tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37209042011-11-27T19:27:42.655-05:00Darla Dixon is a work at home mom of 4 and self-represented artist. Her art business is primarily fine graphite pencil portraits drawn from her client's photographs. She has also illustrated book and magazine covers. This is her blog about her pencil portrait art and her family.Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-77170658482752776592010-11-08T20:55:00.001-05:002010-11-08T20:55:46.627-05:00

Darla Dixon - Art & Words: Painting outside my comfort zoneBy Darla Dixon, ArtistAnd let's not forgot the all important benefit of it being KID-FREE!" I liked that it did push me out of my comfort zone. I am tempted to try the scene one more time, and do a better job on the trees! Posted by Darla Dixon, Artist at ...

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-34574746979396438592010-09-25T06:40:00.002-04:002010-09-25T06:41:46.371-04:00

Darla Dixon - Art & Words: Featured artist on Tombow's blogTombow makes many items for scrapbooking and crafters. Tombow even manufactures adhesives. But I love their pencils, the Tombow Mono-Homograph. Wonderful pencil with an imposing name. Read the blog post at Tombow>>. Posted by Darla Dixon, ... Read more>>

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-75490155302353649802010-09-08T21:13:00.001-04:002010-09-08T21:13:55.390-04:00

Pencil Portrait Business Advice: Make sure your website doesnt ...By Darla Dixon, ArtistDarla Dixon, Artist: I'm a pencil portrait artist and illustrator My Website.email: darla.dixon@gmail.com. View my complete profile · All About Me · Free Website Help. Labels. advertising (2) payments (2) pricing (2) promotion (2) ...

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-60001100875187664502010-08-30T20:47:00.000-04:002010-08-30T20:48:09.495-04:00

Darla Dixon Art & Words Sea Turtle PaintingBids can be sent in by email if you dont live near Snellville Ga Just email your bid to me at DarlaDixongmailcom please make the Subject LineSea Turtle Bid ...darla-dixon-artist.blogspot.com/.../sea-turtle-painting-seaturtle-...

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-74736967197329551262010-08-09T14:30:00.003-04:002010-08-09T14:31:20.166-04:00

Chester's human pack misses him very much. Here is another memorial pencil portrait of a dog drawn from a photo. In this case the portrait is of a Shetland Sheepdog, also known as a Sheltie. Posted by Darla Dixon, Artist - Read more: Darla Dixon - Art & Words: Dog pencil portraitsBy Darla Dixon, Artist

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-64695067628196231862010-07-30T09:08:00.001-04:002010-07-30T09:10:07.300-04:00

I know it's probably very useful to someone who knows how. I'm just not that person. Never had a drafting class, but I sure love all the neat drafting gadgets, gizmos, and weird rulers....READ MORE>>>>>Art & Words: Weird art supply findsBy Darla Dixon, Artist

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-81795087656376663862010-07-28T21:41:00.001-04:002010-07-28T21:41:50.163-04:00

Snellville Area Artists: Art Classes at the HudgensBy Darla Dixon, ArtistClay classes include Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Pottery Wheel and a special pottery class for home schoolers. Visit our website today to find the right class for you!

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-80492795459653602392010-07-24T09:07:00.001-04:002010-07-24T09:07:29.887-04:00

You might be wondering what Squidoo is, it's a site where you can make pages on any topic you're interested in, and you can make money for yourself or for charity...Read more

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-82658233990228560732010-07-24T09:04:00.002-04:002010-07-24T09:06:10.488-04:00

By Darla Dixon, ArtistAbsolutely no shape to it. The other dress made me look like a floozy. Too much shape to it. Would it be too much to ask to find a dress that is somewhere in between tree trunk and floozy? LOL! Posted by Darla Dixon, Artist at 3:52 PM ...Read more

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-22433505889840316532010-06-25T09:00:00.003-04:002010-06-25T09:01:16.554-04:00

I may still post here from time to time, but I am posting more on this new blog:http://darla-dixon-artist.blogspot.com/For whatever reason, my thoughts seem to flow better there, and I have been blogging a lot more because of that.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-3781924392150778522010-06-17T10:06:00.001-04:002010-06-17T10:08:11.954-04:00

Michelle Black of A Color Affair in Loganville GA will be painting a large scale mural at Trip Elementary School in Grayson, Georgia. Trip Elementary is a newly built school in Gwinnett County, GA. Michelle is donating her time and talent to the school. She worked worked with the librarian for two months on this project. Michelle invites us all to watch as the project progresses.She'll post

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-44878350651689120002010-06-13T12:07:00.018-04:002010-06-13T12:36:09.723-04:00

Here I am painting yesterday. Photo by Sharna Fulton.Notice the messy apron. I invited kids to paint on it.An artist should have a messy apron, right?Yesterday, I was in my tent at the Snellville Farmers' Market. Artist Sharna Fulton, creator of Chloe Pink (TM) joined me. We both created paintings that were silent auctioned. 100% of our painting proceeds helps our local food bank, the Southeast

