The Foxes in my Sketchbook

Foxes pop up in my sketchbook in the same unexpected, and I hope charming and rather mysterious way, that real foxes turn up in my suburban neighborhood. They are always smaller than expected and trot so quickly past that they are easily missed. The top two-page spread of a Red Fox seems to have a story. It seems like an excerpt from a children’s book, but that’s all there is…so far. The portrait of the Fox also seems to have some story to tell. That seems to be the nature of these elusive animals. A flash of red, and then it’s gone.

Red foxes in the woods, painting
Red Foxes in the Woods, mixed media
Red foxes in the woods, painting
Red Foxes, mixed media
Drawing of a red Fox
Portrait of Ms. Fox, Conte crayon

My favorite story about a Red Fox was told by a friend. She believes that foxes symbolize her late mother and that when she sees one, it may carry a message for her. Her story was so magical that I painted my yearly Christmas card based on her tale of seeing a Red Fox on the beach. Here is the link to my story of Red Fox on the Beach https://crappycrafters.wordpress.com/2017/12/14/fun-making-the-yearly-christmas-card-the-true-story/

Small projects after Big Projects: charcoal drawings of wildlife

I usually work on an acrylic painting on canvas at my weekly art class. These painting can take several months to finish. After a lengthy project, I often take a mental break by working on drawings that can be completed in a couple of weeks or so. After wrestling with the adorable snowman still life, which took more time than I had anticipated, I began a series of large charcoal drawings based on my teacher’s photographs of wildlife. These are about 11 x 14 inches on Bristol board, which should be the right proportions for making note cards.

Grackles, charcoal
Sanderling, charcoal
Turtles, charcoal

Toy portrait gets furry

I spent a couple of hours working on the bunny and the bear this week. The bunny looks suitably soft and furry and the bear is coming along too. Their bow ties need work. The blocks will be challenging because of the varied perspectives on each. Is that a vanishing points problem? Yikes! I was eager to lighten the yellow color of the drape but ran out of time. Next few weeks: the bear, the blocks, the background, the details and more furry texture…

Still life with bunny and bear
Toy portrait progress, acrylic

Merry Christmas!

Chickadee , watercolor
Chickadee, watercolor

This year’s Christmas card is a watercolor painting of a chickadee. The birds in my yard rarely pose long enough for their portrait (ha ha) so my source photograph was taken by my art teacher and used, with her permission, as the model for my 2020 card. I finished the painting in the Fall of 2019 and I sent it to the printers this Fall in time to mail out my cards. However, the mail system is so overwhelmed during the Pandemic, that I am sending more digital copies than usual. Merry Christmas!

Pandemic Sketchbook: September

Charcoal drawing of a rabbit
Rabbit in my garden, charcoal pencil

Sketching wildlife in black and white brought me back to my Pandemic Sketchbook in September. There seems to be more critters in my yard and neighborhood, or maybe I just have more time to observe nature these days. I did not get to the beach this summer, but painted a gull from a photo I took years ago.

Watercolor of a sea gull
Gull on New Jersey beach, watercolor