Amber's Drawings

A step-by-step portrait

2012-01-11T15:36:00.002-06:00

I started a portrait and thought it would be fun to show the progress as I was working on it. As I drew I took pictures of each step.

Of course the first step is to find a picture to draw. I usually use digital pictures, so I can change it to black and white and position it just right. With this particular picture it wasn't very appealing to the eyes when it was horizontal or vertical, so I used my photo editing software and set it at an angle before starting to draw.

I always begin with the facial features. The face is the most important part of a portrait, if your subject's face doesn't look right, nothing will look right.

After the face is sketched, I continue with the rest of the head and hands and clothing. She's looking cute. At this point you could stop, but the details are what I love about pencil drawings, I like to make it look as real as I can.

In order to add details and shading I have to add shading. So, next I spend time focusing on the shadows on her face and "coloring" in more grey to be blended together for the final portrait. This step is the least pretty in my opinion, but I know that when I get out my tortillon and start blending the shading together she will soon have nice smooth looking skin again.

Finally all that pencil is blended together and I have a new finished portrait!

Resting in Daddy's hands

2011-12-26T22:12:00.000-06:00

New print sizes!

2011-10-15T21:14:00.002-05:00

I now have 5x7 and 8x10 prints of my drawings! Check them out in my studio, Amber's Drawings Studio, and start shopping for your family and friends for Christmas!

Third Thursday Art Walk

2011-08-19T14:40:00.003-05:00

Last night was the Third Thursday Art Walk in Downtown Joplin, MO. I set up a table and hung some drawings on the wall and lots of nice folks came by and looked. :)

Here's how it looked for all of you who missed it.

I had a corner gallery area, so I had use of two walls, so I put my table on one wall and my framed drawings on there other wall.

Here are my framed drawings. I loved how it looked like a little art gallery. :)

I set up a small table and worked on my next drawing during the course of the evening, too. :)

Would you like one of my cards?

Next Art Walk is on September 15th, I'd love for you to come see my drawings in person!

Art Fire Studio!

2011-08-01T18:06:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone! I have a Studio at www.Artfire.com now! Head over there and check it out!

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/AmbersDrawings

Head on over to see all the prints I have for sale. You can even buy them right there online through Paypal!

If you have any art to sell consider setting up an ArtFire Studio for your art!
Become an ArtFire Pro with this link and get your 3rd month free!

Art prints for SALE!

2011-05-13T21:32:00.004-05:00

I now have my scripture art for sale! Pick your favorite and send me an email (ambersdrawings[at]gmail.com) and I'll send you an order form. I'd love to see these prints hanging on walls all over this world sharing

God's Word with everyone and reminding us to live for Him in everything we do!

Art Print Prices:

8x10	9x12	11x14	14x17	Larger prints
$22.00	$30.00	$42.00	$65.00	Contact for details

"Seek My Face"

"Do Not Forbid Them"

"The Greatest is Love"

"No Wicked Thing"

"Train Up A Child"

Jesus Loves the Little Children

2011-05-09T21:43:00.002-05:00

I got the idea to put this video together after seeing another artist's video where she faded a photo into a drawing, so I thought I'd try it out and see how well my drawings matched up. :) Enjoy!

Train Up A Child

2011-04-05T19:06:00.004-05:00

This is a drawing I've been wanting to draw for a long time. One day I saw a billboard with a picture of a Dad's feet with his baby's feet and there was a quote or something with it. I can't remember what it said, but when I saw that billboard I wanted to draw it, so I recreated it with a verse that speaks volumes, a little bit of wisdom from our all wise God. If this Proverb was put into action in every family, our world would be changed forever. :)
I'm currently working on getting prints made of this one, so you will be able to buy your own soon!

Thanks to Kevin and Amanda for the font "fontmoochers"
www.kevinandamanda.com

And the winning photo is...

2011-03-05T14:43:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Nathan and Emmé who's feet were a perfect pose! :)

Thank you everyone who sent me pictures. :) Be looking out for the drawing of this one. The print will be available to buy here at Ambersdrawings.com in the future!

Drawing Give-away!!!

2011-02-03T16:23:00.013-06:00

Hi Everyone!

Is anyone interested in helping me with a drawing project and in the process have a chance to win a drawing from me? I need a couple of subjects and a photographer (or at least someone who knows how to push the shutter button on a camera). I have an idea for a drawing, but I don’t have a picture to draw and that’s where you come in. :)

So, I’m going to do a give-away in which the winner will receive the drawing I will draw from the photo I choose! I will collect all your photos and then pick one of them to be drawn, after I make prints of it for selling to others, I'll send you the original drawing. :)

I want to draw a picture similar to one of these:

But I don’t have male feet and a baby, so I’m asking for your help. Do you have good looking feet or know someone who does? Do you have a baby who is somewhere between the ages of one and two? Do you have a camera? If you do, you could be the winner of this Drawing Giveaway!

