"Draw every day."
Advice from Thomas B. Allen, a wonderful illustrator and teacher who would become a guiding force during my time at the University of Kansas — and far beyond that. His advice went something like, "Draw every day. Draw from life. If a day goes by and you haven't drawn something, draw before you brush your teeth and go to bed."
The everyday busyness of life has greatly multiplied since those days, and it is something of a challenge to just sit down and draw or paint something for the fun and wonder of it. The "tyranny of the urgent" tends to lend my thoughts and hands to the matters that must be done before that day is out.
Yet I hear his challenge afresh these days, and I'm striving to follow it. He knew from experience that it would drive him toward the excellence he sought. – lec
Lon Eric Craven
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The more I learn....
Seems like the more I study these watercolor books, the more there is to learn. It was the same when my Chinese painting teachers had me hold the brush near the far end and paint with my whole arm. They practiced it for a lifetime, but were able to pass on a little knowledge to this clumsy pupil.
I painted this sketch as simply and quickly as I could while still identifying the subject. Feels like walking on water, almost — it's hard to trust something that seems so unstable beneath you. The Master's hand would be most welcome now.... - lec
Watercolor studies
The pirate story has taken a few new turns, and I'll keep updating them here. It's challenging to keep the watercolors quick, fresh, yet still illustrative of the story. I'm already on the next one, but a lot more confident than this scallywag. – lecA few birds venture out
A couple of current bird illustrations have prompted me to throw a feathered friend or two on the site. These are from a quilt book called Birds of a Feather (Kansas City Star Books, 2006), and feature visiting and resident birds to Missouri. Most of the birds have even visited our little bird feeder. I'm working on some crows and a parrot right now, but thought these colorful critters might brighten up a winter day.
You can see the entire flock on the Birds of a Feather page. – lec
Painting without a net
I'm picking up in the middle of a pirate story by Richard Jennings. The Kansas City Star will publish a part of the story with a new illustration every week in Star Magazine. It's a fun story with a few twists and a few brushes with peril, as in this scene. – lec