Promise 34: Bowl No. 3

Yep, the bowl again. I am nothing if not determined. Karen gave me a hand today and her advice is always invaluable. If you've never visited her blog or web site, boy are you in for a real treat. Just click here and away you'll go into a land of beauty from her brush and canvas. Thanks Karen! More tomorrow. I think the bowl, again.

Promise 33: Bowl No. 2

The bowl again. Not sure if I should thank you Karen! It's impossible. I have that old 'I'm moving backwards' feeling again. Discouraging. But on I go. No choice really.

Promise 32: Same Bowl

Did a tiny bit more work on the bowl sketch yesterday. Very unhappy with this. Ugh.

Promise 31: Bowl

What I learned today: It is far easier to sketch by eye and have a poor drawing result than it is to sketch properly, measuring and establishing a foundation, which then results in a poor drawing. The drawing above is a perfect example of the latter.

I have to remember that the goal is practice and improvement, not a finished piece. But this little bowl was simply impossible! So I left it at home! We are at Vashon for our last visit. We go home Friday and the new owners of the cottage move in. What changes life brings.

Promise 30: Practice

I know this doesn't look like much, but it's a practice of placing salient points, straightening curves with lines, and blocking in the form--from a wonderful book by Harold Speed.  It was a hard exercise actually. I'm sure every art student knows and has done it a million times but it was a first for me.

Promise 29: Lime & Lemon, Again

OK, today I left the first sketch of the lime with the lemon outlined in the background alone. Karen and I like it the unfinished way it is! Then I finished the second lime and lemon drawing. Just fair results. At least I think I achieved my goal of making it appear that there is a lime and a lemon, using black and white only.

Have a mentioned that I HATE the paper I'm using. I promise I will NOT use it anymore. It feels slick and cheap, whether it is or not.  See you tomorrow. It is exciting...I feel I'm moving in a forwardly direction, not sure of the path, but moving ahead.

Promise 28: Lime & Lemon, Again

For fear of messing up yesterday's lime, I transferred the outline to a new paper and sketched just the lemon today. I ran out of time and Lilly, the cat, ran out of patience waiting for me to pet her. So I'll touch up the lemon more tomorrow. I don't like it as well as the lime. If I do both sketches, then I'll have double the practice on two drawings of a lemon and a lime! Helpful critiques welcome!

Promise 27: Lime & Lemon

I know, I know, I said no more lemons or limes for a bit. But I've been thinking about this combination for a while now. Since I have to make the lime appear green and the lemon appear yellow, while only using black and white...well that sounded like a challenge to me and a good practice exercise. After all, I can't draw just one of anything by itself forever!

Promise 26: Nose No. 1

Today's nose and yesterday's eye are copies from an old Master study. Just for practice for me. Tomorrow maybe a nose from a very old granite cast-like scupture we have from Bill's family. It will be almost like drawing a real nose! Thanks for following along. I do have a plan now to guide me. I'll tell you about it later.

Promise 25: Eye, Lime

Whoa. TWO sketches in one day. Okay results. Something is wrong with the left bottom side of the lime I think. Any ideas out there? So today I reworked yesterday's lime and tried to duplicate an eye from a drawing. Good practice I suppose. See you tomorrow.

Promise 24: Stuff

I did sketch today though it was a frustrating and discouraging day. Here's the promised photo. I feel as if I am floundering, just drawing here and there, with no real focus. I have a desperate need for a plan of action--what to do now and next and then after that--instead of just drawing whatever comes to mind or is handy at the moment. I have a couple of books on order to arrive soon that I hope will provide some direction. Til tomorrow...

Promise 23: Grapes, Spheres

I am making another promise. I am leaving these grapes alone for a while. Sheese! All the time sketching on them today and I'm not sure I can see any significant difference from yesterday. Karen, I tried to push the background grapes back as you suggested, but not sure I succeeded. The little balls were just a last minute practice.

I have got to set up something new to draw. Hmmmm. Maybe a bow, a la Karen Appleton? Sounds hard, but fun, and off the fruit for a little while! Though I am thinking of doing a sketch with more than one fruit. A set up of a lemon, lime, pear, cherries, and grapes? Maybe I should just start with two different fruits. See how I get so confused about what to do next? So I just keep doing something! Advice anybody? Suggestions? Help!

Promise 22: Same Grapes, Again

Just got home from Vashon and thought I'd take just a few minutes to sketch, since I've missed the last few days. I didn't want to start anything new, so I worked on the grapes, trying to give more definition, weight and volume. The three on the right were coming along pretty well I thought, so I worked on most of the rest of them.

Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated! Karen? Sadie? Theresa? Anybody. Thanks.

