Watercolor Sketchbook - Gracie and Honker at Walnut Creek

LOVE MY DOGS. First nice weekend weather in a long time, HAD to go play at the best dog park in Austin!

Mythological Characters

You know, I've been so focused on learning how to paint but I really shouldn't neglect drawing out of my head. I think being able to do both, draw from life, and draw from your head rounds out an artist. Being able to draw from life takes skill, but drawing from your head is a great way to communicate, especially what's only in your imagination, and the life drawing adds to that. Anyway, I drew these centaurs as a personal challenge, because I am Ungulate-anatomy's bitch (Ungulate meaning hooved animals) (And, is there a better, nicer, more PC way of saying you're something's bitch?). The goat in particular drives me bonkers. I've dedicated zoo trips to only the goat, but that's a whole other subject.

And a manticore. For these drawings I focused SO hard on rhythms that my nose started to bleed. (kidding about the nose bleed).

Well, there you have it. Things that eat my my free time and keep me from having a life outside of work.

Until next time,
Tiffanny

Watercolor Sketchbook - View from the Austin Public Library, 3rd floor.

I've recently become enamored with the Austin Public Library. I used to go to the San Marcos Library, and they were great, but I had to pay an annual fee. APL is FREE!!! Woot!! I checked out lots of watercolor technique books, and some oil painting books too. Learning is fun. The APL is my new art teacher.

You know what's hard?? Drawing buildings. And that's all I have to say about that.

Tiffanny

LAST week's still life

Did this last week, but I was too lazy to take a picture and post it. My friend told me that Norman Rockwell drew a skull 200 times to help him in his portrait painting. Yay, this is skull #3 for me. :)

When I Was A Stupid Kid - Wile E. Tiffanny

When I Was A Stupid Kid, my understanding of physics was governed by the world of cartoon violence. Yes, you could fall a thousand feet, and not get killed.

Yet, I was no dummy, and if I were to fall, I would like it to be on a layer of soft, fluffy toilet paper, just in case. This judicious planning would offer me the thrill of falling safely, because I would then land gracefully with a delicate bounce on my tush at the end, toilet paper breaking my fall with a tender, white, hygienic caress.

As I looked over the edge of my perch, I was confident. This was no 1000-foot drop. This was a mere 2 feet. I could fall and bounce all day!! It would be so fun!!!

 WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then...

then....

then...

And that is how I learned that cartoon physics do not apply to me, When I Was A Stupid Kid. (My coccyx hurt for a long time after that!)

Did you feel indestructible as a kid? How did you learn otherwise? Share your story! :)

Love,
Tiffanny

This Week's Still Life - Soup Pot, Onions

More oil practice! I feel that with oils, the painting doesn't come together until the very end. For the first hour or so I feel like, OMG, how the heck is this ever going to come together?! Am I doing this right?! With watercolor I tend to be more deliberate right from the beginning. It has to look right, straight away. It doesn't seem to be that way for oils. Is this just me?

Tiffanny

When I Was A Stupid Kid - Queen of the Gnat

When I Was A Stupid Kid, I was engrossed by a crappy 1984 film called Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. I haven't seen the movie in a really long time, so I don't remember just how crappy.  All I know was that as a Stupid Kid (6 years old), I thought it was genius.

I watched the scantily clad Sheena (with her horse painted to look like a zebra), completely transfixed. I believed that I made a wish that day, a wish that I would someday grow up with perfect hair, skin and boobs, and I would live in the jungle free with my animal friends, just like Sheena.

Then came the part where Sheena uses her jungle mojo to summon animals to her aid.

"Wooooahhhhhhhh", I thought. NOW THAT WAS COOL.

OMG I just have to try!!! I've always had a way with animals. Maybe I AM A JUNGLE PRINCESS and just didn't know it!!  Maybe I'm just like Sheena!!

OK Tiff, just concentrate! Put your hands to your temples just like she did! You can do it! You can be a Jungle Princess!! Summon SOMETHING. ANYTHING!

Is anything coming my way yet???

and BAM, A gnat THWAKS me in the eyeball. That could only mean ONE THING.

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that's how I discovered that I had the power to control animals, When I Was A Stupid Kid. (Too bad it was just a single-use gift).

So, what crazy TV or movie character did you pretend to be, when you were a Stupid Kid? Please comment and let me know your story!

Tiffanny






ps. Regarding paragraph 2, my wish did come true, except for the living free in the jungle part,  hehehe...just kidding :( But seriously, my boobs are excellent. ok, no, I'm still kidding. :(

Time Lapse Watercolor Painting, Heidi

This is my entry for the Tomie DePaola award that didn't win :( The contest was to illustrate a passage from the book Heidi. Strangely, most people portray Heidi as a blonde girl, but she actually has dark, curly hair in the book.  I entered the contest because I really want to attend the New York SCBWI conference but can't afford it. Winning would have afforded me accommodations. Oh well, it was a learning experience :) And, I have a new piece to share with you, my blog visitor! Click here for the youtube video!

Hope you visit my blog again!
Tiffanny

Short Pose Session, AVAA, Karin

5 min poses... (my cat walked on the paper while i was taking a picture of it. I think it helps to show the scale of my drawings :)

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This Week's Still Life - I hate pineapples

So I'm still plugging away at the oil painting. Sometimes feels like I'm painting with my left hand (I'm right-handed). Still getting used to things. I learned that Mars Black is better than Ivory Black for alla prima. Trying different approaches. My friend and I painted this pineapple. We both agreed it was an excruciating experience. Pineapples are hard!! This is the second attempt at Mr. Pineapple. Attempt #1 is too embarrassing to show. I mean, really embarrassing. We had a hearty laugh. Curse you pineapple!!!!!!