The Challenge for June: Turn Your Back

This month we are challenged to pick a subject, study it carefully, then turn our back on it and draw or paint it. With no peeking.

Kathy's response to the challenge:
Source Photo: Grabbed this photo found on one of my favorite Facebook sites: "Birds." 

Process: Studied it. Turned my back.  Drew with some fun Tombow Dual Headed Brush Pens on 6"x4" Strathmore Toned Blue paper ... all from Ralph's Art Supply.
This is pretty much my default behavior. I usually study a plant, animal, etc. and then stylize without looking at the source, especially if it's a photo. Since I put him a little too close to the right of the paper, added a few weedy stems for him to add to his nest.

Kathy Garvey 

For more little birds, visit my Etsy shop. 

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"Adeline and Jake"

by Denette Schweikert

This is a "painting" of my grandchildren who live in Seattle.  As you tell, I don't do well painting without seeing a photo right next to me.   

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Carmen's response to the challenge:

I stared at this photo and thought I could remember all the elements in it, but in looking at my painting, I was surprised that I forgot all about the proportions of the building and the tree. Both are too tall! Also, I didn't remember that the treeline tapers down to the left of the tree. 

It's amazing what you don't remember even though you were concentrating. It can shake one's belief in eyewitness testimony!

Carmen Beecher

carmensart.etsy.com

carmenbeecher.com

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 Mary answer to the Challenge.  I loved this challenge as it really teaches one to be more observant.
I didn’t love my result, I need more practice.  For some reason the pictures will not upload.

Challenge for May, Creating a Pattern from a Piece of Art

Kathy Garvey taught us how to create patterns from our paintings in Adobe Capture, and it was quite kaleidoscopic. It's a different kind of challenge.

This is the pattern I created:

 

Below is the original painting, a watercolor called "Cosmos (sold)."

 Carmen Beecher

carmensart.etsy.com

This was a really interesting challenge.  Here is my pattern with the original painting.  I would never have guessed I could make this pattern from this painting.  It was fun to play with.

donnavinesart.etsy.com
donnavinesart.blogspot.com

This was a sketch from one of my sketchbooks. So here goes with Adobe Capture.
I could see how these could be adapted to patterns on cloth.
Here is the pattern derived from the sketch, above.
Jean Thomas
Ozworks22@cfl.rr.com

I love making patterns so I was quite happy when the group agreed to give this challenge a try. Below are my patterns for this blog entry all created using a watercolor done on our recent trip to Silver Spring. The top image is of patterns created with Adobe Capture, a free and quite wonderful application available for your phone of Ipad. The second example is from Adobe Illustrator. I frequently use it or Adobe Photoshop for my patterns that I then print to fabric at Spoonflower.com. While Capture is fun and quick, it is limited to just a few kaleidoscope type options. The other two tools offer endless design possibilities. (Click on any image to enlarge it.)

Kathy Garvey

etsy.com/shop/snailflower

www.spoonflower.com/profiles/kgarvey

Here Comes Another One (or two or more)

Not one of the techies in the group, I nonetheless gave Adobe Capture a try. Got a bit carried away. There are thousands of possibilities with just one photo. Here are two of my designs based on Kathy's extraordinary leaves and Denette's incredible painting. Lucky me.

 Try zooming in on the designs. I love how intricate they are. 

  Design 1

Design 2

Fay Picardi

Pieces of 8 Members Win Awards

Campo di Fiori by Carol Schiff

Train to Firenze by Carmen Beecher

Carmen and Carol have both won Honorable Mentions in Contemporary Fine Art International (CFAI) Juried Shows. Carol won in the Still Life category in the Winter Juried Show for her artichoke painting, and Carmen won in the Figurative category in the Spring show.

Coincidentally, both subjects were scenes in Italy. It's hard to take three steps without seeing something paint-worthy in that picturesque country.

To check out the beautiful art at CFAI, go to http://www.cfai.co/