what's been happening...

 It's autumn...  which is just SO crazy...  but colors are beautifully stunning...  even though every thing is dead... O.o

I really, really wish I had more to show with my time absent from most of the computer world...  but first seen stars are not always reliable.  So,  here is just a few peeks into my...  for lack of more creative word:  life.

It always amuses me how many times you have to do drafts before final outcome.

 Reference photos from my grandparents woods,  so many amazing- lovely,  gnarly trees!!!

 :) my absolutely favorite kind.

I found that you can draw on guitar picks,  as long as it's not a glossy cover. Now,  to find some without logos and half of my friends Christmas gifts completed! ;)

Hat-tip (and big high five) to anyone who can recognize my inspiration for my pumpkin. (maws- hahaha! )



And, guess that's it folks.  It is now tomorrow and I have to work  in the early morning (but not in my sketchbook...  sadness), and then am going to see Fiddler on the Roof at the theater house with my sister.  Can't wait.
I'll leave you with this illustration of my rice maker...  just days before it went to kitchen appliance heaven.
(this is a totally correct drawing in the anatomy of it by the way,  not making any of this up: )

Much love!




Stuck in my head at moment:  "This Kiss " feat: Alex Day and Carrie Fletcher  :)

Guess what just came in the mail...? (just a little WIP)

36 Prismacolor pencils! (in love here with them - I love color)

Medium: Prismacolor pencils

=)

More later,

-Bethie

Tromping friends

Medium: Watercolors on 140lb watercolor smooth paper

Oi! Where has time gone - it's nearing the middle of JULY! *jaw-drop*

Two little sweet 'ums for today. Many blessings all.

(I'm looking into obtaining a camera... scanner doesn't truly do the best job with the original colors. Looking, looking, looking =)

Tribute to Alaska

Medium: watercolors

Hurrah! I actually took pictures while painting, so that you can see my techniques and general craziness of going about things. I got this idea to do a tribute to Alaska when I was looking at pictures of different moose, and sketching them (they are so fun looking!) and just kind of thought it would be fun to sketch my favorite mountain of Alaska behind it... (Pictured below) And than this just kind of... came to be. =)

Flattop mountain (my pic)

Here's the simplified sketch on 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper that was my start after compiling different elements from my sketch book (not shown)...

I first off used some fisket (masking fluid) to preserve the most important whites and areas that I didn't want the possibility of smudging or me just messing it up=)

Painting wise, I started with the sky first (I go back and fourth with starting or not starting at the top - just matters on the mood that I happen to be in at the time). Wetting some corners, letting it all run together and then using a paper towel to slightly dab away at the more intense edges to make them softer.

Moving onto the mountains (flattop is real, while the one behind it is just put there simple for the purpose of the artist quality for the painting)...

And than I created a heavy mist between the mountains and the loose evergreen tress (wet on wet).

After the first layer of trees dried completely, I added detail to the closer ones... as well as put a medium ground in (wet in wet again).

Adding mud, grass and small rocks (it is Alaska people =)...

I then cleared all the fisket out, and layered in another layer of foreground, as well as the distant field.

And on to the MOOSE! Did the legs, then added in my deepest values...  Added depth to the piles of snow...

Mr.Moose almost finished, layer two and three...

And than - Finished! Added some last minute details and am calling it a night...

13x8

My desk afterwards - not all that bad actually. =)

EDIT:

I'm so excited, and yet at the same time kind of sad. I just sold this painting, my first ever painting to ever be bought...
Let the new chapter begin!

The grand arrival

Medium: watercolors and ink

A small card I made for my dear friend for her baby shower - I'm a Aunt! (or rather a honorary aunt - but I love it for all it is).

