SCRATCHBOARD

Fun with some left-over scratchboard.

Shake

WELL-ROUNDED ARTIST

Diane Cutter is an artist living in Puerto Rico that works with all of my favorite mediums. Her blog http://theitinerantartist.blogspot.com/ shows her versatility in printmaking, scratchboard drawings, pastels and watercolor works.

ON THE ROAD

I have been out of Big Bear the last few days at a tournament with my baseball team. No studio time but I did bring along some scratchboard so I can doodle at the hotel in the evenings.

MICHAEL HALBERT ILLUSTRATOR

I found this great tutorial clip on Youtube showing Michael Halbert doing a scratchboard/pen and ink drawing. It is long but I couldn't stop watching. With so much computer graphics being used now, it is fascinating to see hand drawn art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAYnXJyK3cM

His website is a treasure of different types and styles of art.

http://inkart.com/index.html

One of mine. Not even close!!

FANTASTIC SCRATCHBOARD ART

I have mentioned scratchboard art and how much I enjoyed the different times I've attempted a drawing in earlier posts. If you would like to see how it is properly done, visit this Youtube clip of Canadian artist Al Weitzel creating a beautiful wolf piece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF9uFyWx3fk&feature=related

IMITATION

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I found an artist that produces such fantastic art that I had to try one of her scratchboard subjects. Thanks for a wonderful practice subject and session C. Sheeter and I. Villi (reference photo).

STILL REVAMPING

I am finally almost done reworking my studio area. Should not have taken this long but I procrastinated with the best of them on this project. The drums and guitars in the other part of the room were way too inviting!

Just to feel like I wasn't neglecting art completely, I did do another small scratchboard.

CYMBALS AND SCRATCH ART

My grandson called me (through his mother) to let me know that he thought he needed more cymbals for his drum set. Boy, does he take after his granddad!! I remembered that I had gotten a new set for one of my favorite kids in the world, Kriss Proctor. He said that Liam could have the old set. He is the starting quarterback for Navy this year, so probably won't be playing the new or old set. Liam is going to be one happy little drummer!!!

Newest scratchboard art to the left.

TRY, TRY AGAIN

Sterling Edwards watercolors have given me the bug again. I'm going to attempt another painting. I have all the correct supplies so if it's a failure it will be easy to identify the problem.

Below is another scratchboard drawing I recently finished.

SCRATCHBOARD GIFT

Finished scratchboard drawing for a friend. I can't take credit for the composition. Saw a photograph on an internet site!

REALLY...WATERCOLOR AGAIN

Okay, I'm getting sucked in again. Watching a few Sterling Edwards DVDs has me wanting to give watercolors one more chance. He makes it look so easy. This time I'm starting with small technique studies instead of jumping in with both feet. Left is a tree study where the trunk worked well, but not the leaves.

Also started a scratchboard drawing from a picture I saw on the Internet that reminded me of a friend's dog. I'll give it to her as a gift when I finish.

ALWAYS READY

There are times when I don't have the motivation or energy to start a painting or print project, but still feel like doing something in my studio. I try to have a scratch board on hand to work on but also find that doing a monoprint is quick and easy on the brain. Spread some ink or paint on a sheet of plastic, run it through the press and see what happens!!

SCRATCH THE ITCH

Still having time issues but I did find a little time to pull out a scratchboard drawing I had been working on. I can always add a few more lines and feel like I'm doing something creative.

TWO WORLDS

It seems that art is all about a person's comfort zone. I continue to make attempts at watercolor painting and continue to struggle. To compound the issue, I love the floral watercolors that a great friend of mine who lives in the Northwest paints. Combining a technique that I have no mastery of with a subject that I am not really in touch with and, well...

Yet give me a piece of scratchboard, a Jazz subject and twenty minutes and I'm as happy as can be.

JUST FOR KICKS

I'm still finding it a great idea to have a piece of scratchboard close by. There are times when I don't want to jump head long into painting or working on a Lino or woodblock, but want to mark up something. So easy to grab some scratchboard and start doodling.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE

I now try and have a piece of scratchboard on hand all of the time. When I don't feel like going through the get ready and clean up routine of the print making process, scratchboard is fast and simple.

THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE

My new found interest in scratchboard art led me to a fantastic artist discovery. Judy Larson pulls beautiful pictures of horses and wolves from the flat black ink. You can also find hidden and concealed images in her art! http://www.judylarson.com/imagekey/index.htm

She also has a good demonstration of scratchart technique here.

SCRATCHBOARD III

Just a little more to do which is good. I'm tired of this one and ready to move on!!

Scratchboard II

More work done on my scratchboard attempt. Guitar almost finished. I've been hesitant on starting work on the shirt. Will need different texture to show the folds and creases. I'm not sure about that yet!!