Pacific Citrus is Moving!!

I want to blog about my two favorite things in the world, Art & Writing. Please visit me at Scribbles and Books where I will be posting my own misadventures into art and writing as well as sharing the scribbles and books that inspire me. Thanks to every visitor that has landed at Pacific Citrus and encouraged my growth as an artist and writer!

http://scribblesandbooks.blogspot.com

Vintage Children's Books: The Art of Frank Hill

I love drifting through the Children's Book section at my local Goodwill because I tend to discover illustrators that I would otherwise not find at the bookstore or library. Last week, I happened across a book titled  Winston's Red Boots (Sea Buddies) {available at Amazon for a penny, no joke}.

I was enamored with the vintage style of drawing. I'm finding it hard for me to describe what it is exactly I like, but it includes the use of line, the coloring of the image, and the bold volume that hints at an illustrator's background in drafting (everything is in perfect perspective). It took a bit of time to dig up info on the author's and illustrators. Actually, I didn't find anything on Carol Hill, but I did manage to find Frank. It turns out Frank is big time!

Frank has illustrated Snoopy, Dennis the Menace, Felix the Cat, Short Ribs, and Bugs Bunny! I was blown away when I discovered this! Good art, can't be denied! I love his drawing of the lion. He illustrated the lion, cut it out, and placed it on orange paper. It has big impact without the modern means of using the computer. The most exciting aspect is that Frank is still drawing. I want to post a few more of his lovely images, using mostly black ink, from his website. Frank Hill rocks!

{All images via Frank Hill Illustrations}

Happy 4th of July!

{collage & ink drawing with digital color.}

I'm wishing America a day of rememberance, beauty, relaxation, and good BBQ fun! Let us never forget our amazing history and be proud of those that have served and serve our nation! Make today sweet!

PS: Note on the doodle. I cut out pieces of a newspaper and white pieces of paper and glued it down. After it was dry, I used black Indian ink to outline the area. I scanned it and imported it into Corel Painter Essentials and digitally inked the red and blue. I learned in Corel Painter today that I can use the lasso to highlight a section and then use it like a stencil. The area remained highlighted when I switched to the brush tool so that I would color within the area I selected! What an awesome new way for me to play digitally! If you have any tips, please share them or link your blog via a comment! Happy art on a such an awesome day!

10 Minute Doodles: Digital Color Challenge

{Ink drawing on Bristol Paper. Digital Color.}

This is really a lost & found doodle. I drew the image quite some time ago. I rediscovered it while flipping through a pad of paper. I felt like doing a super quick digital color before heading off to the pool. Well...it's not such a summer palette! This looks like autumn! When you give yourself only 10 minutes, sometimes you just go with the flow! I let this be what it wanted to be. Now I'm going with the flow...right to the pool! Have a beautiful Saturday!

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day! A super quick doodle! I wanted to do more but my husband is freaking that we have to go enjoy the day. Ta-ta! Make your Friday fabulous!! I'll probably edit this picture properly later!!

Cheers!!

Look at Things Differently...Broccoli Treehouse!

{Created by Brock Davis}

A Doodle of My Mom Doodling..

{3x5 Pencil Drawing of My Mom Doodling at AGO, Toronto}

It's doodle mania whenever my mom is in town! She was in Toronto this last May and I rediscovered this drawing I did of her. I think this is the best drawing I've ever done of her. To me it feels authenticate, perhaps not flattering, but real. Sometimes you have to put the pretty aside to see the real. In the end, I feel this picture perfectly captures the concentration of my mom making art and of that brief moment in the cafe! After we were done doodling, we had our own showing at the Art Gallery of Ontario, cafe level!

My Mom laughing after catching me doodling her!

Our First Showing at the Ago! Thanks to the leftover dishes for holding these doodles up!

I'm wishing my Mom a safe trip back home. She has just traveled 5 countries in the last month and is ending in Austria!! XOXO-MOM!!!

Night Doodles

{Portable Art Studio}

Last Saturday, I was invited to attend a play that was part of the Luminato Festival in Toronto. The play was about mothers and daughters and looked more like a performance piece than a play. My instincts were right and this "play" was totally the sort of art that made me wonder how much could I endure. It was awful. After an hour, I had to make a dash to the restroom. What I didn't know was that I wouldn't be allowed back to my seat! There was 30 minutes left and I had to sit out in the lobby! Thank god for my portable doodle studio or I would have been lost! 

{Front Street, Toronto. Watercolor in Sketch Book}

 I have to say that I loved sitting here in this quiet lobby. The windows were beautiful and I got to watch the sunset. What could have been better? I took this negative and flipped it to a super-duper positive! My doodle watercolor sketch in the end...it starts with the night sky!

{Front Street, Toronto. Watercolor in Sketch Book}

Art Challenge: Draw a Gesture in One Minute!

{Figure Quick Sketch. Image by Chris L.}

 The Besotted Brand Blog  is my favorite daily read. It is filled with imagination, hope, and creative adventures.



 Today, the lovely Miss B, posted on the adventure of watercolor and posted some links to great resources on the web. Inspired by Miss B, I went on my own YouTube adventure and discovered Matthew39arch, as posted above. He has uploaded over 100 videos to YouTube and runs an online art school and blog at Drawing Tutorials Online. His blog is fantastic. You'll find tons of resources to inspire your own art adventures. In my own watercolor & art experience, drawing is the fundamental element in any work of art. Sometimes when you tighten up the reigns and put restrictions on what you're looking at, you'll get fresh results. It is also beneficial to move your eye away from specific details like eyes, hands, or even clothes, and see the entire subject at once. Here is an awesome video by Matthew39arch to get your juices flowing!

Art Challenge: Draw 5 gestures in 5 minutes. 
Time each gesture & drawing for one minute.

Use images from the web, magazines, or visit a local hustling place like a park or mall to get this challenge done. Please post links in the comment section to your blog to share! 

I also recommend that you check out Figure Quick Sketch. It is an amazing website that will help you to think differently about what is possible in a one minute sketch. 

{One-minute poses at Figure Quick Sketch}

Update: Do I have an eye for talent?! It turns out that Matthew39arch is teacher at The School of Visual Arts, NYC! So he totally rocks! I also wanted those that aren't interested in drawing people to also think out of the box. Draw dogs, cats, birds, moving things, etc. One of Matthew's students at SVA is Lindsay and she adores dogs {me too!}. Here are some quick sketches that Matthew posted on his blog. I love these sketches!!

The Seven Deadly Sins

Want a live look into Lindsay Caitlin's sketchbook? Thanks be to Matthew! Just another reason why I love the internet so darn much!!!