Portrait Sketching Again

Conte crayon sketch on newsprint.  Reference from pexels.com.

"Man Wearing Turban" ©Kay M Dewar - 9 x 12 inches

Another Pretty Day!

We are very lucky here in the Pacific NW to be enjoying some lovely seasonal transition weather.  The sun is out and the temperatures are moderate--just as I like it.  The painting that I'm posting today is "Windowsill Bottles."  It is 9x12 inches and is oil on canvas board.  I enjoy looking at these bottles which live most of the time on my east-facing windowsill so the morning light shines through them.

Windowsill Bottles  ©Kay M Dewar - 9 x 12 inches - oil

Another Floral in Oil

This piece which is titled Sunflowers in Blue Vase is another floral study in oil.  The arrangement was a table decoration for a gathering of a group of friends at my home and it seemed to need to be used again.  Therefore, it became another "art object."  Sunflowers are such a cheery flower and paired with the cobalt blue vase, they made a good still life subject.  This is 8 x 10 on a canvas panel.  It is available through my page at Daily Paintworks https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/kay-dewar/sunflowers-in-blue-vase/622512.

Sunflowers in Blue Vase ©Kay M Dewar - 8 x 10" - oil on panel 

September 2017 - Back to the Easel

The summer got away from me with various activities -- some fun and some just plain needed to be done.  I have worked on some artwork, but didn't get any posting done.

I'm posting an oil painting of a favorite rose that I see from my living room window.  Its thorns make trimming difficult, but the blooms are so beautiful.  The color of the flowers changes somewhat from spring to fall.  They are currently a lovely coral color.

This painting is for sale at my Daily Paintworks site. https://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/kay-dewar-3618/artwork.

Coral Rose ©Kay M Dewar - oil on 6 x 6 panel - unframed

Spring is Here

We are having a pretty weekend.  Sunshine this morning is very encouraging.  And tomorrow is promised to be a lovely Easter.  I finished this drawing a couple of days ago and have decided that I like it.  I include a torso on this one.  I really need to work on drawing figures.  I'm calling this one The Fisherman and it is conte crayon on newsprint.

The Fisherman - conte crayon on newsprint - ©Kay M Dewar

....and even more sketches

I'm still borrowing from family albums to practice the portrait sketching techniques which I learned in Ned Mueller's workshop in February.  I've also downloaded some free images from an internet photo site to use for practice.

Rob at Bat - conte crayon on newsprint

Young Girl (Rachel) - conte crayon on white drawing paper

Older Man - conte crayon on newsprint

Young Man - conte on newsprint

Continuing with Portrait Sketches

Using the same procedure that I learned from Ned Mueller (conte crayon on newsprint), I've been continuing to sketch faces.  Since I don't have live models, I've been working from family photos.  I am posting three of these images here.  They are all grandchildren of ours:  Rachel, Paige and Mackenzie.

Makenzie - age 2

Paige - age 8

Rachel

I've also been adding to my Daily Paintworks gallery so if you click on the Daily Paintworks slideshow on the right side of the page, you will see a few more additions.

An Impromptu Trip

Marisa - conte crayon on newsprint - classroom work  

The last week in February found me at a 3 day drawing workshop in Scottsdale, Arizona.  I was privileged to fill a last minute opening in Ned Mueller's Drawing Portrait Workshop at the Scottsdale Artists School.  It was a great learning experience.  We used newsprint and Conte Crayon as materials and Ned encouraged expressive drawing and not over planning the drawing. We had a different model each day.  My final day was a woman with a floral headpiece (seen above).  Now, I need to keep up the practicing!

I'm posting two images today -- "Marisa" from the workshop, and "Along Highway 93 in Nevada" a 5 x 7 inch pastel drawing which I did from a photo that I took on our way to Scottsdale.

Along Highway 93 in Nevada - pastel - 5 x7 inches ©Kay M Dewar

Over the Hills

"Over the Hills" is another pastel.  The reference photo was one I took from the car window last fall.  The foliage was in the process of turning to the delicious yellows and oranges and the sky and distant trees, in contrast, were filled with cooler colors and layers of clouds.

Over the Hills - pastel - 5 . 7 inches  ©Kay M Dewar

The Beach and Beyond

Views of driftwood, beach grasses, and water and distant mountains are not difficult to find in the Pacific NW.  Still, they never fail to catch my attention and inspire me.  "The Beach and Beyond" is 5 x 7 and is pastel on Uart paper.

The Beach and Beyond - 5 x 7 inches - pastel . ©Kay M. Dewar

Happy Valentines Day

Since Valentines Day is often about flowers and represented by the color Red, I am posting my new image "Tulips Aglow." The colors of red, green, and turquoise kind of glow and vibrate together.    So feel the love!

