WIP

8/31/2012 01:37:00 PM Edit This 8 Comments »
It's been mighty dry around here.  The farmer's field of soybeans behind us is turning yellow.  Corn is troubled, the grass is mostly brown and crispy, and flowers are dying despite my efforts at watering them.  But that's not the only dryness.  It's been a long, dry, spell for me artistically, too.  Oh, I've been busy with different things (including a wonderful week with our children and grandchildren!), but that aside, I've had trouble even coming up with something to draw.

So, I decided to return to an old standby .... copying portraits done by masters in pencil.  It's satisfying, challenging, and difficult for me, so it seems to fit the bill.  I've chosen to do William Warham,  by Holbein.  There's something wrong with my scanner and it takes an impossibly long time to scan something, so for now all I'm posting is my beginning sketch.  When I have more time, I'll also post the original that I'm working from.  One of the things I like about doing this is that I can sit on our front porch in the evening and do a bit of drawing while my sweetie reads the paper or plays with his iPad.  Even Abby, the dog, likes it!

So, here he is!











8 comments:

Vicki Holdwick said...

So nice to see you online, Nancy, and I think you are catching the likeness to the master's work quite well,

xoxo

Hwee said...

Copying Old Masters' drawings is one of the best ways to learn to draw. I haven't mustered up courage to do that yet, but it's certainly on my list of things to do! Your copy is well done!

Unknown said...

I hate that pencil art doesn't show well on the net. Not your fault of course just the nature of the technology. From what I can see the eyes and nose look so good.

Elsie Hickey Wilson said...

Wonderful sketch!

Unknown said...

It looks good, keep sketching & painting it's the only way not lose the habit ;)

Stefano said...

I'm not that good in pencils but you are so good and I like a lot your sketch. Really good work!

Cheers!

Mari Brown and Colourblob said...

Hello Nancy, good to see you back on line and drawing again : )

We had the worst dry spells here too, but then we finally got some rain in August... For somethings it was too late and it has been a rough going for the farmers here.

I like your portrait, very soft pencil work, very good and your drawings are really coming along.. Again, its great!!! I like seeing your portraits, but of course enjoy all your work : )

I hope you had a good summer and thank you for popping by my blog and for the comment.

Mari

meegan said...

wonderful drawing and great idea to sketch from the old masters. must do it sometime.