Regina Calton Burchett - Art in Progress

The directions say to post on Saturday, but I finished this tonight and if I don’t do it now, I probably won’t remember to post it.   Virtual Sketch Link November

I love trees - drawing, painting, watching trees. This was done with a mechanical pencil on acid-free card stock. It took about two hours.  It was a fun and “grokking” sketch. I learn more about shadows and balance when I focus on great trees like this.

I’ve seen a lot of searches to this site about ” how to sketch a flower “, and I’d like to help you find one of the best step-by-step illustrations I’ve seen. It’s by a friend of mine, Leslie Hawes, on her blog www.lesliehawes.com and is from one of the virtual sketch exercises. This one is of a beautiful cabbage that looks like a rose, and Leslie does a wonderful job!

If you are an artist viewing this website, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you enjoy most about creating art.

The anticipation, the preparation, the actual creation or the final contemplation?  (I got kind of caught up in how those words wove together). Or do you enjoy some other aspect I haven’t considered?

Often when I see a beautiful sky of awe inspiring clouds, or sunlight and shadows moving across the lawn, or an especially graceful pear, I wonder if I could capture part of those multiple dimensions of light and color and texture and atmosphere onto a flat surface ~ a second of existence held in a more permanent form.

And often when I do begin to attempt capturing that moment, what begins to emerge is not what I saw in actuality or even what I envisioned, but a different thing altogether. And that is exciting in itself.

During this process, my mind forgets that my dog is ill, or that I need to pay bills or go to the grocery store.  I don’t worry for a while, nor stress about duty or money or the person that I am.

For those moments, my mind rests. But my soul sings.

this is my piece for the October Virtual Sketch - once again I kind of ran out of time, so feel like I rushed it. Vowing to commit more time at an earlier time next time …

Soft Pastel done on super fine sand paper, measures 8″ x 5″

I’ve enjoyed this a lot, taking my time and not rushing it.

as of 7pm, during three separate breaks from  work and trotting out to my studio, checking my progress on this piece over my shoulder in a mirror, slowly liking the bottom section more. Not quite there.  Ready for any suggestions.

I stole half an hour today (my busiest day of the month!) to work on the sky a little - but I hope to have this done in a few days.

I did an experiment today - starting a new piece and as I progressed, taking photos every time I thought of it. I wanted to see for myself how I work on a pastel - to see if there was a method or logic or style. Generally, I think of my work pattern as scattered and that is probably right. But I have fun and sometimes like the finished piece. This one is not done yet, but I like it so far.

Sketch done as a drawing exercise (and for fun!) along with other artists for Virtualsketch

Derwent colored pencil on the backside of Mi-Teintes black paper, measures 8.5″W x 6.5″H.

The photo is close to the original, but not quite as intense.  Please go to Virtualsketch blog to see all artists sketches!

Out back in the wonderful evening light, about four and twenty black birds came to visit and bathe…