I like pencils after all

I just finished a commissioned for a realistic graphite drawing.  It made me feel nervous and excited at the same time.   I haven't done this type of work in years - the drawings I do now are much more abstract, stylized, and based off colour and shapes.  But I was feeling up to the challenge...

This type of drawing takes a lot of patience and looking.  Looking and looking...  and understanding how pencils work.  I found an online tutorial on how to draw hair - the mane was the hardest part.  There is so much more to learn about pencils!  So much that you can do with them. 

Mustang (18"x24")

I took a long time to choose the picture I drew from - I really liked this perspective.  It makes you wonder what the horse is thinking... 

Going way back...

I'm working on a commission right now, a graphite work.  I haven't worked with pencils in a long time, probably not since university.  I'm enjoying going back to those days though, and rediscovering what I can do with them - looking at shadows and light.  There is a simple joy in watching the forms emerge on a blank white page.  These drawings I did in high school and in university, some 15-20 years ago.

Going back, I also found something I wrote in my first year on the JET program, I think.

What Money Can Buy...


Buy a house
Buy a house for abused women
Buy a center for homeless youth
Travel
Go to grad school and then what?
Will anyone take me seriously?
Buy mom a house
Send Satoko-obachan to Rome
Send mom to Banff
Send Davy to India
You must see the rest of the world
Study music therapy
Go to Australia and hang out at the beach
Richard has a house that once was home to 10 people
Davy tries to help the crack-addicted prostitutes by sparing a precious cigarette
He thinks about them everyday
Everyday I have to fight off the food
The squeegie kids are so skinny but they don't look glamorous
I miss Neil, my friend
Buy a cafe for Alka


I did go to Australia and hang out at the beach.  Alka now has a cafe!  Wonderful!  I didn't send my auntie Satoko to Rome before she passed away. 

Past, present and future mixing.  I love that. 

Sunflower

This is a commission I finished recently.

When I sat down to work on it, at first I almost gave in and went back to watching movies. The winter blahs were taking over. But I made myself start at least sketching out the lines, looking at my potted sunflower, and the rest drew itself.

The words are from Megan. Thank you Megan!