Miss K Begins to Draw

 + 

Hello, readers of Esteban's blog! This is Miss K, Esteban's sister. I used to draw and paint in middle school art class, but then high school and college came along and I decided I didn't have any time. Fast forward eight years, and...I've started drawing again, partly in thanks to Esteban's encouragement (he's always telling my siblings and I how anyone can draw, "just look at it in shapes") and partly because I can bring a hobby to the monastery. I wanted to begin working on my skills before my free time is limited. :) 

I wasn't planning on doing a post so unfortunately, I don't have any progress pictures. 

Last October, I decided to draw St. Therese of Lisieux because she is one of my favorites and it was the month of her feast day, but...it took me five months to finish! The wimple was definitely the hardest. What's a wimple, you may ask? It's part of a religious sister's or nun's (yes, there's a difference!) habit that covers the head, neck, cheeks, and chin. It was originally worn by women in the medieval times, but now (sadly) only a select few communities of religious still wear them. 

Anyway, I think I asked Esteban about 100 times "How do I make the folds/wrinkles while still keeping it white?". His answer for every question: "Draw what you see, not what you know!". That phrase is going to be stuck in my head forever. After a few times of erasing it entirely, I was happy with the result. :) It really does make a difference when you break it up into shapes and different shades. 

About a month later, I drew St. Catherine of Siena for her feast day, but she's also one of my favorites (and a patron saint of mine...does that give my first name away?). I gifted this one to a friend who's also named after her. This one was definitely much harder to draw- closed eyelids, hands, Crown of Thorns, Rosary, flowers, and the crucifix. I'm really happy with the result though! I added my favorite quote from her: "He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, let go of yourself, lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely." 

Finally, my most recent drawing...St. John Bosco! You guessed it, he's also one of my favorites! There are so many wonderful saints for every occasion in life, so how could I just pick one favorite? ;) He was by far the hardest because I had to draw ears, folded hands, and hair. I think I prefer drawing veils over hair...

Mine vs. reference

However, I was happy with the result because someone guessed it was St. John Bosco based on the curly hair, one of the hardest parts! Also, I made some great progress comparing start to finish. I tried to draw on smaller paper and Esteban looked at it and said very nicely "It would be easier to draw him on bigger paper." He was right! Thanks, Esteban! ;) 

I just laugh at this drawing now, but I had to start somewhere! 

Next up, I'll be drawing St. Gemma Galgani because...she too is one of my favorites!

What do you think? Which drawing is your favorite? Have you ever drawn anything? 

Until next time,

-Miss K

The Sunshine Blogger Award

🌞 Sunshine Blogger Award 🌞

I’m honored to be nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award! I’ve never done a tag before and was a bit unsure how it works, but it seems pretty straightforward—I just answer a few questions! This is such a fun way to support fellow bloggers, share more about ourselves, and connect with our amazing community. Keep reading for my answers and nominations!

• Thank you, Miss K, @ Today with Miss K

---

📜 Rules:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions they asked you.
• Nominate 11 new bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post or on your blog.

---

✅ Where is your favorite place to read?

Answer: My favorite place to read... hmm. Usually, it’s the couch—with the TV on in the background—because it’s hard to find a quiet spot in the house. Another favorite is the car: whether it be reading road signs or chowing down a book on the way home from church I will gladly read in the car (as long as I am not driving).. But ideally, I love reading in quiet, peaceful places—usually somewhere in nature.

---

✅ If you could be the patron saint of anything, what would it be and why?

Answer: I would be the patron saint of thinking up a good answer! Because I'm struggling with this question. No, I would want to be the patron saint of everyone who likes mustard. That would be a good one...I wonder if there is one? I'd probably be patron of artists because that is what I like doing.

---

✅ Swimming pools or lakes?

Answer: Lakes 100%! Can you fish, swim, canoe, kayak, boat, snorkel, watch sunsets, walk on water (in winter) in a swimming pool? We are talking about your everyday pool, right? Not the King's pool? Plus you can see all kinds of wildlife at a lake.

---

✅ You have to spend an entire day in one room of your house. Which room would it be?

Answer: The basement—definitely. It’s where I draw and work on art projects. Bonus: if there’s tornadic weather, I’m already in the safest place in the house!

---

✅ Would you rather lose your hearing or your sight?

Answer: I don’t even want to answer this—Murphy’s Law, you know? But if I had to choose, I’d go with hearing. How could I draw without being able to see?

---

✅ What song always gets stuck in your head?

