John Stewart's - A Drawing per Day Blog

- A PORTRAIT SKETCH, USING A NEW TOOL -

2012-01-22T22:07:00.000-08:00

I tried a quick sketch of a good friend and artist Richard LaForti using a new tool: the Micron Pigma Brush Pen. It was challenging and a little harder than using the standard Micron 005 pen that I'm used to. The ink is archival and waterproof when it's completely dry. I did the drawing on a sheet of Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper. (100 lb.) It's a nice smooth surface to work on.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- A SURREAL IMPROVISATION WITH PEN AND INK -

2012-01-20T22:51:00.000-08:00

Some call this doodling, but I take it pretty seriously and have done scores of these little pen and ink drawings. I like to put a small drawing in the middle of a large piece of paper to give it a little more drama, I guess :). This one is available on eBay right now at a very affordable price. If you want to take a look click here.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- Finally, a New Website -

2012-01-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

I've been working on putting up a new art website, something that is simple, easy to navigate and viewer friendly. I decided to go with a service called FASO (Fine Art Studios Online). They handle some of the best artists around and have a wonderful reputation. Click here to check them out.
I can't say enough about their service as I've used it three times already (twice online and once on the phone). I talked to a live technical person within seconds of dialing and they were quick and courteous. Also the head of FASO, Clint Watson, is a charming man whose welcome letter really makes you happy that you joined their family. Here's a jpeg of my site and if you want to see it up close Click Here.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- DEALING WITH ART SCAMMERS -

2012-01-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

When somebody approaches you to buy your art on line, do you cringe? I'm starting to. I got approached this week by a man named "Harry Westhood" who was interested in a watercolor abstract that I had on my art website. We had a series of email exchanges and after the third one I was sure that it was a scam. He wanted to know the price of the work, and if he could pay by check (I told him that I preferred PayPal) and that he had a shipping agent that would contact me (a tip off). I told him that it would take 2 to 3 weeks to clear the check before I would ship the painting. Then I asked him for his complete contact info in order to proceed. He ignored my request and answered with a long list of information that he wanted from me: address, phone, cel phone, etc.

I decided to google "Harry Westhood" and the first thing that came up was "Harry Westhood, Art Scam", a posting by another artist who had been scammed by him. That was lucky and my gut level was right. I emailed him back and told him what I saw on Google and that I could not proceed with the transaction. What a waste of time - this has happened three times in the last year. Things to look for: (1) A sense of urgency. (2) Poor grammatical use in the email. (3) Wanting to pay by Cashiers check (sometimes a greater amount than you are asking) (4) They want to use their own shipping agent.

A couple of hours after I sent him the final email, he approached me on my alternate email with the same pitch all over again....only this time his name was "Harry Westwood".

- A Couple of Quick Oil Studies -

2011-12-29T15:32:00.000-08:00

I did these two little oil paintings (4" x 12") last summer. The first one is an impression of the July 4th parade in Weaverville, California and the second one is totally from memories of a farm experience. I painted both of these with a small pointed pallette knife, using a limited but strong selection of colors. I hope you enjoy looking at them.

....(please click on the images to see a larger versions of each.)

A Small Floral Watercolor Gets Featured

2011-11-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

One of my small watercolors just got featured in an Etsy treasury that was created by an artist named Lora. Click Here to See It.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

Second Prize Winner in my Self-Portrait Contest

2011-11-21T22:38:00.000-08:00

I have some of my work on /Fine Art America's website and I ran a "Self-Portrait" contest there last week. First prize was one of my fine art prints and second prize was a blog post on A Drawing Per Day. Voting was done by the members of the Fine Art America community. So here is the posting: Second Prize winner was artist Sunil Jangir and his portrait drawing is shown below:
Click Here to see the artist's profile page.
You can click on the drawing to see a larger image.

Third Prize was a link to the winners page from this blog. Here is the link:
Click Here to see the 3rd Prize Winner, Tammy Krantz.

Barbara Raymond Stewart on Zazzle

2011-11-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

I just created a Zazzle store featuring the art of my late wife Barbara Raymond Stewart. Check it out when you get a chance.
Click Here to See it.

View more gifts at Zazzle.

An Eye Drawing Demo in Corel Painter

2011-11-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

A business website for you in 10 minutes, and it's free...

Digital Portrait Video - Using Corel Painter IX

2011-10-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

This is a digital portrait sketch done using the pencil tool in Corel Painter IX. Hope you enjoy watching the process.

A business website for you in 10 minutes, and it's free...

The Man With a Magic Pencil

2011-10-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

I ran across this artist and we became friends on an art site a couple of years ago. Yesterday I saw his art on Saatchi.com and I was amazed all over again. His name is Dirk Dzimirsky, and what he accomplishes with graphite and charcoal is almost beyond comprehension. Be sure to go to his website and check out all of his work, and drop me a comment and let me know what you think.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

Click Here for a 10 minute Business idea

- A Digital Portrait of a Man -

2011-10-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a digital portrait that I did last year of an imaginary man, using Corel Painter 9. Reminds me of a sea captain in an old movie.

A Watercolor Demo of "Monet's Waterlilies"

2011-10-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

MOEA - MUSEUM OF EGG ART -

2011-10-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

MOEA - MUSEUM OF EGG ART -

CALIFORNIA WATERCOLOR.COM

2011-09-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this for about 2 1/2 years now and it's finally happened. I've been asked to hang along side of a lot of legendary watercolor artist's such as Rex Brandt, Phil Dike, Emile Kosa Jr., Millard Sheets, Marion Wachtel, Phil Paradise, Hardy Grammatky, Dong Kingman and others in Michael Johnson's California Watercolor collection. They will be offering my original art along with giclee works. They have a physical gallery along with a terrific website. Looking forward to a long relationship with them.
You can check them out at: http://tinyurl.com/3cf8xfe.

