Hello all, I wanted to share my last drawing. Any and all feedback is appreciated! This is “Preacher” drawn in honor of a small Mississippi Kite that we rescued. Unfortunately the little one did not survive but he left an imprint on all that saw him. What a gentle and noble creature. I used matt black graphite pencils, and white charcoal on Titian’s Fabriano 11x17 grey/blue tinted pastel paper. I have been “sketching” off and on for awhile but am retired now and really want to take my work to a better level. I joined last year but a major surgery put me out of commission two I joined again this year. I’m trying out pen and ink, colored pencil, and of course all things graphite now and hope to try many other mediums this year.
Your drawing is lovely and the story is touching. Does he have a name? Did you let him go free?
I do hope that we see you around. I think starting with 25 days to better drawing is a good place.
Also attending the live classes/ Wednesday nights are a little more advanced but Monday’s are beginner classes which is a good way to get a feel for different mediums.
We started with graphite and now are in acrylics.
The class goes slow and is a smaller size. for me it is a review and seems like the first time I have used these mediums.
I hope to see you around and am thankful that you healed from your surgery and made it back here to learn with us.
My pastor and I were able to get him in an animal crate. Pastor and his family were able to get him to another town to a rehab facility. The lady doing rehab had been treating birds of prey for 30 years and was in her 80’s. She examined the little hawk and his wing was broken in such a way it would not heal. A very kind “old soul” she (and her husband) fed and medicated him so he was not in pain. He did not survive his injuries. My original plan was to try to sell the drawing and donate the funds to her as she indicated they spend about $30-40,000 of their own money yearly. She has since retired from rehabbing so I gave the drawing to a friend. I love to see the look on folks faces when I draw something and it actually looks pretty good, lol! People are so amazed you would draw something and just gift it to them “You drew that for me?!”, and their eyes just light up. Priceless. I’m going to try some pen and ink and would like to learn washes. I’ve been sitting in on the oil pastel class just to see what it’s like.
What wonderful people who work with injured animals. This is what God planned for us to do.
I do the same thing. I like to gift to people I meet along the way. It is a special feeling to know that our artwork is touching someone’s heart.
I also am enjoying the oil pastel course. I really like to use oil pastels and wish I had the ones Matt is using but am doing my best to capture, for now, the ivy. I also like to use ink. The pen and ink courses are quite amazing. I learned so much and now have started to do pointillism using colored inks. It takes a while but the ending results are worth it. I’ll post one here.
I do believe that I have seen you in the Wednesday live class. Matt and Ashley are great teachers. I am so glad that I have found the Virtual Instructor and meet people with a generous heart.
Artsy, those are beautiful! You have inspired me. I found some old (never used) bottles of different colors of ink I bought I don’t know how many years ago but probably at least 20. I must have had plans for something but I sure don’t know what. They have never been opened and there is liquid in the bottles. Now I’m going to have to try that. Is it the same thing as stippling? Anyhow those are sure beautiful and thank you for sharing them with me!
You could definitely use the dip pens. I would use the pens with a smaller tip so you can stipple easier. You could also use inks like watercolors in a light wash and then use the stippling to enhance your work.
I do hope that you give it a try and as you learn from Matt if you do the ink course you will find many different angles to use.
i mostly use Faber-Castel or Micron ink pens. Lately the Microns have added different sizes of tips so they work well. I generally use .05, 1, or even smaller,005 or 003 tips, but also fine tip brushes like Faber-Castell work well.
Stippling takes time but watching artwork develop slowly as you work is really rewarding. I hope you post something when you have one finished.
Hi Julie,
Preacher sounds like he made a change in your heart! I rescued a Tuhy with a broken wing ( always all my rescues are from my kitty who doesn’t have anything but “cat-sense” lol!)
I haven’t had much luck with rescue organizations but do better by just listening to their advice and then doing the work myself. They seem to euthanize rather than spend 6 months in the care. But I worked and fed a little one who had been just barely pushed out of the nest and got him back in the wild up above my property and he rewarded me with finding a mate and having a nest in a tree right in front of my living room this Spring!!! Was fun to see he and his mate care for and hatch their eggs and all survived this time! Hope you enjoy our Forum and enjoy Matt and Ashley’s classes and Matt’s on Monday as well. So much too learn and so many possibilities!
Good luck with all you rescues too!
Therese
