I haven't posted any new art this past month because of a failed computer. Hopefully, the situation is remedied.  This post compares a before and after depiction of a mountain sheep. Originally the subject closely resembled another realistic pastel drawing and I was experimenting with different colored papers. In the end it was pretty boring, so I decided to play around with color. Earlier this summer I read on another blog that "Value does all the work but color gets all the credit." So I decided to see if that were true and play with more abstract colors. Which do you like better?

Big Horn Sheep: Experiment with Colored Paper

I decided to do the same drawing twice on different paper using pastels. The subject was a big horn sheep photo by my buddy Paul. He is  a docent at the LA zoo and provides an endless supply supply of fauna photos and encouragement.

So, of the two nearly completed drawings in the final photo which do you prefer, the golden background or the gray one?

North Rim

Last week, for our family vacation we spent a few days at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Each morning I crawled out of bed and over my sleeping spouse to sketch the sunrise greet the canyon. After the first day I gave up trying to work in color and settled on Pen and Ink. Here are a couple of sketches.

I called this spot with the lonely pine Reception Point because it was one place in the campground where I could get cell service.

This is an unfinished view, but it was cold on the edge and breakfast was calling.

We pitched our tents among a group of aspens.

This dune study was done at the Guadalupe Dunes complex about ten miles from my home in Santa Maria. For those familiar with the area, this is where the Oso Flaco boardwalk approaches the shore (I removed the boardwalk from the photo.

If I'm drawing bears, I must be thinking about Yosemite. I plan to make several versions of this bear, experimenting with different types of paper. This paper is actually sandpaper (museum quality, of course). The next drawing will be on a more traditional type of paper.

This rooster was complete last week-end, the final weekend in April. I used a table place mat as an example.

Four White Horses

I tried to convey a sense of wind and coolness with a limited palette, but the palette kept growing. Completed during the week end of April 28-29.