Portrait

Dan T.
9" x 6" sketch paper

One night I was itching to draw something and I grabbed a card that Dan T's family sent me last Christmas (2008). In it was his family picture - him, his wife (Susan), and his 2 young daughters. I thought I should draw the whole family, who were sitting outdoors with their 2 big dogs, but it got screwed up. My one weakness - drawing figures. So I ended up drawing just him for now. I will still try to work on the family picture though.

Still lifes

8" x 10"

Oil on canvas
(click image to enlarge)

My first painting this Spring semester, under Ms. Miller. There is not much details on this, just the way I wanted it to be.

9" x 12"
Oil on canvas

A painting I did last Fall semester under Ms. Cooper. Ms. Cooper preferred real fruits, plants and flowers. Real ones, she said, have a glow in them; and the painter would be painting real live models, not fake ones.

Each one has a certain way of teaching, and from both these teachers I have learned a lot.

Cute little freebie

The first day of Spring Semester of my art class was last Feb. 20th. The class has a new teacher - Ms. Miller. She took the place of Fall Semester's teacher - Ms. Cooper. Ms. Cooper has to take time off from teaching to concentrate more on her studies.

Last Friday the teacher came to class with a big bagful of paintings and some frames. Some of the paintings were unfinished; some were finished and framed. These were the paintings of her former student who passed away, and was given to her by the deceased husband. We were free to take any painting, and as many as we wanted. There were about 20 of them, of assorted sizes and shapes. The biggest size was about 12" x 14" and the smallest one was 5" x 4".

5" x 4"
Oil on canvas.
(click image to enlarge)

I took a fancy on this little one, the smallest of the lot. The little house caught my eye and I readily took it and never let it go. It has some yellowing in it, and I've been mulling over the idea of painting over it or not.

I think, I'll leave it as it is.

Old oil paintings

The Casino Building
Oil on 20" x 16" canvas
(Click image to enlarge)

This is one of my first paintings I did at my art class in 1995. Very much a beginner's painting.

It is from a picture I took myself when my husband and I visited Catalina Island, a few miles from the shores of Los Angeles, California.

Looking closely at the painting I noticed some yellowing. Being a beginner then, I bought my materials not knowing which one is the best. I should retouch this one of these days.

Yosemite Falls
Oil on 16" x 20" canvas
(click image to enlarge)

Another old painting done the same year (1995) in my oil painting class; from a picture I took in 1993 on a visit to Yosemite National Park, California.

Back to basics

Pencil on paper drawings
Click image to enlarge

Elementary, that's where I am back.

I enrolled at an oil painting class for adults this fall at the community college in my city. My instructor is a lady who not very long ago graduated from an art school. Her approach to teaching is like what I have known in school before. Like in my freehand drawing class in architecture we started from the elementary - pencil drawing of simple objects. With my 3B lead in my lead holder (mechanical pencil) I drew the vase with a little bit of apprehension. It's been years ago since I did a drawing of this kind with my teacher looking from behind me. I got the shape, shades, shadows and perspective right, except that I have been going into more details, like putting in some of the reflections. The teacher said that the reflection won't be there if I close one eye. I did, and voila! there's no reflection. The short time I have been in this class I have learned a lot already.

Pencil on paper drawings

I had wanted so much to learn how to paint in oil, and so back in mid-90s I enrolled at an adult class, an extension of the High School District. My instructor was an older lady. She has a degree in fine arts; has been painting all her life; and has been teaching art for quite sometime. However, it seemed to me I have not learned much from her. On my first day in class she didn't tell me anything...nothing. With the help of the old students by my side, I groped my way along; and I went with the flow. I copied paintings done by others; copied pictures in magazines; copied posters and post cards. I learned to paint, by trial and error, by myself. I read books on oil painting, and subscribed art magazines. Some of my paintings ended stacked by the side of my little studio; some I hang on my wall.

Somehow I find myself wanting more. I wanted to learn more; to create my own; to have originality. I graduated architecture and practiced for years, and in this industry we create; we make our own designs. Copying others' work is unethical; morally wrong for us.

And, so there I was, I reached my plateau; and I dropped out of the class.

Now, this fall semester, I am back to another art class and more motivated than ever, and learning more each day. On our first day, we new students, were asked to introduce ourselves to each other; and asked why we are in the class. It is a 4-hour class and to keep us busy, after the introductions, we did some pencil sketches. The teacher provided us, for the meantime, some drawings to copy. This was, perhaps, her way of knowing how well each of us would draw the images. The drawing I chose to copy was a fishing boat. It was unsigned, so I have no way of knowing who the artist was. On the second, third and fourth meeting of the class we had models to draw, all in pencil still. So, there I was back to doing basic drawings...and I love it.

Street Art Festival

Each year the Santa Clarita Valley holds its annual Street Art Festival at the Main Street of Old Town Newhall. This year it was held September 27 and 28; and it featured street painting, performing arts, crafts, oil paintings by local artists, and entertainments for everyone.

These are some of its highlights.

(Click on images to enlarge.)

