It's For the Birds

Since my son took an interest in birds a few years ago, I have in turn also taken a liking to them.  I like to photograph them and the two of them research to find out what kind we found.  I haven't done much with the photographs but decided that I would change that. 

I took a brand new watercolor journal and decided that I would fill it with sketches of birds from the photographs that I have taken.  Both of these were done with watercolor, colored pencil and pen.

This Yellow-rumped warbler is one of Maben's favorites, all because it has a yellow butt and he thinks that is silly.  I have to agree.

Drawing

I haven't posted my creative goals for 2013 yet.  I can assure you that one of my goals is to draw and paint more.  I want to do at least one drawing or painting per week.  

The rest of the goals...I honestly only remember one other because, I lost my list.  AWESOME.  What a way to start off with some goals, huh?  My other one is to get this house more organized. 

Want to know what else I lost?  The cute painting I did last week of a robot.  (Can you understand why one of the goals is to organize?)  I think it's out in my car, but right now, I can't find my slippers and the pavement is a little chilly and I don't feel like going out there to check. 

So, I will leave you with the one that I did last night.  I'll post the other one when I find it.

This was completed with sharpie markers, pencil and colored pencil.  I also had some classic rock that has been stuck in my head all day.  That may have influenced part of this piece.

Rock on Steve Miller band and Pink Floyd, may your songs in my head be replaced with something equally as awesome.

Sun and Nature

I have been drawing more lately.  I picked up the Skywriting Journal to go along with my Walls Notebook. 

I decided to take one of the clear sky photos and create my own sky.  I also injected some quotes about the sun and nature into my colored pencil drawing.

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains. - John Muir

Not all who wander are lost. - J.R.R. Tolkien

Excuse me while I kiss the sky. - Hendrix

Turns your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. - C. Whitton

Clouds come floating into my life no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. - Tagore

I love the fusion of my drawing mixed with the quotes.  I will definitely be trying this some more.

Blast From the Past: Portrait of Maben

I am having a fairly busy weekend, so I haven't done much creative.  I have house guests and today will be cooking up a turkey!  So, instead of leaving you hanging all weekend, I am throwing up a blast from the past.

This is my son Maben.  I took a ton of photos right around his first birthday and decided to draw one.  I still need to work on Colton's one year portrait.  The reason I chose this look, it was a very common look.  For a while, Maben loved to squish his nose up and say cheese, which always made his eyes look so beautiful and me giggle.  He was playing in a kiddie pool when the photo was taken and I loved the blue kiddie pool in the background, so when drawing the portrait, I just simplified the background to the blue and not include all the crazy designs that were on the kiddie pool.  I hope you enjoy this blast from my past.