Ocean inside me

Medium: 2B

Funny thing about this is that when I got up the nerve to show some of my family this picture, I warned them that it was a little abstract (They always grimace when the "A" word is mentioned... and I used to as well... but now I have found my appreciation for the abstract as well as the fine art. I don't judge them together because you just... can't), and my dad nodded at me and took this sketch and looked at it. And looked, and looked and looked...
To be honest, I got a really, ton, a lot but mostly little-ish nervous. =)
He finally said that, yes, it was abstract, but he could see it now, "you're looking out of a cave!"
*facepalm*

Oh well. I tried. (and if it's not just my lovable family and I truly need to work more on this, it's a figure with the ocean inside it... =)
All that said, when I said that I had to get my nerve up to show to my family, I feel like I should explain. I love my family, and they love looking at whatever I show them.
My only hesitation is that I sometimes don't believe them (does that sound bad - hopefully you can understands what I mean=)... and lots of the time I just want the hard truth ("you need to work more on this!").
There are times when all I want to do is hide up in a hole and draw and paint and not show anybody!
I sometimes hesitate (who am I kidding, I hesitate every time!) whenever I show/post a drawing/painting... I'm not afraid of harsh critics (I can only dream of them), rather, I'm afraid of myself... of what sort of monster I'll become if I keep showing people, and they "ooo" and "aahhh" over my work, say it's pretty or whatever... I get scared that I'll just stop. Right there. That praise alone will get good enough for me (and my pride, my horrible, nagging pride will get the better of me, has in the past so I don't doubt it will in the future. By God's grace alone I stand).
I don't know... I'm sometimes hope I'm just overeating in my head... but other times, I think I'm making sense (sort of, in a rambling kind of way I guess).
If you've read this- I'm impressed... (I don't even know if I would have!)

Anywho - Happy Sketching everyone!

Waterfall

Medium: Watercolors (16x12)

First off, I just want to dedicate this post to the Artist behind it all at the Blue Chair Diary Illustrations. Much love and prayers Alexandra.

This is another something that I did in a class I'm taking at the local collage - lets just say it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. To prove it, here are my two demo's (aka epic failures) that I did at the beginning of class:

(sorry 'bout the dark lighting - I live in Seattle area!)

Here's the value picture I roughly based the painting after...

And then the close ups.

Thanks for coming by!

Sir Roost

Medium: watercolors (9x12)
(it makes me so sad when I see that the scanner puts a large shadow along the top half - darn)

Got to paint my first rooster in my first class in watercolors this past week. Was totally new and exciting. Although, it's being proven to me more and more that I am very much a self-taught person. I so tired of waiting (or annoyed when I'm left behind)... guess that being home schooled has put upon myself to teach myself, and to not be afraid of researching. =P (it was fun to use wax as saving the paper. Very neat-o affect for the tail feathers I think -almost a dry brush affect look...-)

Joining Paint Party Friday! So excited to see everyone else' creations!

Blessings on you

Scars on the trees

Medium: HB and 2B pencils

 Just a quick sketch I did of a tree on my grandparents property that was first destroyed by the ice and wind storm a few months ago, and then was relieved of its branches. I am very happy of this sketch because it has that sort of  'harsh beauty' that I see everywhere.



And then this is me relieving myself of stress... =D Hi-yah! ;)

Medium: 2B pencil

Illustration Tuesdays

Medium: HB pencil

Last night I was all alone, taking care of a sick old doggy (I love her so much - poor thing) and pulled out my series of A&E's Hornblower and sketchbook. And while some people would consider watching a movie by themselves a lonely thing, living in a house that is always full to bursting (ten and sometimes more people living here) its sometimes nice for some peace and quite. It's also fun for myself because when I'm watching a show, such as Hornblower, that I can giggle, overreact at things and in general put aside my normal coolness (oh yeah baby) to just enjoy a good show (of course, some would argue that Hornblower is the definitions of coolness... and I would agree). =)

Anywhoo, thought I would try and illustrate how I watch Hornblower... all curled up and hand over mouth (and sometimes eyes).

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Fierce

Medium: watercolor

Wondering if I'm not the only one who talks and gets giggly/scared at some drawings... I've seen brown bears up close at a rescue zoo in Alaska (see post here... scroll towards the bottom)... relived some of those memories while sketching and painting this out. =}

Most of the time as artist, we only portray the beauty - because it's almost easier. And I can say that because I do - sometimes all I want to sketch out is a pretty girl, doing something epic and exciting. But at times to stretch yourself and start climbing higher up the ladder of experience - we have to put ourselves in situations, and our characters and subjects, into something that's not always pretty.