Tulips Aglow - 7 x 5 inches - pastel on Uart  ©Kay M Dewar

Some Paintings for Sale

I am starting to post a few of the paintings/drawings from the two 30 in 30 Challenges in which I participated.  I will post a few as I get the time so hopefully you will take a look at my Daily Paintworks page to see the newest paintings.  These will also show up in the little panel on the right side of this page.  You can see all the available artwork at http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/kay-dewar-3618/artwork

Field of Flowers - pastel - 5 x 7 inches  ©Kay M. Dewar

View Toward the Street

This image is 11 x 7 inches and I'm calling it "View Toward the Street."  It is pastel on Uart.  It is loosely based on our yard.

View Toward the Street - pastel - 11 x 7 inches ©Kay M Dewar

February Return

I feel as if I have returned from a long journey, but actually I've been very much at home. In late January both my husband and I  fell under the spell of the flu bug.  It rather summarily made us into homebound zombies for a week and we are still getting back to normal activities.  I wasn't quite able to complete the 30 in 30 Challenge, but I'm getting back to the easel now and am ready to share new images.  This is an image which I used for an oil painting a few years ago, but cropped differently it is seeing new life as a pastel drawing.  It is called "Kalaloch Beach Revisited" and is 5 x 7 inches.

Kalaloch Beach Revisited - 5 x 7 inches - pastel on Uart paper - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 27 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

A scene from a nearby park.  "Woodland Path" is pastel and is 8 x 11 inches

Woodland Path - 8 x 11 inches - pastel ©Kay M. Dewar

Day 26 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

From a reference photo taken while crossing the Cascades Highway.  Lovely tree, brush, and rock textures.  I've got to work on the rock textures but hopefully some of that comes across.  "Highway Vista" is pastel on Uart, 5 x 7 inches.

Highway Vista - 5 x 7 inches - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 25 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

Day 25 for the challenge is "Colorful Landscape."  This stream and the colorful plantings that line it are like something I'd like to imagine in my own yard.  This is pastel on Uart paper.  7 x5 inches.

Colorful Landscape - 5 x 7 inches - pastel ©Kay M Dewar

Day 24 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

Day 24 is from a landscape reference I've used before, but really like the lighting.  I'm titling this one "Filtered Sunlight" and it is 5 x 7 inches in pastel on Uart paper.

Filtered Sunlight - 5 x 7 inches - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 23 - 30 in 30 Challenge

Today I'm back to some strawberry references.  This is "Strawberry Reflections."  it is about 5 x 5 inches on Pastelmat.  Pastel drawing.

Strawberry Reflections - 5 x 5 inches - pastel  ©Kay M Dewar

Day 22 - 30 in 30 Challenge

I've had a bit of artist's block these past couple of days.  For Day 22 I'm posting a portion of a drawing.  It's the only part of the drawing that I ended up liking.  This is "Daisy Mum."  Not every drawing makes the cut!  But the practice is a good thing.

Day 21 - 30 in 30 January Challenge

"Apples and Ivy" is 7.5 x 7 inches.  Pastel on grey Pastelmat.

Day 20 - 30 in 30 January Challenge

For Day 20 I chose a photo of a set up I did with colored pencils in mind.  However, I decided to try a portion of the set up using pastels on gray Pastelmat.  I liking it quite a bit.  I'm calling it "Glitz" since gold cups and strawberries seem kind of glitzy to me.  It is 7 x 5 inches.

Glitz - 7 x 5 inches - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 19 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

For Day 19 of the Challenge. I love the shapes and colors of the clouds and the skies -- always different, often colorful.  This is "Look to the Skies" and is 5 x 7 inches and is pastel on gray Pastelmat.

Look to the Skies - 5 x 7 inches - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 18 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

I went back through my photo files and found this one which I think I did before in oil.  This is a view looking over the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  It is 5 x 7 inches, pastel on gray Pastelmat and is titled "View Toward the Strait."

View Toward the Strait - 5 x 7 inches - pastel  ©Kay M Dewar

Day 17 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

Back to still life today.  I look forward to having mandarin oranges every winter for snacks.  I tried drawing these from life (not photo) in a smoky glass bowl.  "Mandarin Treats" is 5 x 7 inches, pastel on dark grey Pastelmat.

Mandarin Treats - 5 x 7 inches - pastel  ©Kay M Dewar

Day 16 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

Day 16 - "River View Through the Trees" - 7 x 5 inch - pastel on Pastelmat

River View Through the Trees - 7 x 5" - pastel ©Kay M Dewar

Day 15 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

Back to scenery today.  Day 15 is a twilight scene which I'm calling "Evening Color."  It is 5 x 7 inches, pastel, on Pastelmat.

