10 YEARS AGO ...

When I first picked up a Brush

The first time I picked up a paintbrush was ... probably in Kindergarten art class making a mess with color. But I mean the first time I actually got into painting - When?

It was 10 years ago. I remember getting an easel and paint for Christmas and a few canvases. And I've saved pretty much every drawing and painting I've ever done, except the ones all over notebooks, assignments, garbage, the sheet rock that's been painted over, and the many I've given away.

The other day I walked into my closet and saw the stack of old paintings from when I was 10 years old - someday ... yes, someday they will be famous. (If you want to buy one, you may). So I thought I would share them with whomever shall read this post.

Untitled - Feb. 2010

Look at that painting ... It reminds me of a generic Bob Ross. 

Saurus Ranch - Feb. 2010

Look how the sky sits so high up! Just above the dinosaurs head. Even the sky is afraid of that dinosaur.

The Truck - 2010

The sun isn't even in the sky - it's falling.

The House - 2010

This must be my house, either the house is super tall or the trees are tiny.

The Campfire - 2010

Ah, here is my first painting of a person. As they say, you have to start somewhere, and this is where I started, a guy standing by a giant fire. The black is mixed right in with the peach - right from the bottle! - but I was just starting out - I didn't know how to mix colors. I guess it makes it more realistic, it looks like he is covered in soot from the fire.

The Ocean pool - 2010

Now that is a creative name, the Ocean Pool. And look how my portraiture has improved - I've done 2 faces in this one, and an octopus! My faces have come along way since 2010 - if you've seen the latest painting - I know a little more about blending.

The Helicopter  -2010

I think this is one of the first ones, done in January of 2010, so I was 9 years old. A basic helicopter -  a marvelous subject to start with.

The House

Much improvement from my first house above. The door and window are in better proportion.

The Boat - 2010

This is another one from January, a simple boat.

Watery Mountains - 2010

Watery Mountains? The mountains look dry. But I was only nine when I named these.

Wow! And what is this? This is not one of my paintings, but my brothers. He is like my twin but Eight years younger; he can do everything I do, but better. This is a current painting that he did at 11 years old, so about the same age as when I did my paintings. There is so much detail in this.

I remember everything about these paintings ... painting them, how I dipped my brush into the globby paint as it flowed from the tube and how it slid over the canvas so smoothly. But I guess I don't remember how I got my ideas. - probably from Inspiration. Yeah, he was younger than, but Inspiration has grown now and has more sophisticated and complex ideas - You've got to give him credit.

And after I ran out of canvases ... I must have stopped painting. I don't think I painted again until 9th grade. I guess I lost interest - or supplies. Here is the painting from 9th grade.

And then I didn't paint again until my senior year of high school when I took an art class. And even in art class I stuck to drawing until I was forced to paint at the end of the semester ... I didn't think I was that good - Until I tried.

I didn't know I could paint, so the next semester I mostly did paintings in my studio class and continually improved. And after I graduated I started oil painting and here I am now - still painting. 

First Painting of 12th Grade - Monochromatic Dog

So I will leave you with some sketches

Mr. T

The Good Shepard

I did this one while in the car - yes, it was moving and no, I was not driving. I will probably finish this one someday - I need to add some value.

Still life of Staples store

I did this while waiting for my mom to finish shopping at Trader Joe's. Staples was right across the street.

Still Life

I did this because I saw my sister's comb, (I mean brush) sitting on the table so I drew it. Then I decided to sketch some more things commonly found in the bathroom - Not sure about the toilet paper though. No, the toilet paper was not used when I set it on the table just before dinner.

And some past sketches/drawings

Thanks for viewing my past work and current sketches

I just finished my next Saint on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper. After I did Saint Therese, my sister and I decided to do a group project - I am going to draw one female and one male saint for each of the 26 letters (Is that right ... yes, I believe there are 26 letters in the alphabet - or maybe there is 27) and my sister is going to do a biography on them - 52 drawings, 52 biographies! 

Saints on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper Link

You can view her biography's on her blog, todaywithmissk.blogspot.com, and I'm sure there will be lots of history and books and things of that nature you may read about. She's really into that historical kind of stuff.

Here is a sneak peak of my latest Saint on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper: 

It is Saint Camillus de Lellis - Patron of the sick

I don't put a penny's value on this life if only our Lord will give me a tiny corner in Paradise.

-Camillus de Lellis

Prismacolor Practice

The first time I tried Prismacolor ... you probably don't want to see.

But you can if you want - 

Not the best.

Shading is not the best on the BEAR, looks too flat - but does give transition to charcoal.

