Photo Inspiration

I just love gates.

Not sure if this sketch is a fish or a bird.

This crazy one was used for a mask design.

Inspiration for pattern

The image of the tree was the inspiration for one of my mask designs. Can you fine it here?

 Would you believe this was inspired by the fence?

My students are always asking me how I come up with my crazy drawings, so I'm sharing a few pages from my sketchbook today. The photos used for these drawings were taken when my daughter visited and we took a stroll down Park Avenue. Anything that caught my eye that day was captured by my camera. My favorites were made into prints and taped into a sketchbook. 

Drawing in class: Rachel Smith at TEDxUFM

Great way to help the visual learner take notes. A wonderful way to include the Art Teacher as well. I also noticed she was using an iPad to demonstrate the techniques. Next step for me as the Art teacher is to incorporate AVID Cornell notes into this process.

Designs for Clay Masks

Last week my Studio Art Classes started a new unit on Texture using clay to create Fantasy Masks. They were asked to design 5 thumbnail sketches before getting the clay. Guess what I was working on? Having fun creating 18 designs to hopefully inspire my students. Many of the designs were from pictures I had taken of trees, fences and architecture found around the city. Seeing that I asked for thumbnail drawings all of mine were 2.5 x 3.5". which is the size of Artist Trading Cards. Some of my Drawing 1 students are still drawing them and are having trouble keeping up with me.
Being an Art Teacher always gives me a reason to stay creative.

Student Art Work by Paul

In a recent post (see here)  I introduced Artist Trading Cards, to inspire my students to draw something daily in class. The artwork was amazing and many of the students continue to create them, so I thought it might be nice to feature some of the students artwork.
 This week I'm introducing you to the drawings done by Paul.

 Paul has never needed to be encouraged to draw. He has always kept a sketchbook and never seems to run out of things to create.

 Laquer Head inspired by Primus

This piece was inspired by the song, Deathamphetamine by Exodus .

Day 4 in the Studio

It's -1 degrees outside this morning, so glad they decided to close school today, burr.You would think I would sleep in on such a bitter cold morning. But not me I'm such a creature of habit or should I say my dog is  we were both up at 5 am and I was in my studio with coffee in hand by 6:30am. I really am crazy!
After looking at the blog post yesterday I realized the color values in the first cactus painting were nicer than what was changed over the weekend. So that's where I started working today.

Its not finished yet. I'm not happy about those warm blue cactus and felt myself getting frustrated. That's a sign it's time to take a break. I took a photograph which always seem to help me see things differently. Tomorrow I'll look at it with fresh eyes and figure out what to do. Who said painting was easy? Make a mental note to self. "Don't stay away from the studio so long!!"

Artist Trading Cards are My New Sketchbook

Last week I decided to spend 15 minutes each day doodling on trading cards.  Their small so I thought this would be a perfect match. The next thing I knew I was working up color schemes for four paintings I had started last spring and never finished.

 The five cactus drawings / watercolor paintings are of the paintings that were never finished.

This is as far as I got last Spring on the first painting.

Its not finished yet, but I like where its going. yay!

Here's the 2nd unfinished painting.

This is were I stopped the 2nd day,

 and this is what was finished yesterday. Its still not done but I'm having so much fun!!

At this point wishing I didn't have to go back to work the next day.

Well its Monday afternoon, and I just got home from school and had to share the exacting news.

NO SCHOOL TOMORROW!  Can't wait to spend another day in my studio working on these paintings.