Blind Contour Drawings

Finnegan's in university now and is taking a Drawing class, so, of course I'm totally interested in what he's doing!? (Also because all of his schooling, to date, has been homeschooling or online schooling, and... certain... neurodevelopmental challenges... I check in regularly to make sure he's understanding what's required of him) 

So far it's mostly been sketching in class and a portfolio of class work was submitted for midterm. The first part of the first major assignment was a Blind Contour drawing.... or at least that's what the descriptions sounded like... look at the subject... keep drawing implement moving across page as eye follows the contours of the subject... Don't worry about proportion... I feel like the written description said not to look at the work while drawing, but I can't remember now. 

He did this first part of the first assignment and I asked if I could see it... and it looked like an architectural drawing!? I said, "I think you misread that assignment, let's have a look at it again". We reread it, and I said, "that sounds like a blind contour drawing", thinking he'd understand those words, feeling CERTAIN that we'd done blind contour drawings at some point!? He had no idea what I meant and I felt like a failure as a homeschooling art dad... 

I suggested he try again... 

I suggested I could try a quick drawing to show him what I thought it meant. 

so this is what I drew. storage boxes and books in Finnegan's room.

I had a lot of fun doing this. It's been a while since I've done one. 

Maybe not THAT long, now that I think about it, I think I did some with Keiran (and maybe Amanda) back in February...? 

Then I helped him get set up with a better board to draw on in the kitchen (the previous drawing had been done on cardboard, and the texture of the cardboard was apparent)

And this is what he ended up with... which I thought was super cool... 

He took it in to class for a critique and the teachers thought it was pretty cool too! 

Feeling a little less of a failure as Art Dad. 

Reimagining American Gothic

 My son Finnegan and I (and... MAYBE Keiran...?) have decided to challenge each other to reimagine a different famous painting each week through the summer. The first we did was Grant Wood’s American Gothic (1930). 

Rawk Duv Gawthik - 28cmx35cm - Ink on Watercolour Paper

Finnegan's reimagining (done in a sketchbook).

 These are two characters from one of the D&D campaigns he's running. The characters are a couple in the game standing in front of a cabin one of them built. 

Amanda's Birthday Art Project

 Every April (well... MOST Aprils) the kids and I usually do a little art project and make some sort of drawing or paintings for Amanda's birthday. 

Last year it was birds. 

Another year it was Horses from Greek Myth. 

(apparently I didn't post what we got up to here very often...) 

This year, kids suggested fantastical/mythical beasties... 

Keiran and I worked on ours in the afternoon, together at the kitchen table. 

We took up a lot of space. 

Finnegan was preparing for a D&D game in the afternoon, so he did his later in the evening (luckily Amanda had to stay at work until quite late...) 

Keiran Brown, Gem Collector - 30cm x 30 cm - ink and watercolour on paper 

The story here is that Amanda, in a moment of self-awareness, came home from a Yoga Workshop and told us she realized she was a crap detector and not a gem collector - but she really wanted to be a GEM COLLECTOR. For, REASONS, she had always been a very critical person... and... that's who she is... but she's tried really, REALLY hard to learn to NOT just open her mouth and point out EVERYTHING WRONG with... whatever is before her. It's been a struggle. 

I thought maybe there was a subtle little double entendre going on here - perhaps Keiran was suggesting that Amanda was was still, in fact, a DRAGON, and going about "collecting gems" in totally the wrong way... But Keiran assured me the thought never entered their mind and they just thought DRAGONS ARE COOL AND COLLECT SHINY THINGS! 

Tim Brown - Great Horned Owlbear - 30cm x 30 cm - ink and watercolour on paper 

Finnegan Brown - Merlin-Lynx-Griffon - 30cm x 30 cm - ink and watercolour on paper 

Finnegan wanted to do a different take on a standard classic fantasy griffon and instead of an eagle head and lion body, he wanted to do more local animals and so made his griffon referencing a Merlin's head and wings and a Lynx's body - both critters found around Saskatchewan - we've even had Merlins nesting in our neighbours tree for a few years. 

I'll be sneaking these out after Amanda goes to sleep... not sure if I should replace some existing art work or just leave them on the dining room table for her to discover in the morning. The problem with the former, is Amanda might not even notice them!? Probably just leave them on the table... She can decide where to hang them later. 

(She totally doesn't read this blog, so I feel pretty safe posting stuff here before she's even seen them!) 

Bird-Day

It has been quiet around here. I got a little distracted and haven't been drawing and painting as much the last few months. I have been doing a lot of painting of miniatures and playing games... 

This week it is Amanda's 50th birthday. Usually I try and paint something for her - and try and get the kids to join in. It's a little harder to orchestrate a Super-Secret-Birthday-Art-Project when she NEVER LEAVES THE HOUSE, though!!! I had to do all of this work in a rush on the two times she left the house for short appointments. The kids had it a little easier, they could work in their rooms with their doors closed. the only space I had to work was in plain view of Amana's at-home work station where she spends, like, 90% of her waking hours... 

We went with a bit of a bird theme this year. 

We went with very tiny pictures - these are all in 4"x6" frames. I figures small would be quicker and easier for me - and easier to get buy in from the kids (who are now teens and less inclined just to do anything I suggest!) 

Detail of the Black-Capped Chickadee that I painted. 

Detail of the Snowy Owl I painted. It didn't turn out quite like I imagined it in my head... I might have liked to try again... but I was VERY limited in the time I had... so... This is it... 

Both of mine were painted with Holbien Acrylic inks. I was kind of experimenting with them for the very first time. So another excuse for them not turning out awesome. Mistakes made. Lessons learned. If I'd had another day or two, I probably could have redone them better... Next time. 

Detail of the Crow Keira painted.  (see more of her work @keirfuffle on instagram) 

Detail of the Toucan that Finnegan drew (you can see more of his work @finnbrownart on Instagram)

We also got her a bird-themed game.