May 09 2013
One of my drawing students is so good that I asked The Courthouse Gallery in Exeter ( where I teach drawing lessons) to feature her in an upcoming show. I’m defining “so good” based on several things: Her work is technically excellent. She composes her drawings from her own photos (and occasionally from mine), carefully [...]
Dec 11 2012
Yesterday’s blog post told a secret – that I gave an oil painting workshop without publicizing it first, and why I didn’t publicize it. Today, I will reveal why I believe that workshop was a success. No, I will reveal the reasons that I believe it was a success, not why I believe . . [...]
Nov 20 2012
My drawing students really impress me. They sign up for lessons, come for an hour a week, and produce wonderful pencil drawings. Most of them begin knowing nothing. They persist, they do the work, and they learn to draw. I show them the way, but they do the work and grow in their knowledge and [...]
Oct 22 2012
Last week I showed you this watercolor painting by Jim, who asked me for a critique. This is what I told him: “Wow, you are a get-’er-dun kind of guy! Love the title too. . . (I’m puzzling over what to call my painting of the same scene that isn’t too dumb, obvious and boring) [...]
Oct 18 2012
A man named Jim took drawing lessons from me. His real desire was to learn to paint with watercolor, but he is a very smart guy and knew he needed to hone his drawing skills first. After several private lessons (in which the student learns at an accelerated rate), he was off and running. Jim [...]
Jul 03 2012
. . . I would be teaching people how to draw. This happens at the Courthouse Gallery in Exeter. No lessons in July or August because in the past, the attendance was abysmal during those months. Besides, it is just hot! I’ve been teaching people how to draw since 1994. Looking back, I’m not sure [...]
Apr 20 2012
As a self-confessed color junkie, I’ve pondered the question of why pencil? Was I just a chicken? That’s all water under the bridge, and now I am just accepting the fact of 13 years of drawing with a late start to oil and mural painting. It ain’t all bad! Drawing in pencil helped me develop [...]
Apr 05 2012
Hmmm, that could mean “creating a picture of tools using a pencil”. It doesn’t. It means this blog post is going to explain to you some tools used in drawing. I probably used all the techniques (except the last one) in this drawing called “Release”. An eraser shouldn’t need explaining. It erases; you get that! [...]
Mar 09 2012
On Tuesdays, I teach people how to draw. You can read a bit more about it here on my website. I love to help people draw in pencil. The only people who haven’t learned are the ones who quit too soon. Why did they quit? Because it wasn’t instant. or it was too hard, or [...]
Mar 08 2012
Pencil drawing from the upcoming book The Cabins of Wilsonia I have a theory about people who draw. It is based on teaching people how to draw since 1994. In addition to teaching people how to draw, I draw myself. (Oh? You didn’t know that about me?) I have also spoken to many people who [...]
