Barbra Joan

Thought it was time to post a recent photo so you all can see just who it is your writing to.  Sure a few years have passed, more than a few life experiences, but I'm still trying to travel that road gracefully..  lets just say as long as I don't fall and can't get up!!! 

My Mind is Scattered!! Really?

No, your not missing anything, there is no post of a painting, drawing, even a doodle. My mind the past few days is scattered, lack of concentration , motivation, inspiration..We all go through it, I know , and think it will never pass. I've had these times where it lasted for weeks,months and one time for 3 years. ... I think maybe tomorrow I'll paint a poppy, that always puts me in a good frame of mind and maybe the beginning of something .. We'll see..     

The Quilter -Pencil

I was bitten by the quilting bug during the '90's... and I did this pencil drawing a few years ago . I might have posted it somewhere ...maybe Flickr? .

A gift for my 100th Follower

My Logo

How nice!! I've just reached 100 followers and have written that person for an address as I would like to send a small original watercolor. So I hope Anu will get my message. I see she is from India.  I thank all of you for following and commenting on my blog. We know how that can be so uplifting and inspires us to go forward , do better. Posting on this blog has  kept me going, sometimes when I really felt like putting something on the back burner. Thanks to all of you.   

Love Reaches Deep /Pencil

This is more about the  roots than the tree. I'll call it finished and you can see the photo of this on Ralphs blog, under the title Love Reaches Deep.  How true, Thanks Ralph for allowing me to use the photo.. I didn't want to put in every detail, I came close but decided to leave a little room for thought at the bottom.    

Native American Dancer #2

Your right I did this once before, but wanted to do another.. soooo I did!  This pencil on paper, from a photo on Wet Canvas. 

Untitled ' Pencil

A piece I've been  working on for a few days now... I'd call it finished , but you know me.  I sometimes will go back and do hair. !  

It's a 'REAL' Watercolor!

I was working on this yesterday, sprayed some water on it and put it outside to dry.  Forgot all about it and we had our afternoon downpour.  When I finally got around to go outside I saw this piece of paper on my neighbors lawn and after drying it this is what it looked like ... I think one more layer  , some darks in the right places and I'll call it finished.  I think I'll do that again.!!! 

Not exactly my favorite, but playing with lots of color this morning, and this is was what came of it... It's more of an Iris that I grew in my head... uh--- oh!!  and since this was posted I've gotten so many comments.. the special thing about it was, that when I painted it I felt so good, so alive and so happy that I now feel it showed through.... thank you all so very much. 

And Again

I'm on a Roll!

There are days, no weeks when I just cannot get that 'thing going ' and then there are the weeks like this  where I can't stop... doesn't matter if they're good or not so good... I'm doin' thats what counts. 

 I know , I know ,  and yet another poppy good grief, but so be it, and then the hummingbird is maybeeee a work in progress (WIP) but something says just work on that left wing a little and call it finished! 

Time for a little color

Pencil Drawing

Picasso had his "Blue Period' . I have my Pencil Period. Last year I gave a little insight as to what I use and do for my drawings. A full range of Staedtler or Derwent drawing pencils, I use mostly Bristol (smooth) paper for good detail.. Some papers have a little more 'tooth' meaning rough,  I prefer  the smooth.
Once an intial drawing is done it's all about the light and dark.  If your using a color photo for reference it's still about the light
and dark. You have to completely block the color  from your brain, then it's a lot of shading and blending . Sometimes a tortillion or stump may be used for the blending and sometimes it's just my finger. An important part of pencil drawing , you must have dark to show the light. You can see in my drawings where the dark and light meet.

Click on any photo for a detailed look.

 Lights are lifted with a kneaded eraser, a  MUST  for drawing in graphite.  You can pinch a kneaded eraser to a fine edge and use it for hair, fur, etc. At the very last stages you can use a mechanical pencil for very fine lines, dots, and extreme detail. Just when I think I'm finished I go in again and maybe again.. darkening, and lightening. I keep bringing it closer and closer to reality.

   My pencil drawings are not sketches but rather completed and detailed works. At least that's what I strive for. It lacks the color but it is a totally different drumbeat, I like to march to that tune once in a while.... Some of these have been sold, and some have been ribbon winners.    All art in this post is copyrighted, do not reproduce any of it without the permission of the artist. Any questions please email me at:
bjoan1024@yahoo.com   Barbra Joan 

Iris

An iris that I painted today. Even though they look easy to paint, I find them a little difficult.. As you know from my recent whining I'm without my own computer. It's in the hospital and hope it survives the surgery. !!

