In our sketchbooks . . .

Almost everyone in our family has been sick with the flu this week. To entertain ourselves, we've made a lot of art.

My 10-year-old has been reading the Harry Potter books and sketched this collage after finishing up The Order of the Phoenix:

He draws collages quite often and did another that Marvel fans out there will recognize.: )

My daughter loves to paint and experimented with printmaking after getting some ideas in an art book. 

This is the printing block that she made out of string, which is an artistic work in its own right.

She also branched out to chalk pastels. I love the vibrant color and subtle shading in this picture.

As for me, I have been looking for ways to artistically explore Lent. The mythological bird, the phoenix, that rises out of its own ashes, was a symbol that early Christians often used for the death and resurrection of Christ. I find it useful in contemplating how beauty can rise above and arise out of  something that is otherwise incomprehensible. 

This month's Sketchbook Challenge is to sketch with warm or cool colors, so I chose a warm palette for  two of these sketches. 

Sketchy Sunday + New Drawing Inspiration

We're back at Sketchy Sunday this week, a bi-weekly sketching challenge from the Artsy Ants. 

We're a couple of weeks behind, so I'm just now posting the previous theme of "Sit".

My 7-year-old daughter joined in with this drawing inspired by one of the "American Girl" books that we have been reading.

This week's theme is "See". Babies are hard to draw, because their proportions are so different, but I'm getting better at it. : )

On another note, I've been working through Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm. Hamm was a cartoonist and graphic artist in the 1950's and 60's, so many of his models look like old MGM screen stars, but the technical advice is incredible. I later found out that he also studied theology at my alma mater, Baylor University.

I've spent a lot of time practicing facial features, as you can see.

And I have been playing with Zentangles as well. A very fun and meditative way to relax after a long day. I did this one using a template from Erin at The Bright Owl.

If you've been creative this week, leave a link in the comments or join us at the Artsy Ants!