Still Life with Mirror

40x70cm, Gouache on wallpaper

Here I learned how contrast and sharp edges drive attention to focal point (if I succeeded, your eyes first looked at mirror, then at still life on a cupboard).

Copying Masters

20x15cm, Ink Pen

While studying the book "Drawing with pen and Ink" by Guptill (link here) I was amazed by variety and diversity of strokes of ink pen offered by the author.
So I decided to copy one of the illustrations, by Addison B. Le Boutillier. A lot of patience and accuracy required, not my strongest features they are.

Still Life with Kettle

70x55cm, Gouache

Next still life painted in one session in the drawing class.

Blue is the most frequent color I buy in art shops at a moment.

Happy Holidays!

This holiday card is modern interpretation of famous painting of Valentin Serov (link to the painting in Tretiakov National Art Gallery ).
Looking at the dropping rates of Russian rouble and our economy going down to nowhere, I wish to all my friends here in Russia and all around the world - artful creativity and emotional, productive, spiritual and physical profusion.

Merry Christmas!
Happy New 2015 year!

Blue

40x55cm, Acrylic on wallpaper

Last year my favorite color was orange, I imagined Malevich's type huge orange square in front of me and it felt so good.
This winter blue color in all its variations is my star.

Figure Drawing

Every Wednesday I go to live drawing class, but the results are so pity that I do not post them here.
But I have just finished reading/studying the Bammes' "Human Anatomy for Painters" and surprisingly the reading improved my human figure drawing skills, only reading without copying pages, making notes or any other way of memorizing..
Honestly, I am so glad to feel the progress.

Still Life with Pitcher

Another still life in one 3 hours session from my drawing class. 40 x 65cm (16" x 26"), gouache.

Snow on the Trees

View at the balcony window. Snow feels so clean and refreshing in grey Moscow winter.

Sketching ManiPedi and Irrigator

Sketch of visit to manipedi; fast bamboo pen sketch of irrigator.
Good that girls did not realize I was sketching. I would be ashamed if they ask me to show the likeness..
To have a drawing idea at hand, I have started the new project, 6 weeks of drawings by Veronica Lawlor's "One Drawing A Day". This post is inspired the project.

Quick Portraits with Bamboo Pen and Ink

What can be more difficult than a portrait drawing?? It was fast, brave and risky sketching in front of the mirror.
To have a drawing idea at hand, I have started the new project, 6 weeks of drawings inspired by Veronica Lawlor's "One Drawing A Day". This post is inspired the project.

Art Class

My new art teacher explains the rules of composition, color and tone balance. This time I had to choose any objects in the studio and paint them in one session.
"You do not plan to enter any art college, so I do not teach you academic drawing and painting. You are in search of your personal style improvement and here we will dig together", she says.  I like it.

Anthurium in Ink.

40x50cm, Ink, Acrylic

Day Two. Go to the garden and draw flowers and butterflies.  Use dip pen and give freedom to your hand.
He-he-he. This is December updated version, flower on windowsill. I used acrylic base as background, added some drops of varnish which adds gloss to the texture. Also I tried dip pen for the first time, great tool for above chaos. And would be very disciplining tool when used for calligraphy.

To revive my artful inclinations I start the new project, 6 weeks of drawings inspired by "One Drawing A Day" by Veronica Lawlor. 

On the table

To revive my artful inclinations I start the new project, 6 weeks of drawings inspired by "One Drawing A Day" by Veronica Lawlor (Goodreads link).
Day One. Make a still life of objects you like in your home and draw them freely.
Here is piece of my creative corner documented in watercolor, ink, pencils.

Let it Snow.

At last snow is in Moscow, yet weak and modest.

Still Life with Mirror.

Still life with mirror. My first attempt to self-portraiting in the drawing class. It took 2 hours, cup of tea with cookies, big brush and gouache.