December 1, 2023

I can't believe it's that time of year again, the holiday season.  Where has the year gone?  It seems like the older I get, the faster a year goes by.  I remember as a kid, about 8?, that the summers seemed really long.  In a way, I wish for those carefree days, days that were innocent and fun, especially compared to the world we are all living in now.  Now, we need to actively search for or create our little islands of peace, love, safety, fun.....and the list could go on, right?  

Getting or doing this year's calendar art was a scramble.  I confess to getting a late start.  I didn't feel I had the luxury of time to slowly develop an idea.  Feeling the pressure of a deadline, I told myself, "All right, time to put the 'pedal to the metal'.  Just do it and don't take your sweet time!"  

Anyway, so here it is.  I'm happy with the way it turned out.  I started one thumbnail sketch and that was it.  I 'had' to make it work.  All or much of my work is about creating a safe, fun, and whimsical space for one to take refuge and be in.  Hope you like it.  

Thanks for reading.  Russ

Calendars are available at ArtstudioEng.com  >fine art gallery>calendars

 

November 9, 2023

Attached is my latest in a series of 5 x 7 drawings.  It's funny that I never know whether to title my work  or leave it as 'untitled'.  If I name it something, I will no doubt forget in a day what I named it.  Maybe this one could be 'Couple in Tub' or 'Couple of Tubbies'. : > )

When I began this drawing, as I often do sometimes, I just let the drawing develop itself.  I draw random lines and shapes and try to let the drawing develop on it's own.  As I worked on the drawing, I did not like how it was going, the direction it was headed.  I thought to myself, I should just tear it up and toss it.  I just didn't like the drawing.  I probably would have done just that, but a thought bubble came into my head, one that I may have mentioned before.  I have known and often pointed out to my students that you get or should get potentially good to great ideas, but what so often happens is that we don't take or push the idea far enough.  In other words, at the point you find your drawing looking 'bad', you want to chuck it, but if you spend more time with it, continuing to work on it and see where it goes, you might just come up-or is it out?-with a pretty decent work of art.  You might not, of course.  You might still wind up chucking it, but, at the very least, you will have learned something, grown internally, added to the sum total of your knowledge.  All the work that you do now, is the result of all the 'things' that have come and gone before.  Something to remember.  

Another point is that some people are not going to like or respond well to your work.  You, yourself, might heavily criticize your own work.  In a way, every time you put your work out there, you run the risk of getting slammed.  I wish I had thicker skin.  I guess the bottom line is you just have to keep going.  

On occasion, I find myself looking at some beautiful piece of work, and I think, "I could never do that."  And, maybe I can't, but have to remind myself that I can only do what I can do.  I like to think there's room for everyone at the party.  Life would be so boring, if we only had a handful of artists in this world, like eating your favorite dinner everyday.  Even if you love eating it, you would soon get bored with it.  

Something else that comes to mind is this: we focus and learn what we like.  If you like portraits, then you probably spend a lot of time on it, and hopefully, getting better and better at it.  And, if you like landscapes, or fantasy, or whatever, then that's what you are focused on learning and getting better at.  So, if you find yourself not being very good at a particular area, because you haven't spend a lot of time on it, that's okay.  Let your work stand on its own.  The viewer can choose to like it or not.  Try not to let negative feedback 'ruin your day'.  Maybe an hour.  An artist tends to be (maybe always to an extent?) sensitive to comments, etc.  That perceived 'weakness' helps makes you the artist that you are.  

Lastly, regarding the attached drawing, I haven't decided whether or not to add color to it, or leave it as a pen and ink drawing.  Hmm.  What do you think?  If I add color, I'll post it here.  Thanks for reading.  

 

 

10-17-23

Congratulations to my wife Katherine Eng for having her Christmas throw on the cover of 'Crochet World  Winter 2023', now out on the newsstands.  It's called 'Easy Christmas Throw' and is on pages 24 and 25.  Katherine is a wonderful colorist.  Her choice of colors are always outstanding.  

 

 September 14, 2023

Here's the drawing from the last post, with color added.  I like the way it turned out, but I may do a few drawings without adding any color.  We'll see.  Anyway, I used watercolors over the permanent technical pen ink drawing.  I sprayed a fixative over the final artwork to protect it.  

