My Sketch Books - 2012

Busy busy busy....

2012-01-29T16:40:00.000-08:00

This is one of a few paintings that I did today. It will mat to 22x28 inches. It will be for sale on my website and will be in one of my upcoming shows.

Several Paintings for Today

2012-01-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

It was a busy time after swimming this morning - spent the rest of the day into early evening paintings.... here's some of them

Blossy and her Bub II

2012-01-27T20:42:00.000-08:00

Blossy from Modblog - and her Bub number 2.

Pen & Ink

2012-01-27T14:43:00.000-08:00

The title has always struck me as redundant, but I have been working on this media. Sometimes b&w present some nice works. It certainly sharpens your sense of values and how to achieve them..

Two new studies

2012-01-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

These are studies in both Chinese art techniques and monochromatic (one color) or value studies.

Two new sketches

2012-01-20T14:54:00.000-08:00

One of the things artists do is go back to basics: value studies. In these two studies, I have used nude pictures and clothed the models and done it with only one color-blue is usually the best, or Payne's gray (a blue-black combo.) Enjoy - these are done on heavy sketching paper.

Sometimes a little humor is needed...

2012-01-19T15:39:00.001-08:00

Heaven and Hell

While walking down the street one day a CorruptSenator (that may be redundant) was tragically hit by a car and died. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at theentrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St.. Peter."Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a highofficial around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do withyou."

"No problem, just let me in," says theSenator.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders fromthe higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one inheaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really?, I've made up my mind. I want tobe in heaven," says the Senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to theelevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

The doors open and he finds himself in themiddle of a green golf course.

In the distance is a clubhouse and standing infront of it are all his friends and other politicianswho had worked with him. Everyone is very happyand in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake

his hand, and reminisce about the good timesthey had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They played a friendly game of golf and thendine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne. Also present is the devil, who really is a veryfriendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are all having such a good time that beforethe Senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him ahearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the doorreopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting forhim, "Now it's time to visit heaven...

So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining agroup of contented souls moving from cloud tocloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time

and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours havegone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell andanother in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The Senator reflects for a minute, then heanswers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has beendelightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."

So, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and hegoes down, down, down to hell...

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's inthe middle of a barren land covered with wasteand garbage. He sees all his friends,dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as moretrash falls to the ground.

The devil comes over to him and puts his armaround his shoulders.

"I don't understand," stammers theSenator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse,and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a greattime. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.What happened?"

The devil smiles at him and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning, Today, you voted."

Vote wisely .

Lone Rose

2012-01-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of 2 posts today - the other will be posted on my website as it's "Tasteful nudity." But here's an 8x10 inch rose decorated with a tasteful web frame..

Painting studies

2012-01-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

Every artist does studies - these may be from photos, in person, or from art books (as is the case here.) This one is from "Putting People in Your Paintings" by J. Everett Draper (North Light Books, 1985.)

Old wine in New Bottles

2012-01-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

This item has been on the floor of my studio as I tried to find a way to make it work. Adding the action figure gave it the life it needed. You can find this item on my art site - click here to look:

Time to get sketching and then paintings.

2012-01-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be the featured artist at my local art league in March 2012 - so lots to do, and it all starts with a sketch. This is from a photo in an art book.

Old Wine in New Bottles

2012-01-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

I did the pencil sketch in my watercolor book about three years ago and just came across it as I was cleaning out my studio. Thought it had some promise.. I used ultramarine blue, raw sienna (yellow) and raw umber (a reddish brown.) I added just one accent of red on the girl's blouse.

Model T or Model A

2012-01-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

Unhappy

2011-12-26T16:24:00.000-08:00

My Great Niece

2011-12-22T22:43:00.000-08:00

Code - 6

2011-12-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

This an internet friend originally known as code 6 from Modblog days -

Progress of Sketches

2011-12-08T15:44:00.001-08:00

These two sketches are really only one now. The first one is the water-color pencil sketch. The second is after I used water (with a small round brush) to create the final product.

Sometimes.....

2011-12-05T13:57:00.001-08:00

abstracts do not finish that way....

Can you find the realistic items????

3 New sketches

2011-12-04T19:18:00.001-08:00

Today I decided to get back to art -enough of the holidays. Here are 3 sketches done this evening in about 1.5 hours.

Camel and friend

2011-11-16T15:18:00.001-08:00

This world traveler has befriended the camel.

Modblog Blossy - ready for 2nd child

2011-11-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

10 Years ago, this young lady was blogging on "Modblog" and now she's about to have her 2nd baby. Lives down under in Australia. Go Blossy!

More than a sketch

2011-11-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Katie - photo and sketch

2011-10-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

Holiday card

2011-10-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

Shy

2011-10-22T16:00:00.001-07:00

A Portrait.

2011-10-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

The hat is what got me to paint this one. It's more than a sketch - but that's what I call most of my portraits.

