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Degas in Acrylics and Acrylic Inks

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Hello Friends!

This is another project I began last week. First I drew it lightly onto the canvas by eyeballing a picture of this painting from a book I have. I used a water soluble pencil for that. Then I painted it in acrylics and acrylic inks on a 12″x16″ canvas.

This project was done as an art challenge by my friend Debra who is also an artist. She asked if our other friend, Emma, and I would like to paint something from one of our favorite artists. She said I couldn’t pick Van Gogh, though, ha ha! (I have a sneaking suspicion that she is doing a Van Gogh!) But my absolute two favorites are Edgar Degas and Vincent van Gogh, so that was fine with me!

I have done this painting in watercolor before, but not as detailed. But I have never tried to do one of his in acrylics, so it was a lot of fun! I didn’t try to match the colors exactly. Besides, all the colors look different depending on which book I look in or looking at a picture on the internet, so that was no big deal.

This is my version from his painting called “Blue Dancers” which he painted in oils in Paris, c.1895. I think it has always been my favorite of all his ballerina paintings.

Have a wonderful day! 🙂

Pastel on Paper

 

Hello Friends!

Here is another pastel I have been working on. This is my rendition of a pastel Degas did on tracing paper called “Woman seen from behind, drying her hair.”

I drew mine in soft and oil pastels on drawing paper, measured at 10.5″ x 11″.

It was a challenge trying to get the layers of colors the way I wanted them.

I am off to physical therapy today…my shoulder is getting better every day

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀

 

 

Pastel of Another “Combing the Hair”

 

Hello Friends!

This is another rendition I did of one of the many  pastels Degas painted of women combing their hair. I like these works just as much as his ballerina paintings. I love how soft he could make them look but also put bold dark line work in certain places as well.

One of these days I am going to begin doing my own drawings from portraits of real people when I gain a little more confidence. I also know it is not “cheating” to trace just the main outlines of a face or body, because sometimes it is easier than eyeballing a photo to try to get the proportions correct.

In other news our daughter put up the Christmas tree for us today. So the living room is a little brighter now.

I went to physical therapy yesterday and was told I am progressing well. I am doing my exercises daily and still have my arm in the sling. I think it will be on for another week or two, but I can hardly wait for when I won’t need it anymore!

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀

 

 

Pastel Rendition of a Degas

 

Hello Friends!

I played around with my soft and oil pastels last week. I did this one early last week which is called “Group of Dancers” by Edgar Degas. In some of his pastels, his images are almost ghostly looking. Some of them have blurred line work which I love.

I will be posting another I drew of a different pastel he did later this week. I am still drawing left-handed and will be for quite some time. I started physical therapy this week and will go twice a week for a couple of months, then increase to three times a week later on.

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀

 

Degas Ballerina in Charcoal

 

Hello Friends!

Today I used a charcoal pencil to draw a Degas called “Melina Darde in Adagio Passage” in my sketchbook.

I still find the human figure the most challenging thing to draw. Perhaps this is why I keep copying Degas’s drawings and paintings. I feel like I am looking through his eyes which I believe saw and drew dancers uniquely.

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀

 

“Russian Dancer” in Mixed Media

 

Hello Friends!

This is my rendition of a Degas which he originally drew in pastel and charcoal on tracing paper. It is called “Russian Dancer.”

However, this morning I drew mine in my sketchbook with black pen, soft pastels, and oil pastels. It was quite fun!

I am going on three weeks of recovery from my shoulder surgery. I am doing well. We had another power outage this week, but fortunately, it was only for about 30 hours. I hope everyone has had a great week.

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀

 

 

Degas Charcoal Drawing

 

Hello Friends!

Here is another drawing I did the other day with charcoal on drawing paper. This is my rendition of Degas’s “Seated dancer pulling up her tights.”

As always, this was a challenge to do left-handed, but fun!

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 🙂

 

Soft Pastels on Tracing Paper

 

Hello Friends!

This is my rendition of Edgar Degas’s “Pink Dancer” which he did with pastels on paper. However, I did mine with my soft chalky pastels on tracing paper. He used this technique often in his studio when he worked on drawings.

I found it interesting and challenging. I often had to blow the excess pastels off of the paper to see the image so I could keep drawing,  but it was fun. I used my fingers to smooth some places, too

My drawing has a lot more blue in it than his but I like the way it glows.

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀

 

 

Shades of White Watercolor

 

Hello Friends!

Yesterday I practiced using different strengths of only two watercolors: Ivory Black and Paynes Grey, which has a tint of blue in it.

I found a different picture in my book about Degas which is one of several versions of pastel/charcoal drawings he did called “Woman combing her hair.”

I am really enjoying becoming ambidextrous! It is quite fun!

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😁

 

 

Degas Watercolor

 

Hello Friends!

Yesterday, I decided to try painting in watercolor with my nondominant hand. So I chose to do this detail of Degas’s painting called “Combing the hair” which is enlarged in my book called “Degas-Beyond Impressionism” by Richard Kendall.

It felt so great to paint again! I felt refreshed.

Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀

 

 

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