Thursday, December 17, 2009

My Angels in progress from Suzi Blu's online class

Angel in progress
with MANY layers of Prisma Colored Pencils

"I love my angels." You don't hear that too often from my lips. The progress I have made since August and my first Suzi Blu class has been remarkable. My family, including my most critical daughter, Kari, can't believe. Once again, I am sharing my progression from Suzi Blu's online classes. This time it is her Angel Online class. I am hoping that this will inspire others to try. From my scanty initial block sketches to my sketch book and then on to wood. It has been a satisfying journey.

1st try at composition sketches


2nd try at composition sketch

The Angels started out at Suzi's place out on her lawn. (That day is when I initially injured my back for over a month). Suzi was showing me how she looks at all theses different books and magazines to get inspired. So, I did that. Then she said to make boxes on my sketch pad paper and start getting ideas down on paper. My sketches were really sketchy. About this time sitting on the grass and reaching for something, I pulled something in my back. Day was over as I realized I was really way too old to be sitting on the grass with my legs out in front. That night at home with some pain medication in me, I started drawing.

Page from
"The Fantastic Art of SULAMITH WULFING"


At home I made a copy of the black and white drawing in the book that I had been looking at on Suzi's lawn. I had chosen one of the vignettes from my sketch. Here is the entire page. If you look closely, you can see exactly where I got my drawing. Remember, I am don't selling theses. They are for my own personal pleasure or pain - as the case my be. . .

My 1st angel sketch

My 2nd angel sketch


My 3rd angel sketch


Theses three drawings were all done in two days. There are no other drawings. One of the books Suzi looked so familiar to me and so did the art work. She let me take it home with me and there I realized I had purchased years ago this artist's colored calendar. I then went and purchased the book for myself.

A couple of weeks later I went once again to Suzi's with my sketch now on a large 12 x 16 wood canvas and I burnt my first image on wood. You have to go very slow when burning. I feel I only made one major mistake while burning. Suzi reassured me that this can be easily fixed when I start painting. (The mistake was done when burning her cheek).

Wood burned final angel

When going through all my magazine pages I had ripped out over the years, I found this page. One night I decided to try to draw this. Here is the results.











Magazine page

















My sketch of the magazine page



The Angel isn't complete, but there are layer upon layer of Prisma colored pencil on her face. I love her face (again something you don't hear me say very often). After the holidays I will paint her. I am really scared to add the paint. My comfort level is at sketching on a pad and my Prisma Colored Pencils. Golden paints will become my friend again, I'm sure. It's just that I get too married to what I have done and am terrified of ruining it, not realizing yet that I can always do it all over again.

Suzi and my dearest art friend Georgia, will be horrified with this declaration. From the beginning they both have tried to drill into me that there are no mistakes in art - just happy accident. I'm not quite there yet, friends.

14 comments:

karlalala said...

that's really cool Sal!! so very proud of you!!

Elena Lai Etcheverry said...

sally, it is amazing how far you have come! love it! can't wait to see it in person. coming home tomorrow!

suzi blu said...

All of your hard work is paying off! This is exactly what it means to be an artist. Not that you are born with mechanical ability but you practice your craft. Its the journey not the destination. Keep the passion mama!

Julie Fillo said...

Wow, it is REALLY fun to see your progress! A few years ago, when I was struggling to find my style, someone told me to paint 100 paintings. Then paint 100 more. And so on. Somewhere in that process you will find your voice. It is that journey you are on, and you have made an excellent fearless start!

Julie Fillo

U2Kitteh said...

New to your blog...your art is beautiful! I agree the face from your magazine sketch is gorgeous! I think it's lovelier than the model in the magazine, who looks a little scary to me. Yours looks serene and wise and mysterious.

nanakin1 said...

The wood burning is my favorite. I love the composition.

Nina and/or Ruthie66 said...

Hi Sally, SO proud of you, my friend!! You've definitely inspired me to learn to draw faces! Your progress has been wonderful to watch. Seeing you get better and better is a thing of beauty. Keep it up. I'll be joining you in the new year when I learn to do this too. Hopefully, you'll be able to help me! Love you, Nina

Nina and/or Ruthie66 said...

Hi Sally, Your progress is a wonder to behold. You've insired me so much, I'm taking the class in the new year too. Hopefully, you can help me. I've loved watching you get better and better! Keep it up, my friend. ~Nina~ xo

Just call me Silly Sal said...

Thank you all so very much! I am excited about painting and will start after the new year.

geogems said...

WOW--I'm a believer...GREAT JOB, ARTIST. You have arrived. Love, geo

Kathie said...

Sal, Your angels ARE beautiful, and so are you! Love to see your spirit shining through them!

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