Evening Color - Study . - 5 x 7 inches - pastel  ©Kay M Dewar

Day 14 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

"Yellow Poppies" is a 5 x 7 pastel drawing.  A close up photo of a sidewalk garden was the inspiration for this one.

Yellow Poppies - 5 x 7 - pastel  ©Kay M Dewar

Day 13 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

The calla lilies graphic design image was so enjoyable to create, I decided to try another image in that style.  This one is titled "Sunflower Fantasy" and is 5.5 x 7.5 inches and is ink and colored pencil on Stonehenge paper.

Sunflower Fantasy - 5.5 x 7.5 inches - ink and colored pencil © Kay M Dewar

Day 12 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

A small river scene mostly from imagination.  "By the River" is pastel, 5 x 7 inches.

By the River - pastel - 5 x 7 inches ©Kay M Dewar

Day 11 - 30 in 30 January Challenge

This is a practice drawing I've worked on several times. I worked on a paper called Bee Paper Stipple Paper.  I liked the textured surface.  First I did the drawing with black ink and then used colored pencil to create the blended graduated background color and the leaf color.  It was a fun diversion and I liked the texture effect with the colored pencil.  "Calla Lilies" is 7.5 x 7.5 inches.

Calla Lilies - colored pencil and ink on Stipple Paper - 7.5 x 7.5 inches ©Kay M Dewar

Day 10 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

A bosc pear and another one of my bottle collection members are featured in this pastel drawing.  Complementary colors and shapes.  Bosc Pear and Blue Bottle. Pastel on Pastelmat.

Bosc Pear and Blue Bottle - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 9 - 30 in 30 Challenge

It seems no matter how long one has been drawing or painting an apple always looks like an "art object."  So before I baked the apple bread I had to photo the beautiful Granny Smith apple.  My Granny Smith found itself on a gold-rimmed plate.  "Granny Smith on a Plate" is pastel.

Granny Smith on a Plate - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 8 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

"Late Afternoon Sun" is my Day 8 entry for the Challenge.  It is pastel, 5 x 7 inches.  The photo was taken in eastern Washington as we headed back to the west side of the state.

Late Afternoon Sun - pastel - 7 x 5 inches ©Kay M Dewar

Day 7 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

I've tried several times to capture the wisteria and floral display that covers one end of our garage.  Still haven't quite got it, but this is my latest effort.  Wisteria on the Move.  Pastel.  7 x 5.

Wisteria on the Move - pastel - 7 x 5 inches  ©Kay M Dewar

Day 6 - January 30 in 30 Painting Challenge

This painting is different from my original intent, but I do like the variation of colors in the grasses.  I am calling it Spring Vista and it is pastel, 5 x 7 inches.

Spring Vista - pastel - 5 x 7 ©Kay M Dewar

Day 5 - January 30 in 30 Challenge

I didn't have an inspiring landscape photo today so I decided to paint a few of my favorite bottles from my collection.  I fussed with the ellipses and still have some that aren't quite right, but I decided that I needed to move on.  Three Favorite Bottles is done in pastel and is 7 x 10.

Three Favorite Bottles - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar

Day 4 - January Painting Challenge

On a trip to the Olympic Peninsula this past fall, I took a photo of the low lying clouds nestled in a clearing.  This image is an attempt to capture that mystical appearance.  Ground Clouds is pastel and is about 7 x 8 inches.

Ground Clouds - pastel - ©Kay M Dewar 2017

Day 3 - January 30 in 30 Painting Challenge

Day 3 is a pastel version of an Oregon coast sunset.  My original photo has my husband's silhouette in it, but I will attempt to do that version another time.  So for now, here is Oregon Sunset.

Oregon Sunset - pastel - ©Kay M. Dewar

Day 2 - January 2017 Painting Challenge

For the second day of the Painting Challenge I'm submitting another pastel of a northwest scene. I don't consider it a total success but I feel I learned more about depicting evergreens with more casual strokes.  "Lakeside View" is pastel and is 9 x 12 inches.

Lakeside View - pastel - 9 x 12 inches

Day 1 - January 2017 Challenge

Another 30 Day Challenge to encourage a good start to 2017.  Having a deadline definitely inspires me to action!  The first entry to the January 2017 challenge is a roadside scene.  It is similar to one done earlier, but with an attempt to add more interest and life to the subject.  I will also be experimenting with a variety of papers/surfaces.

Roadside Scene 2017 - pastel - 8.5 x 8 inches