Katrina Willis, A Solitude of Space, 2008.
Graphite pencil on paper, 11 × 14 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

One of the sweet, recent privileges has been devoting many of my daily drawing exercises to works on paper.  This is a challenge, since I find myself painting most of the time.  But I enjoy the simplicity and portability of pencil and paper.   This moment on paper captures Mark “in the zone.”  This is a drawing of him listening to some friends of ours. I love it when Mark models for me, because I know him really well.  I can capture character traits in drawings of him intuitively without a lot of added research - it’s a logical and natural extension of our relationship.

I also like pencil, because since we’re all continuously becoming ourselves more and more with each new day, I tend to leave areas of the portrait less worked up.  Often I finish out and develop the features of the head and the areas surrounding the immediate focal point, then the feet, legs, and other limbs remain more vague.  I have to wonder where the person still has to go in their lifetime and what it is they have left to accomplish…

Katrina Willis, In the Meantime, 2008.
Charcoal on toned paper, heightened with white, 9 × 12 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

Katrina Willis, Beyond the Dreaming, 2008.
Charcoal with pastel on toned paper, 9 × 12 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

Here is another quick sketch (10 min) from the Palette and Chisel.

Katrina Willis, Triangle Triangle (reclining figure), 2008.
Graphite on toned paper, 9 × 12 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

This is a gesture drawing I completed at the Palette and Chisel here in Chicago.

Katrina Willis, Behind the Veil (a study for Composition in Blue), 2008.
Pastel on toned paper, 9 × 12 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

Katrina Willis, Harvest Time, 2008.
Oil on panel, 16 × 20 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

Well, this still life took me a little longer than one day to complete!  I’m glad though, I was able to paint some of the produce from the farmer’s market, and create a dynamic composition.  The ducks are another interesting story; if you’re curious, ask me sometime!

Katrina Willis, Gelassenheit (Tenacious Serenity), 2008.
Graphite on recycled typing paper, 5.5 × 8.5 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

Katrina Willis, Evening in Autumn, 2008.
Pastel on paper, 9 × 12 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

There are so many wonderful still life objects around now, so I’m going to weave in a few more still life related pictures into this next week!  This a beautiful gift from my wonderful husband- I drew these flowers in pastel on a gray (75%) toned paper.  It’s challenging to think about color value in the reverse.  So often, I tend to treat darker values as an additive.  We do this with everything.  We write notes with a dark ink on white or light paper.  Even as I type this now, the text on the screen is dark against a light background.  But in drawings like this, the lightest color value really guides the picture; it is a counter intuitive approach, and I get a kick out of the challenge and the philosophical implications.

Katrina Willis, In This Together, 2008.
Oil on canvas, 8×10 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

This study was on its way to becoming a monochrome,  but through the development, it seemed stronger with some added color.  Burnt umber, ultramarine blue and white are the colors in this little study.  I highly recommend monochrome drawings and paintings for those wanting to try their hand at developing more as an artist.  It’s a phenomenal fundamental exercise for very experienced artists as well.