Tuesday, February 4, 2014


'cornelia' ~ acrylic paint on 100# bristol

i went away on a big adventure for a month, and now i'm back...   i drew every day while i was gone, but by the time i got home i really wanted to paint messy.  so that's what i did with 'cornelia' and 'loraine'... 

'loraine' ~ acrylic paint on 100# bristol

i started painting 'cornelia' with my fingers, and finished 'loraine' with them.  i think that more than anything else i've done with acrylics, it helped me *know* just how much time i have before the paint gets tacky and stops moving easily.  it literally and figuratively gave me a 'feeling' for them. 

pencil and watercolors in pentalic bamboo journal

mostly i've been drawing figures - learning how to draw them.  it's not easy...  i seem to have no intuitive know-how on this matter!

pencil and watercolors in pentalic bamboo journal

but little by little i'm beginning to see how the shoulder falls or the foot sits...

pencil and watercolor pencils in stillman and birn 'gamma'

it's not as agonizingly difficult as it used to be.

pencil and watercolors in pentalic bamboo journal

and i don't want to draw perfect figures, but i do want to know how the parts of the body relate to one another.

pencil and watercolor pencils in stillman and birn 'gamma'

i've tried learning from books and that goes nowhere.  practice seems the only answer.


my new favorite drawing thing is a 2014 moleskine daily calendar/planner.   i love this! 


these two pages are last week... for someone who likes to draw small, it's perfect.  :)

* * * 

“Do anything, but let it produce joy. Do anything, but let it yield ecstasy.” 

~ Henry Miller

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58 comments:

  1. Julie PrichardFebruary 4, 2014 at 9:34 PM

    :)

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  2. ZenDotStudioFebruary 4, 2014 at 9:39 PM

    I have been missing you! So glad to see you back. I am smitten by Loraine.

    Yes to Joy!

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:07 AM

      hello carole! smiling, waving, and hollering 'yes to joy' back!

      : )

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  3. SusieFebruary 4, 2014 at 10:19 PM

    I'm giddy with happiness that you are back. I've been thinking about you a LOT!!! Love your messy girls...YES to the MESS. I agree when you paint with your fingers you DO indeed get a better understanding of it. I'm with you on parts of the body, I've also tried books and googled for info on proportion and all but I've learned that the best way I learn is just to dig in...I'd say I think it looks like you're having fun while learning...all those sweet little characters just jump off the page and I am delighted by them. Welcome back sweet wanderer of the wood.

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:13 AM

      susie, i'm smiling.... : ) thank you for all of your nice words...

      yeah about learning how to draw the body. practice seems the only way - as miserable as it can be at times! i console myself periodically by drawing faces... : )

      so happy to be writing this to you... : )

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  4. Paper rainbowFebruary 5, 2014 at 12:05 AM

    I too am so happy you have returned, I paint with my fingers, I fear I will never have pretty nails :) You are so right practice is the only way to learn. I am rubbish at following instructions, I just mess about till it fits together. ( I should never be let loose with self assembly furniture ) I adore your new acrylic paintings and the glimpse inside your sketchbooks. :)

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:20 AM

      ha, morag! i also should never be let loose with self assembly furniture!

      thank you for your nice words... i am smiling to see you. : )

      yours in finger painting and bad nails...

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  5. ErikaFebruary 5, 2014 at 12:07 AM

    So nice to see you again. And I love your wonderful faces. So full of life and Inspiration. Just amazing!
    Greetings from
    Erika

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:21 AM

      thank you so much, erika... i appreciate your words...

      xoxo

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  6. Carol RigbyFebruary 5, 2014 at 6:21 AM

    I have missed your paintings,glad to see you back. I love these two faces. I have joined the 29 Faces challenge to get more practice doing faces. I am using a small sized sketchbook to do the challenge and it is a nice change working smaller..

