drawing

van Gogh’s Drawings

| Doreen E. Lepore

The drawings that are part of Vincent’s letters to Theo are interesting and all his talk of etchings and drawings by other artists, as well as his own, led me to the catalogue by the Metropolitan Museum “Vincent van Gogh – The Drawings”.  (The catalogue is from a 2005 exhibit.) It’s too bad I missed this exhibit but maybe some day I’ll see his drawings in person. Years ago I saw a number of his paintings in Boston and was completely awestruck. I think the drawings would have the same effect.

Here is a synopsis of the exhibit/catalogue by Eric Gelber on Art Critical:

http://www.artcritical.com/2003/11/01/vincent-van-gogh-the-drawings/

However, I’d like to change his last line to “take up our reed pens”. The reed pen was the instrument used for the most vibrant of van Gogh’s drawings.

Many of Vincent’s drawings can be seen online here:

http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Drawing/

It is said that his best drawings, the drawings considered his most important, were the ones that were done  during July and August 1888 in Arles. (also, notice – done with the reed pen.)

van Gogh drawing - Sower-with-Setting-Sun
van Gogh drawing – Sower-with-Setting-Sun
Reed Pen, quill and ink over graphite  on wove paper – 9 5/8″ x 12 5/8″

from Vincent’s letter to Theo:

“Now the Harvest, the Garden, the Sower, and the two marines are sketches after painted studies. I think all these ideas are good, but the painted studies lack clearness of touch. That is another reason why I felt it necessary to draw them.”

Usually artists draw as a preliminary step to a painting – working out the kinks. But, many times Vincent would draw after a painting to study it further or to show his brother Theo what he was working on.

Next: Trying out the Reed Pen

 

 

van Gogh – the original blogger

| Doreen E. Lepore

You know how people always talk about going full circle? Well, this is one of those instances. How it happened is a mystery but I recently rediscovered Van Gogh’s letters online. Yes, I’d seen them online before, noted it, and moved on. This time, however, I’ve become obsessed with them – again. The first obsession was a very long time ago, hate to even admit how long ago, (so I won’t) when I read them straight through like a novel. It occurred to me this time that Vincent was the first blogger – writing about his thoughts, inspiration and moods while adding drawings to illustrate his point in his letters to Theo. Now that I’m much older and maybe a little wiser, I’m understanding more and relating better to what he had to say.

Here is the link to the van Gogh letters:

http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/

Although it’s fun to click on various topics, you can go to the Calendar of all letters and just start from the beginning.

van Gogh drawing
van Gogh drawing – Lane with Trees and One Figure

“Mauve takes it amiss that I said, `I am an artist,’ which I  won’t take back, because it’s self-evident that what that word implies is looking for something all the time without ever   finding it in full. It is the very opposite of saying, `I know all about it, I’ve already found it.’ As far as I am concerned, the word means, `I am looking, I am hunting for it, I am deeply    involved.'” Vincent van Gogh from a letter to his brother Theo

http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/11/192.htm

to be continued…

Red Flag

| Doreen E. Lepore
Red Flag
Red Flag

Yes, of course it’s another beach painting from Hobe Sound Beach. But, this time it’s done in pastels. Finally, I’ve gotten around to trying out the pallet of John Pierce Barnes to see how complete it is. Here’s the link to the older post:

http://hobesoundartist.com/2012/06/02/john-pierce-barnes/

It was very complete, just needed to go back to the big box for one stick of a darker tan and one better mid tone flesh color. It was nice to be limited to the smaller selection of colors and yet I felt as though I had plenty to choose from. Makes for a very portable pastel kit. If you do any plein air painting you know that’s a huge plus.

 

2013 Sketchbook Project – Frogology

| Doreen E. Lepore

My 2013 Sketchbook Project is called Frogology because it’s about Frogs. Most of the frogs in the book are extinct and on the back cover there is a list of frogs that are missing. I wasn’t able to scan the whole list but the website is written there where you can read the list for yourselves.

Again, I used mostly watercolor crayons and ink. Some drawings are in colored pencil and the last is graphite. It was a fun sketchbook to do because the frogs are colorful and fun to draw. It also felt good to give the frog issue attention. The cover is brightly printed fabric.

 

My tree frog obsession

| Doreen E. Lepore
Aunt Lily
Aunt Lily – pencil drawing

Lately, I’ve been working on tree frog drawings and paintings because I’m totally obsessed with frogs.  Well, I’ve always liked frogs and I’m not really totally obsessed but actually trying to write and illustrate a children’s book about tree frogs.

This drawing is just my idea for a character I call Aunt Lily.

While researching the tree frogs I came upon disturbing information about our amphibian population and if you are a facebook friend, I’ve posted this organization on there a couple of times and want to put their link here too.

Amphibian Rescue

http://amphibianrescue.org/

Also, here is a very informative video that you can watch in full on PBS.org – “Frogs – The Thin Green Line”

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/frogs-the-thin-green-line/video-full-episode/4882/

Hopefully you don’t get bored with the subject of frogs, but they are in serious danger from many environmental factors and a devastating fungus that has recently killed off way too many frogs.  The situation needs as much attention as it can get.