Native American Dancer / Pencil

This is the latest pencil work that I've done. Since I don't travel much I use Wet Canvas site for inspiration. Great photos sent in by people and copyright free for artists to do 'their thing" . So I did mine with pencil, even though this was a very colorful photo I felt that need to do every detail and I'm pretty pleased with it.

Happiness Is --

How something this small can make me this happy! Oh yes, I wanted a Bijou Box for years, a teeny weeny palette box that you can take with you ... Even discounted they are about $75. then I found this one on Wet Paint for under $14-. There was a small problem in my order at first but the people there were great to deal with. Fast too.!! It's small , usable and has a thumb ring, baked enamel.. and it's adorable. !!. I'll be filling it with wonderful color . What more could you ask for????

It's Spring?

For this one my attempts at 'loose' went out the window. But I like it anyway. I have African Violets on my window and did this from one of them. The weather here (Florida) today is just awful.. Dreary, rainy, and just plain miserable. These violets are the only thing that has any color and lifted my spirits a little.

Italy Series

My 'Italy series' is helping me to move in the direction that I've wanted to go. More color, looser washes . Now it may not look that way to others who've already reached that goal, but this is a big step forward for me.

Scenes from Italy

I've been working on a series of scenes from Italy the birthplace of my grandparents. Buildings and landscapes are not my usual faire but I'm enjoying trying. Not easy for me as I literally can't draw a straight line. Wiggly or curves ones are fine, just not --- STRAIGHT---- ones. Thats very visible in these shutters!

When All Else Fails---Crop!

My mothers favorite flower was the Tiger Lily. There were a few more blooms in here .. how did they disappear ? Crop! Crop! Crop! I'll give it another try .

The Pumpkin Patch -

I know your saying "what's she doing painting Pumpkins! " Well, I took this phtoto in a little town I lived in called Lake Alfred. (Fl) and I don't live far from there now. Every fall they would do this to sell pumpkins. I loved that big old house. Pumpkin time, Spring time, anytime . I'ts a very small painting. 4" x 6. "

I posted this Cardinal on my other blog and Flickr and made a lot of people happy so I thought I'd spread that happiness around a little. Just a little bright spot in the day. Even here in Florida it's cold, dreary and we need the sunshine. ! Oh, and I painted this with my new water filled travel brush. They're great! You can see them on my Art Hearts Journey

My neighbors Place.. Florida is not all palm trees and beach as you can see.

Sanibel /Captiva Island

Desperation has driven me to post some from another lifetime! Well, one is my neighbors place.. . What you don't see is the many surrounding acres, cows and other assorted critters. . The other is of Sanibel Island , used to go there all the time, and one of my rare still life paintings.

Virtual Paintout -San Francisco

This is the second in my Virtual Paintout .. I'm working on sizing my photos and hopefully I can do this one as I like it better than the first . It's not very good but trust me, landscapes have never been my 'thing'. But I like the challenge, it forces me to do them and I really would like to be better at it. Thanks to my blogging friends who offered help in sizing my photos. You people are great!

My Story about Paper

If you've noticed that I haven't posted any 'real paintings' your right. Thats because I have to play with paper for a while. I make small handmade books, different themes, sizes. They're very homemade looking, thats the way I like them. This one is on nature .. its about 3.5" square and still a WIP. I like working with paper, I collect bits and pieces of ephemera, and for this one it was twigs, feathers, natural elements. There is always some watercolors and even handmade paper beads. The lady can't help it. !!! it keeps me 'glued' together ..... End of story. !

O'Keefe- esque ? WIP

Alright so it's not a poinsietta, but it IS red and it is a flower!. And I am calling it a WIP, because you all know how I'll still be working on it for days. Just wanted to post something for Christmas Day.

The Hawk - Detail-- Pencil

I had to work on this more and more. I was unhappy with my original post. I knew he just wasn't right so kept tweaking it til I was 'almost' happy with the result. As I said before this is a subject close to my heart and it's one that I've wanted to do for a long time.

. I was not happy with the long petal on the lower right side, had to scrub it out and rework it.. Thank goodness for good w/c paper. Arches CP 140 lb.

A WIP

How many peonies and poppies can I paint? As many as I want to. I'm still working some areas that I'm unhappy with, but it's coming along. I used a 1/2" flat for the petals and Permanent Rose, cerulean blue, new gamboge, a little this and a little that.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Birds Nest

A bird built its nest in this can about a year ago. I saved it (posted a pic on my other blog) and wanted to paint it. The paint gave way to pencil and the nest got lost in the leaves. I got so involved in the leaves and twigs, that I forgot to leave the little dark area where the bird stayed . So now its just a can with leaves and twigs. Make sense?