Tag Archives: Wilsonia cabin

Weird Little Streets

Weird little streets in Wilsonia from the viewpoint of a book draw-er (no, I am not drawer in a cabinet, nor is my business cabinet, it is “cabinART”, in case you were confused. . .) are the ones that have one or two cabins, or aren’t really a street.

Here are a few I’ve encountered so far. This is not a complete list.

Is this cabin on Cedar? Or is it on Meadow? The map says Cedar, so that is the chapter where it will appear in the book.

Kaweah: One cabin

Leconte: One cabin, the street feels like a driveway.

Lupine: One cabin

Meadow: One cabin, looks as if there are 2, but the Tripp cabin is officially on Cedar, not Meadow.

Palisades: One cabin, no visible street but there is a street sign. I think it shows on the map. . .

Am I the only one who thinks about stuff like this?

Inching Ahead

A friend once asked me as I was drawing, “How in the world do you do that?”

“About one quarter inch at a time”, was my smarty-pants answer.

April is almost history, and I do believe I will meet my quota. This is in spite of a Big Birthday for my Little Mama, a 4-day camping trip to Montana de Oro, a visit by my Adobe InDesign coach from Seattle, an odd job, and a visit by 2 other friends. Bring on the fans – my pencils are smokin’!

(Hey Mr. Google, if you are spying on my blog, this is a pencil drawing of a Wilsonia cabin for the upcoming book The Cabins of Wilsonia.)

If you’d like to comment but it won’t behave, please email me via the contact page. I am beginning to wonder if the thing is broken. . .

Building a book, one cabin drawing at a time

This Wilsonia cabin was interesting to draw. The cabin caught my eye because of its bright blue shutters. Would it look like anything special in pencil?

I think it looks special because I love shingle siding and rockwork. Besides, sunshine makes everything look special. But, I can see that I need to rescan it, or mess around with some photo editing. My friend who taught me to use Adobe InDesign is visiting me this week, so I will ask her for help.

I need help building this book when it comes to the technical stuff. Thank you, Carol!!

How Do You Draw?

As a right hander, I work from top to bottom, left to right. This prevents smearing.

First, I figure out what size the drawing needs to be to fit on the page, as I’ve designed it. (Or redesigned it, in many cases)

Second, I lightly draw in where the main parts belong. This is an outline form, and essentially, I am drawing the dog before the fleas.

Third, I begin shading, working top to bottom, left to right.

Want to see one in progress? (Thought I’d never ask, did you??)

What is this little building?

Beats me. It isn’t a Wilsonia cabin, but sits (or stands?) behind one.

Questions, always more questions

Asking questions is a great way to learn.

Where can you learn more about this project, The Cabins of Wilsonia? Right here!

What is this little building?

Beats me!

Why are you drawing this book?

I love to draw.
I love to draw cabins.
The Cabins of Mineral King was a very enjoyable and rewarding project, and people have asked me to do the same for Wilsonia.
Cabin communities are treasures to be cherished, preserved and celebrated.

Where are you in the project?

Right on schedule! (thanks for asking, great question, and all the other automatic responses that interviewees give. . .)

Cranking up the Drawing Machine

I last reported to you on the book progress on February 26, saying that my quota for February had been met.

Perhaps you are wondering why I didn’t take the opportunity to get ahead a bit. This is a legitimate question, and I have 3 reasons for not forging ahead of schedule.

1. I went to Chicago on a 5 day trip. (Okay, I was only in Chicago itself for one short day, but if I said I went to Downers Grove, you might just say “Hunh?” Or perhaps you are more refined than that and might say “Where?”) You can read about it and even see photos on my other blog, beginning February 27.

2. It is time for me to complete some oil paintings for a request, a barter, and a gallery in Three Rivers (Colors has no website, but might be on Facebook, which I am not, so you are on your own there.)

3. My husband Michael (AKA Trail Guy) and I recently designed and ordered custom Mineral King tee shirts and they are now available! That has taken up some potential drawing time.

In other words, there is more to my life than drawing The Cabins of Wilsonia, and sometimes I have to do a bit of a juggling act.

But fear not – the drawing machine has been restarted! #116 is on the table.

Another drawing off the table

Pencil drawing of chimney on Wilsonia cabin

I will go quiet on this blog until March 6 because my February drawing quota has been met and because I will be telling of a recent trip to Chicago on my other blog. I hope you will visit and return to this blog on March 6.

So many interesting chimneys; so little time!

#114 On The Table

First, a question for you: Do you know anyone besides me that can honestly and literally say “Back to the drawing board?”

Can you believe the mess that happens on my drawing board? In spite of the piled up stuff, drawing #114 of The Cabins of Wilsonia is happening. I’m right on schedule!

Photos, legal pad of notes, drafting brush, triangle, cups and box of pencils, erasers, sharpener, T-square, erasing shield, pica pole (that is a ruler that measures in whole units because there is less chance of errors than when I’m dealing in fractions – yes, I DO measure) and a few other items.

Looks like a mess, but everything is right at hand.

Alta Through Laurel, Finished!

As I draw this book alphabetically street by street, I feel a sense of progress.

Duh.

This cabin looked boxy from the front. After I passed by it about the one thousandth time, I began noticing interesting details. Have you ever seen a cabin this shape before?

It is part of the book because I want both the typical and the atypical. Bet you can tell which category this drawing fits into.

This is #111.

Part of the fun of drawing a self-designed and self-published book is that I get to draw whatever strikes my fancy. NO ONE would ever commission me to draw this view of his cabin!! When people commission this California artist to draw their cabins, they choose the front. Always. No exceptions. Amen.

Being a California artist, nay, a California pencil artist, a cabin artist, Cabinart herself, sometimes I like to choose the offbeat, the unusual, the most interesting view, the unique. This pencil drawing qualifies for all of the aforementioned.

Phew! Another drawing off the table!

Not bad, eh? This one was a bugger! If I can’t see it, I can’t draw it very well. It takes longer when I refer to multiple photos from different angles in different lights. Not whinin’, just sayin’.

And thus we conclude our little explanation of drawing a Wilsonia cabin in pencil when our photos are not providing all the information. Now, I might need to go lie down for a bit. Someone, administer dark chocolate and bring me my knitting!