Promise 21: Cubes & Grapes

I did a 'lesson' a la Paul Foxworth on values of gray, black and white cubes which proved very enlightening. Then I did a tiny bit of work on yesterday's grapes--adding some darks to the grapes on the right. I think they look a little better. Anyhow, I did do some work and study in the midst of a busy busy day. Off to vashon with sketch pad tomorrow.

Promise 20: Grapes, again

Whew. Those are hard to do! Ack. I don't really want to draw them again, but I know I should. Maybe I'll just use five or six grapes tomorrow. Think I'll eat these now. They're so sweet and juicy.

Promise 19: Grapes

This is obviously going to be more than a one day sketch. Yikes. It's like drawing a million lemons or cherries. I need to slow down and study each grape.

An artist I admire told this story: Her teacher set up a group of apples and told her to do a painting of the apples. My friend took all day to paint the apples. At the end of the day her teacher came in, put all the apples in a bag, mixed them up, and then dumped the apples out on the table. He then asked my friend to identify each apple on the table with the apple in her painting. Maybe it's not quite so detailed for grapes, but you get the idea. Each grape is an idividual, unique and special in its own way. I must slow down and look so I can see.

Promise 18: Lime

I know, I know. You're tired of lemons and limes too! Well I really haven't done a lime, though at least one of the past lemon sketches looks like a lime. I was just lazy and not wanting to set anything up. We had a small party at our house yesterday and we are both still pooped! I did the this lime this morning, and the next post, the grapes, started in the afternoon.

Promise 17: Four Cherries

We're at Vashon, so I missed sketching yesterday, but here's today's effort. It looks better in person. I'm off to lay out in the sun with a big glass of lemonade! Another good day today. The cherries aren't finished, but I decided to stop before I ruin it! You know my reputation for overworking everything!

Promise 16: Cherry No. 3

Finally, a good day in the studio.

Promise 15: One Cherry

Who could imagine it would be so hard to draw one little cherry. The top one is my 'real' effort and is not finished. The bottom one was just a playful quick draw and is probably better than the one taking more effort. Maybe there's a lesson there?

Promise 14: Apple

What can I say. I seem to be going backward. I need to calm down, relax and focus.

Promise 13: Lemon, Pitcher

I was so tired today when I started sketching--far too late in the day--it was hard to make myself do anything. A few reworking touches, again, on the little cream pitcher that I am still not happy with. Then a quick drawing of the same lemon, for the fifth time, because I was too tired and lazy to look for anything else to sketch. The poor little lemon is still there in the studio, close at hand. But I kept my promise and that's good. Any practice is better than no practice. I put in at least 14 hours sketching this week.

Promise 12: Cream Pitcher

I couldn't leave the little pitcher as it was yesterday. I reworked the sketch today and I think it improved. It's certainly more difficult than the lemon or pear!

I think one reason is that with the fruits if I am 'off' on the outline of the object, it doesn't matter too much since all lemons, pears, etc. are unique and never perfectly shaped. But with the little pitcher, which is man made and structurally balanced, the tiniest error in its form shows up in a big way. I read yesterday that when you start a work with errors in it (like yesterday's outline of the pitcher) those errors will grow as the work progresses and constant attempts to fix the errors (which are now built in to the piece) usually don't work. It gets worse.

So my initial drawing errors in the pitcher couldn't be corrected by shading. It needed to be redrawn. I tried today, grew tired and quit. I will give it one more try tomorrow (especially the bottom of the pitcher), then on to the next and new sketch. Even if I sketch the pitcher again, it's on to a new blank sheet of paper.

By the way, it was the fourth sketch of the lemon and the pear that seemed to work for me. Not only is this a more difficult subject, but this is the first time I've sketched it. So, we'll see...Thanks for reading all this rambling.

Promise 11: Cream Pitcher

Whoa what a tough day. I sketched, even though I was tired all day long. I woke up tired! I took this picture with my computer's built in camera which reverses the image. Boy, it sure shows all the sketch's shortcomings. I think I could have improved it if I had kept working, but I was tired, ready to quit, and I'd kept my promise to sketch. So I let myself stop. Not sure if I will revisit this little pitcher to try and improve it, or just move on. I will post a better pic when Bill comes home with the camera. The computer camera will have to suffice til Wednesday. Believe me, I did consider NOT posting a pic at all. But a promise is a promise. Eleven straight days of sketching. A record!

Promise 10: Pear No. 4

Had to do the pear today. Time for the poor old pear to hit the trash or be eaten. Little lemon is still good for a few more tries. A quick and not too difficult sketch today. I'd say the results are fair, not great. But the best news of all is that it is becoming more fun. And isn't that what it's all about anyway? Work, but fun--not such drudgery. Wish I had put the lemon in the sketch with the pear. But it's too late for this particular pear. Next time.