Just an ordinary still-life painting

2011-10-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

Cradle of Forestry Annual Event

2011-10-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

Each year on the 1st Sat of Oct. - Pisgah National Forest (Discovery Center) has a fund raiser. Events from axe throwing to fiddling. Exhibitors are fiddle makers, and artists who set up their wares and enjoy the day. This event is is accompanied with food and entertainment. I provide the arts for the children - paper, colored pencils and some educational fun and sometimes sketches sell. Today, I was busy sketching, completed one and then did another. Before I could mat the second, the first sold, and then the second sold to this group of 2 sets of twin girls.

Finished work

2011-09-23T17:58:00.000-07:00

I like this one the way it is, but will do some others like it. One of my art teachers said: "Do not one, but six paintings of this ilk, and one of them will sell."

Work in progress: The Sax man

2011-09-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

Watch the "eyes".

2011-09-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

Sketch for a painting

2011-09-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

Water color and ink

2011-09-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Girl in the spotlight.

2011-08-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

This pic wasn't selling - hence, it didn't work. So I changed it to this one. The background for this blog is the original before the change.

Don't mess with old people's minds.

2011-08-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

A TRIP TO COSTCO

Yesterday I was at my local COSTCO buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Jake, the Wonder Dog and was in the check-out line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.What did she think I had, an elephant? So since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a Perfect Diet and that the way that it works is, to load your pants pockets with Purina Nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care, because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff a poodle's ass and a car hit me.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. Costco won't let me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.

Retired people also do little sketches and color them with their crayons left over from kindergarten..

Ms. Agnes Cheek

2011-08-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

Ink plus watercolor

2011-08-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here a sketch, there a sketch.

2011-08-06T18:41:00.000-07:00

Value Sketch -using yellow green with magenta background

2011-08-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

Historic Downtown Brevard, NC, USA

2011-08-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

Walking Together, Separately

2011-05-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

One day my wife said to me: "We're living separate lives together." Although not completely true, she had a point - I have my painting and she has her pool and TV. We do go to plays and to the pool together.
This explains the title for today's 9x12 inch acrylic painting inspired by Yoella's great photo of a couple going to Temple together. When I first saw this wonderful photo, I noticed the significant distance between the couple and have had this photo on my studio desk since then. Yesterday, something sparked and this is the result. - You will find little "surprises" in the borders around the yellow.

Preparation for Painting.

2011-05-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Pensive - another sketch

2011-04-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Water Colored Pencils - Lilies

2011-04-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

Nymph's nightmare #1

2011-04-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

Barns

2011-03-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

Barn pictures are popular here in Western NC (mountains) and hence, to sell paintings (here) you need to have the "items" people like. This is another pen and watercolor. To me it's a sketch - to others -it's??? This mats into an 11x14 inches (and

frame..) Trees are routinely "topped"; hence this is what some trees look like.

Experimental Water Media

2011-03-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

One of the things that make painting fun, is to put gesso (acrylic white) paint in random brush strokes and add texture through the use of credit cards, aluminum foil, saran wrap, and or wax paper. Then leave it in your stack of papers for future use. Today I came across a photo of roses that were unusual color (dark yellow) Well a two-color combination is yellow and it's complement: violet. After painting , I took a damp cloth and wiped off some of the darks - Now it's your turn - What do you see?

Old Farmhouse

2011-03-08T18:44:00.000-08:00

This sketch uses pen and ink drawing and 2-colors (watercolor - raw sienna -a yellow brown - and ultramarine blue..

Floating Frightening Forest

2011-03-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

This is a semi-abstract version of the "Dancing Girl" and the last of my 7 entries to the next show "Outdoor Adventures." Again, my thanks to Leah for the photographic inspiration. This is acrylics..

Outdoor Adventure theme for my next show in March 2011

2011-03-03T16:40:00.000-08:00

Outdoor Adventure theme for my next show in March 2011

2011-02-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

Whimsical portrait

2011-02-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

Reflections

2011-02-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Face in a Flower

2011-02-06T20:29:00.000-08:00

The rose in complementary colors

2011-02-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

Been on the street too long.

2011-01-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

Watercolour Pencils

2011-01-25T15:35:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T21:27:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T21:50:00.000-08:00

This is a young lady from New Zealand

2010-12-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

Chica-x from Modblog

2010-12-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

This is Chica-x from our Modblog days - This is probably from her Facebook (I'm no longer there) page.

Rose Sketch

2010-12-06T15:34:00.000-08:00

Back in the Saddle Again

2010-11-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

It's time to start posting sketches - These are from some exercises in a drawing textbook I've been perusing.

I left Facebook

2010-09-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Thank you, all of my friends who have followed me on facebook - but the time to leave that internet area, for me, is now - I need to devote my attention to my family and my art.

Sketches will appear here, and of course, you can see my art site here

You can always send me an e-mail.

Thank you for those who have called my home - I appreciate your concern.

Work in progress

2010-08-15T15:57:00.001-07:00

Oils on hardboard

Work in progress

2010-08-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

Thinking about an orange background - current colors are prussian blue and white.

George's Birthday Party at Grandmas's and Grandpa's.

2010-08-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

Girl and Cat

2010-07-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Found a photo in a magazine and did this Black and white acrylic painting - ready for oils. The B&W is to get the values (black-gray-white.)