~ A Small San Francisco Watercolor ~

2011-08-23T22:53:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the urge to paint a cityscape in watercolor so I dug through my pictures of San Francisco and found one that I liked. I think it was the Bay Bridge in the background that sold me on this one. I'm not sure what street this is, but I'm sure somebody out there knows. Drop me a comment below. The painting measures 7 x 10 inches and is unframed. Thanks, John

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ ART SHOW FEVER ~

2011-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I've been neglecting the blog, but I've been fevereshly preparing for an August art show with my sister Jane M. Belden and also for a Watercolor class that I will be teaching on the 4th and 5th of August. The show is at the Highland Art Center in Weaverville, CA and I've posted the invitation below. Jane and I did this brother/sister show 10 years ago and thought it would be fun to do again. If any of you are in town, consider yourself invited :)

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

A Sketchbook - Drawings by John N. Stewart

2011-06-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

My New Watercolor Book

2011-06-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

I just finished publishing a new book of my watercolor art. It's called "Aqueous" and below is a widget that shows a preview of the book. I used Blurb software to make the book, it is one of the easiest systems to use for this. Check it out.....

A Q U E O U S by John NormanStewart | Make Your Own Book

A Watercolor Abstract Called "Fluidity"

2011-05-31T09:45:00.000-07:00

I painted this one yesterday. It is 9 x 12 inches on a watercolor block. When I looked at it this morning I thought it had definite "Graffiti" overtones and almost collage-like feelings to it. Anyway, I hope that you like it. Please leave comments......

Click on picture below to see a larger image.

- A DIGITAL ABSTRACT -

2011-05-23T23:36:00.000-07:00

I did this one in Photoshop starting with a photo and then experimenting with the Filter Gallery until I got the initial effect. Then I hand colored specific areas using the bucket tool and brush tools. I made the file size large enough to get a decent sized print of it. I also ended up with three variations of the abstract which could be possibly hung as a triptic.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ DOODLE DROID ~

2011-05-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

I recently got a new smartphone. It's an HTC Inspire and I like it alot. It has a larger screen than the iphone4 and I personally think that the Droid apps are catching up with Apple. One of these is a drawing app called "Doodle Droid" and I thought I would post a couple of drawings that I was able to do pretty quickly on it. The app has one hang-up - it crashes when you want to reload a picture. I've reported it and I hope they are working on fixing that. These were both done with my fingers and I just got a stylus that works for a little more precision, but it tends to drag and hesitate a bit.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ Cathedral Flower ~

2011-04-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

It seems that lately I've been doing more digital art and I thought I would post one of them. I call it Cathedral Flower, and it's made up of a lot of photos of cathedral interiors. I've been in a few of them and am always impacted by the experience. I used Photoshop to create this piece and made it large enough to print on a 4 x 4 foot wrapped canvas. It's on my Fine Art America website: Click Here to See Canvas.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- A Two Day Watercolor Class -

2011-03-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

About a week and a half ago I taught a two day watercolor class at a local art venue here in Cottonwood, CA. I had 13 students and did three demo paintings. It was a great experience interacting with the ladies and fun was had by all (mostly me). The image below was the result of a watercolor portrait demo on the last day. There was a power outage in Cottonwood that morning and I couldn't print out the face that I wanted to paint, and Sandi Palmer, our hostess, gave me a print out of an Indian to use instead....so it is my first portrait of an American Indian. Let me know what you think, and have a wonderful week.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

A Haunting But Pleasant Face

2011-03-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I did one of these made-up face drawings. This is a digital one that I did using the pencil tool in Corel Painter. She has a haunting but pleasant look to her......

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

A Neverending Landscape

2011-03-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

I started this landscape a number of years ago. It has a dreamlike, surreal feeling to it and I drag it out occasionally to work on it and then I put it back again. I plan to finish it some day. If any of you have suggestions on what to do with it - I would be very open to them.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- Drawing For A Ladie's Retreat -

2011-02-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

Every year at this time I usually get a call from a friend to do some kind of art for a ladies retreat. These are usually fun to do and I thought it might be interesting to post the process of creating one of these. I used Corel Painter IX for this one and set it up for a 4 x 6 image at 300dpi, using the pencil tool (set at size 9). I used the airbrush tool on the finished one at the bottom. Normally I would do a larger image size, but this one will be used on a letterhead and small brochure. They wanted four elements in the picture: a candle, an open bible on a stand, a rose in a vase, and a small framed picture. This was my first idea:

which was lovingly rejected, so I did a couple of thumnails, #1 and #2 and the winner was #2. The finished drawing is at the bottom.
....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

Check out my drawing lens on Squidoo.com...

- Robert Obrien - Notable Painter -

2011-02-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

Although I had seen his work before, I was really impacted by his work when I revisited it today on Blue Canvas. It's definitely worth taking the time to investigate.

