Artists Draw Artists in Online Charity Fundraiser

By Janet Dodrill

After participating in several online drawing groups with other artists where we sketch from paid life models, it has also become popular for artists to sketch other artists in organized sessions. Many are called Draw Eachother, where people pose for 15 minutes for a portrait.

I participated in one on November 29, 2022 called, Draw Me Draw You, with the Scottish Borders Life Drawing Club (@scottishborderslifedrawingclub on Instagram), with proceeds going to Unicef to help children in the Ukraine. And, I was one of eight artists chosen to pose for a portrait, aside from drawing too. It was a lot of fun posing and seeing the results. Additionally, I got to meet and draw several other artists.

Here are a few of the fabulous portraits drawn of me by other talented artists from the fundraiser, showing a variety of styles and artistic approaches.

Portrait by artist, Baba Kre.

Portrait by artist, Yuji Sakuma.

Portrait by artist, Margo Volterra.

Portrait by artist, Lena Meyer.

Portrait by artist, Jeremy Kuhn.

Portrait by artist, Faye Stephens.

Copyright article and images. All rights reserved. Not to be used without permission.

#draweachother #drawmedrawyou #scottishborderslifedrawingclub #janetdodrill #onlinesketching #onlinedrawing #portrait #portraitdrawing #portraitpainting #artistsdrawingartists

Global Online Life Drawing Groups Fulfill While #StayAtHome

By Janet Dodrill

Because of Covid-19, it has been safer to stay at home. As an artist, the art life drawing groups that I once attended have not met since early March, 2020. A couple of the groups have moved to Zoom or Facebook Live. I have found dozens of additional art groups online, both out of state and out of the country. I have been fortunate enough to stay busy with these drawing sessions, while meeting people, and fulfilling the sense of community that I seek in addition to improving my drawing skills. The life models have their own remote cameras and setups at their homes or studios, and these sessions have brought people together from all over the world.

I am especially impressed with the talent, professionalism, athleticism, and creativity of the models. Additionally, the organizations have been offering theme-inspired live drawing sessions on Zoom. In the past couple weeks I participated in a Picasso’s Vollard Suite inspired session featuring models Andrew Crayford @andrewcrayford1 and Annie Mae @amlifemodel both of London, a two-day live performance by Juliano Hollivard @julianohollivard of Brazil with constant movement by the model with lighting, music, poetry, video, props and masks, and most recently a session in the style of Matisse, the Odalisques, with model Valentina Rock @valentinarocklondon. Another group simply draws each other’s portraits. Most of them I discovered on Instagram, and there are many more yet to be discovered.

Some of my favorite (online) life drawing groups during the pandemic, on Instagram:

Adrian Dutton Life Drawing, London @adriandutton_life_drawing (Zoom)
https://www.adriandutton.com

The Renaissance Workshop, London @therenaissanceworkshop (Zoom)
https://therenaissanceworkshop.com/product-category/life-drawing

2 B Or Not 2 B Collective @2bornot2bcollective, London (Zoom)
https://linktr.ee/2bornot2bcollective

London Drawing, London @londondrawing (Zoom)
https://londondrawing.com

Life Drawing Barcelona, Spain @lifedrawingbarcelona (Zoom)
https://linktr.ee/lifedrawingbarcelona

Amanda Achen @theartache, California (Zoom)
https://linktr.ee/amandaachen

On Facebook:

Murray Hill Life Drawing, Cleveland, Ohio (Zoom)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/65156305856

The Pretentious Cleveland Portrait Artists, Cleveland, Ohio (Facebook Livestream)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/347696515301192

Website:

Shoal of Art Meetup, London (Zoom)
https://www.meetup.com/London-Shoal-of-Art-Meetup

Copyright article and images. All rights reserved. Not to be used without permission.

Matisse, the Odalisques, theme with model Valentina Rock, by the collaboration of Adrian Dutton Life Drawing and Madhouse Studios, watercolor and ink by Janet Dodrill.

