I am pleased to announce the release of my second year certificate course course which is titled the 'Mentored Art Skills Development Program.' This course can be completed after the 42 week 'The Complete Draw and Paint in Your Pyjamas Certificate Course.' This program is presented over a 12 month period and is designed to help you bring together everything you learned during the first year of study with me as well as receive valuable knowledge about the development of your art career in general. For more information you can read the pdf file attached in the unit six virtual classroom or ask me specifically for more information. I would like to congratulate our first 'Mentored Art Skills Development Program' course participants and encourage you all to share your artworks here, as they are created throughout the year.

Cool! I'll check it out. I have to get through the first year FIRST. Glad to know there is more to look forward to.
Pam

Hello everyone, I have enrolled in Cindy's Mentored Art Skills Development program and even though it doesn't officially start until I have completed Unit 6, she has opened it up early so that we can begin to learn even more. This program will help me to refine my skills, Cindy will help me to determine where my interests lie and will no doubt give me all the teachings, tips, support and knowledge to bring me along further in my love for creating.
Since signing up a week or so ago, she has helped me to improve the pastel that I did for my husband for Christmas by offering a few suggestions on composition. I will post it once I do those changes. But in the mean time, here is a drawing that a friend asked me to draw of her father-in-law, who passed away a year or so ago, so that she could give it as a gift to her mother-in-law for Christmas. The photo that she gave me to work with wasn't very clear and he was squinting into the sun, his eyes were pretty much in the shadows. I opened his eyes a bit. This was good practice as I haven't done any portrait work since the class ended!

Tannis, This is a beautiful portrait I bet she was thrilled. I can't wait to see your pastel drawing.

Tannis- a beautiful drawing! You are an encouragement for sure!
Pam

Hi Tannis

As always you are such a great inspiration! You are so versatile and your ability and confidence to be able to put into practice all the skills you have learnt in class is wonderful. It's so good to have you leading the way and showing what's possible if you just keep at it.

Have a great new year everyone!

Thanks Narelle, Pam and Metta,
I am having so much fun... and really, what is the worst that can happen? If you try something and it doesn't work, well you can toss it out, start again and you'll have learned alot from your mistakes! I think it is important that we don't put too much pressure on ourselves, our skills are evolving and with practice we'll get better at the new skills we're acquiring. Every time I learn a new technique, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities... ways to create that I never considered before. The more I learn the more I understand! The more I understand the more confident I am... that is why I've decided to sign on for the mentored art skills program this coming year. In addition to receiving Cindy's help, I will have a front row seat while she is creating her new series of paintings based on her sisters life on a cereal farm. She has already started to share the "heart and soul" stage with us, she believes we need this information so that we can gain the insight required to get to the next level in our artistic endeavors. I think that this is priceless and I am so appreciative of this opportunity.

Metta, How is the portraiture unit... are you finished yours? are you in acrylics now?

Tannis, I haven't started portraiture yet and just started the acrylics course before Cindy went on holidays. I've been having a bit of a break myself, but gearing up to get back into it very soon. It's so great having this forum and you're so right - it is about having fun One of my goals for 2010 is to totally embrace this wonderful journey we are on and have as much fun as I possibly can with my art!

This is my first original created in Cindy's mentorship program.

Uff-da
10" x 10"
Charcoal on grey Mi-teinte paper
This is a portrait of my mother-in-law who passed away three weeks ago at the age of 90. The house in the background is the house that she was born in. Her parents built about 100 years ago when they first arrived here from Norway to start a new life. I am calling this Uff-da, because that saying pretty much summed up her philosophy for life... something goes wrong? Say Uff-da and keep smiling!

Hi Tannis, I can feel her spirit through this drawing. She is truly lovely and must have been a joy to have known this dear soul. Your creation is beautiful. Ral

What a beautiful portrait, Tannis! Knowing a bit about the background also really adds to the appreciation. You mother-in-law's Uff-da really shines through - you have captured her essence perfectly. What a wonderful and inspiring gift you have given yourself and your husband - it was obviously created with a lot of love.