So over this past week, I sneaked into my sister's room and found her stash of Prismacolors - hehehe

She let me ... No need for a suspenseful story. Anyway, I had some practice with those colors, I don't do a lot of Prismacolor pictures, so I needed to brush up on my skills (or would it be pencil up on my coloring skills). I penciled up pretty good and got some good shadings especially on the face of my second drawing.

I'll talk about my first picture first. Haha. 

How did I decide. With the help of my younger sister we got the idea to draw at random ... Yes, I'm talking statistics, - A math term - Don't worry, I survived. We found her Saints Memory Game and drew from Random, yes from random one of the Saints. Guess who I chose. No need to guess - just look below, or keep reading.

Our Lady of the Rosary - Yup! You guessed right ... Or maybe read right - those English classes really paid off then - Go thank your English teacher.

Our Lady of the Rosary

The value of the yellows really turned out well - my favorite color to shade with. I used yellows and browns to add the different tones. The faces were the most difficult because I couldn't figure out how to get darks and lights from the peach color.

Then I remembered - "Make your own colors" 🔴🟡🔵

I remembered that on my second picture. But overall I think I improved since the first time I used Prismacolor. Well done. 👏

Close-up of the faces

-My Second Picture

For my second picture I chose Saint Therese of Lisieux. This time I remembered to make my own colors for the face. I rummaged through my sisters massive stock pile of Prismacolors, actually only 24, and found a golden umbery color, a red, and a white and started creating the face. (all after I did a sketch the night before).

After many layers and shading with a blender, I added more layers and darks and lights and it looked much better than my first face.

I kept working on it that day and didn't stop until I did some more ... I finished the next day. I didn't stay up all night and hold a spoon so I wouldn't fall asleep - it might not have turned out the same.

And when I woke up it looked like this

It wasn't finished. That meant there was more to do. After many more layers and much hard labor it looked like this.

Saint Therese of Lisieux

And when I put it in black and white, it appeared to be colorless and looked totally different, yet the same.

Yes, now I saw much improvement, and with practice much can be accomplished. I think I'll start a series - I'll probably call it, 'Saints on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper' - More will come.

If you have a suggestion on which saint you would like to see next please suggest it in the comments.

What's Next In The Studio

I might start another 'Saints on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper' or maybe ... yes I should probably use up the last of my Titanium White that's waiting to be used up - I had left over paint on my palette (Ice cream bucket cover) that needs to be used - an excuse to do another painting. 

Titanium White: "Joshua, come paint me on your canvas, don't just leave me on this cover to die. Ohhhh! Aahhhh! Ohhhhh, come use me up, I'm drying out."

Joshua: "Don't worry T.W., I'm coming, I had to finish my other projects first ... and get another idea. You're always complaining, wait your turn. Prismacolor was in need of some attention this week.

Yes, I should probably paint so I don't get Titanium White too sad - maybe a hospital scene for my sister.

✏✎✐✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏✎✏

- “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

― St. Therese of Lisieux

A little extra time to Art :)

That's Strange, they keep lengthening my break - maybe they are adding Spring Art, where you have two extra weeks to draw, paint or do art.

I guess inspiration comes in many forms - requests from others is how inspiration spoke to me this week. My cousin saw my Padre Pio painting and wanted one for herself.

I CANNOT PAINT MULTIPLE PAINTINGS OF THE SAME THING

So I decided to paint a different view of Padre Pio, in this painting he is at mass. This time I tried a undercoat/base coat with acrylic paint just to get some value down.

Acrylic Base 

A monochromatic with browns for the undercoat.

First Coat of Oils

Look how the oils transform those acrylics into a brighter picture.

Finish/Details

Those details really make the finished painting stand out

I've Still Got Another Week To Do Art! :)

I'll probably work on my drawing skills, maybe start a painting or do some small sketches.

Thank you for viewing my art.

- "In drawing, one must look for or suspect that there is more than is casually seen." - George Bridgman

An Oil Painting and ...

Here is the painting I've been working on for the past week. It is painted in oils ... wait!

Not 

-Engine oil

or Olive Oil

But

Oil Paints

I decided to paint a portrait of St. Padre Pio

The first day I worked on the face. It is much easier to blend in oils than acrylics because they let you have a bit more time, unlike acrylics who dry out on you.

DAY 1

The second and third day I worked the background in and brushed in his mustache, t-shirt, and cloak.

DAY 2 & 3

And the third and fourth and ... all the other days I worked on it, I added more details including the hair and beard, also touched up some blending.