Answer: Either something by Elvis or one of the kids' songs my siblings sing on repeat!

---

✅ Who is the most inspirational person in your life? (Real or fictional)

Answer: The most inspirational person in my life is...You! You are the most inspirational person I know. You keep coming back here and viewing my art and reading my posts! Thank You!

---

✅ What is your favorite book series?

Answer: Lemony Snicket’s *A Series of Unfortunate Events*—hands down. I just finished it! Another top one is the *Half Upon a Time* series, but I still haven’t convinced my sister to read it (not Miss K, my other sister).

---

✅ If you could learn a new language, what would it be and why?

Answer: I’d go with German. A lot of my family has German heritage, and I took a class in high school—so I know a few basics. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

---

✅ Would you stay in the present or travel back in time for a month?

Answer: The present—no question. God placed us in this time for a reason. If I were meant to be in another time, I wouldn’t be here answering this question!

---

✅ Why did you start your blog?

Answer: Probably the easiest question here! I started this blog to showcase my artwork. Five years later, I’m still posting—thanks to the encouragement and kindness of readers... and some people think it's funny.

🌻 My Nominees:

I’d love to pass this award on to some amazing bloggers! I nominate the following five:

• The Writer @ The Scripted Scroll (Congrats on the new blog!)
• Miss K @ Today with Miss K
• Elizabeth @ The College Seamstress
• Sandy @ Sketching Everyday
• Eduardo @ Ebbilustracoes

🌞 My Questions for You:

1. If you could only have one hobby and had to give up all others, what would it be and why?
2. Name your favorite season and give an explanation as to why it is your favorite.
3. What is the weirdest thing you've ever done?
4. Favorite thing/subject to draw?
5. Favorite art medium and why?
6. Bald or hair down to your feet?
7. Favorite time period?
8. Shorts and tee shirt in below 0 weather or winter coat and snow apparel in Death Valley?
9. Favorite spot to vacation?
10. What would you build if you had unlimited supplies?
11. If you had a horse what would you do/where would you go? If you have a horse, what is your favorite reason for having it?

---

💛 Thanks so much for reading! If you’ve been tagged, I can’t wait to see your answers. If not, feel free to tag yourself and join the fun! Also, my brother, “The Writer,” recently launched a writing blog called The Scripted Scroll—go check it out!

– Esteban

The Ascension

 Podcast Portrait

For this piece I was given the task to draw the Ascension of Jesus. I chose to use the medium of colored pencil on paper.

Secrets Revealed

I don't often give away secrets to my drawings, but today is an exception! As you see in the above picture, it is the first step in my process. For I always tell my students, (that is if I had students), if you don't get the face right, the whole drawing is ruined, or at least compromised to its potentiality. And in this case the face was to my liking, so I moved on to the next step.

The next step that is, is to continue down the page with more details. Adding color, value, and what not to achieve the look you want.

I thank you all for reading through and viewing my post. You now have all the necessary insight on how to go about drawing a portrait, or for that matter, drawing in general.

- "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

 Happy Easter

This is my latest drawing for the Podcast Portrait Series. I drew the angels and Our Lord with colored pencils and to contrast the main subjects I used charcoal. I think charcoal is one of my favorite mediums - I will plan another charcoal drawing soon!

Thank you for viewing today's drawing!

Crowning of Thorns Drawing

Crowning of Thorns Artwork

In my latest drawing, I sought to capture the intense and poignant moment of the crowning of thorns, where Jesus was mocked and humiliated by Roman soldiers before His crucifixion. The image portrays the cruelty and sorrow of the scene, with the thorny crown pressed harshly onto His head, symbolizing the physical pain and the immense emotional suffering He endured. The contrast between the harshness of the thorns and the calm expression on His face speaks to His divine grace and unwavering sacrifice. Through this artwork, I aimed to reflect on the profound significance of this moment in the Passion of Christ, a powerful reminder of the depths of His love and sacrifice for humanity.

Ultimately, the crowning of thorns was a moment of real suffering that Jesus experienced. It was not merely a symbol but a brutal act of humiliation and pain that He endured for all of us. Through this artwork, I hope to encourage others to reflect on the reality of His sacrifice and the depth of His love for humanity.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the reference photo I used and my final drawing. This comparison highlights the differences between the original source material and the artistic interpretation, demonstrating the process of adaptation and personal expression in art. Just for reference - pun intended - I just finished my calculations of all the videos put together, in total this drawing took 8 hrs and 10 minutes, plus or minus...

Watch the full video here