This bear represents the state animal of California. On it is a mural of historical landmarks and people of note.

A budding artist viewing his artwork.

The Can-Un-Drum, a drum trio. They received a rousing applause for their unique musical artistry.
The booths block.
A wire art.
A truck with an assortment of contraption.
The street painting block.
Some of the street paintings.

Links to the previous years Street Art Festival.

Street Art Festival 2007
Street Art Festival 2006
Street Art Festival 2005

It's late but...

I have intended to join the Virtual Sketch Date for August, I, however, was not sure I could make it before the deadline, so I didn't sign in. I tried working on it a few days ago, just to finish the drawing. Although it's past the deadline, I will still work on it. This is as far as I have gone, just the outline. I will do it in watercolor, which I'm not too good at, so that will take a while to finish.

The photo was provided by Sherrie Roberts.

The result of all the drawings are here.

The Wild Hairdo

Pencil on paper

Everyone, almost everyone knows who he is. The wild hairdo, which was ahead of his time, would tell us he is Albert Einstein. Well, unless, of course, I didn't get him close enough. I've been doing pencil portrait, hoping that someday I would be good at it and do one with total confidence. As they say, "Practice makes perfect." I hope "they" are right.

The Pope

Click image to enlarge.

6" x 10"
6B pencil on paper

Mick looked at it and didn't say a word. I wonder if that means I got it right. Maybe. Maybe it does look like him - Pope Benedict XVI.

The Dalai Lama

click photo to enlarge

6" x 10"
6B pencil on paper

"Close enough, considering...," Mick said.

"I know, considering that I've been doing it while watching TV at night; and while sitting on the couch," I replied to him.

One night while watching TV, I thought, I would do some drawing, and grabbed a copy of the Time Magazine on the coffee table with the Dalai Lama on the cover. When it would seem to me that I'm not getting it right, I would put the drawing down and watch TV. That went on for days; and there were times the drawing was left untouched. Then, one night I did some more lines, shades and shadows, and put an end to it.

Apple

7" x 5"
Oil on canvas

by IndiaArtist

A lovely crunchy looking apple, good enough to eat. It's, of course, an oil painting sent to me by Rajeev. She blogs as Indiaartist and she had a giveaway and I'm the lucky one. Lucky, lucky me, getting an oil painting. Woo hoo!

Thanks, Rajeev.

Bowl of Candies

Water color on 10" x 8" paper

1998

I have done some water color painting when I was in college. It was one of my subjects. Since then, however, I have not done any kind of painting. I have doubts that I could still do it. So, upon seeing this bowl of candies on my coffee table, I grabbed my brand new water color tubes and started working on it. I thought this would be a good time to try my hand at it again. It took me a while to finish it; however, I was happy with the outcome. This is my only water color painting, as of now.

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Sketch a face.

My friend Jun. Born and raised in Japan; married with 3 children. She's a very simple woman; humble; very friendly and could talk to just about anybody. She has a very good sense of humor and whenever we're together all we do is laugh. We enjoy each others company. I did this drawing when we had lunch at Fiesta Grill, a Filipino restaurant here in northern Los Angeles County, California.

Sketches

pencil on 9" x 6" paper

While watching Andrea Bocelli in one of his concerts, on tv, I thought of sketching him, and this is what came out. I tried to catch all his features as he was singing...and moving, and this is as far as I could get him.

pencil on 8 1/2" x 11" paper

Vicki

She has been waiting for this for a long, long time. I wonder if she would like this image of her.

pencil on 8.5" x 11" paper

Young girl

markers on 8.5" x 11" paper

Vicki

pencil on 8.5" x 11" paper

My doodles.

Yellow Hibiscus

24" x 20"

Oil on canvas

This is my latest painting done last month. I'm still not happy with it. Geez, I don't know why. Before I signed it, I took it to my friend Jun and we both looked at it trying to see what could be done to make the flowers come out more. I set it up on her fireplace mantel and we sat on her dining table from 20 feet away, looking at it. I did a little more work on the background and promised myself that this is it. No more changes...nothing...nada...wala na...awanen.

This painting was from a picture (of a live plant) I took myself when my class and I went on a field trip at the Descanso Gardens, back in 2005. I was caught by the pretty color of the flowers and took a snapshot of it right away.

Today I was thinking that I should try my hand at something else...challenge myself, so to speak. HA! A portrait...maybe...just maybe.

Birch Trees

16" x 20"
Oil on canvas

This is at the front yard of the backdoor painting; an older painting I did sometime in 1999.

Sunset at the canyon.

12" x 9"

Oil on canvas panel

One late afternoon last week, as I stepped out of my front door I saw the glow of the sun on the hills beyond. The sun was already setting, it would be too late for me to set my easel and canvas to capture the scene, so the best thing was grab my camera and take a picture of it. Then I painted it...and this is the result.

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Backdoor

18" x 24"
Oil on canvas

This is the backdoor of a house in Encino, California, U.S.A. It had caught my attention for quite sometime and finally I found the time to paint it. The owner let me have access to her yard, and paint whatever I wanted to paint.