From Within
6" x 6" watercolor SOLD
This is my friend Taylor. I loved the lighting in this painting. I loved how it emphasized Taylor's personality, how she has so much light and kindness from within that radiates out to others when she smiles. She's awesome and I loved painting her. :)) Thanks for volunteering to model for me!
It's nearly time for spring break around here (next week), and kiddos are running around my house more frequently since it's early out day every day this week at school. Painting time is precious and harder to find, and that's completely okay. I love having my boys home more.
But it does force me to make the most out of the time I do have. Here's a photo of what I did yesterday while waiting in the car to pick my boys up from school.
A new little colored pencil piece on Ampersand Pastelbord. I'm pretty happy with how it's coming along. I'll get a better shot of it for my next post so you can see it a little more clearly.
This brings me to two things I want to say today:
1. Make time to do what you love. The time is there, it might not be the 'ideal' time, but you can make it work if it's something that you LOVE doing.
And 2. Paint what you love, or what excites you. Don't let yourself think that there's only one subject, one way that you can paint. That's part of what makes us artists, our constant striving, and reaching, and trying new things to stretch creatively and create work that moves people and makes them feel something, that makes us feel something. There are no absolutes in the life of an artist.
And in a totally unrelated note, I went and watched The Hunger Games movie and was completely blown away. I loved the books and the movie was the best book to movie adaptation I've ever seen. I'm more of a book person than a movie person, but this is a must see. Seriously. It's inspiring a new portrait (not a character from the movie, but the result of the feelings I had while watching it) that I am dying to get to work on. Here's a link to the best review, by my favorite author Maggie Stiefvater, that puts my exact feelings for this movie into words that I couldn't.
Have a great week everyone. See you Tuesday. :)) Huzzah!
Votre aquarelle est fabuleuse... Vous avez magnifiquement bien capturer son sourire associé à cette petite lueur dans son regard. Une belle harmonie de couleur ainsi qu'une lumière bien présente.
ReplyDeleteJ'aperçois un très beau début... sur votre photo.
Gros bisous
Taylor is a beauty! I just love the light hitting her hair. Great job Crystal! Huzzah!
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love the painting, Crystal - the eyes being the window of the soul? She oozes personality and you've captured it.
ReplyDelete2. My kiddos have grown up and so have their kiddos, but then they moved in here ...replacing their parents.(just been blogging about it)
3 - my Granddaughters dragged me off to see the 'Hunger Games' and I loved it. #3 granddaughter is an author ... and she loved the book, which is why we went.
Lastly - I spent 2 years, 24/7, drawing what other people wanted ... it ruined the enjoyment. It's too easy to replace Art with Commerce and thus loose your Muse
I must tell you, YOU are an inspiration to me, I love your work, I really do.The portraits you do, each person just glows, they look so alive!
ReplyDelete~(*o*)~!! ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ·.•*•♫°•♫·.•ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ!!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful portrait, Crystal. Love what you've started in the car, too. Always a pleasure to stop by your blog and see what you've been up to. Huzzah!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! And I love the penciled artwork you started as well. Just wonderful, Crystal!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, your portrait of Taylor absolutely glows, and she does indeed look like such a good person. Brilliant work, my dear!
ReplyDeleteSuperb!!. I like the expression aswell!!
ReplyDeleteThe portrait is SO beautiful! It has such a warm glow! She must have been thrilled to pieces with it! And did you draw ALL of that in the car? Just how long did the boys keep you waiting? ;0) The eyes are already pulling me in and thats without the rest! Sometimes, if I get a spare few minutes at work, I sketch something small. It might be a stapler, my coffee cup, or I might even sketch a person from the internet. I've learned to sketch something every day when I can and I can already feel the improvement as I go :0)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I read this post this morning! Did you use Prismacolor pencils, or another kind? I'm curious to try that board some time. Also, I was curious about that movie! Thanks for the information today! The painting blew me away! It's so vibrant! I love it!
ReplyDeleteGergeous. Your friend looks very young too with that beautiful radiant smile of hers. And I loved the second pic even better. Looks like you really dont like the camera. LOL. And that unfinished sketch of yours looks so real already. And we also got to see a WIP of it. Just carry on being the artist you are.
ReplyDeleteI love the color and light on the portrait! and what beautiful clean strokes too-- adding my voice to the chorus of gorgeous :) I too had recently bought a ampersand board but have not tried it yet. Somehow I have not read the Hunger games series and am somewhat apprehensive - afraid of mind disturbing plots :(
ReplyDeleteBeautiful painting Crystal! you can see that this young lady has a kind character.
ReplyDeleteHello, Crystal Cook.
ReplyDeleteAwe inspiring your works...
It lets me feel warmth with the humanity.
The prayer for all peace.
Have a good weekend. From Japan, ruma ❃
Hi Crystal, I like your post about your inspiration about art and what we do to pursue it in different ways. Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my blog. Have a blessed day!
ReplyDeleteEvery picture/painting does tell a story! From your painting, Taylor looks like a wonderful and radiant person
ReplyDeleteLove the light in this. Your friend must be thrilled with the results!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking time to visit my blog :)
The lighting makes it! Her personality just shines right out of the painting.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Taylor is beautiful, Crystal! You did such a wonderful job with her..and this new piece of your son!! my goodness, I'm waiting for your next post...it looks great so far....You are such an inspiration to all of us.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tribute to obviously a close friend. lovely!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful painting! Love your work! Also, I can't wait to see the Hunger Games. I hear it's fantastic!
ReplyDeleteLovely portrait!
ReplyDeleteAgree with using the time you have. Which you do very well! xx
Love this Crystal...light and kindness come shining through!
ReplyDeleteCrystal your portraits are so lively and this is no exception - marvellous. It's interesting to see how you go about your work with the coloured pencil sketch, working each small section to completion at a time. Nice to see a recent photo of you as well ;)
ReplyDelete