Winter Reflections - Continued

This tree has been staring at me for over a week. I just couldn't figure out how the branches interweaved and I wasn't quite sure how to continue. Well today, I must have been in the right mindset because in about 3 hours here is the result.... I have actually signed this piece but I will let it sit for a while and see if anything else needs to be adjusted. The contrast between this bold and expressive tree and the subtle barn is striking.

I'm finally working on the tree! Now I am just trying to figure out those branches going every which way!

Here is an update...slowly working through the face of the barn and the tree shadows.


Well, I finally got into the "feeling" of the shadows. It took me a bit of experimenting to figure out just how to work with the shadows. I am lightly layering using 2H, blending with a tortillion and then layering with a 7H to get a smooth finish. I am making sure that the horizontal boards of the barn are passing through the shadows.

My Studio!

I am so excited! With the purchase of a new printer and a used drafting table (and with permission from my husband), I have changed one of the rooms in our house into a studio! I am so proud of it, I just wanted to share with everyone! You can see one of our cats , Copper, making himself comfortable on my chair!

Winter Reflections

This indeed has become a challenging drawing! I have decided that I need to take the sky at least three shades darker. This will allow me to have a wider tonal range available to work with on the white face of the barn. My reference photo is also lacking details of the barn boards that I would love to see. It would be tempting to drive the 2 hours to just take some more photos, but that won't happen anytime soon. So I will have to use some creative artist license to create the details. This barn is a bit unusual for this area because the boards run horizontal not vertical, also the boards are very thin.


I have cropped the image so the composition will be a balanced and centered barn on the page. This drawing will have several challenges in that the tonal ranges will need to be even and balanced to create the illusion of a white barn. Also the tree reflection cannot be the primary subject matter but taking it's place as a secondary shadow across the face of the barn. The shadow cannot take on a texture or dimensionality of it's own.


I have been eyeing this barn for a number of years. But during a recent trip to NE Iowa I captured this photo with a beautiful new layer of snow and wonderful tree reflections dancing across the face of this barn. It is located just east of Gladbrook, Iowa.

Mitchellville Barn - Series # 2

Here is another update. I have a feeling that I am done with this drawing. I lightly placed the grass and weeds in and at this moment they seem like it is all that it needs. I'm afraid if I make the weeds anymore pronounced it will take away from the scene.I really enjoy vacation time and being able to spend 'blocks of time' just devoted to drawing. When I am able to concentrate on a drawing, it really provides a continuity to the overall drawing.

I am continuing to work on the barn....developing each board as I go as well as the shingles on the roof...... This barn is about ready to collapse upon itself, creating some beautiful and unique angles and openings to work with. The play of the light as it hits the angled sides also adds interest....




Well, vacation time is flying by and don't want to waste a minute! This is of the Mitchellville Barn - Series #2. This barn is just 5 miles north of town and I have been taking photos of this place for the past 5 years. It became abandoned after the flood of '93 and is now considered a wetland reserve area. The first drawing I did was from a photo taken 4 years ago. This photo I took this summer. Time is quickly taking it's toll on the barn as well as a few people scavenging the boards off. I was having a particularly challenging day at work and was driving home in a bad mood. I looked at the clouds and thought - oh great - sure now I need to go home and get my camera and take pictures of these incredible clouds! But maybe it will put me in a better mood. I hurried home, got my camera, and went to my favorite hangout - this barn. (Which is the last old barn close by my home!) I got the best photos I have ever taken of this barn and perhaps the best photos I have ever taken. Just as soon as I finished my photo shoot and jumped back in the car, the skies let loose and it poured cats & dogs! Needless to say, work was forgotten and I was feeling great! That day, everything happened for a reason and timing was everything. I've been itching to draw this one ever since.

Garden Shed Continued

I am now calling this one completed! I darkened the left side of the building just a bit, darkened the chimney and added just a touch more detail in the flowers in the lower right. Can you notice these subtle changes? My newest friend in this drawing is a technique called burnishing that I learned from Mike's new book - Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley. I used 6H over HB to create wonderful even tones and was able to enhance details so much better.


Almost finished.... I have darkened and lightened and pushed and pulled the darks, textures and highlights of this drawing to the extremes.

After a busy holiday season, I have finally been able to get back to this drawing! I have worked on darkening the trees in the background, created the flowers in the front of the shed and have darkened the building up to show the sun highlights more distinctly. It's getting closer to being completed!

At a recent visit to Living History Farms, I found out that this was not used as a garden shed, but it was used as a summer kitchen! During the late 1800's, to keep the main house cool during the hot summer months, this small building was used to cook the meals in.

Happy Holidays!

Just wanted to share with everyone Holiday Greetings!

Garden Shed

The foliage is so complex and dense in this drawing that it is taking me quite a while to build up the layers. Every so slowly it seems to be appearing on the page.




I have been working on the background slowly building up the dense foliage of the trees. I have also started on the garden. Have you noticed that I removed the plant hanger in the center of the drawing. At this point I am not sure if I will adding it back in or not. My perspective angles are slightly off on the front window. I will need to do some minor adjusting as the downward slant is just a bit too much. I have been using 2H lead in a .05 mm mechanical pencil. Paper is Strathmore Bristol Smooth and is approximately 10" x 14".




Just a small update as I got to spend a little time last night working on the background.

Here is another Living History Farm Series drawing. This is of a beautiful gardening shed that is north of the Flynn House. I hope to capture the essense of the flower garden - even in black and white!


Here is my reference photo: