The Beginning of the End

This home school year is starting to draw to a close slowly but surely. "Albert" has finished one of the first grade spelling texts that he was working in and "Jackie" has only 50 more lessons left in his math text. Oh the exciting finishes that march brings make fighting through the home school blues that are widely rumored to hit everyone hardest in February worthwhile.

With all this going on,

it has been hard to sneak in art work and I'm beside myself trying to make skin tones work without the colors I need. I have a feeling once I finally get them I'll find a way to work without them. Here is a value sketch I did for a sketch I did for a piece that I can't wait to work on more seriously.

I realized that with as little time as I have for art, it would behoove me to put some effort toward improving my sketching skills. (That and I already have all the tools I need for that!) I'm reading "Fast Sketching Techniques" by David Rankin. I like his style but I do kind of bristle at his "You won't be able to," and "don't expect to . . ." about the speed with which a finished drawing can be completed. I've always drawn fast and I don't think I can afford not to unless I want to wait around for all the kids to go off to college before I pick up a pencil!

Today I made a VERY quick sketch of my sweet kitty Conan. I don't

nor

mally sketch animals, but I guess that recent pencil study featured on Gurney's Journey piqued my interest.

To God be the Glory! I'm out!