Perspehone in Fall
April 22, 2015 § Leave a comment
I’ve been reworking the color on some of my drawings Again this is the sculpture of Persephone over the doorway of McNeal Hall and part of a series depicting her in the different seasons. Here, the leaves of the vine are drying, changing color, and falling away in the wind.
Architectural Sculpture
April 8, 2015 § Leave a comment
I’ve worked a bit more on a drawing depicting architectural sculpture at the University of MN.
This was part of a series completed to demonstrate the importance of such sculpture to the people within surrounding communities. Our sense of heritage, humanity, and belief system is reflected in these forms.
Garlic Still Life
April 8, 2015 § 2 Comments
I’m showing the informative nature of the contour as it provides the framework for the finished gradation of garlic and cloves. 
Notice how the contour allows you to reveal your thought process of compositional considerations, the light source, area of emphasis. Once you have determined those elements, you are free to keep your eye on the subject and allow your personality to flow out onto the page. At this point, I keep my eye on the subject, let my hand become an extension of the eye, and rarely look at the surface of the paper. The contour line moves from light to dark describing the three dimensional nature of the subject, the light source, and the storyline you have set forth. Notice how my contour is curvilinear in nature. Yours will be very different. You can find examples such as these in my book The Little Book of Drawing; a Friendly Approach. My teaching style is encouraging in nature and allows you to try different media, techniques, and to find your own personal style of story telling through drawing. 
Fall Still Life
November 23, 2014 § Leave a comment
Here is a contour and finished gradation in stippling of a Fall still life. The contour provides me with the framework for the gradation. I even included the small letter s’s to indicate where the shadows lay. These notations whether on the page or in a notebook help you as the artist remember key elements. The contour exists on it’s own in places as it leads you in and out of the composition.
Anna and Clare at Play
November 5, 2014 § Leave a comment
At last, the final drawing of a three part series of Anna and Clare in a tunnel at the playground. The first shows them contemplating things, the second; beginning to move, and now, they are in full motion. Whee!! Again, I’m showing the contour or line drawing with the finished gradation. Serial imagery allows you to take full advantage of a train of thought.
Second in a Series of Anna and Clare at Play
October 28, 2014 § Leave a comment
This is the second of a three drawing series depicting Anna and Clare at play. The first drawing showed the two little ones thinking about their next moves and now they’re beginning to interact. The tunnel at the playground allows their imagination to run wild! The contour or line drawing does most of the work for you by laying out the framework of composition, form revealed through a light source, and your personality. Serial imagery allows your storyline to go further than what you see in just one work.
Anna and Clare
October 22, 2014 § Leave a comment
This is the first of a three drawing series of my grand daughter Anna and her friend Clare when they were very little. This scene depicts the two resting and thinking in a play tunnel while planning their next moves. I’m showing both the contour or line drawing with the finished gradation.
Changing from Pencil to a Limited Color Drawing
October 2, 2014 § Leave a comment
A new frame was created for a pencil drawing of mine. It no longer worked as the frame held a similarity to brass. I added a limited palette of browns so that the entire piece could become integrated.
Pileated Woodpecker
March 17, 2014 § 2 Comments
I’m posting sequentially the stages of a drawing of a pileated woodpecker scavenging for bugs in a tree stump. This first posting is the contour. It provides the framework for the drawing. It reveals the light source, a sense of form or depth, and allows my personality to flow out onto the page. Next will come the watercolor washes and finally the colored pencil to give greater clarity to the composition. This bird is majestic especially in flight and is quite reclusive in nature. My daughter and son in law were lucky to spot it in their yard.
Edie
February 16, 2014 § Leave a comment
I’m posting a contour drawing of a wonderful little girl formerly named Sorissa and now called Edie by her adoptive parents. She has such a smiling face and I was attracted to her black and white characteristics which will contrast with the light source. I am hopefully working to submit this piece to Deviant Art which is show meant to dispel the myth of the dangerous nature of the Pit Bull and Rottweiler. A wonderful example of the warm nature of these animals is Edie. The contour provides the framework for the watercolor and colored pencil drawing. It provides me with so much information about the light source, the form and color of the body under the fur that if I never saw Edie’s picture again, I could complete the work. I’ll show this in stages.
Dr. Mary McNaughton and Drawing 