Frosty

It's winter 2010. Time to build a snowman. I drew this snowman with black ink. You can draw a snowman using basic shapes like I did. Start with 3 circles with the smallest circle at the top. Add details. Draw snowflakes in the background for a winter theme. Happy Holidays!

Copyright 2010

Basic Colors: Black & White

I use the basic colors of black & white in a lot of my artwork. These colors create a bold piece of art when used together. Try mixing the two colors together to create a variety of gray shades. This would be perfect to use for shading rocks & stones. Use white chalk on black cardstock to draw clouds, stars, & the moon. Also, try drawing a zebra or a penguin using a black marker on white paper.

Rose Design

I created this sample design for a candle company. I used markers to color the rose petals and stem. Colored pencils were used for the leaves. I used a red marker for the rose petals to give a deep red color. If you would like to create your own leaves, draw teardrops pointing in different directions.

Copyright 2010

Shades of Green

When you think of green, what's the first shade of green that comes to your mind? Here are a few shades of green to use when creating your own art. Each of these shades has its own unique touch of green.

Forest Green

Grass Green

Olive Green

Lime Green

Orange Flowers

These delicate orange flowers were created with black ink & colored pencils. I used line strokes to create the branches and basic shapes to draw the flowers and leaves.

Copyright 2010

Drawing Lesson (House)

Here's a simple way to draw a house using basic shapes. Begin by drawing a rectangle. Next, draw a triangle that fits on top of the rectangle. This will be the roof of the house. Draw a small vertical rectangle from the bottom of the larger rectangle. This will be the door. Add a couple of squares above the door. Add one square to the left and one to the right. These will be the windows. Add your own elements to complete the house.

3 Pumpkins

It's almost the fall season. Leaves will turn colors & pumpkins will begin to grow. This art was created for a greeting card. I used colored pencils & black ink. The card's left blank on the inside to write your own personal message.

Copyright 2010

Price: $5

The Cylinder Technique

Here's a fun way to draw a cylinder. Take a soda can & place it under a good light source. Start with sketching the sides of the can. Then draw the top & bottom curvatures of the can. This will be the basic sketch of a cylinder. Notice how the shadow from the light source falls on the soda can. Sketch the shadow. Your cylinder drawing's now complete. Continue adding details, shading, & your choice of colors.

Art Travels to Africa

I got a real cool opportunity to send a package of stickers & my art cards to kids in Uganda. The founders of Aggie's Arts took the package to the kids in the city. It was a pleasure to see the smiles in this video. Just a small gift can bring so much happiness. I wanted to share this with you. I personally want to thank the founders for giving me this opportunity.

Finish Line

Here's another cartoon I drew with black ink. I used bold lines to draw this line art. This turtle's ready to cross the finish line and win the race against the rabbit.

Copyright 2010

Mixing Colors (Red)

Red can be mixed with other colors to create new color combinations. Try adding small amounts of white to red. The color will change to pink as you add more white. This would be a good color combination for flowers. Try also adding yellow to red. The color will gradually change to orange. This combination would be excellent for sunsets. Try these color blends with watercolors and acrylic paints.

Watermelon

Here's how to draw a favorite summer picnic fruit. Start with drawing a smile then follow the steps. Draw the seeds using a teardrop shape. Where there's a picnic, there's always a trail of guests. Add a trail of ants walking towards the sweet watermelon treat.


Copyright 2010

Tracing Objects

The simplest way to learn drawing is by tracing. Take a sheet of tracing paper and place it over a picture of a subject that you would like to draw. Use a good light source so that you can see the image on the tracing paper. Keep an eraser handy in case you need to erase stray marks. Start by tracing the outline of the subject on the tracing paper. Next, draw the inner details. Continue to add details until the drawing's complete. Lift the tracing paper. Now you'll have your copy of the subject that you've traced. Color the artwork on the tracing paper as a final touch. Remember to use shading techniques to give depth.

Bumblebee

Here's a quick way to draw a bumblebee using circles and ovals. Add flowers such as roses and tulips for a summer theme.

Copyright 2010

Mixing Colors (Blue)

You can create a variety of blue shades just by mixing colors. Try mixing navy blue with white. By adding more white, you will get a lighter shade of blue. This can be used to create the sky. I like to vary the shades when drawing an ocean scene. I start with a dark blue towards the horizon then a lighter blue as I color towards the sand. If you add green to the lighter blue, you will get an aqua color. I also add touches of aqua to the ocean. Try blending different shades of blue to create your own unique color.

3 o'Clock Snack

I've always enjoyed drawing cartoons. Most of them have been with animals. Here's one that I created with black ink. The rabbit eagerly waits for his afternoon 3 o'clock snack.


Copyright 2010

Drawing Lesson (Sun)

There are two basic elements to use to draw a sun. First draw a circle. Then draw strokes of lines around the circle. The lines can be attached to the circle as well. Vary the lengths of the lines to give the sun a different look. You can also add shading to the lines. This will give the sunrays a 3-D look.

Colored Wings

Butterflies are a fun subject to draw. The wings of a butterfly are very intricate and colorful. I used those two elements to create this art. I drew flowers and leaves to create the intricate details with a fine black marker. I used colored pencils and gel ink to add a rainbow of colors to the wings.

Copyright 2010

Price: $25

The Circle Technique

Here's a quick way to draw a circle. Draw a smile (half circle). Turn the paper around. Draw another smile that connects to the first one. Trace over the circle a few times. Keep practicing until you can draw a circle with one full stroke. Next, try to draw an oval. If you widen the smile, the shape will turn into an oval. Aim to draw ovals and circles with big wide smiles!

Spring Hummingbird

It's almost Spring. Flowers will begin to bloom, butterflies will take flight, and hummingbirds will dance in the air. I created this hummingbird for a greeting card. I used colored pencils and a fine point black marker. I used a pencil to color the beak.

Copyright 2010

The Line Technique

Art's an expression of who you are. Each one of us creates an art in a different way. It's not necessary to draw a straight line to create the perfect masterpiece. Try this drawing technique if you want to learn how to draw a straight line. You won't even need a ruler. Take some paper and a pencil. Place the pencil on the paper and quickly draw strokes of lines. The more quickly you draw the lines, the less time you will have to think about creating the perfect line. As you practice, your lines will look straight. Once you get the hang of this technique, try horizontal & diagonal lines. Try creating squares, rectangles, triangles, and diamonds with the line technique. Now, you can smile and say that you can draw a straight line.

Space Shuttle

I created this drawing with a black marker. I used curved lines to create the image of the shuttle.

Copyright 2010

Price: $25

Customer Feedback

I have received Customer Feedback regarding my artwork. I'd like to share these.

1. Customer from Huntsville, AL: "Shama Patel brings together scenes of nature with natural rock surfaces in a wonderful way."

2. Customer from Belgium: "Shama inspires me with her elegant simplicity."

3. Customer from AL: "I have the sunset rock on the dashboard in my car. It reminds me to keep my eyes on the horizon and not look back at my past."

Waterside

This was the first art I created for 2010. I used watercolors and colored pencils. The shading was achieved using a variation of water and brushstrokes. Rocks, mountains, and a touch of sunlight brought the waterside to life.

Copyright 2010

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