Dacha Life

20x25cm Neocolor sticks; 30x40cm Oil pastel on tempera background

Sketchbook pages.

Buddies

Tempera,20 x 25cm

Shoes as an endless source of inspiration.

Advice: Manolo Blahniks's Instagram (here) helps to lock our crazy world away for a while.

Sketchbook Pages

Outdoor drawing sessions in my sketchbook.

Clown, 8 Years Older

The old clown is laughing and still making jokes on the shelf. I already tried to draw him in the beginning of my art story, in faraway 2009. Here he is, and I love them both.

Elephants in the Interior

 

Elephants in the Interior. What a joy to draw and paint without any obligations, for the pure pleasure of the process. Freedom in its pure meaning.

See You Next Winter

Narrow shelf near the entrance door several weeks ago was holding my winter savers - mittens, gloves, beanie. Today these guys are washed and hidden in the wardrobe to wait for next winter.

Copying Masters: Charles Reid

Another attempt of mine to solve the secret of transparent and breathing watercolors of inexpliсable, inimitable, talented and unpredictable Mr. Charles Reid (his site).

Bert Dodson "Keys to Drawing"

These inks and shapes were inspired by the task in Bert Dodson's amazing book (Amazon link). This book and everyday practice can make miracles to any newbie with a pencil, I believe it and I know it.

 

EDM #82. Draw Your Art Space

Recently I have bought Raeskog - IKEA's 3levels utility cart (the one in the middle). It is of rich burnt sienna color, and it is love from first sight. Should I say that I love to go to IKEA once in a while, to feel I am in Stockholm, in Europe, in law and order?

Raeskog perfectly fitted into the picture, now my drawing and painting tools are well arranged and on wheels.

The sketch is about the art space, I am the lucky one to have the separate area for the creative experiments. Have just realized that every furniture item in the picture is brought from IKEA...

EDM #37 Draw Some Keys

Here is the narrow cabinet near the entrance door. I sketched its everyday busy life: apartment keys, car keys, yellow "forget me not" shopping list, old mp3 player - can't throw, don't know where to use.
Once again my many many thanks to ideas list of Danny Gregory (here)

EDM #191: Draw Some Paper Money

Idea to draw paper money was fished up from my magic "Blue vase of ideas" and before that, from the list of "Every Day Matters" (EDM) challenge (link).

Here I listened to the advice of John Lovett, author of beautiful and very colorful and energetic watercolors (his site). He wrote: to make focal point noticeable, use tonal, color and textural contract. And I did.

The Buddies

When collecting travel bag, I do not care a lot about t-shirts and trousers. But I know that shoes are the most important part of the gear and one needs at least two (better three) pairs to feel good every new day on long hikes.
Here I wanted to pay tribute to my boots, my buddies, which made my hiking full of pleasure and relax.
I want to advertise Merrell (for free), as my shoes were amazingly comfortable for many miles I walked during this USA journey and many other tours during many years before.

Blue Eyes

This watercolor bouquet is painted on old piece of Arches paper. In the summer of 2010 I was in USA participating in watercolor workshop by Janet and Steve Rogers. One day Janet taught us her way in romantic portraiture and seeing my complete helplessness in drawing human face, she did me a favor and drew the girl's face for me, so I could begin with watercoloring it.
That day I did not find the courage to ruin the beautiful sketch by Janet. I kept it for all those years. But the time has come. I did this bouquet, I added color to the face and made this combination look like the completed story.
Thank you, Janet for your inspiration through all these years.

Garden Treasure

30 x 40cm, Mixed Media

Another autumn flowers bouquet in mixed media.

A Thing

Drawing mechanical items is kind of meditation. You are completely absorbed in the attempt to copy all the small parts, their connections and textures. The more complex this thing, the better.
I have no idea what this wheel is about, it was so beautiful I could not leave it alone.

Food Matters. Guacamole.

Soon these avocado, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper, salt and coriander will turn into delicious (I hope so) guacamole. I prefer it on rye bread.

Food Matters. Rabbit Stew

When you have no idea what to draw,  fed up with procrastination, disappointment and grey weekdays, there is always help available on line, EveryDayMatters list of what to draw.

"Draw your dinner". And as I was never able to draw my dinner (I ate it too fast), I offer some modification: draw ingredients before they turn into dinner.
Here we are with rabbit stew preparation today.

Old phone

It remembers only the last dialed number. It has only 1 ring melody. No internet, GPS or camera. It is not remote. It does not have electricity plug, only phone cable connects it to the world.
My little friend from old times keeps working.

Boots

Old boots' portraits always are like portraits of there owners to me. Boots show character, power, and story of the person they walk the life with together.  

Inside the Backpack

"Draw what is in your bag" is one from "Every Day Matters" drawing ideas list.
The content of my backpack is rather ordinary: glasses, wallet, keys, small bag with necessities (which content deserves a separate post), camera, drawing kit, paper tissues.
No, sneaker is not included in the backpack, it is added due to the artist's (mine) vision of the composition.