"Fab Four" Dean

Close up

This is mixed media. Acrylic washes used as watercolor...Tombow and Pitt Pens...graphite and colored pencil.. On watercolor paper.

I did this a few days ago for Liz Holm's collection. It was a joy to see her artwork on the decorated box containing the watercolor sheets. It was also a treat to see Adebanji's superb drawing! Liz's theme is portraits of any kind.

I decided to attempt an illustration of the Beatles..the Fab Four. I like doing star portraits because they are so recognizable. I enjoyed drawing stars from the movie mags as a youngster.

I tried to take the attitude of an illustrator for this one because I am fascinated by their work. I wanted to keep the colors more inventive as opposed to realism.

Get ready for it, Vern. It started on it's way to you on Thursday. Canada, here it comes!

Next Launch March 12

Well that's it were rolling, excuse me, FLYING. I am so proud of everyone.
Each piece, each theme has it's unique qualities all very powerful and beautiful.
Adebanji has already received extra artwork to be added to his book on his theme of Homelessness and Poverty from an artist friend of his. Check it out here
Ounce finished these will all be wonderful and full of memories.
I hope we all receive the moleskins without any problems due to snow storms.
I look forward to the next set of posts. Blessings to all.

"Thoughts" Irit Bourla

This is my entry into Sheila Tajima's moleskin for the  Flying Moleskin project http://theflyingmoleskins.blogspot.com/
This is for you Sheila, you always loved my girls, so here is one for you.

Liz Holm

acrylic on gessoed paper 5x8"

James Parker's journal theme is wildlife. We have lots of deer and bunnies in Maryland, and LOTS of snow right now. I found a reference photo from Danish photographer Tanja Askani, who has heart-warming shots of this orphaned deer who befriended a wild rabbit at a refuge center. I love it when nature shows us how to get along.

The colt is one of the wild horses who are sheltered on Assateague Island off the Atlantic coast of Maryland and Virginia. In the summer, some of the horses are herded, and swim to Chincoteague, Virginia for auction. More of the story is on the National Park Service's site. One of my favorite books from childhood is Marguerite Henry's Misty of Chincoteague.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone...snuggle up to someone you love --human or otherwise! ;-)

James Parker - Bottle Trees

I received Angela's nifty sketchbook (the theme is PLACES) and admired her artwork of her studio/workshop for hours...mulling over what place I would do. Surveying my workplace, I decided that a painting of a trash dump or disaster scene just wouldn't look too good. So I chose a Texas scene instead...a portion of my niece and her husband's place just down the road a ways.
Now Texans have some strange ways. Take trees for instance. When they aren't using trees for hanging hoss thieves, or crashing their pickups into, or barbecuing something....they stick bottles on em. The tradition supposedly stems from old Indian lore of capturing evil spirits in the bottles. Hmm. OK. So I did a couple of bottle trees and some other stuff they have around their yard.
The painting measures 7 and a half by 9 and a half and was done in acrylics (new SOHO brand) and perspiration. It's on its way to you, Liz...if it can make it through y'all's blizzard.

DOMINIQUE EICHI

I'M RECEIVING

16  x  5.5   Graphite and Watercolor

This is for the book of Dana Cooper her theme is "Dreams" for
  The Flying Moleskins. I wrote on the previous page

..but there is a God in Heaven who reveals mysteries.
.., and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 
Daniel 2:28-29

I have revelatory dreams sometimes and can occasionally interpret someone else's. They can be magical moments.

ADEBANJI ALADE

Title: Contemplation II
Medium: Mixed Media (charcoal dust, graphite dust, coloured pencil, water, graphite and oil base pencil)

This is my entry into Liz Holm's flying moleskin's, she hasn't got a bound sketchbook but carefully laid watercolour paper with some sort of lighter transparent paper to protect the finished work. Since part of her guidelines had to do with portraits of any kind, I decided to take on a commuter who I noticed at Victoria Coach Station Bus Stop. He looked really deep in thought and had a very pensive and contemplative feel to his pose and demeanor. I couldn't resist doing this portrait sketch of him to reveal these characteristics.

I used one of my beloved mixed media techniques to go about this. Starting off with the pencil sketch, then adding tones with graphite dust mixed with water, then for darker tones, adding charcoal dust with water all applied with a sable brush. I then added details with a soft oil base pencil and a white coloured pencil.

This sketch, with the whole package is now flying off to Dean!

Dana Cooper

oil on gessoed paper

This is my entry into Irit Bourta's moleskin for the Flying Moleskin project. Irit asked that we do something in her book to represent where we live. I live in sunny, southern California, and it would be hard to represent it without having a beach scene. Of course not everyone here lives at the beach, but we are fortunate to have beautiful weather most of the year and the opportunity to visit the beach anytime.

Michelle Burnett

 

Park in Belfast

8.5"x11.5", watercolor

Here is my painting for Dominique's sketchbook. Her theme is landscapes, trees, roads, light and shadows. I saw this reference on Google maps when the challenge blog The Virtual Paintout was painting Belfast. I never had time to participate in the challenge back in October but saved the reference since I especially loved the two lamp posts.  I remembered it when I learned of Dominque's theme and thought it would fit nicely. 

 

I made another attempt at watercolor and I think this will be my last...watercolor is just too tricky for me. (Save the whites...what is that?!) I think I will be working in a more forgiving medium next time.

Edward Burton

Lisbon, Portugal

Acrylic 7.5"x10"

This is my contribution to Vern Schwarz's book. When I first came across Vern's blog and became aware of his wonderful work, he was in the process of painting a large scene of Lisbon - actually just the other side of the large archway looking out through it, and since we love Lisbon, I thought I'd do a painting of it as well.

ANGELA ELLEDGE

BEAGLE IN WAITING

8x10 oil on sketchbook

The last comment on Camille's post is from Camille requesting someone post something new, so here is something new in Camille's moleskine. I have been busy with pet portrait commissions and now, when given the opportunity to paint anything I want, I paint another dog...I don't know why. Camille, I went with your original concept of peace, choosing this little Beagle fella waiting patiently for something, maybe a walk, a treat, or just waiting for his master to walk in the door.

This is oil on gessoed sketchbook paper. I used Liquin along with the oils so that I could speed up the drying time, well, a week later and I have this one tiny little spot on the ear that is still not dry. I wanted to add more to this, but hesitated because of the time this is taking to dry. Hopefully, in a day or two I can glaze this and send it off to James. I may have to break out the acrylics for the next sketchbook and I promise not to paint dogs in all of your books.

CAMILLE OLSEN

"MICHELLE BURNETT AS A BABY" - 5 x 16 oil on gessoed watercolor paper. Michelle must have been a beautiful baby -- you can't help thinking that when you see her as an adult. I happened upon this snapshot of her as a toddler and decided it was time for me to paint my first full figure child's portrait. I was going for a very loose "faded-photograph" (like the song) feeling. In person the colors are more golden and not this pale. I may paint each of you artists in your book unless you protest ahead of time. Feel free to email me a preferred photo if you wish.

Homeless by Deano

Close ups

Approx. 5x10 Mixed media in Moleskine Book.

The media: Graphite-Tombow Brush Pen-Pigma Brush Tip Pen (Sienna)-Acrylic washes( Ultr. Blue and Burnt Sienna).

This is my entry into Adebanji's book. His theme is the Homeless and the Poor.

We are participating in a group called "The Flying Moleskins". Each member has their own sketch book. He/she makes a drawing and sends the book to the next artist. Get ready, Vern...here it comes.

My Ohio county has around 8oo homeless. God loves the unlovable.

NFS

Deanos Den

Hebrews 13:5&6 God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." ⁶So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"