Quick Sketches: J.W. Waterhouse

As a patron of The Unexpected Gypsy, I enjoy getting inspired by her art practices.  Lately, she has shared her copies of drawings by British artist J.W. Waterhouse.  She included the source material from the book:  J. W. Waterhouse: 93 Drawings ,by Narim Bender.

Copying other artists'work is called making a master copy.  As long as you don't pass the work off as your own original creation, there's nothing wrong with making master copies.  In fact,  it's a great way to learn from the masters.

Every drawing teaches you something, and especially master copy drawings.  

What artists do you admire? Pick a favorite artwork of theirs and try to recreate it.  The process will unlock new understanding and provide inspiration.

Happy Creating!

Watercolor Faces with the Unexpected Gypsy

As a patron of the Unexpected Gypsy, I receive access to paint-with-me videos she creates monthly.  I love slowing down, and following along with her step-by-step approach.  I use her process, and create my own artwork.

Last month, she painted a woman's face from a very loose and watery start, through several layers, adding contrast as she went along.  She used a photo for reference, then created her own unique person based on the photo.

Faces can be very expressive of our feelings, and as humans, another human face is endlessly fascinating to us.  You can invent your own faces, or find a magazine picture or other photograph and draw from that directly.  In the end, even if you try to stay accurate to the photo, you will put your own unique touches into the work.  Often, portraits come out looking a bit like our own reflections in a mirror.

I see that as a good thing.  It's as if we are looking at another human and painting or drawing what it would be like if they were us, or we were them.  We share a human connection through our art.

If you're interested in learning more about The Unexpected Gypsy, you can check out her YouTube channel for free, or join her Patreon.

Happy Creating! 

A Quick Pencil Sketch

One of my favorite artists on YouTube is The Unexpected Gypsy.  I have taken so much inspiration from the honest way she talks about her life, her emotions, and her art-making, that I joined her Patreon, where she shares photos & videos from her life every weekday.

The sketch above was from a pic she shared of an artist's date with her partner to a romantic, old castle.  I felt swept away by her story and video, and inspired to see the art she was making from this scene of her dressed up & sashaying to the magic castle.

Do you have photos that sweep you away?  Do you follow other artists?  Why not use that inspiration for sketching practice?

Happy Creating!

A Mixed Media Face with the Unexpected Gypsy

As one of the Patreons of the British artist Wendy Robinson, The Unexpected Gypsy, we get monthly videos showing us how Wendy creates her art step-by-step.

They're instructive and inspiring, and feel like a cozy visit with The Unexpected Gypsy herself.  You can find out more about The Unexpected Gypsy's Patreon, follow this link:

patreon.com/theunexpectedgypsy

I created this face by following along with Wendy's latest video.  She started the process with a loose watercolor sketch.

We added in skin tones and shadows.

Deepened some of the shadows,

and layered on more skin tones.

We let our faces dry, and began adding Prismacolor colored pencils to define the features.

Having the control of a sharpened colored pencil allowed me to fix problems I had with the tip of this imaginary woman's nose.

The Prismacolors were easy to blend.

Creating rich, layered colors, like the complexities of the lips.

Taking your time with a project like this allows you to relax into the process.

And when you're done, you've expressed a part of yourself.  You can give your person a name, and ask them if they have any messages to share with you.

I hope you give this process a try!

Happy creating!

Copyright 2024 Betsy Bangley.  All rights reserved.

A Zoom Art Date with The Unexpected Gypsy

As a Patreon supporter of The Unexpected Gypsy, I get regular inspiration and instructional videos from artist Wendy Robinson. One recent benefit of supporting her was a live Zoom session in which she & her Patreons created while we chatted.

It was lovely!

Each of us chose our own project to work on.

I created these faces on old book pages using an India ink brush pen.

The ink flowed readily from the brush, and sassy, peaceful, powerful faces appeared.

I find that doing this type of open-ended creative project while listening to a conversation or watching a video allows me to shift into a relaxed attitude and just play.

This character looks like a fairy superhero to me -- I added splashes of watercolor to the face after the India ink dried. 

I hope you find an opportunity to create in a loose, unplanned way.  To simply allow yourself to play with your art supplies.

Faerie in Turquoise

During the lockdown, I discovered an artist on YouTube who creates for self-care.  She paints, writes, and collages in an art journal as a way to calm anxiety and support her mental health.  The Unexpected Gypsy's public YouTube videos inspired me to start an art journal -- then fill it, and embark on several more.  Creating simply for my own joy and self care is freeing and has become part of my self care routine.

I joined her Patreon, and it feels good to support a working artist who inspires me.  She produces special "Paint with Me" videos for patrons, and it was while watching one of those that I painted this little faerie. 

What a delight to play with colors and my imagination, and watch a character appear from my pencil and paintbrush! 

Hoping you'll take the time to play with your art supplies for no other reason than for your own joy!