~ FINISHED PORTRAIT OF HAZEL ~

2011-01-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

Here is the finished portrait of Hazel. Her husband and daughter came by to look at it yesterday and loved it. I think that half the battle is knowing when to walk away from it.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- Portrait of Hazel In Progress -

2011-01-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

A few days later I began the full sized portrait on a clay board panel. It's a very smooth surface to work on and I'm using acrylics instead of oils. It seems to be moving along well and the client is very happy. My next post will be the finished portrait.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

A Watercolor Portrait Sketch

2011-01-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

I was recently commissioned to do a portrait of a lady named Hazel and decided to do a small watercolor to familiarize myself with her face. This really helps a lot - it's surprising how much you retain by looking repeatedly at a photo of the subject. The finished portrait will be in acrylic on clay board.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ ART IN UNEXPECTED PLACES ~ or ~ MY BREAKFAST SPOKE TO ME...

2011-01-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

This morning I was making my alternate breakfast which is always some form of poached eggs. I was garnishing my plate with grapes and then I saw the face in the plate. After I stopped laughing, I thought to myself "this could be art". It was deliscious!

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

and A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.....

2010-12-27T22:40:00.000-08:00

MOSA - THE MUSEUM OF SQUID ART....

Like I said last week, I've been having fun on Squidoo.com and I just posted a lens with this imaginary art museum on it. Hope all of you have an incredibly happy new year with lots of prosperity and health for you and your immediate and extended families.
Click Here to see MOSA.

javascript:void(0)

- MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE -

2010-12-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

It's that crazy, wonderful time of year again with heaps of family, friends, and activities happening. I hope that you are having the best Christmas season ever!

I've been spending a lot of time lately on Squidoo.com, writing lenses, and one of my recent lenses was on Illuminated Manuscripts. Check them out if you get a chance by
Clicking Here.

Another View of My November Show

2010-11-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

Here is another view of the November show at The Red Bluff Art Gallery. The piece in the foreground was started in 1977, and I reworked it a couple of months ago.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

CE5JM8EFVRN8

Just In Time For the Elections

2010-10-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is a construction/assemblage piece that I did in the late 1980's. It's called "Pick a President" or "Heads of State", and is just in time for the elections. It will be the featured piece in a little show that I'm having at The Red Bluff Art Gallery in November, 2010. It combines antique hardware, a real bull horn, a party animal, a political platform, painted portraits on wooden eggs, a genuine fossil and lots of American flags.

It is interractive as the viewer can select a small wooden head and then watch as it tumbles down a staircase of metal rods and plays a tune until it comes out in the bottom tray. You then put the head into the bull horn and start over again. I've done a bit of reworking on the piece recently. It's a non-partisan piece, but I did notice when taking the photos that it did lean a little bit to the "right".

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

A BIT OF NOSTALGIA - THE VISITOR

2010-10-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

I started this painting in 1961 - 62 and it's been changing over the years. I guess that makes it almost 50 years old. It's going to be in an art show at The Haven Gallery in Redding, CA next month, so I had to do some retouching on it. It won a prize in a Sci-Fi convention in Los Angeles in the 70's and later was exhibited in the 80's in Beverly Hills, CA at a Science Fiction gallery on Wilshire Blvd.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

A VIRTUAL SISTINE CHAPEL

2010-08-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

I just visited the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican via a nice virtual website. It has some beautiful background liturgical music that sets the mood for this monumental work of art. You can go there by CLICKING HERE .

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

This Website Can Become Addicting........

2010-08-09T12:59:00.001-07:00

When I find a good deal online, I always share it with my friends. I want you to checkout Bidz.com brand name & jewelry auctions. They carry seiko, citizen, bulgari, lalique, faberge, roberto cavalli, and many more. They even have limited edition prints by name artists.

To ACCEPT INVITATION click or copy & paste the following invitation link in your browser:

http://www.bidz.com/invite/jonart

- AN ABSTRACT WATERCOLOR -

2010-07-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

I did this one a few weeks ago. I like working on abstracts - it tends to clear the mind a little. This one is done with metalic watercolors, so it is difficult to photograph. It has a lot of subtle variations that pop out when the light hits it a certain way. It measures 9 x 12 inches and is painted up to the edge on heavy 140 lb. paper. It's unframed.

I'm offering this piece at a very reduced price ($120 + shipping) - just hit the PayPal button below to purchase it.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

Portrait of Edward

2010-07-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

This is a portrait in oil that I did last week. I did it as
a demonstration portrait for a class that I'm teaching at The
Red Bluff Art Gallery on Thursdays. I used a photo of my friend
Ed that I had taken over the 4th of July weekend in Weaverville.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

Another Kind of Art

2010-06-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

My wife, Valerie, claims that she is not an "artist". But some of the works that she comes up with scream art to me. Here are a couple of bracelets that she recently made. I would like to get your reaction to them.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

Portrait of Roger

2010-05-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

I did this portrait of my friend Roger a couple of days ago. Roger lives at the Oak River Rehab Center which is about 20 minutes from my house. I play the piano every other Tuesday for Roger and his fellow residents and they are a wonderful audience. He is 94 years old and spent WWII on a Navy ship which was sunk by the German Navy. He and a dozen or so fellow sailors floated around in a lifeboat for about 30 days. By the time they reached land there were only Roger and two others still alive and one of his surviving buddies just happened to speak Portuguese, which came in quite handy since they washed up on the coast of Brazil. I was pretty happy with the results of this portrait, as it captured his spirit. It was painted in acrylic on Raymar board, which is a nice canvas surface on masonite.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

RED BLUFF ART GALLERY PARTY

2010-05-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Red Bluff Art Gallery in Northern California is getting to be known for it's first Friday art openings. In this YouTube video the gallery owner and myself are attempting to paint a large abstract painting. Much fun was had by all, especially with Ira Walker playing blues in the background.......

