Drawing With Graphite, Dog Portraits, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Huckleberry Hound" by Leada Wood©2017

This is the second dog in my series "Drawing Dogs With Graphite". I am not sure which is more difficult to draw...the long haired  variety or short haired. There are also a lot of angles in their faces that catch the light and make it a challenge to capture. I start by sketching in the figure and go immediately to the eyes and develop them. I feel that the eyes are what bring life into the drawing and if I can't get those correct the rest doesn't matter so I begin again. I endeavor to capture the personality of the pup.

 We had a Dachshund when our children were small. His name was Huckleberry Hound and he loved to hunt rabbits here on the farm. One day we could hear him barking and investigated and found him stuck in an irrigation pipe. He had followed a rabbit I suppose and we had to rescue him. He never did that again. Our daughter loved to put him in the basket on the front of her tricycle and drive him around. He was such a good dog and enjoyed playing with the kids. We loved our Huckleberry!

Drawing With Graphite, Dog Portraits, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Ok, ok, it's official! I have gone to the dogs...at least that is what I have been drawing lately. I thought I would share a few of these doggie delights with you during the next few post.

Kris Kringle by Leada Wood©2017

  It's rather difficult to take a pencil and paper and create something much less try to make it recognizeable. I love to draw and have been doing it for years and it is still a challenge which I embrace with enthusiasm. I can tell my hand muscles are a bit out of shape as my right hand is getting sore. It is a lot of repeated motion.

  I use a mechanical pencil, vellum, stump and kneaded eraser when I draw. I like the mechanical pencil because I don't have to sharpen it and it makes a fine line. The vellum is a smooth surface paper and has no tooth so I can push the Graphite around with my stump or use my eraser to lift it. The vellum also doesn't turn yellow like a lot of drawing paper. Do you have a favorite drawing paper that is acid free? Please share the brand in the comments.

 This little pup reminded me of my parents miniature schnauzer Kris Kringle which we gave them one Christmas. He was a comical dog and loved to take naps with my dad. He wasn't allowed on the bed but mom could see the imprint of his head on her pillow. He was a good companion and they sure loved that rascal. Thanks for stopping by!

Okay, okay it's not like I am short of brushes! We all have our favorites...like the ones Bootman gave me for Christmas...pure sable...very exquisite. Some gals want Sable coats I longed for Sable brushes.    I guess he must have heard the yearning in my voice and decided that would make my dreams come true. They handle differently from the synthetic brushes I am use to and it is a learning curve but I can already tell they are special and will enjoy using them.

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This brush is also a favorite, a shape maker and the pointed end had sat curved in my brush container for a while. Long enough to ruin it or so I thought. It was frozen into a J shape and no matter what I did I could not make it return to its original shape. I tried everything and finally googled how to save a brush. Who knew! I placed it in boiling water, like the article said and pounced it around and voila it bounced back into it original form. Don't you just love Google?

Mixed Media, Working In A Series, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Love" by Leada Wood©2017

Working in a series

Happy Valentines Day! What better way to make Valentines than with Mixed Media. I like working in a series and with Mixed Media so it is a win-win situation. They may not all turn out exactly as you would like but working in a series makes them not as precious so you are free to play. I am working small and have started with a lot of cards. Incorporating collage, stamping, water soluble crayons, acrylics, intense pencils and stencils so far. These are still in process and the more layers the better! I also clean my brushes and stamps on extra paper or in a sketchbook so that I have collage material or a background for my art journal. Repurposing is always better than creating more garbage.

 "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage".

"Averi's Favorite Hat", Watercolor Figure Painting, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Averi's Favorite Hat" ©2017 Leada Wood

                                                              

Averi's is a beautiful and vivavacious young lady who is fond of going to the beach and she loves dots. This is her favorite blue hat with dots and she wears it quite often. It is always a challenge to keep your hat on at the beach as the gulf winds are gusting constantly. I enjoyed painting Miss Averi from a photo I had taken of her.

The painting was done with watercolor on clay board and I  like the way the surface takes paint. It is totally different from painting on paper with watercolor. You also can seal the surface and frame without glass.

This is the second painting I have done of Averi at the beach. The first piece was "Shell Seeker", transparent watercolor on paper.  I am ready to go back to the beach and get more reference photos!  Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Forsythia, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

The Forsythia is blooming...it always blooms in February...sometimes in the snow and it reminds me of Mama. She loved the color yellow and its bright cheery hue is a pleasant respite from the grey of winter, a promise that Spring isn't far away. Today there are bees buzzing and drinking the sweet nectar that it offers and two yellow butterflies floating around the fragrant bush. It is a beautiful day for soaking in the sunshine. I have had these bushes for a long time. Mama dug them up with my Dad and brother in the woods in Virginia and brought them home to Texas. She loved her Forsythia and looked forward to its bright blooms every February.  I now continue the cycle, happy to see its blooms and remember  Mama.



Thank You Lubbock! by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

First Friday Art Trails are always such an event in Lubbock. These people know how to support the Arts! The weather was chilly and still the art lovers came in waves. It makes me grateful to be able to participate in this amazing celebration of the Arts. Lots of lovely galleries line the Arts District with Trolleys and Buses to take you around. I throughly enjoyed myself and plan to participate every chance I get.

Took a moment while it wasn't so busy to snap a photo. I am so happy to be a member of the Art League of West Texas Foundation such an active and fun group!

Another shot of The Clay House on FFAT adjacent to the Louise Underwood Center For The Arts.

Yours truly thanking you from the bottom of my heart for a night to remember!