Biscuit & Smudge

I'd like to introduce Biscuit and Smudge, the real life grownup cats who inspired the new children's book titled "Biscuit, Smudge and the Fisherman".

This is a delightful story about how two kittens who as tiny creatures and brothers were taken too early from their mother. They are left abandoned to face a threatening environment. The kittens encounter many challenges before the story ends happily.

Kevin Maloney, the talented writer who created this tale, asked me if I would be willing to illustrate his story.

Not only was I delighted with reading the kittens' saga, but I was inspired by Kevin, who himself has overcome many obstacles in his life, like Biscuit and Smudge. Since he was a child Kevin was diagnosed with an expressive language delay disability and dyslexia. Despite having developmental disabilities, Kevin has persevered, and with gratitude for those who have helped along the way, pursued his passion for creating stories.

Maloney not only wrote the story, but drew 25 pencil sketch thumbnails for the story which I will interpret with gouache and ink to create images for the text.

Dog Days-word drawing of the day

DOG DAYS

The period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere.

These dog-gal-friends are making the most of the hot weather: have water hydrant will travel.

Eminently-word drawing of the day

Eminently: to a high degree; very.

Flip flops are eminently more popular in the summer than high heeled shoes.
Where would we be without them?

Twee-word drawing of the day

Today's word is "twee" which means affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute or quaint.
When I bite into something too sweet it hurts my teeth.  That's how I feel when I look at this illustration that I did for "twee".

Coloquy-word drawing of the day

Today's word is "coloquy"- conversation;dialogue.
This was an inspiration from a visit with a dear freind, Ellen who stopped on her way back home to Vermont.

FESTER: A word drawing-daily drawing

Miriam Webster Dictionary sends me the word for the day in a daily e-mail.
Today's word is "fester".
So I thought it would be fun to draw the word of the day to see how that would look in a quick sketch.

Using pencil and then color marker for highlighting, this sketch was completed in 15 minutes.

A daily drawing-almost everyday

Here is a corner of my studio with my supplies and paint containers.

This quick pencil study has a sense of rhythm to me while it warms my heart to focus on art supplies, the tools for bringing thoughts and ideas into a physical plane.

A daily drawing-almost but not always

Summer is the time for the freshest fruits and vegetables,  which also make great subjects for a daily sketch.  Here is another pencil sketch, this time I used my left hand, my non dominant hand.  This banana and apple behaved well for their 10 minute drawing, as I wanted them to look their best.

A daily drawing

So as to explore the essence of a cup, I sketched with a #2 pencil for 3 minutes with my eyes closed.  Can you see the "cupness" here.  I was quite delighted with the results, this is a fun way to loosen up on your drawing.  I tried to "see" the cup and feel it with my mind's eye.

A daily drawing

This is a 10 minute sketch, where I hoped to capture the essence of the coffee cup, along with the grain of the wood table that it is perched upon.

It's a loose, playful pencil sketch blending the feel of the plays of lights and darks.

A daily drawing

There have been many artists who have taken on the challenge of producing a daily painting or drawing.  I think it's a great way to stay fresh, to improve skills and stay on top of the practice of making art.  In our busy lives, there are many responsibilities, distractions and activities that can get in the way of an artist's practice.

So I've decided to jump into the challenge, and commit to a daily drawing or painting for the purpose of an exercise in study of a process.  To begin, my commitment will be to draw or paint for a minimum of 3 minutes and a maximum of 15 minutes a day.  I plan to explore a similar topic for several days in a row.  
As a humble beginning, which may lead to larger projects, I am starting with a 10 minute pencil sketch of my morning coffee mug.