ink wash

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Sweet Lily Girl

I put out a call to my Facebook friends for pets to practice my line work and inkwash on this year. I was planning to pull out of a hat, lottery style, but I could not do it. How can we reject any of these precious pets? Fortunately the submissions were manageable and I have been working on these Inktober submissions until all are done. Here is the final one and rounds out 2022 on a lovely note.

I chose to do more line and a large brush wash on her.

Sweet Lily appeared on an ornament commission a few years ago! It was fun to revisit her cute face in another medium.

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Inktober Portrait

I am running way behind on posting to the blog! If you want to catch me in real time, I can also be found on Facebook or Instagram. Instagram has short process reels starting to appear also, as I am learning how to create them (and overcome my nerves!)

This year I am wanting to work more seriously on my portraiture. So I asked a coworker if I could draw his son, whom I met at a company BBQ, thus the company hat and keychain. He was such a delight to work on and my first Inktober piece. Nothing like warming up to the inks in the most intense way possible! When Jasper saw his picture he told his dad he wanted it on his wall. What a sweet compliment!

I did the entire piece with a pencil sketch, then this brush dipped in Higgins black waterproof ink (and a raccoon mug of water.) Again – Inktober was about working on the balance of tones and values with the ink. I saw myself progress as the month did. I doubt an artist every feels they have arrived, though, so I have learned to just accept where I am, knowing with each piece I am growing my skill.

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Inktober 2021 Day 22 – Open

Probably the biggest influence on my love of getting involved with endangered species is the story of the Bald Eagle.

In the 1970s when I was a kid we never saw these magnificent birds in Indiana. Due to pesticides and hunting they were killed off. But between 1985 and 1988, 73 bald eagles from Alaska and Wisconsin were raised and released at Lake Monroe in Bloomington.

Today, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources reports nests in 88 of the state’s 92 counties.Now I can go out and sometimes even see one flying over my house! What a comeback! So encouraging. We can do this if we really put ourselves to it!

Photo reference is much thanks to Lisa Minica. You can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/naturewalker68/

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Inktober Day 12 – Stuck (or un-stuck)

Sea turtles are a favorite, for sure!

This one falls under the “look for the helpers” and “good people doing good things”.

I am keen on the work being done to clean up the oceans and sea turtle rescue and rehab around the world. I love the stories of successful releases and find them very encouraging. The stuck part of this is the tendency of sea turtles to get caught in abandoned fishing nets, but the people at various conservancies and rescues do much to “un-stuck” those turtles and rehab them. They also track and protect their eggs on various beaches. What cool work to be involved in!

Here in my land-locked state, we also rescue smaller turtles quite frequently, and that has been a joy to be a part of. So go rescue a turtle when you see one “stuck” somewhere. Just remember, for land turtles, head them safely in the direction they were going and do not remove them from their habitat unless they are injured and need rehab. Our land turtles do not range far and get disoriented easily.

I follow The Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys, as well as the Turtle Conservancy.