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:28 AM

      hi fuzzie fingers,

      thank you... : )

      i think working small can be helpful, or at least finding a size that feels comfortable. for something like the 29 faces challenge i think being in your comfort zone would be important... i went to your blog and had a peek at your faces and they're wonderful!

      xoxo

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    2. Carol RigbyFebruary 9, 2014 at 12:21 PM

      For the 29 faces challenge I have been experimenting with oil pastels, a medium that I am not used to working in. I found your tutorial very helpful and tried to put your technique into practice for today's face. Thank you for sharing your tutorials with us. x

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  7. renildeFebruary 5, 2014 at 6:58 AM

    Your faces always fascinate me Lynne, you always make them look like you know those ladies and girls very good(and probably you do ;)),to me it are the faces of someone who has felt pain and sorrow, joy and happiness, woman with deep thoughts and wild dreams, they are very alive.

    and yes i'm also a big fan of your small drawings.

    (i often stand before a very large mirror, using myself as a model to get my figures as i want them, to get particular poses like i want them)

    so nice you are back here, x

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:34 AM

      yes, renilde, i feel like if i don't know them they're not all the way on the paper yet... and i feel the same about your drawings - they're very complex and expressive. i admire them so much...

      that's a very good idea about standing in front of the mirror! i will try that. it's good reading everyone's response re: figure drawing. honestly i had no idea that it was challenging in general. i always feel that everyone else has it down!

      very happy to be back and writing this to you. : )

      xoxo

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  8. UnknownFebruary 5, 2014 at 7:48 AM

    I've been missing your posts - so happy to get an eyeful today! Your art is delightful!

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:35 AM

      stephanie, that is so nice of you to say that! thank you!!

      xoxo

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  9. ramonaFebruary 5, 2014 at 8:13 AM

    Lorraine is absolutely lovely!

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:36 AM

      thank you, ramona... i think it's very likely that she's a friend of yours. : )

      love...

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  10. Caterina GiglioFebruary 5, 2014 at 8:13 AM

    oh yum.. and so nice to see you back here posting... you were sorely missed.. xoxo

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:37 AM

      hey my dear cat.... thank you... i've taken some peeks at your blog and i am *thrilled* to see your paintings. i am...

      xoxo

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  11. Julie Whitmore PotteryFebruary 5, 2014 at 8:23 AM

    These two portraits have lots of pathos, I thought of people I knew immediately; and of what we keep to ourselves but how these two let their feelings show, I see that especially in Cornelia. At one point I was so desperate for certain poses of garden workers, I had my husband take pictures of me hoeing, digging, watering , etc, and this helped so much. Always too there is a sketchbook in the car so I can draw people I see . I've been threatening to buy plaster feet and hands for years; as they are such a challenge.
    Hope your time about was glorious; I can certainly see it was inspirational!xx

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:45 AM

      heya julie! picture taking - that is good... thank you! the body looks so different in each position. i find it mind-boggingly complicated.

      i am loving your recent paintings *so much*. they inspire me to no end and are one reason i want to learn to draw figures - so i can paint complex scenes like you do. i think until you try to paint scenes you have no idea of all it entails. so i'm working on it...

      love...

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  12. JezFebruary 5, 2014 at 8:33 AM

    I like your messy ladies, and am interested in the way you paint with your fingers. I don't really like getting my fingers dirty with media like charcoal or pastels, but you inspire me to try a face or two with my fingers for the current 29 Faces challenge.
    I agree with you about painting figures - and faces etc - and also I think one of the most important aids is observation, observation, observation of people when we are out, from photos, and then being able to apply it to imaginary drawings and paintings. Your figure work is looking fine to me.

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:49 AM

      jez, for most of the finger painting i had finger cots on - i got them from blick. i don't like the idea of wearing gloves, so these are better for me. mostly i wear them for protection from possible bad chemicals in the paint, but they do keep your fingers clean. in the end i took them off, though... the good thing is it really loosens things up. i don't think the importance of that can be overstated. : )

      thank you for your kind words...

      xoxo

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  13. A bird in the handFebruary 5, 2014 at 8:42 AM

    So nice to see you back from your adventure! Definitely, practice trumps "learning from books". xo

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:51 AM

      hello colette... smiling to see you and nodding my head in agreement with your words about practice.

