My new mixed media fantasy art piece is inspired by the model’s fabulous mushroom hat. I drew the figure from life during the Costumed Figure Drawing and Painting class I teach, and then invented the mushrooms. I painted it with watercolor, some gouache, and then inked the lines. I...
Apr232025
Mushroom Queen
Sep162015
Voodoo Queen (Woman of Power) in Progress
A few weeks ago I showed my drawing for this painting. This week how about some color studies? Gouache! I wanted something fast drying, yet still able to be manipulated once down on the paper, and something mostly opaque. Gouache. Watercolor was my first love so I enjoy gouache....
Jun172015
Gouache Study
Fun with Gouache I’ve been playing around with Gouache when I can. I think it will be a great help for doing color studies in preparation for an oil painting. Plus I really like the look of it in other people’s work. Here are a few small paintings I...
Jun32015
In Search of Sketch Tools
I like sketching. In my explorations to keep it fun and simple, there are a few technical issues I’m trying to resolve. Part of the “issues” have to do with personal preference for comfort, ease of use, and immediacy of art making. Plus exploring different options and combinations of...
May292014
Quieting the Inner Critic
April was International Fake Journal Month (brain child of Roz Stendahl, a Twin Cities based artist and graphic designer). As I understand it the idea is to do something different. If you draw dogs all the time, draw cats. The project could also be as elaborate as a visual...
Feb192014
Inspiration – Experiences Outside the Studio
Monday night I tried something new. I went to a Visual Journal Collective meetup at MCBA (Minnesota Center for Book Arts). FYI, the next meetup is March 17. I went hoping to glean some insight on visual journaling. I got a LOT more. I was inspired. Mary Jo Hoffman...