An ink drawing by Janet Dodrill of Juliano Hollivard’s Day Two, The Sacred, performance life drawing session through The Renaissance Workshop.

Cleveland Drawing Group Meets Weekly for Portrait Session

By Janet Dodrill

The Pretentious Cleveland Portrait Artists group (formerly The Pretentious Tremont Artists of the Literary Cafe), conceived over 30 years ago by artists Tim Herron and Brian Pierce, meets weekly and attracts artists from all over the greater Cleveland area, giving them a place to practice portrait drawing from a live model.

Open to all artists, I started participating in the group last fall on an occasional basis. The sketch session is three hours with breaks, and the portrait model or ‘sitter’ gets the artwork at the end in exchange for their sitting time. Models are on a waiting list that is full months in advance.

Originally the group met at a tavern in Tremont on Cleveland’s west side, but now they incorporate various east and west side locations.

It is a privilege to draw with such talented and established area artists. The quality and diversity of the art is amazing. The artwork is photographed later that evening and posted in albums on the group’s blog and on Facebook for all to enjoy.

Below are a few of my sketches from the past five months.

Links:

The Pretentious Cleveland Portrait Artists Blog (formerly The Pretentious Tremont Artists of the Literary Cafe)
http://www.literarycafeartists.com/blog

The Pretentious Cleveland Portrait Artists Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/347696515301192/

Tim Herron
https://www.facebook.com/tim.herron.376

Copyright article and images. All rights reserved. Not to be used without permission.

Watercolor by Janet Dodrill

Acrylic painting by Janet Dodrill

Watercolor by Janet Dodrill

Watercolor by Janet Dodrill

Watercolor by Janet Dodrill

Watercolor by Janet Dodrill

Pencil and watercolor by Janet Dodrill

The Inktober Pledge

By Janet Dodrill

This October I took the Inktober pledge!

The Inktober Initiative was the idea of Jake Parker, established illustrator, to commit to ink drawing practice everyday for the month of October. Started in 2009, the event is practiced by artists around the world, and has official rules and daily idea prompt list to follow. Ink drawings are to be posted to social media on a regular basis using the this year’s hashtags, #inktober and #inktober2017.

I am posting my Inktober drawings to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google +. I enjoy being part of this creative endeavor and all 31 drawings will be posted here as the month progresses. This gives me the opportunity to practice sketching and drawing.

To learn more about Inktober, see Jake Parker’s website at www.mrjakeparker.com/inktober.

Copyright article and images. All rights reserved. Not to be used without permission.

Bought some new art supplies to add to my art box for Inktober! #PerfectExcuse

Ink drawing, day 1, word: swift

Ink drawing, day 2, word: divided

Ink drawing, day 3, word: poison

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Update: below are some of my favorite ink sketches from Inktober.

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

Ink drawing by Janet Dodrill

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Artistic Prints and Note Cards by Janet Dodrill

By Janet Dodrill

Euclid Beach Carousel iPad art image by Janet Dodrill.

Looking for a unique artisan gift? You can find my note cards and prints in local Cleveland shops listed below. The themes include Cleveland landmarks, carousel horses from the Euclid Beach Carousel, nature scenes from the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, Chagrin Falls landmarks, and other subjects.

The images are photography that is manipulated using iPad art apps, and some are then put into graphic design layouts.

 

 

 

Shops:

Fireside Book Shop, 29 N Franklin St, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022, www.firesidebookshop.com (Note cards)

In The 216 shop, 1854 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, www.facebook.com/inthe216shop (Note cards, matted & loose laser prints, coloring pages)

Mac’s Backs-Books, 1820 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, www.macsbacks.com (Note cards)

Native Cleveland gift shop, 15813 Waterloo Road, Cleveland, OH 44110, www.nativecleveland.com (Note cards)

Stars on Blue, 165 E. Aurora Road, Northfield, OH 44067,www.facebook.com/StarsonBlue (Note cards, matted images, coloring pages)

The Duck Pond gift shop, Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 S. Park Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44120, www.shakerlakes.org (Note cards)

Western Reserve Historical Society gift shop, 10825 East Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, www.wrhs.org (Note cards, matted & loose laser prints, coloring pages)

Visit my ETSY shop for a limited amount of original lino-cut prints at janetdodrill.etsy.com.