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-2565862741836357352010-06-10T01:56:00.001-04:002010-06-10T01:58:45.847-04:00

I just finished watching the premiere episode of a new reality show called Work of Art: America's Next Great Artist. It's sort of like a mix of Survivor and Project Runway.Tonight's challenge was to create a portrait of another competitor which showed the person's inner self, not just what one sees on the surface.Some of the artists didn't include any image of the portrait subject at all,

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-58654072600507459762010-05-29T15:13:00.008-04:002010-05-29T15:22:34.603-04:00

Lots of wedding anniversaries come up in June. It can be hard to decide on a good anniversary gift.When a couple's been married a long time, they probably already have many knick-knacks and really don't need any more to dust. A pencil portrait of the couple when they first met is a nice idea for an anniversary present.I've done portraits that were double portraits - meaning, that I drew the

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-54800640014813386822010-05-25T11:24:00.001-04:002010-05-27T11:54:51.244-04:00

ART AUCTION in conjunction with Snellville Farmer's Market: SNELLVILLE GA: On Saturday, June 5th and Saturdays through October, Snellville artist Darla Dixon will be under a white festival tent, painting a colorful picture of the surrounding scene.Dixon says the art will be different from her usual style, which is typically pencil, realistic, and black and white. "I'm either going to work in

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-85795477782574268202010-05-11T10:15:00.001-04:002010-05-11T10:17:08.379-04:00

[Text messages]Daughter (age 16) : "Can you check me out of school tomorrow?"Me: "Sure, why not? Let's take the rest of the week off, and go get tattoos."Daughter: "YAY!!!!"

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-72170473235682964962010-05-11T07:10:00.006-04:002010-05-11T07:21:03.050-04:00

One of my favorite artists, Frank Frazetta, has died at age 82.He died Monday morning, a day after suffering a stroke. He had been out to dinner with his daughters on Sunday. I'm happy that they were able to spend that time together.If you've ever looked at fantasy books, you've seen his artwork. You've probably seen Frank Frazetta's artwork many times without realizing it. If you haven't seen

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-77254677909456369642010-05-09T12:34:00.001-04:002010-05-09T12:34:57.195-04:00

Printable Hobby Lobby Coupon for 40% off one item: CLICK HERE

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-4665771536272011042010-04-15T16:09:00.005-04:002010-04-15T16:18:48.927-04:00

Here's a photo I took today of my son after preschool. It was a lucky shot, and not the greatest photo quality because it's just a cell-phone photo. I'm happy that I caught that moment of happy childhood imagination before it disappeared.Where I live in Georgia isn't all this rural looking, and this looks like an old farm road but it's not - it's just a gravel access road behind a building. If

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-87610358958565548572010-04-11T09:31:00.001-04:002010-04-11T09:32:38.180-04:00

Here is this week's 40% Off printable Hobby Lobby store coupon! LINK

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-50221907110979205742010-04-03T07:25:00.000-04:002010-04-03T07:26:30.354-04:00

Gwenn Seemel Painting portraits from photosPainting portraits from photos. 26 March 2010 - Comments (2). I always work from photos to create my paintings. Though I think that a life drawing practice ...www.gwennseemel.com/index.php/blog/comments/portraits_from_photos/ Pencil portraits from photos SitesWebsite Valuation Reports available on pencil portraits from photos sites. Check what your

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-37686228944345488392010-03-30T08:54:00.008-04:002010-03-30T09:11:06.688-04:00

After I picked him up from church preschool, our 4-year-old son gave a very impressive retelling of what he learned that day about Easter - He talked about God dying on the cross and rising from the dead, and said that's what Easter's all about.He didn't have it all exactly right, but I thought it was impressive that a child his age had retained so much information. So I tried to get him to

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-67604625171825595982010-03-30T08:15:00.002-04:002010-03-30T08:16:29.217-04:00

Here are some online postings of people looking for artists. (I know I have a lot of artists reading this blog, so I though I would share this)sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/crg/1666515036.html Need an artist????????????????????? - Yahoo! Answersim looking for an artist who has very bright groov… ... im looking for an artist who has very bright groovy coloures and dose patterned abstract work. ...

