THE BLOG
Watercolor
I want to take a photo and change it to make it my own. As I sketch the figure, I try to make the sketch more exciting than the photo. I want this old cowboy to come to life. I want to feel him sitting up on that stagecoach. I want to feel the reins in his hands. I want the viewer to feel the miles of wear in those boots. I transferred the sketch to the watercolor paper by drawing with graphite tracing paper.
The watercolor paper is 300 lb. Arches Hot Press. I want this painting to look like I am having fun putting paint on paper. I want the brush strokes to be sure and strong. I want the viewer to feel the sun on the top of that old stage coach. I want to show detail but not so much that the eye gets bored. I’m on an adventure.
www.sherrymeidell.com
Sneaky
I am grateful for kneaded erasers, quill pen tips, Higgins permanent black ink spilled on a rug, a wooden chest of my childhood filled with the Famous Artist Course from the Famous Artists Schools in Westport, Connecticut; the smell of wooden drawers pulled out and studied, filled with brushes, paint, and pen tips; a blank sheet of watercolor paper stapled to a board, waiting for the splash of paint to paper. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving.
Giving Back
Afterwords
Have you ever stood behind a parent with their baby thrown over their shoulder? The baby is getting an entirely different view of life than the parent. As an artist it is nice to get a fresh pair of eyes to take a look at your painting or illustration. Sometimes they see things that you have missed. Even an untrained eye can comment and send you in a different direction on your painting. You can also take a look at it in a mirror or take the color out so you can see if you’ve caught the values. Looking at your painting in a different way or through the eyes of someone else can help you see what’s going on and improve your art.
www.sherrymeidell.com
Picture Book Conference
This last weekend was a great experience at a Picture Book Conference in Alpine, Utah put on by Amy Finnegan from bookshoptalk.com . One of the speakers was Mary Kate Castellani an editor from Walker. It was one of the most informative conferences I’ve attended. Kristyn Crow, Sharlee Glenn and Nathan Hale also gave great presentations. It was a great opportunity to be around people who love picture books. Here are a few gems not quoted exactly: Mary Kate: Picture books need to be so, so clever because of the market. Push your writing. Sharlee Glen had some great quotes on what a picture book was. Kristyn Crow told us that the first rule of rhyme was “Don’t do it”. Nathan Hale talked about his blog and the benefits of blogging.
The Sketchbook Project
I have finished my sketch book for the Brooklyn Art Library, Sketch BookProject. www.brooklynartlibrary.com. The theme of my sketch book was boys and girls. Here is a page from my book. I’m going to tuck it in an envelope and send it off.
Andrew Loomis in Creative Illustration wrote “Creative art begins with creative line. Creative line can only be the line as you see it and prefer to draw it. Projecting literal contours by any artificial means can only result in stifling your most valuable asset- individuality. Draw from copy as you would from life. Have always the courage to “DRAW IT YOURSELF”. -Andrew Loomis
Sketching takes courage, especially out in public. There is always someone looking over your shoulder. The fear of being judged can cramp your hand and your style. There is also the fear of sketching someone and then having them take a look at the finished project. “Yep, that’s my nose.” But the benefits you get from sketching out way the fears. Sketching helps develop your individual line. The lines becomes your style, your energy, your signature. Have you ever watched an expert at any task? Whether it is a construction worker troweling cement or a potter working the clay, you can seen their expertise in the finished product. Their hands know how to work effectively. That is what sketching does for the artist. You can practice your line. You can sketch your ideas until you see them blossom before your eyes.
www.sherrymeidell.com