Schiros: From drawing to painting

Todays doodle by Schiros: From drawing to painting: After watering Lines and Painting A local art supply and gallery Boundless Arts has an open studio once a month, which is a g...

From drawing to painting

After watering

Lines and Painting

    A local art  supply and gallery Boundless Arts has an open studio once a month, which is a great get together time for artist. 
A still life is set up and everyone can paint or draw it, or work on what ever they please in the company of friends.
This time I decided to combine drawing and art. I used Derwent Woodless Aquatone watercolor pencils, violet and yellow to draw the still life, pushing myself a little bit more, used only parallel lines. Using parallel lines keeps me focused on my line work and offers a consistency to the work.  With watercolor pencils it is easy to turn your sketch in to a painting, just brush over the lines with a wet brush.  Finished up with a focal point of the fish in light red.  Another pencil I like by Derwent is the Inktense with these once dry, the color is permanent and can be worked over with other media.
Time for art is great, time with friends and art is priceless.

Before watering

New from Old

Ok this is done now.

  I like to leave a painting that I think is complete, setting out where I can view it daily for a while.  Often paintings I thought were done when I first put the brushes away, tell me a different story after viewing for a while.  Even paintings that do look finished will give me ideas for a new painting.  This is an example of one that I thought was done but as it set out it realized it need more.
Another reason I like to view them is to see if they keep my interest, it is a huge part of a good painting. 

This is a follow up to that last blog the painting that started a small series, and in the end the original even changed.