The Lioness

Done on Bristol smooth. 11"x14".  Photo courtesy of  Wet Canvas.

A Piece of Heart !

 
Today I received this  piece of art  from Jerry ,a  blogger  and friend who lives in the state of Oregon and is an absolute master when it comes to metal art.. His main work is gates, arbors, railings and such, but they are each a piece of  unique art like I've never seen.. And  the best part he recycles all this 'stuff' from found objects.. Welds them together , does some other magic to them and it turns out to be something wonderful...  This particular one is copper, a rose and butterfly and on his blog he explains  the why of each element under his March 25th post..    

    This gift  was not a total surprise as he had blogged about it a few days ago. Through the years I've had many artists send me their work,  either we've  exchanged or  I've bought , or they just send a part of themselves . I've done the same in return.  I love each and every one and this is one I will treasure because it comes from a very special, caring person. Thank you Jerry.. ever so much.. You can see Jerrys blog called Hang Art by clicking on  the name..          

Girl With the Green Eyes

You may or may not know of the famous photo that was on the cover of National Geo. probably 20 years ago.  A young Afghanistan  girl  known as the Girl with the Green eyes.   She wasn't even named at the time ...  Just as everyone else was mesmerized I too couldn't stop looking at the photo.  .  . My rendition done about seven years ago, doesn't  even  begin to capture  it... but I am going to try it again... and soon. !  If your interested to see her you can Google  it,  or click on the words above. National Geo.  
   After 20 years Steve   McCurry the photographer found her again.. Her name is Sharbat Gula and no matter what your political views or thoughts about the Afghan people this reminds  us that there are children suffering all over the world.. 

Hither, and Thither and Yon??

After my last tight painting , I knew I had to do something to loosen up!   so today I threw some paint.. hither, thither and yon!! lol !  Where the heck are these places....????  and just so you know I'm still on the planet I thought I'd post  it. .. 

    Have a wonderful weekend everyone!~~  

Last Nights Spectacular Show !

    I know a lot of us read about the Supermoon last night.. This is what it looked like  just as it started to rise above the trees across the lake.. I know I've lived a lot of moons, and have seen many unusual ones.  but I'd never seen this ..It looked like the sun coming up at night.. I watched it and in just  a few minutes later it was very bright white.. !!!!    Well,  just shows how we can always see and learn something new!   So much better than a painting. !

    I want a replay !!! .  

WIP

I'm working on this painting that I'd done in just pencil a while ago.. but she has a very colorful outfit on . so putting some effort into that.. will post when finished for now here's a peek..  BJ 

Tina Marie and The Wolf !

The drawing of my daughter was done a while ago but needed adjustments..
She has very, very  dark brown eyes  ( and wanted that to come through... the wolf was finished just a few weeks ago and decided to post it today..  since the wolf is one of  Tinas' favorite animals I thought posting them together was appropriate. 

    Both of course are pencil done on Bristol smooth paper, using Staedtler and Derwent drawing pencils  and as always my trusty kneaded eraser..  Click on the photo to see a close up.   

Letting the Light Get In

I  wanted to connect this drawing to the post below. It's one I did a while ago . The flower has no special meaning, isn't even particularly good but it'll stay for a while as I'm 'Letting the light get  in.'   The poem below was read to me by a friend last night while on the phone. I had to post it...  It  could mean a lot of different things to different people,  but for me it means I've made a mistake ..  the crack ,.... but the light gets  in that crack and  has taught me one more lesson.. Life will teach us one more lesson right to very end, I have no doubt of that..  

YES!

I say this one's for us Sherry. Did it a while ago, (alright,alright so 2 years ago).  May have posted it back then, or maybe not..   I'm painting window boxes and other things right now. !  

I Can Hear It. !

I came across this little painting while looking for something else. Isn't that always the way? You can see by the date it was eighteen years ago. Just a little 8x10  and of course I knew nothing about calligraphy or the quote  would have been in better handwriting.. no matter,  the saying still stands.
  

Artist Showcase !

Some of my work has been posted on The Artist Showcase  at http://www.JWJonline.net/Showcase  or at JWJart  if you'd  like to see it . I am so pleased to be part of it and all of my thanks to John  who presented it in such a manner.. while there check on some of his work , I think you'll be pleasantly surprised .!   

Sunshine Anyone?

Oh, just this morning I was so frustrated trying to paint .. I'd done this but with 3 in the painting and it went into the trash... After talking with one of my fellow bloggers I decided to give it another try.  Only using two colors (flower)   Indian Yellow   (IY)  and Brown Madder Alizaron  (BMA) very wet , letting the water do all the work.. I was pleased with it only because its been a few weeks since brush was in hand.. and no ,, its not like riding a bicycle it's constant practice ...  

What it Takes to do This ?

