Study of White-Rock Lettuce

To me, this flower can't get any more funky. The pedals look like broken pieces of wood or some jagged chisel. The pedals aren't very symmetrical, which throws me off quite a bit. The stamens, to me, look like silly little mustaches. All the lines took some time, but I really enjoyed this one.

Study of Japanese Iris

This flower is quite majestic...Its pedals are so pronounced and powerful. They almost seem comforting, draping like curtains or a big fluffy blanket. I had a hard time shading such a broad pedal, and I think the sketch paper I used had something to do with that. The pedal to the right stooped over seemed to be my favorite. The curls and bends from the pedal were quite interesting to sketch.

Study in Cherry Blossoms

Cherry blossoms are friggin sweet! They pack quite a punch with such powerful colors, and their blooms stand together quite abundantly(`` adfa2)sorry, that was my son Ben helping me type.=) The first flower I was drawn to in art was the cherry blossom. They cling so closely to the branch they originated from, so emotionally, we can categorize these flowers as a bunch of clingy girlfriends...buh dum, ching.=) What is it about these flowers? Simply said, I think they're beautiful flowers, and a lot of them, so how could you not be drawn in by their beauty?

Study in Columbines

What I love about the about the Columbine, let me count the ways...These flowers stand so boldly on there own. Like a person, they don't seem to hide their problems very well. They hang out their laundry for all to see. Yeah, their leaves are a bit beat up, but look at how beautiful they are! Kinda like those old pair of jeans you can't seem to part with.

Lily Charcoal Sketch

Can you believe how gorgeous a lily is? Looking at something like this always gives me such confidence in my creator. Here, the lily has fully extended it's petals away from the stamen. The petals wrinkle and curve creating a sense of shape.

School starts back tomorrow...and I have mixed feelings. I truly miss my kids. I also know it's incredibly hard to get back in the swing after having so much time off. Give me about two weeks and I'll be back in the groove.

Charcoal Sketch, Hummingbird

Amy's Aunt came down and showered Ben with gifts. It always amazes me to see how much my son is loved. He is quite a ham, which he happily inherited from mommy and daddy.

A conversation was brought over hummingbird's, and I thought I might enjoy a quick sketch of them. Amy said it looked a bit funny at first, but she was pleased with the result. I have a long way to go with sketching, but the break is a great time for me to get back into it.

The heater is on, the garage is warming up for painting, but A&M is whoopin' Penn State! I can't miss this game!

Charcoal Sketch Orchids

Charcoal sketch of orchids on my new pad! It's been a while since I've sketched, and it brings back so many memories. I remember sitting on the kitchen table working for hours to draw a baseball player swinging through a pitch. Charcoal is much more forgiving, and to me, much more enjoyable.