Chagrin Falls iPad art image by Janet Dodrill.

Cleveland prints by Janet Dodrill.

Cleveland note cards by Janet Dodrill at In The 216 gift shop.

Chagrin Falls note cards by Janet Dodrill at Fireside Book Shop.

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Peter Max Continues To Impress!

By Janet Dodrill

Peter Max exhibit announcement.

During our sunny, warm autumn in greater Cleveland, we were host to a renowned pop artist’s exhibit which warmed the soul! Peter Max had a retrospective of over 125 works of art at the Beachwood Community Center, in Beachwood, Ohio from October 16-25, 2015. Peter Max was available in person for the last two days of the show, to meet the public and to personally sign purchased artwork. I was able to attend the event, and converse with him. On two other occasions I also met him, once at his art exhibit in Little Italy, Cleveland, Ohio, and once at the Rock Hall. On one of those occasions I received a personalized autograph in exchange for a 1971 Peter Max Paper Airplane book that I had brought with me with intentions to have him sign. And, I recall an exhibit of his at Tower City one year that I attended with my late mother, which we both enjoyed.

Personalized autograph from Peter Max.

I am continually impressed with his work, the use of color, and the energy the work transmits. I love the use of broad multi-color brush strokes, and ever-changing subject matter and evolving style.

If his work comes to town again, I will surely go to see it, to be once again inspired.

Resources:

www.petermax.com

(Text and photos copyright Janet Dodrill. Not to be used without prior permission.)

 

Peter Max exhibit at Peter Max exhibit at Beachwood Community Center, Beachwood, Ohio. Nearby trees were decorated in anticipation of the exhibit.

 

Art by Peter Max.

 

Art by Peter Max.

 

Art by Peter Max.

 

Art by Peter Max.

 

Peter Max exhibit at Beachwood Community Center, Beachwood, Ohio. Nearby trees were decorated in anticipation of the exhibit.

 

Peter Max exhibit at Beachwood Community Center, Beachwood, Ohio.

Buy/Sell Art Images Online

By Janet Dodrill

Artists, Photographers, Designers! Are you selling your images online? There’s a community online of people selling their images at FineArtAmerica.com. I created a shop at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/janet-dodrill.html and am still adding to it. A variety of items are available for purchase from each image and pricing can be determined, plus, the rights to the images remain your own. Up to 25 images can be posted for free. FineArtAmerica.com does the rest, output of the image, any matting and framing or assemblage, shipping and billing. And satisfaction guaranteed!

In addition to unframed prints and matted and framed prints, my shop offers images on greeting cards, metal or acrylic, pillows and iPhone cases. Visit my shop, or browse and get inspired! You can even create a shop of your own.

Profile page and art images at FineArtAmercia.com.

Do You Know the Color of the Year?

By Janet Dodrill

Having been educated in the graphic arts and printing industry in my career as a graphic designer, when color giant Pantone® speaks, I listen!

Artists and designers, you may be interested to know that Pantone® has named the color of the year – Marsala. According to their web site it is described as “a naturally robust and earthy wine red.”

Additionally, the Pantone® Fashion Color Reports for Spring 2015 and Fall 2015 have been announced. These reports are released months in advance, the Spring report was released last September, and the Fall report was released this month (February). These reports are generated in conjunction with scheduled New York fashion shows that forecast clothing trends. I think it is very valuable as a designer to have this information to incorporate in creative visuals over the course of the year.

Color winners of the last five years are on the site, as well as other favorites.