A New Widget

2010-04-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

Blurb.com has a new widget for showing off your book (a Preview). It's pretty cute.......

A Sketchbook by John N. Stewart | BOOK INFO

HAVING ANOTHER ART SHOW

2010-03-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

Busy week here. I just loaded in some new abstract paintings at The Red Bluff Art Gallery for an April 2010 show, and am in the process of taking another show of 18 works up to a gallery in Weaverville, CA for a April 2010 show. This one will be at Derrick Riske's 5 Windows Gallery. The show is called "Predominately Landscapes" and it is predominately landscapes with couple of abstracts thrown in. I'm looking forward to the show because I know so many people in Weaverville - my sister Jane Belden has been there for 40 years and does know everybody. (I call her Mayor Jane).

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ LET'S LOOSEN UP A LITTLE ~

2010-03-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a small square abstract painting that I did recently for an April 2010 exhibit at The Red Bluff Art Gallery. It's nice to loosen up and I've been doing a series of these square paintings. They measure 12 x 12 inches and are on 2 inch deep wrap around canvas, that requires zero framing. I'm using acrylics and have limited myself to a palette of 8 colors on all of these.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A Small Still Life in Oil ~

2010-02-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

I painted this one a couple of years ago. It measured about 6 x 8 inches and was painted on canvas board. I worked directly with paint on this one, drawing with the brush.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ MINIATURE CROSS WATERCOLORS ~

2010-02-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of miniature watercolors that I did a few weeks ago at The Red Bluff Art Gallery. They each measure 4 x 6 inches and I painted them on 140 lb. paper. I started with a loose outline and then painted directly, creating the design as I went along. The backgrounds were added later.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A WEAVERVILLE CHURCH - WATERCOLOR ~

2010-02-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

I painted this watercolor yesterday from an old photo that I had taken in 2000, in Weaverville, CA. It's doubtful whether the structure is still there. The painting measures 12 x 16 inches, on a watercolor block. It was one of those back-burner projects that I finally got around to. I have lots of those and so do you :), right?

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

The Haitian Tragedy

2010-01-22T22:36:00.000-08:00

It's really hard to not feel helpless in reaching out to those
in Haiti. They've endured more than we can imagine. I've decided
to donate 50% of sales from four of my websites (tonight through
midnight on Monday (72 hours)). I'd challenge any of you to do the same.
These people need our help....quickly. Thanks!

Site 1

Site 2

Site 3

Site 4

~ HYPER POETIC SURREALISM? ~

2010-01-08T01:05:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile I run into an artist whose work stops me in my tracks and Sara Umemoto is one of those artists. Her medium is digital art and photography. She will be having a show at our gallery "The Red Bluff Art Gallery" in March.....really looking forward to that. Her online gallery link is here.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ 2010 ~

2010-01-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

I just did this little drawing today - it's on the last page of Haggai in the bible that I've been drawing in for a couple of years now. Here is a recap of a post that I did last year (seems strange to say that....):

"For the past couple of years, I've been doing some pen and ink sketches in one of my bibles. My goal was to have something drawn on every page. These range from tiny 1/4 x 1/4 inch simple ornaments to 6 x 4 inch drawings. None are pre-planned, but are "improvised" on the spot - with no pencil, just direct ink. Some look like mandalas and all are self contained ornaments. I've been using a .005 Micron pen for most of these."

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~Merry Christmas Everyone!!! ~

2009-12-21T23:38:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Some Great Handmade Art Gifts

2009-12-16T17:03:00.000-08:00

Had some health issues here, so I've been slow to post. I like to look at all kinds of art on the Web and I came across this nice hand crafted glass bowl. It is one of a kind by artist Renato Foti and you can see it online by clicking the image below. I hope that you are all having a wonderful Christmas holiday season.

A VIEW FROM THE RED BLUFF ART GALLERY

2009-11-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

The other day, I was looking out the front window of The Red Bluff Art Gallery, where I hang out three days a week in the afternoon. I noticed a house way off in the distance that had an interesting fence, so I made a drawing of it. There was lots of traffic going up and down Walnut St. and some busy train tracks between the gallery and the house, so it was a bit of a challenge to get it done.

...(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- A Portrait in Pencil -

2009-10-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

I did this drawing last week at The Red Bluff Art Gallery from a small color photo. It's of an artist that shows at the gallery. She is close to 90 years and commutes by car from California to an Eastern state, a couple of times a year. Pretty amazing! I used a 6b graphite stick (wood-less pencil) on smooth bristol board paper, with a felt stump and kneaded eraser.

...(please click on the image to see a larger version)

FUN WITH ARTFIRE

2009-10-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

As an artist, or artisan, you can set up a free store on ArtFire.com and sell up to 12 items. They give you a domain name and don't charge any listing fees or sold item fees like eBay does. You can also instantly import your Etsy items if you happen to have an Etsy store. Here is a link to the store that I set up in about an hour and 1/2. Have fun with it!

Visit johnsminigallery's ArtFire Shop

MR. FRANK KITCHEN - REVISITED

2009-10-09T22:12:00.000-07:00

Using the same photo reference, I tried a new type of pastel set. It looks like makeup in shallow wide mouth jars and you apply it with chammy covered plastic palette knives. The board is masonite that is coated with a tinted sandpaper finish that really grabs the pastel. I spent about five hours on this one, but am pretty happy with it. Let me know what you think of it. Thanks.

