Cosine of a Learning Curve

August 15, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I actually liked math, except for trigonometry. So, forgive if I use the terms wrong.

So, here’s the latest:

It’s not perfect, but I’m reminding myself…..I’m learning. The secret was in the details of the larger pieces. That’s hard to do so small. I did this piece, as a sketch…..

To work out this:

I used this:

To work out this:

See what I mean……..it’s close, but it’s not yet getting there.

Speaking of Math…and we were a while ago, if you haven’t forgotten, I’d like to discuss numbers.

I have a friend who is adamantly sure about the validity of numerology. At times when I find myself needing to put numbers in a picture, I often wonder if I should use that number symbology to add meaning. I believe in meaningful coincidences………..

But if I faked them, they wouldn’t be coincidences. So, I’m doing the numbers as they appear in the study, letting the coincidences fall where they may.

The picture I just finished is : 101

This is 35

And this one was done long ago, when I picked a number at random:

Turning Back Time

August 11, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I was wondering, thinking about the learning curve I’m facing, whether it would be best to keep making versions until I got one that I liked. That, is, after all, the way I learned to handle colored pencils in the beginning…….I’d just go over them and over them, until I was so frustrated, I nearly started biting my fingernails again.

I did get good results though………………

Started these in the mid-eighties, and ended in the late nineties. Started in Greenwich, CT and ended in Manhattan NY.

They have a place that’s dear to me, like looking at an album of old photos.

The first I dd was this one:

And following in no particular order:

So, how did the redo of Bough Bows turn out? Here it is:

And that’s that.

Yet another learning curve

August 7, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

Okay, I finished another small, masterpiece…sort of. Thing is, these small works are not as successful as I’d like.

In the past, I’ve done little work, as preliminary sketch for bigger drawings. For instance:

I got this:

From this:

I got this:

In the past, I’ve managed to put in lot of detail in the small drawings

And this is the latest one:

Bough bows

So, what am I doing wrong?

I guess, when I finally got around to drawing the large pictures, I planned them with a black and white sketch, then a color sketch. I worked on the large drawing slowly, paying attention to detail. Can I still do that in small size?

I guess it’s another learning curve. I tell you, my art career would make a good design for a roller coaster.

The Saga of Pumpkin

August 5, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I had a dream that we had two female kittens and I named them Thelma and Louise. No particular reason to tell you this, but I enjoyed the dream.

So, I’m going through making small drawings, the kind that I can sell at an impulse price. What would be a collection of my work without a cat drawing. In particular, Pumpkin, the cat from New York City.

We’ve had many views of Pumpkin, as my favorite model over the past few years.

First off, when we first moved here…..

And then this; the original sketch

Caught him in the sunlight

And then made him into a notecard, which left something to be desired.

I can’t find a photo of that card, I guess I didn’t like it enough to shoot it.

I made another version of the drawing on the notecard. It’s small, but successful. Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you Pumpkin

Among discarded shoes.

Redunnit

August 4, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I volunteered at the Sono Art Festival in Norwalk, CT, yesterday. I worked hard,but I had a lot of fun! The artists were superb, and I made great friends, even if it was just for a few hours. A very well run show and I hope to exhibit in it sometime in the future.

But as I looked, I realized my thoughts were right about selling a lot of small affordable art. So, I looked back on some of the work I wanted to redo (failure is such an ugly word isn’t it?

For instance, I did this note card as a preliminary sketch, and loved it. Can’t find it. I must have sent it out to someone. Silly me.

Then as a finished version, it left a lot to be desired. It looks like a cosmic baseball glove to me. (Actually failure is more of an ugly and dismal word.)

So, finally to make up for all that dismalness, I decided to make on it one of my redos in a smaller scale.

Yes, once again “Venus and Mars are Alright, Tonight”.

Out to Pasture

July 30, 2019 roxannebaldwin 2 Comments

I’ve finished the classic car (sounds so much better than old carr) drawing. You can see a detail above the title. Here it is in its entirety.

It makes me think of what I’d like to do before, I’m too much of a Classic Woman, and go out to pasture myself.

My dream is to travel around, and do art festivals. I’ve done street fairs, and they’re fun. There’s nothing as ego-boosting as talking to viewer about one’s own art,

However, as a young sixteen year old, I had kind of a bad experience doing my first art street fair. One of my paintings was propped up on the sidewalk, and a man kneeled down in front of it. I pressed my knees tightly together, as far as they would go. The director of the show said, “You’ve got someone interested! Go talk to him.” I couldn’t figure out how to tell her, that by the angle the man was holding his face, behind sun glasses, I could tell he was trying to look up my skirt.

When he got up, he walked past me and said “I liked everything I saw”. I wanted to take a shower with Lava soap (anyone remember Lava soap), as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Back to the present…………I have a tent, I have panels.

God knows I have a lot of drawings. I have my retail persona.

I’m pretty much set to go.

Went to an art fair last Saturday and I learned a lot. If I want to make money at this, I’ll have to take the advice of the wise woman who ran the show in Mamaroneck. You have to have small pieces, enough to be impulse items and a statement piece. I have a lot, I mean a whole hell of a lot of statement pieces. Time mto change my focus.

I’m going to start by redoing some of the failures I’ve had, like the one above. Good ideas, that in execution missed the mark.

And hopefully, but next summer, this 1955 Classic will be on the road again!

Drive!

July 20, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I was sitting with an elderly friend at the bus stop. He looked around mentioned, “People used to drive around in boxes, like the model T. Then the cars had curves, and now, people are driving in boxes again”.

As I watched the SUVs going by……I had to agree with him.

But back to drawing and driving (I don’t recommend doing both at the same time), I started reminiscing about all the cars that were hanging out past their prime in my parents yard. Cars that are considered classics now.

I have to both laugh and cry when I see a car from the 1970’s considered classic. Damn ! I remember those cars! They’re part of my childhood.

I started this drawing for some reason I don’t remember, and then I abandoned it for some reason I also don’t remember. Looking back on it, I realize I had a start on something that could be quite appealing.

I was looking for something to draw, and found it.

There’s a wonderful old Ford, in the back parking lot of this condominium complex. It presents an emotionally enjoyable drawing challenge.

Here’s the first step, without much background or context.

I promise I haven’t spoiled the surprise of the finished work. And you know I keep my promises.

Roxanne Baldwin's Artsy Blog