DAY 3 to Finish

God enriches the soul which empties itself of everything.
-Padre Pio

This piece probably took about 10 hours to complete ... maybe a little less. (I should have kept track.)

This is probably one of my better faces ... but I haven't really painted many faces, so I still need to practice. 

AND as always,

What Will I Do Next

We'll have to wait and see. I have no idea ... actually I do ... but am not 100% sure. I'll wait for  Inspiration to come along and say, 

"Oh. Joshua, why don't you paint that gunny sack?" or "You should draw that chair."

And I would answer Inspiration something like, "You're right Inspiration. You are always inspiring me. What would I do without you?"

And Inspiration would say, "You wouldn't be inspired without me."

And I would answer back, "You have a sense of humor Inspiration. I think you would get along well with Hope, and Patience - probably Perseverance as well, they are all pretty funny."

He would answer, "I can't wait to meet them!"

"I'll introduce them to you when they come home from work."

Thank you for reading this post. 🖌 Comment Below. ⬇️

- "Drawing is the basis of art. A bad painter cannot draw. But one who draws well can always paint". Arshile Gorky

S'more dogs...

Nope, I did not roast any dogs. S'more was just 3 letters shorter than "some more."

But I did draw s'more dogs! But I am not sure who they are for. Probably some people that have dogs - the dog market?

I exploded, no no ... I enlarged the two dogs from one image - Magic, the magic of art.

The first dog had big ears! I'm guessing it's some sort of chihuahua - for people that want a small dog, but don't like cats. I've actually seen a dog cat. It looked just like a cat, but BARKED!

The Big-Eared Dog

Drawing fur is a bit tricky, so I did what I could.

The second dog had somewhat big hears, medium-ish and a longer face, just look below and you'll see. 

"Eye" like how the eyes turned out in these pictures - they have depth and realism to them. This dog seems as if he/she is looking for something, maybe his/her long lost friend or his owner to come home and give him bacon, or perhaps their shoe to chew on. You never know unless you imagine, or you actually do know.

The Somewhat Big Medium-ish Dog

Sometimes eye like to start another project to get some variety in, so when I wasn't drawing these two dogs I was working on this picture of Saint Michael.

Eye wasn't sure if this was done yet, so I darkened the background so the light areas would pop out more.

And the picture started glowing, like an angel perhaps. Because the dark background popped the light area out so much.

So I darkened some areas by the wings and added some more value in the lighter areas and this is how it looks now.

And what am I doing next?

- An oil painting.

- A portrait

I have it all sketched out on the canvas so I don't think it will change this time, because it's looking pretty good. Maybe I shouldn't add color then - a painting without being painted - my quickest painting.

No, I'll paint it!

Thank you for reading - until next time - when my painting is finished.

“I draw like other people bite their nails.” Pablo Picasso

"One must always draw, draw with the eyes, when one cannot draw with a pencil." Balthus

My new form of Art!

Where is Art & Have I discovered something

It's just amazing where art can be found. Just look around, there is art everywhere.
I've been asked if I could draw a subject that is white - will a white subject show up on white paper? Very good question - as an artist we have to think, what is white?
There are many different shades of white just like any other color. But really when drawing, white will just be a lighter value - if we shade light and add dark shadows with lots of highlights we can produce a subject that appears white - high contrast will allow the subject to pop.

This got me thinking, what if I could make an artwork using no value at all - not visible to the naked eye!

"Incredible!"

Yes, indeed! So I created a piece of work with invisible ink! Wait. Can we still call this art?

Yes, of coarse! Just because we cannot see it, doesn't mean it is not there.

Here it is - I call it Hidden

It's very appealing to the eye. It moves the eye throughout the page very fluently as if nothing were there. It will introduce a new art form: Invisibilium. It will have critics talking from all over. Many of you may wander what it's like to be the creator of a new art form, to become famous - many of you will never know. I'll tell you though - if I knew how to express it. -but I have to give credit to my brother for the idea - (maybe someone has already done Invisibilium art).

My Current Work

My most recent work I am doing for a customer for their wedding gift for someone else. When enough people order my work I can say part of me is all over the world, from land across the sea.

Four dogs! That's a lot of dogs for one household - maybe they have a big yard. If we had four dogs at our house there would be no space to move around - packed like squash in a mason jar.

-The Sketch

Four dogs - a wedding gift

Dog #1

Dog #2

Dog #3

Dog #4 for the finish

This was a fun piece to do, I've done a lot of dogs lately - I think I'm getting pretty good at drawing dogs. It is pretty paw-some. Woof!

Thank you for reading this post.🐶 Comment Below. ⬇️