...(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ MR. FRANK KITCHEN ~

2009-09-24T19:59:00.001-07:00

There is an interesting gentleman that comes into The Red Bluff Art Gallery where I hang out 2 or 3 days a week. He always arrives with his wife Daphne and when they come through the door, the room lights up. Frank always says that he is half blind, but whatever is left visually creates better photographs than most. So much so that the gallery has just published a book of his photos. Click Here to view Frank on his gallery page. If you would like to purchase a copy of his book you can contact the gallery by Clicking Here.
Frank gave me permission to do this drawing of him from a photograph....as he put it "I don't mind being an "Object d'Art". I used a 6b woodless pencil and a felt stump on 140 lb. Canson paper.

...(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ LEAF SERIES WC ~

2009-09-11T21:33:00.000-07:00

In the late '90s I was doing a lot of what I called "Leaf Series", small watercolors and I fell back into that mode a couple weeks ago. Here's one of the later ones.

...(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- DRAWING IN A CLASSICAL MODE -

2009-08-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I get the urge to sketch or draw in a more classical mode. I sketched this in pen and ink from an old engraving in a book from the early 1800's. It was quickly done and I tried to not over work it. It measures 8.5 x 11 and is ready for framing. I'm offering this one for sale at a very practical price.

...(please click on the image to see a larger version)

MONTANA MORRISON - "THE ART SPIRIT"

2009-08-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

We lost an important artist and friend this week, Montana Morrison. She embodied "The Art Spirit" that Robert Henri wrote about in his 1923 classic. She was a driving force in the arts in Chicago, and then later in our local town of Red Bluff, CA. I was fortunate to have met and talked with her on several occasions, and the conversations were full of laughter and reminiscences of Chicago, artists that we knew, and ideas for various art projects. Montana always inspired me. She always wanted to have her own museum and was able to realize that dream in Red Bluff, a couple of years ago. This video is choppy, but gives a good walkthrough of her gallery/museum, and will give you an idea of her range of works. Her personna was always "bigger than life" and her memory will be a "Celebration of Life".

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

RETHINKING A WATERCOLOR

2009-08-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is a watercolor that I did in 1999 and posted on this blog in 2006. Today I pulled it out and decided that the "Fantasy Forest" needed more "Fantasy", so I added some creatures and faces and even a ghost. I put it on my Etsy gallery page HERE.

...(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ ILLUMINATING A BIBLE ~

2009-07-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of years, I've been doing some pen and ink sketches in one of my bibles. My goal was to have something drawn on every page. These range from tiny 1/4 x 1/4 inch simple ornaments to 6 x 4 inch drawings. None are pre-planned, but are "improvised" on the spot. Some look like mandalas and all are self contained ornaments. I've been using a .005 Micron pen for most of these. The first drawing is at the end of 2 Chronicles. The second is at the end of Ecclesiastes. The third is a loose drawing that I did a couple of days ago. The sizes are actual.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

ROAD WARRIOR

2009-07-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

I had worked on this drawing for a couple of days and was pretty happy with it. I was picking up a large framed watercolor at the framers and put this drawing (which was done on a watercolor block) on the roof of my car, while I was loading the framed watercolor. Halfway home, about 12 miles up the highway, I realized what I had done. I pulled over and checked out the inside of my SUV, just to make sure. It wasn't there, and I felt really stupid. When I got home, I called the art gallery that represents me, and Anna, (one of the owners) luckily was still there. She jumped in her car and went to the frame shop, two blocks away, and saw nothing on the road. She drove to Main Street, retracing my drive home and drove about a mile. She saw a flicker of blue off in the distance, which turned out to be the outside cover of the drawing's cover. It was, and the drawing was lying a couple of lanes over. Way to go Anna!!! It was still intact and I was able to restore it. Hence the name "Road Warrior".

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- A SELF PORTRAIT EXHIBIT -

2009-07-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

The Hawkman Studios (Troy Hawkins and Adam Mankoski) are having a month long group self-portrait show called "Me, Myself and I". It's going to be held at The Vintage Wine Bar and Restaurant, 1790 Market Street in Redding, CA. ( A Reception for the artists is on Tues, July 14 at 6:00pm. You are all invited!!! Artists involved are: S.A.Barone, Troy Hawkins, Gini Holmes, Steve Bischoff, Chuck Prudhomme, John N. Stewart, Irina Stroup, Mickey Theobald, Tami Watson and Dejon Weldon. There will be Live Music!

I met Troy and Adam last week and was amazed at what they've done in promoting the arts in Northern California. Their dream is to create a cultural explosion in the Redding area, and with 40+ art venues it seems to be happening.

I did this self-portrait in 2006 and it will be showing in this exhibit for the first time. It is a very personal painting and contains most of the people that influenced my life (i.e.: family, friends, associates). It's a large full-sheet watercolor, done on 300 lb paper.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A MICHAEL JACKSON EXPERIENCE ~

2009-06-27T00:35:00.000-07:00

I first saw Michael perform at Disneyland, when he was the youngest member of "The Jackson Five".

Later on, as an artist, I worked on four projects for Michael Jackson, one Pepsi Commercial, two music videos, and an experimental project. He always managed to get a lot of heavy-weight celebs into his projects. Eddie Murphy was in one of the music videos and Cindy Lauper was in the Pepsi commercial. (I put it on my blog). Michael had a stand-in decoy that came around the set, so you never knew if it was the real Jackson or not.

