how to combine 2 photos.

I thought you all might enjoy seeing how I combined 2 photos to create this double page spread.  I actually dont use photoshop for this sort of thing, but use this really old scrapbook program that is very easy for simple minded folks like me to use.  I just cut and paste the images and combine them on the program.  I can change the colors and add elements until I get the photo as close as possible to the final drawing.

posting comments

I should take a moment to mention that there have been a few friends who were frustrated that they can not post comments to my blog.  You must have a Gmail email account and logged into it in order to post a comment.  I didnt realize that when I choose this blog format, or I would have choosen another one.  If you wish to comment and you do not have a gmail account please simple leave your comment on FB.  If you want me to post it on the blog for you I will cut and past it from my FB account, just let me know.

Thanks!

progress?

Here is the first painting that I created for Carole's book, "And Candy Smiled".  I have a total of 25 pages to complete, and currently have 10 left to go.  I took this week off of my day job to devote to trying to finish the illustrations so we can try to get the book published in time for Christmas.  I've been painting all waking hours since Friday morning, and I am exhausted.  Finally last night,  around 7 pm I had to stop. This morning my arms hurt like I have been flying cross country like some kind of ancient bird, and it is only Wednesday!

One problem that I am encountering is that my paintings are evolving, much like a group of studio paintings that I might do for a series.  This is a great thing if you are  a studio artist, since people like to see an idea progress, but it is NOT a good thing if you are illustrating a children's book.  What I am going to have to do is go back to the first paintings and change them so that all of the paintings match.  I love how this first painting is so simple.  My current paintings are so intricate and bright they make your head spin.  At least they are making MY head spin.  Still, I am looking forward to being able to paint like this full time instead of spinning my wheels 40 hours a week at my day job. 

I am so excited to be on vacation for 9 whole days!  I plan on spending my time finishing the illustrations for the book "And Candy Smiled", written by Carole Sarkan.  Today was my first day off, I spent around 8 hours working.  The going is so slow because the illustrations are so detailed AND I have to cut them out and mount them.  Lets hope that the world likes the end results.

This is by far the brightest painting I have done. I really wanted to show the intensity of the car coming up on Candy, and somehow the colors just became more and more intense.  I wonder if perhaps they became so bright because I was home at the time recovering from a hiking accident and I am rather inexperience with handling pain meds HA!.  Anyhow, At first when you look at the painting it appears that I have centered Candy in the middle of the composition, (A big no no). However when you look closer you will that see the all of the focal points are aiming at the Car. The birds, the swirling clouds, Candy's fur being blown by the wind, the gaze of Candy, the lights beaming and the angle of the grass all point towards the shadow of the car. I hope you enjoy this one. So far it is my families favorite painting.

Life of a portrait artist...

I have a few pet peaves when it comes to sketching portraits from life.  Don't get me wrong, I love drawing people and chit chatting as I draw them.  For some reason total strangers will totally open up to me about their personal lives, and we become friends for that short period of time.  One thing however that really bugs me is bad manners.  Most of the time I can look past it, but yesterday really got my goat.  I was drawing singles of these 5 little kids.  They were beautiful children.  It was rather early in the morning so they were bleary eyed and sun burned from spending the day before in the pool.  Some fool put a food vending machine in my art room, and all 5 kids were able to convince grandma to buy them some goodies.  They cuddled up behind me, pulling their chairs close enough that eventually one little guy was pressing up against me.  All of them noisily munched on their chips with their mouths open, sucking their fingers loudly and groaning in delight.  Chip dust was flying, and I have a feeling that I got some in my hair!  I did ask them to scoot back a little, which they did for a few seconds, but then I figured that they were enjoying themselves so much that I would just bite my tongue and get the sketching over with as quickly as possible.  I can draw pretty fast when I want to with out altering the quality of my work, and so I cranked out those sketches in less than 5 minutes each.  "My goodness", grandma said, "you sure draw fast!" 

 Illustration from Page 19 "And Candy Smiled" by Carole Sarkan.

I drew this cutie pie yesterday.  My frontal caricatures are still quite rough, but I feel them improving.  I feel confident that with in a few months I should be strong enough to do them for a full 8 hours at a time.  Its strange that drawing portraits is so much more exhausting for me than drawing caricatures.  (oh and just for the record, anyone's image that I post in my blog has given me permission to do so.  If the image is of a minor, I have permission from their parent.  I will never post an image of someone with out prior concent.)