Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Challenge #184 Draw a bench


Again with the lettering. I seem to do fine when I'm practicing,
but then I tighten up and blow it on the page. Ah well, back to the practice pads.
The lyric for this drawing is from the song "North Country Blues"

19 comments:

Chuckerdoo said...

This is great! I love the little red bike as well, these two are my favorite. Good idea with the Dylan. Have you thought about illustrating for childrens books?

Peachtreeart said...

You lettering is lovely and uniformed...goes well with your wonderful water colour!

Gary said...

I was wondering about illustration too. I really like your watercolors and perhaps you are too hard on yourself about the lettering. But you know where you want to go with these and no doubt you will know it when you see it.

nanke's stuff said...

I love this sketch, and I see nothing wrong with the lettering. The painting is very touching. nancy

Alex said...

The mix of colors here is stunning! I love the setting and the subject, which explains the words really well :)

Shirley said...

Gorgeous!! I love your composition and think your lettering is fabulous! Be kind to yourself....

Ramona said...

You have a great eye for detail and subject. The picture really tells a story. Great use of color too.

Unknown said...

You really do a marvelous job. I was wondering if you are drawing these amazingly detailed sketches from your imagination? My jaw will drop if you say yes to that. I do understand what you're saying about the lettering. Though it looks fine from here, I sometimes get that feeling that I do everything better when NOT in the sketchbook! Something about the rhythm I get into. Anyway, this is another homerun!

Ellen Burkett said...

Thank you everyone! Chuckerdoo and Gary, someone mentioned childrens books many years ago, but I never thought I could ever figure out how to get connected. Plus I have a lot of work to do practicing drawing. See I've painted for decades, but (this answers Raena's question too) I almost always made up what I painted. I never painted regularly, just for gifts mostly (mixed reviews from friends so I have trouble knowing if I was good or not. I had always thought I was okay...maybe I was wrong...imagine the anxiety of looking back over all those years and thinking those friends were cringing each time they saw a picture coming their way!). As a result I would get rusty between sessions. Then one day I painted a picture from a photo my brother took and he remarked that you could see the difference when I used a reference picture. So when I saw EDM I thought it was a chance to work on drawing skills. So here I am, forcing myself to use reference pics (my natural inclination is to make it up). But I stop myself, find a picture and do it...mostly using it as a guide, enhancing or subtracting details as I go. Surprisingly, with these few drawings I already feel myself getting better.


So that's about it. Again I thank you all for your support and advice. I am so happy I found your group and that you have allowed me in. What a lucky find for me!

Timaree said...

Great picture. Using Dylan lyrics is a great way to personalize the EDM challenges. Some of us are only at the learning to draw stage and they are challenge enough but for you I can see how this becomes a challenge - a very nice one. Your lettering looks great. Like I've said to others, if it were perfect you might as well have had it printed on the page rather than write it yourself. However, this looks pretty perfect to me. I not only mess up the lettering but I've also gotten a letter in the wrong place.

Ellen Burkett said...

A letter in the wrong place! Been there, done that. Important to remember we're only human, I guess. Once about 15 years ago I had to store a huge drapery (I'm in the dapery business by day) for a customer. It was handpainted by a famous charicaturist...can't think of his name, which is sad because somebody told me what it was less than a month ago. Anyway, it was painted in black line on an ivory fabric and it was all old movie stars. This guy, as wonderful as he was had made several corrections with ivory paint. I was so surprised, because I just assumed anyone of his stature would be perfect. Of course he wasn't. He was human. Just thought of his name..."Al Hirschfeld" If he could make a mistake, certainly we can.

~jolene said...

ONE thing I love about your art is the emotion it stirs in me. Always, without fail. Already so many 'stories' about this elderly man runs through my imagination.
BEAUTIFUL.

Dan Kent said...

Love the drawing, the painting, the understated colors, the lettering - all of it! This is great!

Ellen Burkett said...

Thank you so much Jolene and Dan.
You are all so kind.

Anonymous said...

Ellen
It is always delightful to see you have a new post - this one does not disappoint for all the reasons stated here. Looking forward to future posts...both your art and your words.

Unknown said...

Wow! What a fun blog and your drawings look like multi-colored jewels strewn across a piece of black velvet!

Capt Elaine Magliacane said...

Too cool... I think your lettering looks great... I'm trying to teach myself Calligraphy.. but like the drawing and painting... it is slow going. Your work is fabulous.. your friends have been lucky to get your work over the years.... Oh and welcome to EDM it is a GREAT group.

FitFoodieMegha said...

What a concept Ellen! Superb. I am so glad to find your blog...Wonderful!

Pencil Sketch: Rajasthani Man playing flute

Ellen Burkett said...

Thank you for your comments Phyllis, Sheila, Elaine and Megha! They mean so much to me.