Wow! That is just beautiful.

Narelle, Metta and Jillb, thank you so much, yes a lot of love went into this, she was a special person. She had a hard life, as most women of that era did and yet she was never bitter. She was known by her smile and her little giggle! When I think of the words "filled with grace" I think of her!

What a gorgeous portrait, Tannis!

excellent job, congratulation

You are truly an inspiration. For the length of time it took you to create such a beautiful memory I am still plodding along with the outline drawing of the frangipanni's. Shading won't even enter the equation as I am along way from that. May my journey see such promise as yours has.

I recently started the Mentored Art program, and submitted this drawing to Cindy for her comments. She suggested that I add more dark values to the tulip and rework the background. Simple changes to make, but what a difference! We thought you'd all be interested in seeing the before and after:

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Lovely work Donna! Amazing what a couple of extra touches can do.

Amazing what a little touch up with a darker value will do! Beautiful work Donna!

Beautiful work, Donna! Looking forward to seeing more....

Here is my second of 6 originals that I will need to complete in this year of mentorship with Cindy...
Blossoms
12." x 15.5"
Graphite

This is kind of an eve thing...motherhood and a woman's body blossoming as her child grows within!
The skin was hard to do... took a long time of subtle shading... I spent about 40 hours on this one...

Wow Tannis this looks awesome!!

It looks fantastic,Tannis! You have such a great talent for photo-realism.

This is absolutely beautiful, Tannis...on every level! And, I have to say that the time you spent on the shading was certainly time well spent!

Thanks everyone! I felt relaxed doing it...

Ducky's Honor
HB, 2B,4B,6B, and 8B on watercolor paper

This is my granddaughter,Caryse and her trusted friend, Ducky. Ducky has had the honor of being Caryse's protector from infancy, and she has formed a very strong bond of love with him. Caryse once had to leave Ducky in the car when we went to a movie, because Ducky didn't have a ticket. She couldn't enjoy the movie because she was worried about him! As she grows older, Ducky quite routinely gets forgotten, except for bed time when he happily resumes his role as protector!

When I first started I wasn't totally happy with how it was going, I had to talk myself into continuing, to give it a bit more time, to see where it went...the further along I went,the more it took shape and then i knew it would be ok ...I'm glad I kept at it!

What a gorgeous drawing, Tannis! You certainly succeeded in capturing the well-loved texture of Ducky's fur (feathers?)!

I'm am very familiar with those feelings of self-doubt and how difficult they can be to overcome. I literally have to remind myself that the only things at risk are a few hours of my time and a piece of paper.

Stunning, Tannis, so much so that I forgot it wasn't in color. I love her eyes as well as the ducky's fur and the cushion patterns. Just beautiful!

Donna thank you,you are so right... we need to keep things in perspective!

Lisa, thank you for your comments.. I had to giggle when you mentioned color! can you see pink! Caryse's favorite color! Her walls are a bright pink, her pj's are pink, and believe it or not, Ducky is PINK!!!
By the way, I am heading to Jasper this weekend, as a former Peace Country girl, I am sure that evokes some great memories for you! Cheers and hope you are well!

Here is my latest original artwork as part of my mentorship with Cindy.

Trydal
10" x 10"
Charcoal and White Conte on Grey mi-teintes paper

I am calling this "Trydal" because it is the name of the man and the name of the farm in the background. This portrait is of my father-in-law who passed away over 30 years ago. Trydal, in the background, is the name of the region where his ancestral home is located in Norway.The house is where he was born. This portrait is done in the same style as the one I did of my mother- in -law because the family is planning to have them etched on their gravestones.

This is my first original drawing in Cindy's mentored art program.

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Hannah, Graphite on Arches hot-pressed watercolor paper, 9" x 12"

Very nice Donna, looks great.

Here is my final graded mentor piece! The thing I love about art is that it is a life long journey! I love it and am so happy to have found this website and Cindy. Without them, I'd still just be wishing