Sister's Painting

2010-07-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

I had done a couple of oils (full color) but after seeing this black and white, my sister preferred this one and another which I will post soon.

Grandson Playing "Fireman Sam"

2010-07-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

Finally Finished -- Oils

2010-05-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

This is a painting on deep canvas (no frame needed) using colors to match a person's bedspread (purple, gray-greens, and whites.

Evolution of a painting

2010-04-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

Creating a painting requires, like all art and endeavors, planning, sketching ideas, proposing layouts, and finally attacking the final work. Like most creations, the final best product is not always the first. So, like the carpenter, "Measure twice, cut once," the artist does preliminary sketches of just about everything that will be included in the work...unfortunately (but the practice is good for him) it may take as many as six tries to get it correct. Some of the tools that help reduce the number of tries are the "dry-erase board," tape and a sense of humor.

This painting for my youngest sister, Judy, was started with a sketch from one of my paintings of a rose (colored pencils - previously posted) and then an acrylic background and value study - the second pic shown above. In addition, I have a value study of just the rose on a 10" x 10" gallery wrap canvas and will be doing that as a separate painting.

This blog entry will continue, and the date of each will be added with each addition. Please enjoy - comments welcomed.

2010-04-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

Sketch for Judy's Painting

2010-03-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

Planning goes into to all paintings- This was a quick sketch - then some watercolor - on heavy sketching paper. - Similar to the sketch of Ai Loan in previous posts There will be some changes and some additions to the final product.

2010-03-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

"Ai Loan on the beach."

This was painted in both negative and positive modes, using a previous painting (water media) as an underpainting. Then three paintings were merged into 1. There is the head and eye of a man; two people dancing under the palms (the original painting;) and finally Ai Loan.

2010-03-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ai - Loan on the beach. - Sketch with bits of Acrylic Paint left over from an other painting.

2010-02-10T21:51:00.000-08:00

My grand-nephew Sean Hagarty

2010-02-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

2010-01-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

Watercolor Study

2010-01-28T15:46:00.000-08:00

2010-01-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

Abe's & Patty's granddaughter

(Watercolor on acrylic gessoed canvas)

2010-01-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

My Grand niece, Jennifer.

2010-01-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

My grand niece, Megan.

2010-01-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

I don't do animals very often, but this one had character. - Its watercolor pencil.

2010-01-11T15:22:00.000-08:00

Be gracious when offered Gifts!!!

Is someone watching you????

2010-01-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when working from a photo, you miss an item which makes your sketch, whimsical. Such is the case in this one.... Can you see the eyes peering at you???

Sketching

2010-01-07T20:46:00.001-08:00

Sketching is important to the artist: it represents practice in composition, drawing, perspective and preparation for painting. Some sketches never get painted, and some are used as part of other sketches to generate a painting.

Couple of New Sketches

2010-01-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

Completed Watercolor on Canvas

2009-12-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

Watercolor on canvas is not new - many artists have been painting on gessoed (white acrylic) watercolor paper and board since the 1980's. I prime a canvas with acrylic gesso, and then paint in watercolor on top. The paint cannot be too watery, and one does not get the luminosity that most watercolor artists prefer. However, it is easier to "lift" color and still have the white of the paper below, on which to continue painting. For a portrait artist, this is a blessing.

The painting below is "Hidden House Lane" not far from the unused railroad station in Tryon, NC, USA. The hidden house is not seen as it is in the back end of this lane.

Piano Player resting on Piano

2009-12-23T15:11:00.000-08:00

Unfinished - Watercolor on Acrylic gessoed canvas board.

Portraits

2009-12-19T17:48:00.000-08:00

Portraits are fun, because I find people interesting and most importantly, engaging. While out on errands or whatever, each of my cars has a sketchbook, pencils, pens, colored pencils and especially erasers. Here is the latest. - In the future I will work on an acrylic painting of this sketch. This first appeared in 1991 as a pastel painting - this is my impression.

Gazing in the window

2009-12-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

This is a combination of two separate photos and license to use only what I wanted from each.

Water c olor Sketches

2009-12-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

These sketches are really studies, much as one would prepare for an exam, studies provide the artist with ideas and ways in which to improve on techniques, composition, color and shapes. -Enjoy and please stop by my - official studio

On the Venetian Canals

My son Karl at Lake Huntington, NY - about 1982

A facebook member's son with their new dog

In Memorium - Andrew J. Hagarty, Middle Village, NY

2009-11-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

Latest Finished Portrait

2009-11-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

This lovely young lady really appreciated the likeness. She wants to be an Army Doctor, and recently witnessed my partial knee replacement at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville, NC. This is a watercolor painting.

New Painting - Acrylics

2009-11-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

This is painted on a "deep" canvas - it does not need a frame.

http://joetheartist.net/2010website/acrylics/

You can purchase this at my site

Colored pencil Sketch-Complimentary colors.

2009-11-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

Two Texas Tweeters

2009-10-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

Jus Another Sketch

2009-10-26T21:17:00.001-07:00

Fishing is good

2009-10-23T19:22:00.000-07:00