Diva Challenge #26 (Spiral Out)

Not too happy with the way this one turned out. I might go back in and add some color to the background. I don't like the background design either. I might give this one another try.

Dream - Faces (#6)

This drawing was one of my earlier pieces (drawn back in March). Inspired by an image I found on Google. At this point I was really just exploring colors and how the background interacts with the word. The Dream series is being done to go along with a unit on graffiti art I'm doing with my 8th grade students. I decided I should do the unit right along with them. I am amazed by how inspired they are to do these projects.

Diva Challenge #22

Weekly Zentangle challenge from I am the Diva - "A Little Help From My Friends". My son did the string for me, then I filled in the rest. I didn't plan on making this one a Dream drawing, but I love doing those so much, that is what it turned into.

Diva Challenge #21... OOF

A couple of weekends ago I found this really cool site called I am the diva. The site owner posts weekly Zentangle challenges. Just what I needed to get my creative juices flowing again. I did this one for last week's challenge, but then the blogger went down and I couldn't post it before the deadline. I thought I would post it to the blog anyway.

More Graffiti Art

My second attempt at graffiti art. Originally started this for a middle school art project... I am now obsessed with creating "Word Art". I am sticking with the word DREAM because that is what I want my middle school students to do. I have realized it to be my own path of creative discovery. I did this one with only pencil... big mistake! I like using brush pens and markers much more. Ended up being kind of a disco theme, although that was not my intention.

This next one was my 3rd attempt for this series. I wanted to get the Hollywood sign look mixed with graffiti. I don't care too much for it, except for the palm tree. Live and learn... each drawing is a step in a new direction. Also, this was my first attempt using markers.

My fourth attempt at graffiti art. Inspired by Tim Burton (I guess you could call this fan art). I was pretty happy with the finished product at the time, but feel I have surpassed that now, which is exciting for me because it has been less than a month.

This is my fifth attempt and the first one I felt really happy with. I like everything about this one. The colors work, my lettering is getting better, and I'm getting more comfortable using markers.

I have done several more since this one (some good, some not). Will be posting those just as soon as I get the scanner hooked up and working on the new computer.

Random Works

I have been doing quite a bit of drawing as of late. I thought it would be a good idea to actually post them.

This one was done with a cheap ink pen and some colored pencils. This is one of my favorites, and was a lot of fun to do.

A random abstract drawing using the same cheap ink pen and some green pen for color. Again, very fun to do. I find these very relaxing to draw.

Another random abstract with patterns.

Another random abstract drawing.

I got another pen and finished this one (from an earlier post).

This time with pen and colored pencil.

Pen and ink with watercolor. Caricature of William H. Macy.

Abstract Gel Pen Drawing

I've been taking my sketchbook with me when I am subbing and it has proven very helpful in allowing me time to actual create some art. I finished this one a couple of days ago. I'm not sure how much I like the end results of these, but I find it very therapeutic.

Hermosa (Drawingboard.org)

It has been quite some time since I have posted any new work. The reason is because I have not done any new work, until now that is. This was drawn from a photo posted at drawingboar.org in the caricatures' caricatures thread. I believe the person's user name there is Hermosa.

Every Day in May (Faces) #8 - #13

I have been down the past few days with a nasty case of the stomach flu. I am feeling much better today and managed to get all caught up with the challenge. The first one was done using only a Bic pen. It is a caricature of the guy who plays Dr. House on the TV show. I am pretty happy with how this one turned out.

This next one was also done with a Bic pen and is supposed to be a caricature of Bruce Willis. I'm not so happy with this one. That is the bad part about drawing with pen... no room for messing up!

This next one is another caricature of Subway surfer. He posted some really good expressions on his blog. Expressions is something I need to work on. I think this one turned out much better than the last one of him. Another Bic pen drawing.

Caricature of Kid Rock. First drawn with pencil and then with a brush pen.

Same technique as above. This one is of a member from The Drawing Board.

Again with the brush pen and another member of The Drawing Board.

Painter Assignment

I am currently taking a class called Applied Computer Graphics for Art Educators. Basically, we use Corel Painter to create art and translate that into lesson plans. For this assignment we had to go into the museum and draw from three different sculptures, scan those drawings into Painter, combine the three images, and use the brushes in Painter to color the image. This is what I came up with. I thought about continuing with it, but I like the painterly feel to it so I am calling it finished. We didn't have to write a lesson for this one, just do the image.

Adrien Brody Caricature

I haven't been keeping up with my posts, but I have several things to show and will put one up each day until I run out of new drawings to post. This one is part of the A to Zed Caricature Challenge. Just a quickie, but I wanted to get going on the challenge. The last one took so long to color, it sort of stalled me out on the challenge. Done in my sketchbook with my Pitt brush pen.

Drawing with Imagination

A fellow art blogger named Greg recomended a book to me, which I ordered right away (Thanks Greg!). The book is by Bert Dodson and is called Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies and Exercises for Gaining Confidence and Enhancing Your Creativity. I love how the book is laid out and so far I am really enjoying the exercises in it. I am only on the 3rd exercise in the book but I already have several ideas for new works. The bad part, I am in such a hurry to get to the next exercise and see what it is that I rush through the actual drawing exercises. It's ok, I'll go back and revisit them after I finish the book.


Here is an example from the first exercise. It is called "Taking a Line for a Walk". I really enjoyed this exercise.


This next one is from the second exercise.

Nothing fancy. Just fun and relaxing. These get me in the mood to do some more serious works. Not to mention, I found a good use for that gridded moleskine sketch book I bought.

Dick Van Dyke Caricature

It has been quite some time since I have drawn any caricatures. This is something I love to do, so I really need to make the time to draw more often. I started out with a brush pen but then decided it needed more so I went in with a smaller ink pen and added some shading to it. I am not sure the thinner pen works with the thickness of the brush pen. Also, I have not used an ink pen for shading in a very long time. I think this is something I should practice. This was done in my cheapy sketch journal that I bought from Target. I thought about adding some water colors to it but I am not sure how the pages will hold up. Maybe I should try a page in the back to test it.

Starting Anew

I have been reading a lot lately about creativity and the creative spirit. What I have learned is that you need to be productive if you wish to be creative. I, however, am not productive. I tend to spend most of my time dreaming and wishing I were more creative and more talented, instead of doing it. I am inspired by those who can draw, paint, create, or post every day. This is not realistic for me so I am going to set my goal for posting at least once a week, even if I have to cheat and post an older drawing :) I feel like I am turning over a new leaf and I really want to improve my productivity so I have started this new blog. At my old blog I had 45 posts in 3.5 years. I would like to have more than that each year. Here's to all of you slackers out there who can relate!



I am going to start off posting a drawing I finished about a week or so ago. I bought a cheap journal from Target and have never really used it. I think I paid $6 for it and it has a billion pages in it. The paper is cheap, but that helps me relax and takes the pressure off when I am drawing in it. This drawing was done with a bic pen.