If my reader is interested, you might try doing some drawings with technical pens, either Micron (which is non-refillable and cheaper to buy), and has different widths just like the Kohl-i-Noor technical pens.  I find it very interesting to play with the different width pens (line widths), as the thinner widths have a delicate feel to them and inspires more detail, while the thicker or wider lines have a bolder, and maybe more immediate impact.  I think I prefer the thinner line pens.  By the way, I was thinking that if you ever find yourself stuck while creating (drawing for example), try switching your media, say from pencil to brush and ink.  You might find yourself able to make a 'breakthrough'. 

I'm currently on vacation, so haven't done much else in the way of artwork, however, when I get back at the end of September, I need to start work on my 2024 calendar art.  I had a glimmer one night, about a possible drawing to use for the calendar, but we'll have to see what develops.  

Thanks for reading, Russ Eng

StudioEng.com

 

 

8-30-23

This is my most recent drawing that I did a few weeks ago.  I guess I was taking a break from posting it....maybe dragging my feet?  Actually, I'm happy with the way this drawing turned out.  It developed on it's own out of the blank page.  With my work, sometimes I work things out on in my mind...call it creating in my head.  I'd climb into bed, close my eyes, and create art work.  It sure is easy to erase.  : > )  Other times I would just stare at the blank page and wait for something to pop into my head, or just see a picture on the blank page.  In this drawing using the other way I create, I just start drawing or doodling or making random lines on the page and see what develops.  I'll see something and then I add a few details to bring it out more, maybe don't like it, and continue making lines or marks.  Drawing this way doesn't always work out.  Sometimes, it's a bust and I will just abandon or chuck it.  I try to remind myself that one can have a good idea, but we don't take it (or develop it) far enough to see that it is or can be good.  In this drawing, I like the tree/waterfall falling into the fish bowl.  I'm not sure where that came from.  The funny thing is that I'm often surprised by what develops or comes out (or is it up?) in the drawing.  Anyway, I think there are many ways to create.  I can't count the number of times (and to this day) staring at a wall or even bathroom paneling or door that has a marbled look and see faces and all kinds of things.  I often wanted to draw on those surfaces, but that would not be acceptable.  In this drawing, I did add watercolor wash to it, and I will be posting that shortly.  

Thanks for reading.  Russ Eng

StudioEng.com

 

 

 

6-14-23

 Here's the finished work (see my last entry), where I've added color to the pen and ink drawing.  Overall, I'm happy with the way it turned out.  Way back in the day (When was that, after art school or while still in art school?), I used to do a lot of pen and ink drawing,  I remember I did a series of drawings using Rapidograph pens and watercolor washes.  I liked it a lot, and I just recently recalled working in that media.  This is only 5 x 7, but I like the small format (or maybe a bit larger).  I feel a sense of intimacy within the small space.  Anyway, I think I'll be exploring and/or reacquainting myself with this combo of pen and ink and watercolor wash.  Had I used my Pelikan fountain pen, I would have had to spray fix the drawing to 'waterproof' it before adding color.  As I mentioned before, I love my Pelikan fountain pen with its flexible nib, but the possible drawback is the water-soluble ink.  I also love Rapidograph pens, having used them for decades.  Although you don't have a flexible nib, the fixed line width is wonderful as well, and you can choose what width pen you want to use.  I have often use several widths in the same picture.  If you use a Rapidograph pen, be aware that you must use technical pen ink, which is a permanent ink formulated just for use in technical pens.  Regular India ink would gum up your pen.  

Thanks for reading, Russ

https://studioeng.com/

 

 6-9-23

 

 The top picture is a sketch is about half way through the drawing/creating process.  Here I have the basic composition mapped out.  I have yet to add detail and making other adjustments.  The idea for the drawing just came out of my head, meaning I just started drawing and let the drawing evolve on its own....or whatever comes up, comes up.  The trouble with using permanent ink, which I did here, is that you can't erase anything.  What you put down is permanent.  I guess it goes along with the idea that I've long held, that an artist has the right to 'blow it' and sometimes you have to go through the bad stuff to get to the good stuff.  And, occasionally, you get a 'run' of great stuff that comes up in your work. 

The bottom picture has the drawing pretty much finished.  I will be adding watercolor washes to it.