Cat Portrait Complete

“Shorty”

Colored Pencil on Stonehenge Paper 8” x 10”

Copyright Valerie Jones

I am finishing up a class on pet portraits.  We drew “Shorty” over a period of 9 weekly classes.   Some students are still working on her but most of them have finished.  She was fun to paint.  This is our family pet, but I based the lessons from Anne deMille Flood's Realistic Pet Portrait book.   One of my students brought some white India ink to class and we used it for the whiskers.  We had impressed the whiskers first using a stylus.  Then, as a finishing touch, we added the ink.  It was an awesome tool to use.  It works better than a white colored pencil and isn’t as thick as acrylic paint.

Work in Progress #2

Work in Progress – Graphite on Strathmore 500 Bristol

Copyright Valerie Jones

I have been steadily working on this piece.  I usually spend at least one hour of an evening.  Last night was not a good evening to draw.  I was exhausted from working at my day job, working on this drawing, and getting ready for an art sale with my local art association.  I’m in charge of getting the art sale together for the art association’s members this year.  Thankfully, the dear lady who worked with it last year has been a huge help.  I’m still tired this evening, so I’m not sure if any good drawing skills will abound tonight.

Happy drawing!

Principles of Creativity

Work in Progress

Graphite on Strathmore Bristol 500

copyright Valerie Jones

I am revisiting The Artist's Way and thought I’d share with you the Basic Principles that every artist has within them.

BASIC PRINCIPLES

The Artist's Way

By Julia Cameron

1. Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy: pure creative energy.

2. There is an underlying, in-dwelling creative force infusing all of life – including ourselves.

3. When we open ourselves to our creativity, we open ourselves to the creator’s creativity within us and our lives.

4. We are, ourselves, creations. And we, in turn, are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves.

5. Creativity is God’s gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.

6. The refusal to be creative is self-will and is counter to our true nature.

7. When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God: good orderly direction.

8. As we open our creative channel to the creator, many gentle but powerful changes are to be expected.

9. It is safe to open ourselves up to greater and greater creativity.

10. Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source. As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity.