Sketch Books

I have a reoccurring problem and I am curious if other artists have the same issue. I carry a sketch book with me, pretty much everywhere, as I am sure most other artists do. My problem is that many people ask to look at it. Now, while I enjoy showing my finished work or even final WIP, I am really reticent to let anyone see my sketch book. I don't know about other artists sketch books but mine is a mess. I have seen pictures of so called sketch books that are filled with pristine, smudge free, reproduction ready art and it just makes me roll my eyes. My sketch book is filled with half started, super sloppy sketches that you would need a Rosetta stone to figure out. It is all stick figures, gesture drawings and hastily scribbled ideas that I am trying to get out before my brain races too far forward and I lose the idea. It all makes perfect sense to me, but on the rare occasion I have handed over my book for others to peruse I am always met with the snarky little smiles and condescending looks as they hand it back. I can read the 'Wow, you think you are an artist? You suck." right in their eyes. I stopped letting people look, but I have had perfect strangers actually get offended that I won't hand over my book.

To be honest, if I didn't know me, and looked through my book, I would have thought it belonged to a below average 4 year old or an above average chimpanzee. I take the scribbles and later turn them into final drawings and or paintings. Some get half finished in the book if I am trying to work out a detail or light source, but mostly not. So, tell me, what does your sketch book look like? is it all scribbles and ideas for later or do you work out final pieces? Do you ever let people look at your sketch book?

Lend a Hand?

I have entered three of my photographs in a contest at Fine Art America. They have a chance to be selected for international exposure on the sites television commercial! I need to 250 votes to move on to the next level of the competition. Please follow the links below to each picture and vote for me!

Thank you!

-Anastasia

Pale Pink

Coyote 3

Gator 8

Black and White

'Black and White' is an exercise in pointilism, or stipling, which means that no lines were used to draw the image; the entire picture is created by making tiny dots on the paper! I used india ink and a croquill on bristol paper for creating this picture. It is not an art form I use often, but I do enjoy it quite a bit, especially when the right image comes along. It takes more time than a regular drawing and it will make your hand cramp up like you never thought possible, but the end results are beautiful.

I thought a zebra would be the perfect subject matter. This is a Grevy's zebra, which are very endangered.

Ebb and Flow of Inspiration

Why is it that I can have weeks where I cannot decide on or figure out something to draw or paint, but when I actually get commissioned to work on something I can't get more than a day into it with out a hundred other awesome ideas floating to the surface that all demand that I work on them right away??

Even if I write them down and come back to them the spark isn't always there to pick up the project later. I'm trying to be good and work on the project that someone has actually paid for, but I'm literally twitching to start these other paintings. I know that I could work on multiple projects at one time (gods know that the Kubert school teaches you how to do that if you learn nothing else ) but I know that these other projects will consume my muse and the actual commission will keep getting pushed further and further behind.

I know why, really. When I start on something it gets the creativity flowing which brings on the ideas, but I felt the need to whine. I am seriously thinking about starting multiple projects so that I have something to work on while I wait for something else to dry. I can't keep turning to Farmville, it's sucking away my life lol.

Thanks for listening!

Just Hatched

"Just Hatched" is an image I had bouncing around in my head for YEARS. I could never really pin it down or get it out on paper until a contest came about that forced me to finally sort it out. I was happy to learn that "Just Hatched" was picked to be in a calendar of fantasy baby animals.

I have a pestering feeling to find out what his siblings look like. One day I may hatch them out of their eggs as well.

Original size is 15.5"x12.5". I used a mixture of  india ink, watercolor, gouache and acrylic paints.

Tattered

I plan on showcasing one of my artworks or photos every now and again with some back story and descriptions. There is a story behind almost every piece of art and a great many of my photographs that never really gets shared and I think that some people may find them interesting.

I am going to start with 'Tattered'.

This painting is smaller, only 7.5"x6.5". It was done on heavy bristol paper using Dr. PH Marten Dyes, a type of watercolor. The story behind it is that this is actually a painting done from a photograph that I took over a decade ago at the Cockerell Butterfly Exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Houston, TX. It was taken on my old Canon Rebel 35mm camera.

I was wandering through this wonderful exhibit and taking many shots of the thousands of free flying butterflies when this little guy landed near me on a leaf. He sat there for a time, opening and closing his shredded wings and I managed to get a couple of shots of him before he picked up and fluttered towards the ceiling where I lost sight of him. I stood there watching for a few moments, humbled by the little tattered butterfly. They only live a few days to a few weeks maximum and this little fellow had obviously been through a lot, yet he flew about like nothing was wrong, ignorant of the fact that his wings were torn enough that flight should have been impossible.