Need inspiration? Browse around the Pantone® Canvas portfolio site. You can also sign-up and showcase your own work!

Image Source: Pantone.com

Resource Links:

Pantone Color of the Year 2015

Pantone® FASHION COLOR REPORT SPRING 2015

Pantone® FASHION COLOR REPORT FALL 2015

Pantone® Colors of the Year (2011-2015) and Other Favorites

Pantone® Canvas portfolio site

The Effects of Waterlogue

By Janet Dodrill

Have you heard of the iPhone and iPad app called Waterlogue? The app converts your photos into beautiful watercolor-like images. It is published by Tinrocket, LLC and was co-created by John Balestrieri (Tinrocket, LLC) and Robert Clair (Chromatic Bytes, LLC). Available on iTunes for $2.99, it has a 4+ customer rating.

It is one of my favorite art apps to use. I create custom note cards using images that I first shoot on the iPad and then run them through Waterlogue.

Below are a few images (before and after) I created using various filters in the app.

iPad photo and Waterlogue app image.

iPad photo and Waterlogue app image.

Art Apps for iPad, ArtStudio and Inkpad

By Janet Dodrill

ArtStudio for iPad
By Lucky Clan
$4.99
v5.16 (Oct. 2013)
Sylwester Los
(iPhone c.2010; iPad c.2012) iPad Mini, iPod

Offers In-App Purchases:

1. Pack 1 $4.99
2. Watercolors $.99
3. Hair $.99
4. Fur $.99
5. Fire $.99
6. Oils $.99
7. Smoke $.99
8. Grass $.99
9. Markers $.99
10. Trees $.99

Selected Specs/Features:

-Raster-based
-iOS 4.3 or later
-21.5MB
-5 Star Rating
-Export as JPG/PNG/PSD to camera roll, email, clipboard, iTunes
-450 Brushes,150 free
-Sizes (In-App) 1024 x 768 iPad (approx. 14 x 10.5″ at 72ppi, 2.25MB/2.5 x 3.5″ at 300ppi); 2048 x 1536 (approx. 28 x 21″ at 72ppi, 9MB/6.75 x 5″ @ 300ppi); iPad with Retina; Max image size 3264 x 2448 (approx. 45 x 34″ at 72ppi, 23MB/10.75 x 8″ @ 300 ppi), other presets

Resources:

Lucky Clan http://www.luckyclan.com

Twitter http://twitter.com/lucky_clan

Manual http://www.luckyclan.com/artstudio_manual.pdf

Features http://www.luckyclan.com/artstudio/?page=features

Examples of what can be done in ArtStudio (videos) http://www.luckyclan.com/artstudio/?page=videos

ArtStudio Flickr Gallery (iPhone) http://www.flickr.com/groups/artstudioimages/

ArtStudio How to get started digital painting on iPad, David Allen 6:59 (video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBfeKFYc5xU

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Inkpad
By Taptrix, Inc.
FREE
v1.2 (Mar. 2014)
© Steve Sprang (Creator of Brushes App)
(c.2011)

Selected Specs/Features:

-Vector-based
-iOS 7.0 or later
-5.1MB
-5 Star Rating
-Export as JPEG, PNG, PDF, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), SVGZ (Scalable Vector Graphics compressed), Inkpad
-Sizes (In-App) Sizes i.e. Letter, Legal, Tabloid, A4, other standard sizes, or Custom Pixel; Portrait or Landscape options

Resources:

Twitter http://twitter.com/taptrix (No Tweets!)

Inkpad Demo, TaptrixInc 3:05 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU2UFmrDGk4

Apps Tutorial – Inkpad, John Patten 14:55 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZwrecRbsRo

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Note: This material posted in preparation for Cleveland Digital Publishing Users Group’s “A Quick Tour of Art Apps for iPad” presentation, March 27, 2014. Featured speakers include Nancy Dinger Aikins, Henry Lee, Janet Dodrill, Marvin Sable.