We had to sign a contract that was several pages long. Contract clauses included not approaching MJ, not directing any jokes towards MJ, never speaking to MJ, and a long list of strange, almost child-like rules. We (the crew) all signed it, in order to work. Strange to have worked on four projects and never really having a verified MJ sighting. A good friend of mine did some mural work in Michael's home and told me that he was very nice and treated her well. His father treated her strangely, but that's another story. With all of his excentricities, MJ obviously had a lot of talent, energy, and a need to succeed. Sorry that he left at such a young age.

WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT OF A BOY

2009-06-13T22:29:00.000-07:00

I took a photo of a friend's little boy and was stimulated by his expression and the surrounding forms and colors that were happening in my wife's salon. It's a small piece: 9 x 12 inches and I painted it on a watercolor block.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

HAPPY "DRAWING DAY"

2009-06-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

As you probably know today is National "Drawing Day". Here is a post of a unique artist doing his thing:

CLICK HERE TO SEE....

"SHARDS" Watercolor

2009-05-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

Just finished this abstract watercolor a couple of days ago. It started out looking like a seagull's view of a sail boat race and then became something else. It wasn't pre-planned and I worked out the composition as I went along.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ AN INVITATION TO MY ART SHOW ~

2009-04-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

Consider this a cordial invitation to come to my art opening on May 1, 2009. You can view or print out this invitation by clicking HERE.

- RANCHO TEHAMA CREEK BED - Watercolor -

2009-04-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

Finished this painting today and plan to include it in my art show at The Red Bluff Art Gallery. It's from a field trip last Friday to Rancho Tehama with artist/gallery owner, Phil Dynan. I called it a Cow Safari) and these wild beasts were everywhere.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ SPAGETTI ABSTRACT ~

2009-04-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

I got this image the other morning, while I was taking a shower. I still haven't decided whether or not I'm happy with it. It was a little bit tricky to paint with watercolor. It measures 9 x 12 inches and is on 140 lb. paper.

....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ AVENUE OF THE GIANTS - WATERCOLOR ~

2009-04-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a smaller watercolor that I painted for the show in May. The Avenue of The Giants is a huge grove of redwoods about an hour south of Eureka, California. When you walk among these trees there is a sense of peace and awe, and you realize that you are in the presence of God's amazing creations. I used a brush-on masking liquid to preserve the lightest areas in the painting, and then slowly built up the values, saving the darks for last. The God-rays were actually made by using a kneaded eraser next to a straight edge. I did this very carefully, to avoid lifting the paper surface. I put in some of the foreground grass details by lifting the color with a small wet brush. The figures were the last thing that I added.
I went back to this location last weekend with a photographer friend and we got some great new shots. Also went to photograph the rugged coastline at Trinidad, CA. Great weekend.

.....(please click on the image to see a larger version)

Painting of "The Backside of Mt. Lassen"

2009-03-25T17:15:00.000-07:00

This is a plein air watercolor that I started on location on the backside of Mt. Lassen, a volcano that is about an hour away from where I live. Although I painted it in October of 2007 with a group of Redding artists, I finally got around to finishing it today. I plan to put it in my May 2009 "California Landscapes" show that I'm having at the Red Bluff Art Gallery here in Northern California.

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ LAGUNA BEACH DRAWING -

2009-03-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

I did a drawing today using charcoal pencil on a full sheet of very soft charcoal paper (20 x 23 inches). I did it as a possible study for a watercolor, although I might do it in acrylic. The location is a favorite spot of mine in Laguna Beach, California and there is a painting that I did on that subject several years ago, on this blog (somewhere).

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A SELF PORTRAIT ~

2009-03-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

I think it's a good thing for an artist to do a self portrait from time to time. Some do it more than others. I've done three or four in my lifetime. This drawing was done in 2004 while I was sitting on our co-op gallery in Ferndale, CA. I used an Eagle draughting pencil on a very unforgiving surface of rough watercolor paper on a block, only because it was the only thing that I had with me at the moment. All you need to do your own is a pencil, paper, and a free standing mirror.....have at it!!!

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ OUT OF THE PENS OF BABES ~

2009-03-09T15:54:00.000-07:00

My granddaughter Grace is five years old and loves to draw. She did this one this morning and calls it "The Beauty Jewell". It's been said that artists go through several phases: (1) drawing as a child (2) developing art skills (3) formal training (4) process of un-learning or breaking the rules, and finally (5) drawing as a child. I guess that could be true.....

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ CRUCIFIXION DRAWING -

2009-03-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

Although I've done drawings of Jesus before, I've never done a drawing of the actual Crucifixion. I did this one today using Corel IX with the pencil, smudge and eraser tool. Did a little bit of touch up with the oil brush also. This one is out of my imagination, since I didn't find any suitable research other than a straight-on view from an old Spanish painting.

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A CHARACTER STUDY ~

2009-02-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

Old men's faces fascinate me, probably because I own one. I borrowed this guy from a photograph and he reminds me of one that Leonardo did a study of.....you probably have seen that one. I did this drawing in Corel Painter IX using their pencil tool with slight conte tints. Let me know if you do or don't like it..........

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A VALENTINE'S DAY DRAWING ~

2009-02-14T17:17:00.000-08:00

Maybe it was because of the Dali posting below or maybe it was because I've been sick with the flu all week......but here is my attempt at a Valentine's drawing..........

