"Monkeys"

I mentioned that I turned some pieces in for an art show/ contest. I went to the store yesterday and saw the pieces hanging up, so I know they are ready for viewing. I haven't decided if this is good or bad, but there were only about 15 pieces total - three were mine.  They even extended the deadline to try to get more people to turn things in.

This is one of the pieces I turned in for the art contest. When I found out I could turn in three pieces, I decided (kind of last minute) that I wanted to make a new piece for it. I learned that I don't like working under pressure. Because I had a deadline, I felt a little rushed. And I sure had a hard time with the faces on this - especially the little boy in the middle. First he looked like a little boy body with a man's head and face. Then, he looked like there was something wrong with him - eyes too far apart, one higher than the other. Then, I did some more tweaking and more tweaking, and finally came up with this. I still don't love it, but he at least looks like a little boy.  And the first girl had some proportion problems - one arm was really skinny, the face looked really smashed and distorted, like play-dough or something. This was the first time I tried doing a drawing with charcoals and white pencils (chalk pencils). It was a bit of an experiment. It was harder to get the fine details. This drawing is 18x24 I believe, so the faces are only a couple inches tall. It was hard for me to get the features right with a fat charcoal pencil (I couldn't get mine to sharpen really fine) and then to rub it - fingers worked best, but even my pinky was too big. So, there was a lot of trial and error.

That being said, I like the subject of this drawing. I think it is funny.  It comes from a photo my husband took of my kids (though these kids are not drawn to look exactly like mine). They were being silly on a trip, and he shot the photo.  I also like the contrast of lights and darks in this drawing. I am learning and trying to do more with sharper contrasts. I tend to be a bit conservative on the darks sometimes. So, I keep trying. I did like the look of this medium. I even went and bought some more colored pastel papers to try to do more drawings in charcoals. This one was hard, but I will learn as I go and hopefully improve as I try more. We shall see what happens.

As for the art show, the pieces are hanging in Creativity Art Studio, (for anyone around here who would like to go)  One piece is in the main area (the girl drawing with chalk on the sidewalk), the piece above is between the main area and the art classroom in back, and the last piece is in the back (Mesa Arch).
The store is by University Mall, between Five Guys and Farrs Fresh, if that helps give you a reference. Audrey plans to enter some pieces too, if they will still accept them. They got so few from young kids they said they would still take them (hopefully). If it is too late for the contest, she can at least have them hanging. They will all be on display until April 1.