And the Winner of the Drawing

And the Winner of the Drawing

                                    ...is:  Zaka1946.  Congratulations, Zaka1946!  You can contact me by email: janecobb123@gmail.com and we will arrange the details.

Quote for the Day - (On learning something new)

Quote for the Day - (On learning something new)

     "You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to be a beginner.  If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you."

                                                                                                  - Barbara Sher

(Reminder:  If you would like to be entered in a drawing for a free ink and watercolor portrait of your pet, child, or other relative, just leave a comment at the end of this post.  Winner will be announced Thursday, July 28th.)

A Portrait in Process: Layers of Hugh Laurie

A Portrait in Process:  Layers of Hugh Laurie

(Reminder:  If you would like to be entered in a drawing to win a free watercolor painting by me of your pet, child, or relative, simply leave a comment at the end of this post or the post on Wednesday of this week.  Drawing will be on Thursday, July 28th and the winner will be announced!)

     I had never painted a portrait in acrylics before and recently wanted to dive in and try it. What you see here are the results of my process.  Same painting, different versions, in chronological order.  Layers and layers of Hugh Laurie.

  

     









Two of my favorite portrait artists -- Chuck Close (chuckclose.com)  and Gwenn Seemel (gwennseemel.com) -- have very different and unusual styles, each taking the original image of their subject, and then going off on their own painting trajectories to create works that are distinctive and captivating.  Each of their styles grabs your eye and holds it.  You either love their works or hate them.  I happen to love them.  

     In the multiple incarnations of this portrait that I painted, I attempted to listen to my own inner voice while happily allowing myself to be influenced in whatever ways possible by artists such as Close, Seemel, and others.  The painting was in process over the course of 10 weeks.  I didn't paint daily on it.  In fact, I let it sit on the shelf for long periods of time  when I felt stuck. Honestly, at times I hesitated to put more paint down for fear of "damaging" it irreparably.  That is one of my struggles, and here you see it in action (or inaction)!

    

 The painting is not yet finished.  It may go through several more metamorphoses before I call it done.  In the meantime, I will paint other things.  When I am ready, I will return to you, Hugh Laurie.

Notice of Upcoming GiveAway!

Would you like to win a free ink and watercolor portrait painted by me of your pet, child, or some other relative?  To get your name entered in a free drawing, simply post a comment at the end of this blogpost or on any of the upcoming posts between now and Wednesday, July 27th.  Winner will be chosen on Thursday, July 28th.

For the Love of Sktchy

For the Love of Sktchy

     One of my favorite apps these days is Sktchy.  It's a great app for artists as it offers a wide array of free photos to download for sketching and painting.  You can upload your finished artwork and have it posted in the gallery with the works of other artists.  The Sktchy community is very kind, supportive, and appreciative.  When posting a drawing you've done, (especially if it's inspired by the photo of someone's child or pet!), you can expect to get thank you's and praise for your work.

     What Sktchy helps me do is keep my art habit active.  There's nothing like having a wealth of free images at my fingertips to get me to break out my pen and watercolors and start sketching.  Having other Sktchy users offer compliments for my artistic efforts is icing on the cake! 

My Morning Art Fix

My Morning Art Fix

      I  like to start my day with art in two ways -- by doing my own sketches and by looking at other people's art.  I'm fortunate in that I don't need to be at my day job until the later part of the morning.  This allows me time to grab a coffee and sketch somewhere, either in a coffee shop or at my office.  But even if I didn't have a job that started later, I'd still want to get up early enough to sketch.  

     It wasn't always this way.  It's only been in the past year or so  that I've made a point of getting up on a daily basis to draw or paint before tending to my normal responsibilities.  It's changed my life.  There's something deeply satisfying about starting the day getting into "the zone" with your passion.  It puts me in a good mood.  And I like having tangible evidence of my efforts.  I can look back at any time during the rest of the day to view my sketch, (my new "baby"), and feel a sense of gratification.  Being able to say to myself, "I did that," feels like my day has had purpose.  Yes, it's harder with crappy drawings,  but it still works.  Each one is an accomplishment and a learning experience.  And once we've sketched, the thing to do is move on to the next one.  Another day, another sketch.

Welcome!

Welcome!

     Hello and welcome to my art blog!  My name is Jane Cobb. It is with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I invite you to accompany me on this art journey.  Excitement because I love looking at art, making it, and sharing it.  Trepidation because, well, I'm outing myself and my art processes -- warts and all.  The truth is, I have a perfectionist streak that can get in the way of taking risks. During my day job as a psychotherapist, I work with people dealing with a variety of issues and problems -- people who bravely share their vulnerabilities with me.  In my time with them, in addition to learning what's not working in their lives, I also want to hear what brings them joy.  What are their passions? -- since it's our passions that give us a sense of meaning and motivation in life.  In my off hours, as I create with paint, crayons, and markers on paper or canvas, I have the opportunity to witness my own vulnerability and passions.  Both my sense of elation and my self-doubts arise.  

     One thing I've learned as I pursue my path as an artist, is that my love and desire for creating is stronger than my fear.  That doesn't mean my fear is nonexistent however!  In this blog I will be plunging head-first into both the fear and the joy as I share my art process with you.  I'm happy you're coming along for the ride!