Sketchbook Envy...

Lately I've been looking through this book, "Sketching from the imagination" edited by 3DTOTALPUBLISHING. I gifted it to myself at Christmas-ordering from Amazon and throwing it into my husband's closet when it arrived(My favorite way of ensuring I get what I want...). 

It caused a severe case of sketchbook envy. I love checking out other artist's studios and their sketchbooks and I'm always amazed at the intricacy of some-ok let's face it-most of their drawings. I'm more of a "bare bones" type sketchbook person, as seen by the sketch of one of my projects below. Granted, it is not a painting so it was more plotting and gathering ideas and suggestions of materials. I also tend to sketch with really light pencil so I put in black and white so you could see the actual sketch.

I wonder about the amount of time they devote to their sketches and whether or not they are a basis for a painting. Are they going to cover up all that beautiful drawing with paint? Or are they just messing around? I think I am too impatient for that. Here are a few sketches that are intended for paintings or have ended up as one.

Future painting

And another....

Preliminary sketch of Crow Maiden

Finished Crow Maiden

And that's as complicated as it gets.

Plants and Projects are Springing Up All Over

Well this winter has been a mother...and I don't mean that in a kind, devoted, and loving way. Didn't get much painting done. I felt like I was hibernating in my studio-gathering ideas and images-but little else. Then over the last week, the snow has melted, the sun has come out and plants are bursting through the surface. Now it's a race to get the garden cleaned up before the plants get too tall. In the meantime, I've got several projects I've been working on in the studio too.

Started working on this piece a couple weeks ago and have been gathering and testing materials on it. I want to kind of weave a sky between the two branches. Discovered wire won't work-not enough tension. Trying embroidery thread next.

Then I started cleaning up the frames I've been collecting from friends, the dump and wherever. I think I can stop for a while...

Don't know where I'm going with this one below. Just playing with some colors, drips, and splotches.

Again with colors and plant shapes. We all know they won't end up looking like this...

This one is based on a photo I took of the swamp in the woods last fall. Still needs lots of work, but the colors are in the right places...

 Hopefully I will be able to keep up with it all. I feel like I'm in a race but I don't know who I'm competing with... I would like this to be a calm creative summer. There is no wedding to plan. No guests scheduled. Just a lot of painting and gardening.