      : )

      xoxo

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  14. Lisa Graham February 5, 2014 at 8:44 AM

    A killer welcome back post Lynne FULL of lots of good stuff!!! Aaaaahhhhhh how I have missed you and your art!!!! Your messy ladies are wonderful, especially Loraine. Love love love the first sketch...those body portions look fine to me. Your sketches in the planner are wonderful all packed onto the pages. Kind of reminds me of my old notebooks in school packed full with doodles and things like "so and so + so and so = love forever". Ha ha! But your notebook work is much more interesting AND also mature. :)

    I am so happy you're back!!! xoxo

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:54 AM

      ahhhh.... thank you, my friend...

      i like the first sketch too - i got lucky, ha... i did several more after her and they were all pretty weird. progress seems slow...

      and ha ha, yeah about your old notebooks... : ) that's pretty funny that we used to put 'love forever' beside every romance we knew about. how much times change us!

      smiling to see you... : )

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  15. JanineFebruary 5, 2014 at 9:37 AM

    LH, love all of these photos! What paints did you use...the usual? Love the planner! I agree with the realistic, I am trying not to strive for it but I seem to get lost in it. Oh well I guess I will just go with the Flow!

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:58 AM

      hey janine! thank you! do you mean the acrylics? they're the heavy body sennelier paints mostly, although i did use some liquitex soft body too. gonna switch to them entirely i think - ha, once i use up my large stash of heavy body paints. otherwise the watercolors are sennelier and the watercolor pencils, faber castell albrecht durer.

      yeah, we gotta go with the Flow! but that tendency towards strict realism has a strong pull that i can't help but think i must resist a little...

      love...

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  16. Carole ReidFebruary 5, 2014 at 10:29 AM

    Well hello again Lynne! Drawing small and painting free..... reminds me of my grandaughter and Picasso comments of taking years for him to learn to draw like a child (with a child's freedom is how I read it).

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    1. lynne hFebruary 5, 2014 at 11:02 AM

      hi carole... : )

      ah, painting free and childlike... it's crazy that we have to *work* to do it! i'm gonna pursue finger painting for sure... it seems a foolproof way to circumvent The Adult.

      i hope this finds you well!

      xoxo

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  17. StephanieFebruary 5, 2014 at 12:12 PM

    So glad you're back! When I paint with oils I get so turned on by the feel of the brush (and the smell) that I often end up with an over-blended mess. But if feels so good!

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    1. lynne hFebruary 6, 2014 at 5:05 PM

      ha! i know! that smooshing is seductive! i can rarely restrain myself... i think that's what makes acrylics so challenging for me - they dry before you can get much smooshing in. i feel at a loss... : )

      xoxo

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  18. SarahFebruary 5, 2014 at 1:39 PM

    I love seeing your new faces Lynne. These two are so expressive. Cornelia looks wistfully sad and Loraine looks dreamily distant. It is interesting what you say about using your fingers to paint and why it was good for you. It is like the kids just getting in there and really close to the materials. Fun fun!

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    1. lynne hFebruary 6, 2014 at 5:08 PM

      hey sarah, smiling to see you... : )

      i think being like a kid is pretty much good across the board, don't you?! i always feel like your faces are expressive and loose - never tight...

      love...

