Good thing that you (and my customers) know that I know how to draw, or this rough sketch would cause everyone to back away slowly, wondering how I could call myself an artist.
This is a compilation, a conglomerate, a composite, of unrelated photos, following the ideas and instructions of a customer/friend with an interesting request. We have worked well together in the past; he answers all my questions thoroughly, tells me the truth, and I persist until he lets me know that I have gotten it.
When I started drawing on big girl paper. I was nervous, so I started with the sky, moving forward to the distant landscape, and then, as detailed and difficult as it is, the firetruck was still preferable to the little boys.
It has a section in the middle of the side that looks like a vending machine. WHAT?? That part can just sit quietly until I have no choice but to tackle it. It often behooves me to procrastinate on difficult sections, because . . . you know what I am going to say. . . say it with me. . . “MORE WILL BE REVEALED!”
The most difficult aspect of this type of drawing is figuring out what sizes the various parts need to be in relation to each other.
Each day that I work on this, I text the day’s progress to the customers. The reasons are so they know I’m working and tell me that I am doing a good job.
(When my drawing students want to draw things this difficult, I say no. When they persist, I am convinced they hate me.)
SIMPLY HOME
The show hangs until December 29 at CACHE in Exeter. Their hours are Friday 1:30-4, Saturday 10-4, Sunday noon-4. It includes about 50 paintings, 3 original pencil drawings, calendars, cards, coloring books, The Cabins of Wilsonia books, and a few pencil reproduction prints.
2025 CALENDAR, AVAILABLE HERE. $25
5 Comments
What a lovely scene. I once commissioned a painting based off a picture taken of my husband sitting beside his surfboard looking out at the water. The artist did all these cool, artistic things to make it far more interesting and nuanced. It’s extra special because it’s so personalized.
Nice, Elisabeth! Do people surf in NS?? I have to produce many paintings for a solo show, and then people mostly want custom art. It’s challenging, but I am thankful for the work.
That last version looks like a winner! I’m curious as to why your customer wanted this particular scene. Can you share why?
Sharon, these are his grandsons, whose dad is a fireman. They live in Kansas, hence the sunflowers. About a year ago, he had me draw his 2 granddaughters in an orange grove, because their dad is a farmer (or maybe a farm advisor, I forget. . .)
Sharon, these are his grandsons, whose dad is a fireman. They live in Kansas, hence the sunflowers. About a year ago, he had me draw his 2 granddaughters in an orange grove, because their dad is a farmer (or maybe a farm advisor, I forget. . .)