Promise 9: Lemon No. 4

I could see today like I've never seen before. And the way I have to see to draw and paint the way I want to. What an exciting day.
Forgive the extra scribbles in the sketch. I was just playing around, and then started seeing. So I stayed with the sketch.  A really good day.  Thanks so very much Karen!

Promise 8: Lemon No. 3

A very difficult day sketching. I simply cannot see what I need to see...especially the midtones. I squint and look and move the light and it only helps a tiny bit. I think I could draw it if I could only 'see' it. I have to practice seeing. It seems that is not an easy thing to do. So on to tomorrow and the lemon...one more time.

Promise 7: Lemon No. 2

Hmmmm. Seems to be getter harder instead of easier. I'm sticking with this lemon until I get some results I'm happy with. And the last two tries are not IT! See you tomorrow.

Promise 6: Lemon

Not a good day in the studio. Every minute was a struggle. So it goes. Back to it tomorrow.

Promise 5: Pear No. 3

This is the first time I've used charcoal since I was in 8th grade. I told you I have a lot to learn and practice. I was trying to capture the look and feel of the pear just coming out of the dark. What do you think? It wasn't as hard today once I got started, but getting started is tough. I think that doing these little sketches helps a lot since they're not major undertakings and seem manageable. I've been studying a lot of Paul Foxworth's art and blog. He is amazing. Take a look at his work by clicking his name under 'Links." See you tomorrow!

Promise 4: Pear No. 2

Same pear, different angle. Doesn't seem to be as 'jaunty' or have as much personality as yesterday. The sketching went faster today, but I couldn't seem to see as well as yesterday. I used a 'stomp' to smooth the sketch, for the first time today. I am such a novice with so much to learn. That part is discouraging. The old 'the more I know, the more I know I don't know' sure applies here. But a promise is a promise, right? So I forge ahead tomorrow. Thanks for being on this journey with me.

Promise 3: Pear

Pears seem to make beautiful subjects and that's why it's hard to believe this is the first time I've ever used a pear. It needs work, but the sketch came more quickly today. It was as if I could 'see' better today. Surprise, surprise.

Promise 2: Chinese Bowl

This is really difficult. But I'm keeping my promise. No painting, only sketching and learning values for 30 days.

Promise 1: Glass Decanter

I've promised myself that I will sketch something, anything...for the next 30 days. Here's today's. I'm tired, but sketched nonetheless...see you tomorrow.

After Tea

Spent today learning how to transfer a sketch from paper to canvas, then making the transfer.  Thanks to Karen Appleton and Sadie Valeri
for the lessons on making the transfer. I think it came out pretty well!

After Tea

Hmmm.  Some progress today on the sketch.  Unfortunately, it's still on paper, not on a canvas.  Yikes!  Anybody know how to transfer this to canvas?  Help.

After Tea

Holy mackerel. This is impossible!  Spent so much time working on this today and so little result!

After Tea

Started a new painting today and here's a picture of the subject.  I thought it would be an easy little thing, but just the initial sketch has proven me wrong. 

Sisters

Susan Webb Bonnell, Oil on Masonite, 5" x 7" -  NFS

Finished and I'm happy. Bill named it 'Sisters.'  The name reminds me of Karen Appleton who gives unique feeling and inspirational kinds of names to her beautiful works. Click on the picture to see a large version.

Galas

private collection

Susan Webb Bonnell, Oil on Masonite, 5" x 7"

Private collection  -    Framed 13" x 15"

Please email with questions

Collioure

Acrylic on paper, 4" x 6" - NFS
William McEldowney Bonnell

I think Bill is so very talented. His work is unique, not easy I've discovered, and I don't get tired of his works. In fact, the more I look at them, the more I see and the more I like each one. This is one of my favorites--one of his first paintings of the village and the church tower. I'm trying to get him to paint more and larger paintings. That's me talking, the one who paints about as often as I exercise!

Boats

Acrylic on Canvas Board, 4" x 6" NFS
William McEldowney Bonnell

Hey, we're back from Amsterdam and Collioure, severely jeg-lagged, but catching up. Bill did some wonderful work in Collioure, I did zero. Here is one of his paintings, some brush work, some palette knife. I love the yellow boat on the right and the reflections in the water. Click on the painting for a large image with lots of detail.

PAINTING: Day Fourteen

Pretty good day. Twenty-three hours to date. Almost there!

Fuji Apples

Oil on 1/8" Masonite, 5" x 5" NFS
Susan Webb Bonnell

Not being one to overwork a painting (ha) I spent today painting a practice apple and painting practice stems. I was so afraid I'd ruin Fuji Apples when I added the stems. So after painting about 30 stems on the practice apple, I got up the nerve to just do it and put stems on the real painting. I think they came out pretty well. I didn't want the stems to stand out too much and take away from the shine of the apples. I'm really quitting on it, just a signature and then off to the framer. This goes to Bill for his birthday this week!