People Are Difficult

Artists that can draw portraits are incredible and extremely talented!  I find drawing people to be very difficult.  There is so much detail when drawing a person, especially a persons face.  When you look at someone you see personality and who they are in their eyes.  Trying to capture that along with all the expressions people make is difficult.  But I am determined to conquer this obstacle!!

Since the face is the hardest part, tonight I decided not to draw the face.  This picture is not done, but I am trying a different approach.  If the front is hard, start with the back as a stepping stone:

Even though this is the back of a person, there is a lot to it.  The hair, the muscles, and the movement of the limbs.  It is still a work in progress but it was a lot of fun and interesting to start.
Here are a few of my past attempts:

I tried drawing a picture of my brother, I can kinda see him in there a little but there is soooo much work that has to be done.  I even wrote some notes on the side of what I thought needed the most work.

This is a picture in progress, so far it's not too bad but I haven't done much detail and the eyes and mouth were giving me a hard time.

These last few pictures were all the same little girl.  They were different pictures but very hard.  I even tried pulling apart the different parts of the face to practice.  This is almost like thumbnailing, it is concentrating and focusing on one particular area at a time.  Doing this is great practice.
I will keep you updated with my on going projects soon!!
xoxo Savannah

Let Your Mind Wonder and Wander

I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday!!

Painting abstract pieces has always been fun.  I am able to let my mind wonder and visualize something that doesn't have to make sense.  It reminds me of free writing in school.  When I was in school I never minded writing essays but free writing was always so hard!! Where do you start?  There were always a million ideas and topics but how could you choose the right one to write about?
Majority of the time abstract painting is exactly like that for me.  I know some writers keep a notebook with topics or jot down quick thoughts, I sketch out a quick picture on any scrap piece of paper near by.

This picture may be a little hard to see but I drew 4 different ideas with a pink pen and kept it near my art supplies.
I chose to try painting the picture that is right next to the scribbled part.

I went with the yellow and gray colors again haha.
Here is a different piece that I finished:

 It took some thought of what color to finish this picture.  Behind the yellow bottles it is painted a deep green, similar to evergreen.  I wanted to stick with the same idea, the painting is with all yellows, blues, and greens.  Since mixing yellow and blue together creates the green, I thought it would be a fun concept.  I love the page turn in this painting!  I was shopping in Maine one day and a color to a book had this concept and I fell in love with it.  I didn't care how I did it, I wanted to use that idea myself and have fun with it!

If I already have a picture started and new ideas pop into my head, I like to put a little sticky note near it for the next time I sit to continue working on that particular piece.

Hope you enjoyed some of the new stuff!
xoxo Savannah

Have Fun and Save A Lil For Any Occasion

One activity I have always enjoyed ever since I was little, has been making my own cards.  Whether it's for a holiday, birthday, or special event I love it!  I always find making cards to be a little more personal and fun.  I always try and think of the persons favorite color or what they may enjoy seeing for a picture/ design.
My cousin just graduated from high school and I decided to make her card instead of buying one.  I used the school colors and had fun with the letters.  Here is how her card came out:

 I wrote the inside notes in pink because I see her wear pink a lot.

 I used thicker paper for the card and then cut and pasted 2 pieces of paper on the inside for the note.  I decided to do a border of circles (they almost look like bubbles).  I went darker on the edges of the circles and lighter on the inside.

 When I was all done I tied the card with cord so the gift wouldn't fall out from the inside.

 I tried making a little signature on the back of the card.  It clearly needs a lot more work haha.

 These are 2 I did when I was a senior in high school.  I would do the largest bubble letters that are in the back ground first and then the smaller ones in the front right on top.  I always use pencil first so I can erase any line.  Then I color it.

I hope this gives you some ideas to make your own cards!
xoxo Savannah

No Two Are Exactly A Like

Whenever someone purchases or sees an original work of art, there are no 2 of the same exact piece of art.  At least in my case!  When I paint or draw I will try and replicate the same picture sometimes but it will never come out exactly the same as the one before.  I could draw a hundred baseball hat pictures and there will be something different in each one.  You may have to look closely but it will be there.
I drew the clock again for the next person who was leaving work and I actually had to stop when I was almost done and even draw another one.  I was using the same picture as I used for the first one but there are some detailed parts that were tough to see so I had to do the best I could.
Here is the newest clock, the good clock:

 Take notice of this bottom piece:

 Now, the unfinished clock on the left is the bad clock that I had to stop and redo, the bottom piece of the left side clock is lopsided.  Besides that, these two clocks were drawn within 2 hours of each other and they came out differently. Look at the tops and bottoms of both.

