Virtual Paintout 22: Touched by Hands

Bangladesh was the destination for our February Virtual Paintout. 

I found beauty there, but it was also heartbreaking. Everywhere I saw the women and girls wearing colorfully beautiful clothing, yet there was obvious poverty. The villages and parts of the cities were so sad, yet there was beauty in the countryside.

An old gentleman, squatting with his hands on his knees, caught my eye. It was his hands... old, knobby and with a story to tell... that touched me.

Here is the original location of my painting:

And here is my painting, done from my heart in response to his Hands (can image to enlarge).

"Hands"

Tongi, Bangladesh

6 x 9 sketchbook; acrylics

Happy painting,

Retta

Going Nuts with Detail!

Finally getting around to posting the last drawing of the last week of this semester of Sketchbook Skool! Boo hoo, I'm sorry it's over. It was such a fun 6 weeks! 

Each week we were exposed to a different teacher with new methods, materials and suggestions to help us step outside our comfort zone and experiment. 

No, they were not trying to get us to paint like THEM. Rather, to be open to new ideas and approaches, to play around, and incorporate anything WE really enjoyed into our regular artwork.

For the last lesson we had an outstanding artist and author: Tommy Kane. Wow, right up my "detailed" alley! He LOVES detail, the more the better. 

After watching the teaching videos, our homework was to draw a VERY detailed drawing from within our own home. 

Here then is my uber detailed drawing, first the black and white version and then, after adding the color. What a blast this was! (can click images to enlarge).

My Computer Guardians

9 x 12 sketchbook; ink, watercolor

and colored pencil

Happy sketching,

Retta

Drawing Animals is Fun!

Week 5 of Sketchbook Skool was about Drawing Animals. The first part was practice using toy animals (they'll hold still for you!). I used some little Schleich Toy Animals for my practice. 

I was so busy concentrating I didn't even notice til the end that Meerkat and Bunny had switched places. Oops! (can click on images to enlarge)

Toy Animals

9 x 12 sketchbook; ink, colored pencil, 

watercolor pencils, white gel pen

Next came drawing LIVE animals. Yeah, right. Easier said than done! Joey, my Mini-schnauzer girl has 2 speeds: Greased Lightening and Asleep. 

So...where's my longhair calico, Butterfly?? Aha! Asleep on my bed... perfect.

Live Animal Drawing

9 x 12 sketchbook; colored pencil, watercolor

pencil, white gouache, ink for lettering

Happy sketching,

Retta