Here are the steps to enter:

# 1:
Please take a picture similar to these examples (please don't take any on grass or shaggy carpet), feel free to play around with it and take pictures from different angles. If you have any brilliant ideas you want to try out, go right ahead. :) I really like how the baby’s jeans are rolled up in the first picture, but that’s not a requirement you can take some with rolled up jeans or other kinds of pants. All you have to remember is that this picture must be of baby feet (baby doesn't have to be a boy as long as she's wearing boy looking pants) and male feet (sorry ladies). The baby must be old enough to be learning how to walk, but still young enough to need to be walking along with daddy.

Here are a couple picture taking tips:
When you take pictures please try to take clear pictures and if you can get it light enough in your "studio" try not to use the camera flash. Flash pictures don't turn out quite as well for drawing, but if you can't do it without the flash, don't let that stop you, send whatever you can come up with. I just wanted to give you a couple photography tips to help you out. :D

#2:
After you’ve finished with your photo shoot email your full resolution pictures to me at ambersdrawings[at]gmail.com. You can send as many pictures as you want. The more angles and variations of the pose, the bigger chance you have of winning a the drawing. :)

After the contest deadline, March 4, 2011, I’ll choose a picture to draw; if I choose your picture you will win the original drawing!

I want to have lots of pictures to choose from, so please pass this contest around to your photographer and baby owning friends. :) If you have any questions please send them my way.

Please help me out and see if you can win one of Amber’s Drawings!

As you are teaching your little baby to walk and helping him to grow up into a godly man remember:
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

The plan is to include that verse on the drawing. :)

"Connor"

2011-01-24T12:31:00.000-06:00

"Hope Immanuel"

2011-01-24T12:26:00.001-06:00

Christine Hope

2010-11-21T21:27:00.001-06:00

I drew this picture in memory of a little girl who didn't live very long on this earth. She was born too early, but lived for 9 hours and her family loved her very much. She was so tiny, but so precious. :)

"For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am

fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well."

Psalm 139:13-14

Drawing in progress

Estellise

2010-10-26T20:18:00.003-05:00

This is Estellise another friend's baby. One day I wanted a new picture to draw, so when Estellise's mom suggested this picture I thought, "what a cute picture to draw."

Then as I was thinking about drawing it, I realized I hadn't ever drawn a black baby before. So, I looked around to see if I could figure out if there was anything special about drawing darker skin and didn't find anything, so I jumped right in and found that drawing a black baby just takes a little more pencil pressure. :) I love little black babies and loved drawing this picture of Estellise. :)

A Flower For Mama

2010-10-25T11:10:00.001-05:00

Baby hands are so cute. When I see baby hands doing something sweet, I always want to draw it, so Angela took pictures of my friend's baby holding this flower before she took it inside to her mommy. :) Little Ruthanna didn't quite understand what the flower was or the fun in giving it to her mommy, but before too long, she'll be picking every little flower she sees and running to give it to her mommy because that's just what little girls do. :)

I can do all things...

2010-10-21T18:40:00.001-05:00

In the middle of May this year a friend of mine was injured badly in a car accident. It was the first time I'd had a friend injured so badly that we wondered if he would live and, if he did, whether he'd be able to do the things that he loved or even the things that we take for granted every day like walking, seeing, typing, talking, etc. When I heard that Ryan had a severe brain injury, I was scared thinking that he might not be the same person ever again, so I started praying and I prayed for him every time I thought of him. There were lots of people praying and as the updates came in we saw Ryan get better and better, he started responding to his family with little things like squeezing their hand and giving thumbs up signs and soon he was walking, talking, joking and being his fun self again. After 12 weeks in the hospital, Ryan went home. :)

During his recovery as I was praying and I saw him improving every day, I knew that he would get well. :) I wanted to draw a picture for Ryan to remind him that he could do all things through Christ, so I started hunting for a picture to draw. I originally wanted to draw his hands climbing a wall, so I looked through all the pictures that I could find of climbing events that Ryan had been too. I couldn't find one, so I wrote to one of our photographer friends, Nathan, for help, I knew he'd have something if anyone did, but he didn't find anything that would work. So, I kept looking, then I found a picture my sister had taken of our friend Helena taking a picture of Ryan with Nathan's camera, so I wrote to Nathan again and showed him the picture and said, "I need the pictures that Helena was taking in this picture." Then he found them and sent me the link to the album and I found the one I wanted to draw. :) So, I drew Ryan climbing up a wall, and one day I hope to see him climb up a wall again. :) I know he can because he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. :) Thank you, God, for healing Ryan! :)

Three Blessings

2010-10-16T17:20:00.002-05:00

I had the privilege of drawing portraits of my friends children this summer. :) They picked their favorite baby pictures of each of their children and emailed them to me and I set to work. I hadn't ever drawn a group of pictures for anyone before, so I had to make sure I drew them all the same size, so they would look right hanging on the wall together. It was a fun challenge and they ended up matching pretty well. :) I hope these three beautiful children will grow up to follow the Lord with their whole hearts. I'm pretty sure they will because they have some great parents raising them. :)

"Gideon"

"Isaiah"

"Emmé"

Paper to Portrait

2010-03-23T10:44:00.008-05:00

I set up a drawing studio a few days ago and took time lapse pictures of the drawing process. :) I hope you enjoy this video of me drawing my nephew.

