Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Cross-Hatching Practicing

Cross Hatch of my son Max's face


When you have a New pen ... 
...don't you want to see what it can do... 
don't you want to start playing, to see where the lines take you...  


I do.



 Cross Hatch of my son Max's Ear


...don't you want to see what it has to say...
....anything  and everything... to be true.

...don't you want to see who or what is hiding inside... 
or what is on its mind?


I do.






.... drawn from a photograph of my son...when he was younger and had hair...   for now he has shaved it all off...  

...funny how one gets used to seeing hair on a head and how strange a shaved head looks initially when you are not expecting it... shocking really, when you love hair as much as I do..  it has been a while now and I'm trying to get used to it... 



...OptiFlow Needles pen ... Ear approx. 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" .... Portrait approx. 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" 

... I found the ink not to be waterproof.. although it flowed beautifully when using it... so as long as your image is protected afterward, I guess it would be ok..   

...and I was disappointed that I made a wrinkle in my paper...  (just above his upper lip)  ...darn...


41 comments:

Jasmine said...

It is so nice to see you back. I think you must be a perfectionist as i can see no wrinkles, only beautiful art!

Priya Sebastian said...

Glad you are back :)

Anet said...

I just knew that was Max:)
He shaved off all his wonderful curls?!

Amazing, all the tiny lines to make Max:)
Really amazing!

ArtPropelled said...

Yay, you're back!!
And you didn't even have to warm up .... beautiful drawings, Gwen.

rachel said...

Glad you're back. Don't go away again.

alaine@éclectique said...

Welcome back; love how your posts just flow on with no date mentioned and it's been a while. :) Also love the ink portrait; you're so talented.

Hillary said...

You never really went away... good to see some more drawings though.

cathyswatercolors said...

It's so wonderful to read your elegant posts once again. Lovely sketch.

Penny said...

So glad you are back. I didnt see a wrinkle. Lovely sketch.

Guillaume said...

I'm glad that you are blogging again, I have been missing you and your art.

George said...

These are wonderful sketches, Gwen. You're quite an accomplished artist. Glad you are back. I'm looking forward to your posts.

Wanda..... said...

I've been exploring your lovely blog while you were away!
...Wanda

Lorena said...

Beautiful work. How was your hiatus?

Owen said...

Some things are well worth waiting for in life as in blogs...

Love the sketches...

VioletSky said...

you have been missed.
how is the new studio?
lovely sketch, you've hidden the wrinkles well!

Ruth said...

Ah, crosshatch, mosshatch - whatever you do, I want to see it. Great to see you and these beautiful crosshatches on your son. Pen & ink is the best.

Shelley said...

Gwen,
So nice to see that you have still found time. Black Rose and I shall be around weekend next - perhaps we will stop for tea and the shop we will see. Missin' you my Seaside Friend. (PS. A wrinkle you have nowhere my dear).

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hey All!!! you are all so very sweet... Thank you!!

... yes it has been a while... been waiting for the world to slow down but seeing that is not going to happen.. I wanted to dive back in and say "Hi" and Hope you are all keeping well!!!

... the Studio is coming along nicely, far from being finished yet but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel..
... everything sure does take longer than expected!! Pictures soon.. Anybody have a Magic Wand???

Alina said...

Glad you're back! Those drawings look perfect to me, I kept searching for a "wrinkle" but could not find it :0)

Lynne with an e said...

Ah, cross-hatching: the light and the dark, lending shadow and depth. Yours looks good. I am never happy with my cross-hatching. Too impatient, I guess. It's been good to see signs of life being sent up from you lately. Glad you're back on the blog.

Shayla said...

I love your lines and it is such a pleasure to have a new pen. Nice to see you again, Gwen :)

He shaved his head? That must have been quite a shock. From photos it was clear he had quite a head of hair.

mansuetude said...

Love photo frm window. Hard to write on tiny iPod. Hope spring is up in your soil.

A Heron's View said...

You are very talented person, cross hatching is something I was never very good at. Shame about the water curl and I have found that pre stretched sketching pads sometimes do that to.
As to we boys shaving our heads :) I actually feel more alert when I cut the hair down to the wood!

Gwen Buchanan said...

thanks for overlooking my dents Alina...

...aw Louciao, there has been life here behind the scenes but it is all in deciding which direction to go in!!

Shayla I think my inability to adjust is that I came for the seventies, "AGE of HAIR"

... spring has sprung indeed, M. .. tiny ipod meant for tiny messages..I need to do some transplanting... low maintenance only...

...amusingly "Heron's View" that's the way I feel when I remember to pull my hair back out of my eyes.. there must be some connection.. clarity for sure!!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Gwen, that sketch is incredible! I don't know how you do it, but you do it!

Anonymous said...

Nice drawing of your son. It's funny how some people take a while getting use to a change and others, like myself, are the opposite. My son could come out with a Mohawk and 20 piercings, and it wouldn't take any getting use to for me. It's weird.

Gwen Buchanan said...

thanks girls... yep, he has a Mohawk now, that followed about 1 1/2 mos after.. the reason I was not used to it is, this is the first time ever in his whole life his hair has ever been short and shaved at that.. I have resolved myself to it now.. it's his head.. he can decorate it or undecorate it, anyway he wants.. I now relinquish my desires on his head.. he is the same but different.. or is that different but the same... anyway, kids grow up and want to express themselves... I did...

sandy said...

OH no, not all his curls. Your drawing reminds me of how much I want to get back into mine. I like your cross hatched sketch.

Gwen Buchanan said...

yes indeed.. Gone... like Yesterday...

Seth said...

Always good to see you back online! Hope all is well and life is good. Thanks for sharing these wonderful drawings.

rivergardenstudio said...

Dear Gwen, i love your drawing of Max with his curles. I'm still not used to Chris's beard. All his male teachers are jealous! I haven't done any pen and ink drawings for so long. You make me miss it. Also love the ear. I hope your weekend is magical. roxanne

Oldfool said...

Now you've got me hooked on it and it's hard. I don't have the talent you have but I'm hooked never-the-less.

Arija said...

Hallo my friend!

If it takes a new pen to excite you and post the fun you had, please buy lots of art materials at regular intervals. I for one have missed your posts very much.

Hope everything and body is happy and well around you.

Love Arija

Gwen Buchanan said...

Seth, Roxanne, Old Fool(who's not) and Arija, Thank you so much for the encouragement, you lovely people!!!

Steven Cain said...

Just found you via the Old Fool...Wonderful place you have here, hope you don't mind me browsing.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Stephen, glad you found your way here.. Lovely to have you!!

Lord Wellbourne said...

I am very happy that you have returned and are obviously still swimming in talent. I, too, have just returned from 'cybernation'. I shaved my head once--after a really bad dying experiment. Thank goodness it grows back and forgives you for your follies. I have decided that where my hair is concerned, nature knows best.

Gwen Buchanan said...

oh yes Nature, my Lord W ... we shall all relinquish to Nature...

Kathryn Dyche said...

Wow, that looks amazing. I wish I could draw.

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

Beautiful work :o)

Gwen Buchanan said...

DD and LSR, thank you, you are sweet!