Last Portraits of 2019

December 31, 2019 / / 5 Comments
Portrait of Kori L from Sktchy, 10x8” oil on gessoed watercolor paper
Portrait of Kori L from Sktchy, 10×8” oil on gessoed watercolor paper

After working on this portrait for two months, trying over and over to capture this lovely woman in paint, I have to admit I never truly succeeded. I learned from all the struggles and attempts but it’s about to be a new year and time to start something new so I’m moving on. You can see her reference photo on Sktchy by clicking on the image of my painting here.

Below are two digital sketches in Procreate from Sktchy, done this month while waiting for the paint to dry on the portrait to try once again on a new layer of oil paint to get it right.

Sketched in #procreate5 from a #sketchyapp photo by Nicolas Schram Illustration
Sketched in Procreate from a Sketchy app photo by Nicolas Schram Illustration

You can see the reference photo for the sketch above here and the one below here on Sktchy. Just click my drawing there to see the reference photo beneath it.

Sketch of H. J. Haggerty from Sktchy in Procreate
H. J. Haggerty from Sktchy in Procreate

Guys with Hats: People Facebook Thinks I Should Know #1 and #2

April 27, 2019 / / 2 Comments
Facebook "People You May Know #1", Procreate digital painting
Facebook “People You May Know #1”, Procreate digital painting

Every time I open Facebook it shows me photos of random people it thinks I might want to know. Many of them are in curious settings or have interesting faces so I’ve started saving them to paint or draw. Above is the first one, done in Procreate on the iPad, where I tried to simulate an oil painting digitally.

Since I don’t have permission to use their photos I won’t post them here but it will be fun to see if anyone recognizes themselves or their friends, given the small world we live in now.

Facebook "People You May Know #2", watercolor, 7x7 inches
Facebook “People You May Know #2”, watercolor, 7×7 inches

I tried painting with watercolor (above) over the graphite sketch below in a Stonehenge square sketchbook. I discovered that I am very rusty with my watercolors and this sketchbook is apparently NOT watercolor paper, so this is kind of a mess. But an interesting mess.

Facebook "People You May Know #2", graphite, 7x7 inches
Facebook “People You May Know #2”, graphite, 7×7 inches

I realized I need lots more drawing practice, after trying to paint a life-size three-person portrait in oils over several months and failing again and again. I put the project and the four failed canvases in the closet to try again another day after I improve my portrait drawing skills.

Another Semi-Fail Flower

April 26, 2019 / / 2 Comments
Matilija Poppy, oil on canvas, 8.5” x 11.5 inches
Matilija Poppy, oil on canvas, 8.5” x 11.5 inches

The only thing I like in this painting is the Matilija poppy and maybe the shadows. I’ve painted Matilija Poppies (much better) before like this one that also appears in the book “The Watercolor Artists Bible” along with several other of my watercolors. For some reason I find it much harder to paint flowers successfully in oils.

I started this mostly yucky painting by first using Procreate to design a color plan to work from (below) that I unfortunately didn’t exactly stick to. I like the digital version much better. Then I did a black and white underpainting in acrylic before painting in oils.

Color plan done in Procreate and black and white photo for values
Color plan done in Procreate and black and white photo for values
Photo of set up
Photo of set up

Sktchy People Sketches

April 21, 2019 / / No Comments
Sketch of artist Makenna Snyder from her photo on Sktchy app in Procreate
Sketch of artist Makenna Snyder from her photo on Sktchy app in Procreate

I wasn’t sure which version of the very pretty artist Makenna Snyder I liked best, but I think it’s monochrome version above rather than the colored version below.

When I was looking for new glasses two years ago I tried on a frame like hers and thought it was a frumpy, old-fashioned look, having seen the style the first time around several decades ago. But eventually I’ve come to see them as attractive and stylish. Now that I like them it means they’ll probably be going out of style very soon.

Sketch of artist Makenna Snyder drawn and colored in Procreate
Sketch of artist Makenna Snyder drawn and colored in Procreate

Below is a sketch of Tomas from Sketchy. There was something rather ominous about his bathroom selfie. I’m not sure why someone would take a photo of themselves half naked in the bathroom and post it for people to draw but I’m glad he did.

Sketch of Tomas from Sktchy in Procreate on iPad
Sketch of Tomas from Sktchy in Procreate on iPad

Bunny Girl 3 Ways: Gouache, Pencil and Digital

April 17, 2019 / / 1 Comment
Painting of Hildur and her bunny from in gouache, 8.5 x 11”.
Painting of Hildur and her bunny from in gouache, 8.5 x 11”.

I drew and painted Hildur from Sktchy App with her bunny three different ways. First I sketched her in pencil on paper then painted her in gouache and then did a digital rendition in Procreate. Which do you like better?

Hildur and her bunny, graphite on paper 8.5 x 11 inches
Hildur and her bunny, graphite on paper 8.5 x 11 inches
Hildur and her bunny, Procreate on iPad
Hildur and her bunny, Procreate on iPad

I was simplifying shapes in Procreate and decided to leave off her facial features.

Going Bananas (and Peachy)

April 15, 2019 / / No Comments
Sunny morning “Donut” Peaches with Bananas. Procreate on the iPad.
Sunny morning “Donut” Peaches with Bananas. Procreate on the iPad.

After being immersed in a failed oil painting portrait and a major home construction project it was wonderful to return to sketching despite feeling rusty. The funny flat peaches in the drawing above are called “Donut” peaches. They’re just as yummy as the round ones and way better for you than donuts. Below are more banana and peaches sketches.

Foreshortened bananas, Procreate on iPad.
Foreshortened bananas, Procreate on iPad.
More Foreshortened Bananas with peaches.
More Foreshortened Bananas with peaches.

In the foreshortened banana sketch above I was experimenting with the “Flatting” brush in Procreate.

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