A Gift

2009-09-14T20:45:00.005-05:00

This is a drawing I did for some friends of mine. :) They got married almost a year ago, I wanted to draw them a picture of their hands from their wedding, but I liked this one from their engagement better than the one I got from the wedding. I got to give them this drawing of their hands last month when we were at the same event in Colorado. They both loved it. :)

I love how it turned out framed, but I caught some glares on the
glass, so here it is unframed without glares. :)

No Wicked Thing

2009-07-29T14:06:00.003-05:00

A signature...

2009-03-21T20:47:00.008-05:00

...that can change history.

This is one of my older drawings. I drew it in 2005 and wanted to send it to the President, but I never did because I didn't know if it would actually make it to him, so I held onto it for a couple years. Then I decided I wanted to keep the original, so I drew it again. :) I now have two copies of this drawing and would still like to send one to the President, but I don't know his address anymore. If anyone is personal friends of his, let me know and I'll send it with you next time you go over to his house for supper. :)

A Charge To Keep I Have
~Charles Wesley

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill:
O may it all my powers engage
To do my Master’s will!
Arm me with jealous care,
As in Thy sight to live;
And O Thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give!
Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall for ever die.

Trust and Dependence

2009-03-02T21:10:00.008-06:00

This was a fun drawing to do. :) I got to draw this one for a Christmas present. :) I love it when people ask me to draw a picture for them as a surprise for someone else. Makes me happy to be in on the surprise. :)

My friend said that she and her husband were sitting together holding hands and the baby reached up and took hold of Daddy's finger. Of course, they had to get a picture of it. :) I love it because it makes me think about how much a little baby trusts and depends on Mommy and Daddy. :)

That's what we need to do with God, reach up and grab His finger. :)

I decided to add the original picture for this one.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge
Him and He shall direct your paths.
Provers 3:5-6

A ball and an egg

2009-02-06T20:04:00.005-06:00

This is my masterpiece from last night. It's always good to make sure you remember the basics. :)

James

2008-10-25T15:34:00.006-05:00

This is James. :) I drew him a few months ago, but just recently gave the drawing to his parents, so now I can post it since they've seen it. :) I didn't want them to see my blog before I showed them the drawing.
I don't know why but, drawing James seemed harder than some of the other ones I've done. I think it may have been that the picture I drew it from didn't have as much depth and detail as some others. It turned out good and Jim and Meg loved it. :)

Baby Jack

2008-09-03T14:11:00.004-05:00

Drawing Jack

2008-08-17T21:26:00.004-05:00

Ok, several people have asked if I've drawn anything recently. I've been wanting to get back into drawing, so I picked a picture and got started. I got this picture of Jack out of a magazine. I have no idea who he is, but he's cute and drawable, so I'm drawing him. Hopefully his mommy won't mind. :)

This is the first half of the picture, the outline drawing. Now I have to do the shading. I drew this in 2 hours and 15 minutes while watching the Olympics. :) I'll let you see the finished product when I get it done, if it looks nice. :)

Breanna

2008-07-29T17:34:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted a new drawing on here. I would post my most recent one, but I don't want anyone to see it until I give it to the person I drew it for. I don't want to lose viewers just because I didn't post something new, so here's one I drew last year.

I'm hoping to get more frequent with this blog in the coming months. I don't want to lose my talent. :) So, thanks, Vernon for reminding me I have a blog that people actually look at. :)

Safe in their hands

2008-02-21T19:51:00.006-06:00

"For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well."
Psalm 139:13-14

Little Son

2007-11-06T20:23:00.001-06:00

It's time for another drawing. :)
A few people have started looking at my blog, so I decided I better get busy posting more of my drawings. :)

Like my smiley? Doesn't he look diligent? I know he's a painter, but he's as close as I could get to pencil art. :)

Ok, here's one of my favorite portraits of my nephew.

I combined an adorable picture of his face and one of his feet. I remember the day the feet picture was taken. My sister blogged about it,

"Just to be silly, he wanted a picture of his feet! He sat still as a mouse, refusing to move until he heard the clicking of the camera as proof that I took an actual picture (I tried the pretend-to-push-the-button thing, but he's gotten too smart for that). And, since I, the doting mommy think his feet are still adorable (and realizing they won't always be so!), thought I'd share the end result..."

Harper's Hands

2007-10-14T20:40:00.003-05:00

Here is my first hand picture I would like to share with you.
You can click on it to see the big version. It looks so much better when it's bigger. :)

These are my niece's hands. It took me about four hours to draw this picture. I was kinda amazed that it only took four hours. It always seems like I work on one piece for longer than that. :) I like this one because you can see the wrinkles in her little baby hands. :)

Welcome!

2007-10-13T21:13:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone out there in the blog world. :)

I'm starting this blog to share my pencil drawing. I love drawing so I'm trying to get into it full force. :)

Recently I finished a drawing of my niece's hands and my friend's holding their baby's feet. Both pictures are very cute, so I'll post them soon. I'm also working on a new portrait of a newborn in the hands of her mommy and daddy. I got the outline done tonight, but you can't see it until it's done. :)

I'll get the pictures posted soon because I, personally, think that blogs without pictures are boring. :)