More Story

So far we have learned that I love to read, love the beach, and have wondered if it was possible or necessary to learn to paint plein air. I have a virtual friend (is that what it is called when you are in touch with someone you have never met in person?) named Laurel Daniel […]

A Story

When I was a kid I loved to read (and still do). My mom took us to the Ivanhoe library, where I worked through the kids fiction section until there was nothing left that interested me. Eventually I realized that some of Mom’s books might be good, and I read a couple of historical novels […]

New Idea for Drawing Lessons

In the month of March, I am teaching a beginning drawing class to six people, two hours per week at Arts Visalia, a very fine non-profit gallery in downtown Visalia. (This is the county seat, the town we usually mean in Three Rivers when we say we have to go “down the hill”.) The six […]

Drawing the Tree Again

I actually made progress on the tree pencil drawing, in spite of the spontaneous field trip to Kaweah Lake. But first, look at the season’s first iris, blooming in a pot outside my studio. (I seem to be suffering from Shiny Object Syndrome these days.) Now, to the drawing table.

Tree Drawing Progress

Here’s what I had to work with, once back in the studio. I put on a podcast, an interview with James Clear about his new book called Atomic Habits. (Wow, what a practical guy. I might buy the book, but probably will wait a few years until I find it in the local library system.) Using […]

Chasing a Tree

During a recent drawing lesson, I opened up my envelope of just-in-case snapshots, and this one was on top. Why not draw it? Demonstrating is a good method of teaching. Both the trunk and branches are confusing to me. If I can’t see it, I can’t draw it. I can make stuff up, but since […]

Pencil Progress

If I draw from top to bottom, left to right, it cuts back on the opportunities for smearing. The background hills are very forgiving, a good place to begin this commissioned pencil drawing of a very fine house in a serene setting.

Back to the Drawing Board

I love to draw, and it is good to just sit quietly with pencils and paper, doing something simple that has no sadness attached. In December, I took photos of a house. It took 2 sessions, much conversation, lots of thinking, and finally narrowing it down to 3 views. Something about my blog has changed, […]