I never want to be someone who just stop making things that I think are pretty, beautiful and lovely - but I also want to be able to do things that don't fit into that category. Anywho - just rambling here.

... darn... I forgot about daylight savings - technically it's midnight right now.. =P urg.

Bravery of the mind is a powerful thing

Medium: HB pencil

Just a quick sketch that I did for a friend. =)

  As I began to draw this, I was thinking about how nervous I am to be starting a class next month. I'm taking a watercoloring class that is both scary and exciting!

Wish me luck!

MUCH love to you all!

Arctic prayer

Medium: watercolors

Finally pulled out the paints after a three month break (this being the second one I've done, the first is hardly noticeable - nothing in it holds any value but I might post it sometimes - learning by mistakes is the best way to move forward!) - I'm still using student quality watercolors (except for one tube of Danial Smith Brunt Sienna that I use in the blanket) so trying to get the look I want is a challenge - but a interesting one as well, I feel myself growing with each new breakthrough that I encounter. =P

Feel free to critique this - I want feed back and even though all of your wonderful comments of how you like what I've done is great and all that (makes me smile) I would also love it if you had something to share, either the way you work your way through something or if you have something that could help me along.

Merry Sunday!

Merry Sundays to you all!

Zoo Sketches - Study in animals (2/6/2012)

Medium: 2B pencil

While at the zoo last week with my mom and youngest sibs, I was able to pull away to watch the polar bears at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. It was so amazing, there were two of them, and they were for sure the most active animals I've seen in the zoo in a long time. They were swimming (there was a underwater viewing point) and wrestling (as well as a ground level point) - and later on I got to see them being fed.

All in all it was a good day (warmish - high 50'sF - and sunny) if not for the only low point these two being the only showable pieces.

Blessings friends!

Medium: Fine point sharpie

Make a point of telling those you love that you do appreciated them and all they do. Much love to all of my followers - you've all made my day many times over.

♥!

Pre-valentines day short comic

Medium: fine point sharpie

For all of the odd valentine couples out there  -  this is for you. =)

Study in movement 2/8/2012 and Sunday Sketch

Medium: HB and 2B pencils

As most are beginning to realize about me - I use my little sibs quite a bit in my sketching and inspiration, as well as random modeling for me. This little sketch was first started when I glanced out of my window to see Abs playing in the empty garden just like above - but then, to my disappointment as I feverishly tried to put her features on paper, she jumped up and came inside (it was a very blustery day and the strong winds scared her). I looked down at what I put down.... not enough for me to get that realistic movement that I've been striving for.  So, I dragged her in to my room with promises of treats and toys (maw-ha-ha - trickery is my game!) and was able to get this down. It's only a sketch but I want to redo it in a larger size soon.
(Thanks so much Sophia for hosting Sunday Sketches!)
Much love everyone - happy sketching!

Trails sketch pages

Medium: 2B pencil

Just some ideas for a new blog makeover that will be happening soon. More later.

Day: Three of Seven

Medium: 2H Pencil

I don't usually draw cats/pets. Or post them... But this was the only thing I was able to actually sketch today with trying to deep clean the whole house (stuck inside from the the snow - now it's all melting... drip... drip... drip). So, here it is!!! =)
Hope you all are having a good week - Be Outrageous.

PS
 I would love some of your thoughts on my sketchings. I love feedback and would love to get to know you all better.
-B
PPS
(Some of you will have noticed that I've changed my profile name from my nickname -Libby Libster- to Bethie... Hopefully that won't be too much of an confusion=)

Day: Two of Seven

Medium: HB and no.555 pencils

Being another snow day here - I was inspired to draw this little lady. Early this morning I pulled on my boots, coat and gloves - wrapped my wee brother up in a blanket and trekked out to the barn to feed the critters. I had too much fun walking to and from though. I kept on imaging the story of East of the Sun, West of the Moon tales (there are so many versions) and pretending in my own little mind that I was the maiden and that Gus was my child. We giggled after it over some hot tea inside.

Many blessings on everyone this week - more tomorrow!