Don’t you just love the look of happy tourists? Goofy, giddy, and hanging out far from their mainland commitments.
(Click to enlarge)
(3″ x 5″ pen & ink with watercolor wash on paper)
Displayed artwork © 2019 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
When I’m not sure how to get my hands moving, my ‘go to’ subject matter lately is faces. Quick sketches, usually one-liners, distorted and that’s what I love about them.
This one in particular is a favorite because I cannot read his expression. Is it disgust, boredom, disbelief, exhaustion, disdain, contempt, interest, confusion? He shows great concentration and appears almost ready to speak. What do think he’ll say?
(Reference: photo of Robert Mueller) (Click to enlarge)
(3″ x 5″ pen & ink with watercolor wash on Moleskine®)
Displayed artwork © 2019 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
While in central CA a couple of months back we reconnected with Peter and Jean — great friends from WAAAY back. I knew Jean’s creative streak ran strong. Everything she touches — food, decor, gardening, art — exudes a warmth of nurture. I finally got to view her home gallery of oil painting ‘experiments.’ Wow!
Methinks the next addition on their sprawling property needs to be an art studio so this gal can get to business!
(Click any image to enlarge)
Jean Smidth, San Luis Obispo artist.
Her various styles and experiments in oil…
I’m stealing this guy next time. Love the spontaneous strokes.
(various sizes, oil on various media)
Displayed artwork © 2017 Jean Smidth. All rights reserved.
The little girl on this New Yorker cover is so uninhibited and carefree — not a worry in the world. She’s surrounded by focused adults all trying to push somewhere through the seasonal chill. The little girl pays them no mind. She’s in a world of her own, too. A very different world. This is what I suspect she may be imagining in that playful brain of hers…
(click image to enlarge)
(5″ x 5″ pen and watercolor on sketch paper)
Displayed artwork © 2016 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
Posted in Pen & Ink, Watercolor
Tagged girl, juggler, pen and ink, portrait, sketch, snowball, watercolor
(Click any image to open full gallery)
Normally we “take our hats off” to someone we salute. In this case we “put our hats ON” in support of a mutual friend and soon-to-be-divorcée—and PARTIED through a 4-course gourmet-catered dinner hosted by our hat aficionado and hostess with the ‘mostess’, Kay.
This super addictive technique (learned from Carla Sonheim) involves quickly drawing with ink using droppers, and immediately blotting the wet lines with toilet paper. The uncontrollable results make laughable caricatures. None of these resembles its reference photo, but that’s not the point. It’s all for the fun of it—just like the party. Cheers!
Displayed artwork © 2016 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
You just never know what an aimless session of doodling will turn into.
(click image to enlarge)
(4.5″ x 5″ pen and watercolor on sketch paper)
Displayed artwork © 2015 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
Posted in Pen & Ink, Watercolor Pencil
Tagged flowers, girl, hug, pen and ink, portrait, sketch, watercolor
Another eyedropper creation. Took all of about one minute.
This is based on a favorite old photo of my great-nephew Linus. This makes him look older and indeed he’s a much bigger boy now but still carries that look of wonder on his face. Alway a curious little guy.
I like the simple black and white here. But, I’m tempted to colorize it using either pastels or digitally. What do you think?
(click image to enlarge)
(7″ x 10″ india ink on plain paper using an eyedropper)
Displayed artwork © 2015 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
(Here is his reference photo.)
Here’s a belly laugh to start your work week. She’s shrieking with delight over something. Can’t you almost hear her unsolicited spontaneous outburst? Make your week fun, everyone. Belly laugh at least once!
(click image to enlarge)
(5″ x 5″ pen on paper with digital gray background gradient)
Displayed artwork © 2015 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
I could study Amadeo Modigliani‘s portraits for hours. Though he stretches his subject’s features to caricature, a likeness of the person remains and their personality seems to project.
Final lesson #6 of Kids Art Week introduces a simplified version of his technique. My reference photo was a poor one of me hiking with my favorite sun hat. I look NOTHING like this lithe, blue-eyed young woman, unfortunately. So, on that score I did not succeed as Modigliani may have. The hat, however, is quite believable.
(click images to enlarge)
(4″ x 5″ graphite and Caran D’Ache® water soluble sticks on sketch paper)
Displayed artwork © 2015 Kim Reading. All rights reserved.
Posted in Graphite, Water soluble sticks
Tagged girl, graphite, hat, Modigliani-esque, portrait, watercolor
I stumbled on amazing art displays at the Seattle and Oakland terminals recently. JACKPOT! ding ding ding ding ding…
I was suddenly in an art gallery. Now THAT’s the way to kill the airport blues.
This painting stopped me in my tracks. Doesn’t it have a great mood? I stared at this for a looooooooong time. These little ladies will surely be buddies for life, right? We cannot see their faces, but we completely get what they are all about.
It is entitled: Sister Hoods. The original is 72″ x 72.” This version on the OAK wall was much smaller. I love the sense of comfort and safety this evokes. And the loose background swirls and drips add layers of mystery and curiosity.
(click image to enlarge)
(Sister Hoods by artist Hung Liu – 72″ x 72″ paint on canvas)
Artwork © 2003 Hung Liu
The artist is Hung Liu. Here is her biosketch (click to read larger size) :
Find your own sense of art fun with these treasures by Carla Sonheim. Great art projects to explore with kids, friends, or just you and your tools.
a r t i c k l e 