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  19. UnknownFebruary 5, 2014 at 8:20 PM

    Hi Miss Lynne! Missed you. So nice to see you again. Your paintings always astound me and no matter the medium, express something inexpressible. Quirky little "Lynne" touches that your hand and eye coordinate to reveal. I don't even think that your work could be 'taught' per se, as I bet even you are surprised, or find surprise, every time with every piece you do. It looks that way to me anyway. *big smiles and Happy New Year wishes to you* Norma, x

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    1. lynne hFebruary 6, 2014 at 5:11 PM

      hello norma... as always, you've hit the nail on the head... *of course* i'm surprised! i never have any idea what's coming! oh i try and steer things in a particular direction, but it's futile...

      i'm sending you big smiles too my friend. and wishes for a beautiful 2014...

      xoxo

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  20. UnknownFebruary 5, 2014 at 9:10 PM

    Oh so good to see you again, Lynne! YES!!! Practice is the only way!
    Happy painting,
    sus

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  21. Patti Edmon ArtistFebruary 6, 2014 at 11:40 AM

    Lynne!!!! These are amazing - and I'm learning just how difficult it to paint faces that have character but not realistic. Now I'm working on hair - grrr - I think I've done about 75 faces and maybe eventually will do bodies too :)

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    1. lynne hFebruary 6, 2014 at 5:16 PM

      patti! yes! it's not easy - and it seems that more and more i feel myself pulled towards realism when that's *not* where i want to go. hence stuff like using my fingers...

      i've said before to you how difficult hair is for me. and honestly, it doesn't seem to come any easier to me now - i just keep plugging away...

      75 faces. wow... that really makes me smile. : )

      xoxo

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  22. Sharmon DavidsonFebruary 6, 2014 at 2:34 PM

    Welcome back, Lynne! We missed you, and it looks like you were having fun, just drawing your little fingers off- er- or something! anyway, I can see lots of beautiful drawings in those pics, and to me, drawing = fun; i know it does to you, too. I love Lorraine's soulful expression, and the other lovelies, too, like the girl in the skirt and the boy with the hat and wand... xxoo

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    1. lynne hFebruary 6, 2014 at 5:30 PM

      thank you, sharmon... : )

      yes, drawing = fun for sure!

      i see a post by you in the sidebar - gonna go see what you've been up to. : )

      xoxo

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  23. BevFebruary 6, 2014 at 3:34 PM

    Hi lovely so glad u had time away with your family and nice to see u back posting , need my Lynne fix lol painting with acrylic and fingers , wonderful a new love affair lol but dont loose your signature style its what we all love ...
    hug hugz bev

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  24. AnitaFebruary 6, 2014 at 8:26 PM

    I think my heart would break if you put everything in the right place...I love your art and the freedom I feel in it...and the joy...I can't leave out the joy it gives me. Not that I would ever want to stand in the way of growth...

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    1. lynne hFebruary 9, 2014 at 12:55 PM

      ah anita, i don't think there's a chance that i'll be drawing realistically!! it just doesn't move me... which is a very good thing since i totally suck at realism... ; )

      love to you...

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  25. Annie CoeFebruary 8, 2014 at 7:34 AM

    Hi Lynne, I have missed you. I love your figures! And I don't like figures for the most part, but yours are magical.
    Keep up the good fun. Love and hugs. xoxo

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    1. lynne hFebruary 9, 2014 at 12:57 PM

      heya annie! as always, thanks for your nice words... and here's to both of us keeping up the good fun...

      xoxo

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  26. MihaelaFebruary 13, 2014 at 1:55 AM

    I love the first two figures! The colours and their expression is just great!

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  27. Carmen February 13, 2014 at 6:23 AM

    I love seeing how you figure things out. You're right - we can read all the books in the World but we need to get our hands dirty and flipping well try! Love your girls and your working outs.

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    1. lynne hFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:12 AM

      hey carmen! smiling to see you, and thank you!

      xoxo

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  28. Kathie VezzaniFebruary 16, 2014 at 8:54 AM

    Lynne, Jane Davenport has wonderful course on how to draw bodies using her special technique. You'll love it.

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  29. PeregrineBlueFebruary 19, 2014 at 12:04 AM

    So so glad to see you back. I was getting worried something might have happened, but now i see it has been all about what you love most. Please please list some of your work although it goes fast; we just bought a house and your spirit must, absolutely must be present here in the form of one of your whimsical creations. Oh how happy i am to see you back. Xoxo

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