This is the picture of the clock I did a little over a week ago:

And here is today's clock in the frame and mat:

Were you able to notice some of the differences?
Whenever you receive an ORIGINAL piece of art work, it truly will be just that.  In some way, shape or form the picture will be the tiniest bit different unless it is a copy of an original.  At least from my first hand experience.  Next time you see two of the same, try and take a closer look and see what you can find!
xoxo Savannah

Time To Say Farewell

This week at work one of my mom's co-workers and one of my trainers left for Seattle.  He was extremely nice and a pleasure to work with.  I had wanted to do something nice for him so I had told my mom I wanted to draw or paint him something to take with him.  Whenever someone would leave the Department of Education they would receive a print of the Shepard Clock that stands on the Washington Street side of the building because the Department of Education in Providence is in the old Shepards Department Store building.  They no longer do that because the picture stopped being printed.  I decided that's what I was going to draw.  I had originally wanted to draw the corner of the building with the entrance but there is so much detail and I didn't have much faith in myself in such a short period of time.

I was really nervous drawing the clock because I was giving it to someone and I figured many people that I worked with would end up seeing it.

I ended up drawing it in 2 days.  The first night I drew the basic outline in graphite.

Then the second night to finish it off I used a charcoal pencil.

I was so incredibly nervous but everyone at work loved it and actually want to commission me to draw another one for a woman who is leaving the end of June! So exciting!!
I hope you liked the clock as well, talk to you soon!
xoxo Savannah

If The Genes Fit....Paint

I always knew my grandmother was an artist.  It is a special bond I have with her and truly enjoy.  Growing up I saw few pictures she had painted, but it's been the past few years that I have seen a ton of her paintings.  She used acrylic paints like I do but she mainly painted landscapes, which at times I really struggle with.  Here are a few of her paintings:

 This one reminds me of New Hampshire.

 This is such an amazing picture, she didn't a great job with the water!

 And this one reminds me of Cape Cod.

You can't tell in these pictures, but one thing I love about her paintings are the texture.  Each of these are painted on canvas and you can feel the the acrylic on it.  There are some parts where the paint is layered more than others.  She has so many paintings but these were just a few of my favorites.
As my grandmother has been getting older, she hasn't painted.  I always love sharing my paintings and drawings with her.  It was funny, one time I was trying to draw a picture of a car and was having such a difficult time and my gran actually was pushing me out of the way to try drawing it herself haha!  A few of my cousins have a passion for art, and I love that art is something my family can share and enjoy together.  My cousin Rebecca has been drawing, getting into photography, and fashion design.  She has so much talent and I hope she uses it to the fullest and if she wants to pursue a career in art, I know she will succeed.
I hope to one day be the amazing painter that my gran is but, those are some very big genes to fill! :)
xoxo Savannah

Welcoming Summer and Beautiful Weather!

The Barn Sale was great and I sold two paintings :)

In my last post I had shared some pictures of paintings that weren't done yet.  I finished them for the barn and this is how they turned out:

 When I was painting the tulips, I kept switching between these three tones.  I wanted them to be from the same hue (red).  Then I kept adding white and the tiniest bit of black.

This was my first attempt at a rose and I love it!  I'm really happy with the way it came out.

It has been so nice to have good weather!  I am looking forward to the summer.  I keep thinking about the beach and all of the flowers!! Here are some paintings I have that remind me of summer time:

 This was a larger version of the lil canvas I made and blogged about last time.

 This isn't a painting but It's a charcoal drawing of bouys.

My lines were a little off but I was trying to paint a picture of a picture inside of a mat.

Nice weather always gets me motivated to draw and paint.  There are so many beautiful flowers popping up all over the place and the sky is painted almost every night.  Each season brings a new color palette, summer brings so many brighter colors that pop!  Hopefully in a while I will have some new summer and spring paintings!
xoxoSavannah