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- MR. DALI -

2009-02-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this video with you from You Tube. It's one of the best that I've seen on Salvadore Dali. I saw of book of his work in the Glendale, California library when I was very young. Later in 1977 when I was working on a Bette Davis film in Mentor, Ohio, I met an artist Louis Pennfield who asked me if I'd seen the Dali Museum. Turned out that it was a collection of Dali's work that was in a factory in Willoughby, Ohio, just 30 minutes or so from Mentor. A wealthy factory owner had managed to get over 200 of Dali's best paintings and kept them in a special climate controlled, and very large gallery. It was open by appointment only and we arranged to go there. It was a great opportunity to see the paintings that I had only seen in books. A very nice memory. Later on I heard that the factory owner had a falling out with Dali and sold the entire collection, which ended up in Florida.
Louis and I ended up having a two man art show at Lakeland College a year later. Check out Dali's video below. He was one of a kind.

MORE ZAZZLEMANIA!

2009-02-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

Since I obviously haven't been posting "a drawing per day"......it's because I've been designing five products per day for my new Zazzle store called "Java_Mod". It's basically different kinds of cups and mugs with "Art" on them. Here's what some of them look like. Again, I've been having way too much fun.......darnit!

make custom gifts at Zazzle

~ ZAZZLEMANIA!!! ~

2009-01-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

This is a fun website and for an artist it's a great tool. If you have jpeg or Tiff images of your work you can set up a store in minutes (or hours) and it's fun besides. You can set up your commission rate (usually 17 to 25% of the listed price) and you don't have to stock anything or deal with customers at all. You can check out Zazzle by clicking hereHERE

Here is a flash panel that they created for my store:

make custom gifts at Zazzle

Their software has been glitch-free and very user friendly. My cousin has had a couple of stores with Zazzle for awhile now and he has been selling his products very consistantly.

~ CHANGING FACES ~

2008-12-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

I was hanging out at the Red Bluff Art Gallery and started sketching the face of a very nice lady named Tegwin Matenaer (a very talented pastel artist). She kept jumping up and leaving the room and as I kept on drawing, her face transgendered into the imaginary man's face shown below. I was using a very soft drawing pencil and a small felt stump for blending purposes. Tegwin left and hasn't seen the drawing.

......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ S A N T A ~

2008-12-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

I grew up with those Santa Clause/Coke ads and have always wanted to draw or paint a Santa like those, so here is a pen, ink and pencil drawing that I did today. It's a small one and measures about 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 inches.

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A SMALL WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT ~

2008-12-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

I sometimes get inspired by a face that I see in a magazine or even freeze framed on the TV. There was something about the eyes that caught my interest on this one. Doing a face in a small format (in this case 4 x 6 inches) is a pleasant experience.....seems like it's easier to keep under control. I use a Canson watercolor block that has 140 lb. paper in it.

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ OAHU AVACADO TREES ~

2008-11-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

The fellow that rented us the apartment had a huge avacado tree in the yard, and every day he would bring a bowl of fresh avacados to our patio table. I painted this watercolor of the tree....brings back nice memories.
.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ OAHU PALM FRONS ~

2008-11-03T12:58:00.000-08:00

In 2003, my wife and I spent three weeks on Oahu in a nice apartment in a private home on the North East shore. This sketch was done while sitting on the front porch looking up at the palm trees. There were some cute little Gecko lizzards on the wall behind me.
.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ HEY MOM, I'M IN AN ART SHOW!!! ~

2008-10-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

This art show came up suddenly, so I'm posting an invitation on the blog and if you are in the area - Please Come!! It's at The Red Bluff Art Gallery, a wonderful center of the arts that is owned by Anna Nelson and Phil Dynan. Click Here to visit their website.

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

~ A BONHAM'S BEAUTY ~

2008-10-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I surf the internet something catches my eye. This was the case with this wonderful portrait of an old man w/beard. It is attributed to the German School, sometime in the 1800's. It was painted in oil on canvas and the original is 18.5 x 15 inches. I love the expression on the man's face - we can almost tell what he's thinking. This painting is for sale at auction on October 21, 2008. The time of the sale is 13:00 (PST). I'm showing a cropped detail of the painting here, so to see the entire image you'll have to go to Bonham's auction site by clicking here. While you are there you should check out their whole auction catalogue for the sale. You'll be glad that you did.

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- A Stream of Conciousness Drawing -

2008-10-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's fun to just start drawing and see what comes up on the paper. I did this one today and probably should have it psychoanalyzed. My wife thinks so.........
.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

[This drawing as well as all of my other drawings and paintings on this blog are available for purchase. Simply contact me through my art website at www.jstewart.com]

~ BRANCHING OUT ~

2008-09-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here is another tree study done today in pen and ink. One can get lost in the details and one does. Drawing trees is similar to doing puzzles, eventually everything fits together......or not. Maybe I could eventually become a branch manager..........

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

[This drawing as well as all of my other drawings and paintings on this blog are available for purchase. Simply contact me through my art website at www.jstewart.com]

- SKETCHING FROM MEMORY -

2008-09-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

I did this drawing today while trying to remember some faces that I had seen in the last few days. The lady at the bottom was the strongest image. She impressed me as a lady in her 70's hanging on to her youthful hair styling and 60's, kind of hippie style of dress. Yes, I do remember the 60's.

