Blog Archives
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! 😀
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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! 😀
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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! 😀
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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! 😀
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“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! 😀
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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! 🙂
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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! 😀
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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! 😁
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Degas in Pen and Ink
Hello Friends!
I did a couple of Degas drawings in pen & ink with my left hand five days after my surgery because I was so bored!!! I will post the other one another day. Then today I just drew another one with pen & ink and charcoal which I will also post another day.
I am doing well. I have not needed any pain medication since Saturday night. I have quite a few pain pills left, though, which I am sure will come in handy once I begin going to physical therapy for my shoulder. Also, I have been even more thankful for our adjustable bed, because I have had to sleep sitting up with the sling on. Until next time…
Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀
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Degas Practice in Charcoal #3
Hello Friends!
Yesterday I received a small paperback book I ordered called “Degas Drawings of Dancers-47 Plates” that was published by Dover Publications, Inc., in 1999. The book is 44 pages, because three pages have two small plates on each one.
There is a one-page Publisher’s Note about Degas written by Kathy Casey at the beginning. Then each page is one sketch (or two) of his ballerinas.
This ballerina that I copied is on the cover as well as page four. It is called “Young Dancer in Fifth Position.” It originally measured 17.5 x 12 in. and was drawn (ca. 1878-80.)
In case you aren’t familiar with 5th Position in ballet, here is a definition: Fifth Position in ballet is a position of the legs and feet where one foot is placed in front of the other, with the toes of the front foot aligned with the heel of the back foot.
I took ballet in my 30’s, but not long enough to be able to stand like that! It is amazing to me that anyone can! I enjoyed it very much, but it became expensive at the time, and the teacher I had was not teaching any other adults then, so I was in a class with teens and a couple of middle-school girls! But they were all sweet and encouraging. The teacher was strict, though! Anyway, those are fond memories for me. I think this is another reason I enjoy drawing ballerinas so much!
Have a wonderful day and give someone you love a big hug! 😀
Patsy's Creative Corner 