Winter

30x40cm (12"x16"), Soft pastel

Snowing.
The pastels were got out of the cupboard with the intention to pass the feeling of winter, to exercise in tonal values and study the colors of winter.
The subject was inspired by my friend's photo-blog, "Helsinki according to PPusa" (link).

Tonal Values

50 x 70 cm (27" x 19"), Graphite pencils

My drawing class lesson is finished at last. I could not remember when I started so the blog helped: it took me almost 3 month or 10 lessons.
I went mad in the beginning, because the details never were my strong point. But in the process I started feeling the masochistic joy of preciseness. And the most important, the mystery of tonal values was revealed at last (it happened during the pillow time).
The side effects are the knowledge of parts and pieces of bicycle and the ability to assemble and disassemble it at any moment...
That is exactly how the wall in out drawing studio looks like. The artist rents the office in the old building of candy factory and very happy about these brutal decoration which usually become the unforgettable part of our still lives.

Drawing and Cooking

EDM next, "Draw smth you have made".
Not much I do with my hands besides painting and drawing).
Cooking is hand-made stuff with combines creativity and perceptible result. So today we go into cooking. I draw the products, quickly cook them and post the photo of the result.


Recipe:
1. Boil separately 3-4 middle size potatoes and cup of lentil to "almost" ready state.
2. Heat the oil, stir-fry leek, add 2 cut chicken breasts, add 3 cut paprikas and fry for 10 min.
3. Add cut tomatoes (before cutting pour boiling water over tomatoes and keep it for several minutes, pour out water, easily remove tomato peel) and half glass yogurt.
4. Add 2 tea spoons of Indian spices (oh, how I love them! actually, you can take bread, water, Indian spices and the cooking will be success. Or only Indian spices)). I use this mix (link).
5. Cover the pan, cook for 15 min.
6. Add cube-cut potatoes and lentil, cook 5 min. more.
7. Add well cut dill,  parsley and chopped 2 garlic cloves, salt to taste and cook under cover for final 3 minutes.
48 min, 4 portions, 1 ink+coloured pencils drawing later:

Result:

 

From the Window

EDM challenge (#next) (link). Draw what you see from the window.

I love this city.
I like its churches and gardens and curved streets and chaotic mix of architectural styles, shapes, colors. My special places. Here I took a walk when I was in love. There I was excited by the domes shining in the sun. Here I was sitting in the cafe with my friends. There the city showed me its secret treasures.
But more and more I start hating it.
The rudeness of the car drivers, the disappearance of the small shops and historical buildings, gray unsmiling faces and clothes, unreal prices, the feeling of total exposure, ignorance and cupidity. And no sign of the change for the better. And less and less oxygen, literally and figuratively.

Now let's look at blue sky of 2010.

Summer ending in Moscow

Summer ending in Dubrovnik

Sketchbook pages

Pages of the sketchbook.
The red house was inspired by Rookiepainter's November challenge (link) which I missed. And the drawing shows my friends' place.

Postcards Final Shot

At last I handed all my New Year cards to my friends and can post the cards here. Too late to celebrate, you think? No, considering that Russian celebrations finished on 14th January, when the New Year (old style, Julian calendar) arrived.

I liked doing the postcards, pure pleasure and no tension with composition and colors, felt like the child playing with brushes. I will do them again.

Closed Door

A4, Strathmore watercolor sketchbook

This sparrow was great fun. I did the value studies, used the "cool light-warm shadows" rule (in some spots) and almost ruined the tail decoration. The image and inspiration came from the blog of my friend, Abraham Lincoln (the presidents' cousin and famous blogger) (click the link to his "Bird's blog").

A4, Lana paper

The door was great fun too. At least while I was trying to repeat the textures of old walls and wooden surface. I used also watercolor pencils here, to make the walls look rough. But when I finished, I realized that I do not want to look at the closed door, it depresses me))). And that my future doors will be wide open (figuratively and emotionally).
And thanks to JM and his photoblog with fantastic "Decay" series from Oeiras, Portugal (click the link to the blog).

Today my photos are from Greenwich, UK.

Need to Share

Oscar Grillo

Today, on Sunday,  I want to share my discoveries of this week. Perhaps you have long knew about them. Maybe not. Good if the information will be useful for you.

Oscar Grillo (link), artist, whose blogposts I wait every day. He is well known for his animation work on adverts and he also won a Golden Palm award for his animation. Each new sketch - joy and discovery. I think, he is genius.

Today I bought the book by Julia Cameron, "The artist's Way" (Amazon link). I read it in e-version two years ago. The book found me, when I had to make very important decisions, when I needed its power, courage and creativity. So when I saw it on paper, I decided to buy it at once. I recommend to read it to any creative person, it will inspire you and make you stronger.

Z.Serebriakova (1884-1967)

A few days ago I went to the exhibition of Zinaida Serebryakova (1884-1967), famous Russian artist. So very interesting.
And few thoughts: I noticed that she made a thick outline when drawing the human body.
I noticed that bright and cheerful painting style of her youth darkens and becomes harder with time, after she becomes a widow with 4 children in Soviet Russia.
And she divinely rubs pastels in portraits.
Wiki about the artist.
Her paintings.

I will try to post my Sunday treasures-sharing posts on regularly basis.

Musician

A5, PITT Faber-Castell Sepia pen

In the list of EDM (link) challenges for those who want to learn to draw, there was a task to draw a musical instrument. I had no idea where to take the model, when, few weeks ago, was invited to the concert of the musician, playing Oud (eastern prototype of lute).
Here is my EDM challenge #17.
Next EDM will be "To draw the view from the window".

Oxford

Trying to draw early spring

A3, Arches, watercolor

It was nice to return to big size paper after my postcards experiments and sketchbook exercises. Was trying to draw early spring in Georgian village, inspired by photo of Jemal Kasradze (link).
I love drawing and painting. Every minute of these actions gives peace to my heart..

New Year Postcard, watercolor

And, in addition, a postcard (I do not want to sound too pathetic. They are also huge fun, drawing and painting.))

Birds and Squirrels

More watercolor sketches in postcard format.