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

[This drawing as well as all of my other drawings and paintings on this blog are available for purchase. Simply contact me through my art website at www.jstewart.com]

~ HOT STUFF ~

2008-09-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a pen and ink sketch that I made today of a variety of peppers. I used a micron fine tip pen on very smooth paper in an older sketchbook of mine. It's interesting to try to suggest color when you are drawing in black and white. (is that possible?) Actually the small ones were bright red, the medium one was olive green, and the large one was deep black.

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

[This drawing as well as all of my other drawings and paintings on this blog are available for purchase. Simply contact me through my art website at www.jstewart.com]

- Reflections on Pottery -

2008-09-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a ceramic shop in my teens. My mother went from hobby to business and talked my father into buying a ceramic shop. Later on my dad built ceramic kilns and potter's wheels and through him I learned about people like Peter Voulkos and Otto and Vivika Heino. I had some instruction and threw some pots, and also did a lot of ceramic tile murals for commercial and private projects. I found this video on You Tube and it brought back lots of nostalgic memories. The artist is Tony Ivie at www.Bluefoxgallery.com and I hope that you enjoy the video.

ART RAGE - ART TOY

2008-08-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

I downloaded a program called ArtRage 2 (www.ambientdesign.com) and fooled around with it. It gives you some textural effects and it has a very slick drawing interface. This is the first drawing/painting that I did with it........lots of fun!

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- The Finished Painting -

2008-07-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

After fooling around with various color schemes, I ended up with this one and finished the painting. I may have been influenced by the hundreds of fires that we've had here in Northern California (smokey skies, etc.). The finished painting is in oil on a wood panel and measures 12 x 16 inches.
.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

- Add Color and Stir....... -

2008-07-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

I decided to leave Corel and do a small version in real oil paint. It is 5 x 7 and the finished painting will be 12 x 16 inches. I'll post it when it's finished. I hope that you all are having a wonderful summer. It's been smokey and hot here (100+ today).

.......(please click on the image to see a larger version)

John Stewart's - A Drawing per Day Blog

- A PORTRAIT SKETCH, USING A NEW TOOL -

- A SURREAL IMPROVISATION WITH PEN AND INK -

- Finally, a New Website -

- DEALING WITH ART SCAMMERS -

- A Couple of Quick Oil Studies -

A Small Floral Watercolor Gets Featured

Second Prize Winner in my Self-Portrait Contest

Barbara Raymond Stewart on Zazzle

An Eye Drawing Demo in Corel Painter

Digital Portrait Video - Using Corel Painter IX

The Man With a Magic Pencil

- A Digital Portrait of a Man -

A Watercolor Demo of "Monet's Waterlilies"

MOEA - MUSEUM OF EGG ART -

CALIFORNIA WATERCOLOR.COM

~ A Small San Francisco Watercolor ~

~ ART SHOW FEVER ~

A Sketchbook - Drawings by John N. Stewart

My New Watercolor Book

A Watercolor Abstract Called "Fluidity"

- A DIGITAL ABSTRACT -

~ DOODLE DROID ~

~ Cathedral Flower ~

- A Two Day Watercolor Class -

A Haunting But Pleasant Face

A Neverending Landscape

- Drawing For A Ladie's Retreat -

- Robert Obrien - Notable Painter -

~ FINISHED PORTRAIT OF HAZEL ~

- Portrait of Hazel In Progress -

A Watercolor Portrait Sketch

~ ART IN UNEXPECTED PLACES ~ or ~ MY BREAKFAST SPOKE TO ME...

and A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.....

- MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE -

Another View of My November Show

Just In Time For the Elections

A BIT OF NOSTALGIA - THE VISITOR

~~ A VIRTUAL SISTINE CHAPEL ~~

This Website Can Become Addicting........

- AN ABSTRACT WATERCOLOR -

Portrait of Edward

Another Kind of Art

Portrait of Roger

RED BLUFF ART GALLERY PARTY

A New Widget

HAVING ANOTHER ART SHOW

~ LET'S LOOSEN UP A LITTLE ~

~ A Small Still Life in Oil ~

~ MINIATURE CROSS WATERCOLORS ~

~ A WEAVERVILLE CHURCH - WATERCOLOR ~

The Haitian Tragedy

~ HYPER POETIC SURREALISM? ~

~ HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ 2010 ~

~~~Merry Christmas Everyone!!! ~~~

Some Great Handmade Art Gifts

A VIEW FROM THE RED BLUFF ART GALLERY

- A Portrait in Pencil -

FUN WITH ARTFIRE

MR. FRANK KITCHEN - REVISITED

~ MR. FRANK KITCHEN ~

~ LEAF SERIES WC ~

- DRAWING IN A CLASSICAL MODE -

MONTANA MORRISON - "THE ART SPIRIT"

RETHINKING A WATERCOLOR

~ ILLUMINATING A BIBLE ~

ROAD WARRIOR

- A SELF PORTRAIT EXHIBIT -

~ A MICHAEL JACKSON EXPERIENCE ~

WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT OF A BOY

HAPPY "DRAWING DAY"

"SHARDS" Watercolor

~ AN INVITATION TO MY ART SHOW ~

- RANCHO TEHAMA CREEK BED - Watercolor -

~ SPAGETTI ABSTRACT ~

~ AVENUE OF THE GIANTS - WATERCOLOR ~

Painting of "The Backside of Mt. Lassen"

~ LAGUNA BEACH DRAWING -

~ A SELF PORTRAIT ~

~ OUT OF THE PENS OF BABES ~

A VIRTUAL SISTINE CHAPEL

~Merry Christmas Everyone!!! ~

~ ZAZZLEMANIA!!! ~