Paula’s Blog

My blog has had a few “issues” recently.  A few of you have said the link to the blog was not in the notification email you received.  I have been working on the blog today and hope I have “fixed” that problem…..at least I hope so!

If you missed the posting about the Portrait of A Girl and the previous posting about the beginning of my Colored Pencil class,  click the link near the top of the blog page marked “Previous.”

If you got here by clicking a link in your email message, that means I fixed the problem so leave me a comment to let me know!

If the only way you could get here was to type www.blog.paulagrookett.com in your browser, I still have an issue to correct.  Let me know that as well.

I appreciate your help!

Today was the last day of class.  We worked on our pastel board apples but didn’t quite get finished.  Here are my students working hard on their pastel boards.

Sue and Linda working hard!      Kathy and Cindy really concentrating!

And here are their unfinished apples!   Students will now finish the project at home and email me a photo of the finished artwork.  I will post them as I receive them.

Sue’s Apple                                      Kathy’s Apples

Linda’s Apple                         Cindy’s Apple

Just finished the portrait I have been working on for about a week.  She was a lot of fun to do.  The pictures show the progress from beginning to end.

Yes, it’s true.  I’m now teaching a colored pencil class at the Village Artists Gallery in Northeast Columbia.  It is a beginners class and I am having such fun.  It’s great to be teaching again, and imagine that - its in colored pencil instead of English or computer applications!

There are five people in the class and I think they are all having a good time as well as learning some basics about using colored pencils.  We started out talking about materials and supplies.  Of course, I told them how “great” I am at supplies and then I demonstrated that skill!

We have been practicing pencil strokes and techniques by doing a layering exercise, a value scale and a complimentary color wheel.  Our first project is painting an apple or apples.  We used our digital cameras to take pictures of some red delicious apples in one session and then transferred or drew our preferred image to some Stonehenge paper.  Note our progress in these images!

Of course, I’m not prejudiced.  Here is my latest portrait.  It is a 5 x 7 of my daughter Tara and is done on pastel board

This is my first attempt of an animal and it turned out pretty well considering the support that I used.  The support I used was a 5″ x 7″ panel of Ampersand claybord.  The claybord panel is a very, very smooth support and the pencil seemed to go down great when I started.  However I learned very quickly that it takes a very limited number of layers before it starts to ”lift all the color.” You are then left with the white support and no additional color can be added!  Quite a problem.  I guess this is the last time for colored pencils and claybord for me!  By the way, the cat whose name is “Jenny” belongs to my friend Sue and this piece is a special gift for Sue’s birthday which is coming up on August 26.

Yes, Bob’s portrait is finally finished.  It has already hung at the Village Artists Gallery for a week before I brought it home to hang for a while in my living room.  Bob says “its scary” because it looks so much like him.  When he walks past, he says he thinks he is looking into a mirror!  I guess that means he approves.I’m so excited about finishing this one that I think I’m going to try a “self portrait.”  I found a picture of myself that I can live with.  Of course, it is the most flattering one I could find!  I’ll post more about his new venture next week.

Well, I think I’m getting close!  I’m still working on Bob’s shoulder and then I need to finish his hair and check my darks.  So far Bob likes it so that’s a good thing.  I plan to hang Bob at the Village Artists Gallery in the Village at Sandhill when it is finished.  Hopefully, he will bring a few commissions my way!

Yes, I have been neglecting my blog so I will have to work harder to keep this thing current!

 I guess I should begin by updating the work on my mom’s portrait.  It is finished and hanging in the VILLAGE ARTISTS gallery at the Village at Sandhill here in Columbia, S.C.  I think it turned out pretty well.

And so now I’m working on a portrait of my husband Bob.  Here’s the photo!

And here is the beginning of my colored pencil portrait.

And a little more progress!

Hopefully more wll follow SOON.

I have been working on a portrait of my grandson Colin for the last three weeks. I started taking some pictures after a few days but you can see some of the progress. The finished project will end up in Atlanta I suspect. The plaid shirt was a challenge. I am don’t have this portrait thing mastered yet but I am determined. Be sure to check back to see other portraits in the future. I do love to do them!

I also have been working on a couple of other CP projects at the same time as Colin’s portrait. I will post an update on those in coming weeks. One is of Caitlin, my grand daughter, and another is a scene with a gas station and old car. I also still am working on the portrait of my mother. So stay tuned.