I get many comments and questions when I post a drawing. I thought it might be helpful to give a short tutorial on my materials and how I do it.
     I prefer smooth Bristol for my style which is very detailed, a full range of Derwent  and/or  Staedlter drawing pencils usually starting with a B or 2B.  To achieve the darks going  right on up to a 7B..  Tortillon stump for blending or my finger, and of course my trusty kneaded eraser. I can form that eraser to make extremely fine lines..  I prefer it although  I have a small electric eraser. Theres a lot of negative drawing. Taking away 'the lights' as well as putting  in the dark strokes.   The most important aspect of drawing realistic pencil art is  lights and darks.. You cannot show light without darks.. Very much like painting.. My strokes can be anything that suits the area, crosshatch, diagonals, anything that works in that particular space. Pencil is a real challenge, you have nothing more than pencil and paper. There is no color to fall back on., not a whole lot of tricks or techniques as in watercolor .  When I'm sure its all finished , nothing else can happen to it,  I'm then just beginning ..I take it to yet another level and will do that again and again.  I'm not sketching here,  I'm trying to do a realistic detailed piece . The challenge stays on and on. What  does it take?  Patience , .  and then more patience. It never ends !
  So thats what I use,  how I go about it and hope that answers some of your questions.  Above of course is Gracie, whose  grandfather Stephen is an excellent photograhper and I had his permission to do it a few years ago.  

Pencil Works

I'm  much more comfortable with a pencil in my hand.. I have no idea why I push on with watercolor.. but I do.. !  Here's a couple pencil pieces that I thought I'd post for today . Pencil is about as honest as you can get. Pencil, Paper, and a kneaded eraser.  You need the dark to show light.. No wishy washy here, not if you want the realism that you can get with graphite. 
  I start with the drawing, usually I do the eyes first if I'm doing a portrait. If the eyes are right ,, your half way home. and it gives the piece life from the start .
 Other subjects are still all about light and dark. Just when I think I'm finished I still work on it .. and have been know to go back to it even after I signed my name.. 
    Pencils, I like Derwent  , a full range although I might just use from 5B to 2H.
A hand sharpner is better for me than electric or  using a knife ..  I want a good point on it. Paper is usually Bristol smooth surface.. It's always a personal preference, but since I like detail and realism I get the most out of a smooth paper..
  If you have any questions write me at my email address.   BJ 
Blending, blending either with a tortillion stump or even my pinky finger.. .    

A Few Past Favorites !

 I'm posting some of my personal  favorites. Pencil work and watercolor. You have to scroll down to view the watercolors too.  Start of the new year will bring new work, but it might be a while. 

You can visit my Art Hearts Journey blog here. 

watercolors

Re-Post !! I'm Happy !

Same painting as below,  and ever since I posted I knew something was missing.... I know I said I was almost happy... so I've added the darks in a few places ... you can definetly see where.. Now I feel better creatively and emotionally, and all your  posiive thoughts came through and helped me to do that...  Thanks a bunch. !!

Todays Painting! Peony

I always say I can't paint when I'm  upset!  Well, I'm upset and came up with this in the past half hour!  I'm almost , almost happy with it! !   just lightly drew it out . (I believe it was from Wet Canvas..)  palette, Permanent Rose, Ultra Blue for the shadows and New Gamboge a little mix here/there  and lots of  water. These colors, this flower is good for what ails you !!!  (and me too) !
  

Merry Christmas

Spending a  few days in North Florida and staying close to this fire as its colder here. Nice to be with some family and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for following my blog, your encouraging words and support..       

I'm wishing all of my blogging friends a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and fill in the blanks if your salutation is not there.   I'm off for a few days, and will see you  when I return. My wish for the New Year is that the planet gets its act together so we can all live peacefully through the next year.. I'll do my part if you do yours. 
 Barbra Joan
 

Poinsettia Frenzy!

I started painting Poinsettias and couldn't stop ~ (as you can see) I don't know why I'd never painted one before..   

a Hybrid!!

A cross between a poinsettia and my mind.

The Color Black

I've talked about this color before and how I don't own a tube of black. I post this not so good w/c painting because of the black hat..   A mixture of UB (untramarine blue)  SG (sap green) and AZ (alizaron crimson) in different amounts will give you a warm black , more red , a cold black... more blue  . 

  Really... any blue, Indigo instead of UB. Can't live without Indigo Blue... 
So it reads as black even though I never used it.   TA DA!!!!

In the Mood Yet?

 I'm trying! .. working on some cards. The paintbrush one is for my artist friends, some got them last  year. Sorry, it could be more of the  same .They're time consuming as each one is original. I don't do prints.            

The weather should be putting me in the mood .. its in the 50's here in Florida.   

My Watercolor Rendition

Nothing can match the beauty of the real leaf  as when I took the photo below, but we all know I had to try.. I  framed it and it can hang  for a while. . My apologies to the 'Last Leaf of Autumn' .  

About Time!

I've been a bit on the 'blue side' so painted this and all is well. It's a long way to spring I know and these are crocus the first flower to appear when winter is gone.. so I give them to you  early.  

It's Post Time! from the Past !

And just a few flowers I've created.. pencil, watercolor maybe a  pastel in there too. oh yes and the fish... it's just a melange of  some of my past work since I'm still painting walls...

My Artistic Contribution for the Day

While  at the art show everyone else was busy photographing art,  I spotted this leaf casting its shadow on the trunk of a tree and took it at an angle.

It's as though  the leaf is saying " I see my shadow .... therefore I am"  .. Out of about 150,000 people at the show, I think it's my exclusive.. ! and Sherry pointed out the heart shape of the shadow. ! !

Peter Anderson Festival

I'll be leaving for the Peter Anderson Festival  in Ocean Springs Ms.  very close to Biloxi and some friends. It's a huge juried show.    Every year they  ask me to come up to see it and every year other matters have kept me from going..  I'm  so looking  forward to it and will keep you all posted with photos and other art related 'stuff' ' . Stay tuned, it should be fun.