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-85200105945765119742010-03-28T08:47:00.004-04:002010-03-28T08:48:40.673-04:00

Here is a link to this week's Hobby Lobby coupon.There is a new option now, you can either print the Hobby Lobby 40% off one item coupon, or you can shop online and use their discount code shown on that page to get the discount.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-88131315377748748562010-03-28T08:41:00.001-04:002010-03-28T08:44:40.833-04:00

Links to people who are looking for an artist for projects. Some of these might be paid projects, some might just be someone wanting to collaborate for free. I'm not recommending any of these as art commission jobs, just thought I would pass the information along.Smack Jeeves Forums • View topic - Writer looking for artist (Fun ...Looking for an artist to illustrate, help with character

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-42679706205735692012010-03-27T09:01:00.004-04:002010-03-27T09:11:55.438-04:00

What do you get a couple to help celebrate their 25th or 50th wedding anniversary?Not everybody can afford to send their parents or grandparents on a cruise for their golden anniversary, but you want something special. A custom pencil portrait is a great idea for their 25th or 50th wedding anniversary gift.I've drawn pencil portraits of couples how they look now, I've drawn portraits of how the

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-34985020028853669702010-03-25T10:51:00.003-04:002010-03-25T10:56:40.049-04:00

Do I Need To Take A Figure Drawing Class? - Page 3 - ConceptArt ...The difference between drawing from a photo and a live model is life. A model is not exactly still and vibrates with life and therefore is harder to capture ...Job offer team up inside, looking for an artist to team up with ...Job offer team up inside, looking for an artist to team up with for this commision!! SKETCHBOOKS.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-79432475753920844132010-03-24T09:01:00.001-04:002010-03-24T09:03:01.544-04:00

These links are other artists showing their drawings in their blogs.Tangents By Natalie September (2). Lazy Girl · At the the thought of sending a grandson to war, m... Tuesday, March 23, 2010. This is a charcoal drawing from a photo of Mila and I in 2003, when she was about a week old. Posted by Natalie at 10:16 AM ...apiology: I got around to scanning my sketchbook(s) By the study of honey bees

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-84345783891647808102010-03-20T09:25:00.002-04:002010-03-20T09:26:23.155-04:00

This is a great article about how pencil portrait drawings from photos are a way of preserving a family's history.Green Valley News & Sun - News > News > Portrait artist captures ... Having always done portraits from photos, at 80, Rein is enjoying something new — working from live models. “Every Monday morning I go to The Drawing Studio in Tucson. It's an opportunity, not a class. It's $10 for

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-18582217332497332302010-03-19T09:32:00.008-04:002010-03-19T09:44:47.747-04:00

Like a lot of people and businesses these days, I've had to look at ways I can cut costs without impacting customer service.One thing I have canceled is the toll-free phone number I had, which was an 888 toll free number ending in 736-0617. Please do not call this number - because it's no longer mine.As I looked at expenses, I could see this was something to be cut. It cost me money when someone

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-36279163869945748582010-03-10T15:29:00.004-05:002010-03-10T15:35:46.140-05:00

Proctor and Gamble has recalled Pringles Restaurant Cravers Cheeseburger potato crisps and Pringles Family Faves Taco Night potato crisps. Although I think if you are eating those flavors, you may have a bigger problem than salmonella.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-41918245274004624542010-03-02T11:31:00.002-05:002010-03-02T11:34:57.100-05:00

By now, you may know it snowed today in the Atlanta area. As I write this, it is snowing. All kids desperately want Gwinnett County Schools to close.The following is a text message conversation between myself and my teenage daughter. Although I have always respected Erma Bombeck, now that I have 4 children, I realize that she really didn't have to come up with ideas so much as just write down

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-68544588906206807612010-02-05T04:01:00.002-05:002010-02-05T04:03:54.987-05:00

Who knew that Cheetos were an art medium? You won't believe how wonderfully detailed the portrait is. Really amazing. Found this first on a site called mog.com

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-23729464854537729842010-02-02T10:14:00.006-05:002010-02-02T10:27:42.756-05:00

Always get up the first time you wake up.This morning I woke up for a bit but then fell back asleep. I wish I hadn't.I had a too-realistic stress dream. It was a great one as far as stressful dream go, though - Very detailed. Have to give my subconscious brain props for that.In the dream, I was running around trying to get my stuff together. Apparently I was going to some kind of business

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-13037654671218942572010-01-21T09:47:00.004-05:002010-01-21T09:50:43.887-05:00

Here is a link to a printable coupon from Blick Art Supplies. This coupon is good for one non-sale, in-stock item and can be used only in a Dick Blick store, not valid for online. If you have a Blick store near you, this coupon will give you 40% off your one item purchase. LINK Expires 1/24/10

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-59111623661118691142010-01-10T22:19:00.008-05:002010-01-10T22:28:30.336-05:00

Have you ever talked or done anything weird in your sleep? When I was a kid, I used to sleepwalk. That worried my parents, because my bedroom was upstairs. I never fell down the stairs - I seemed to know where everything was. At some point, I stopped the sleepwalking. As I got older and even after marriage, I would talk in my sleep sometimes. It was usually gibberish.But one time, I actually did

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-3209427560785403962010-01-07T14:40:00.006-05:002010-01-07T14:46:19.325-05:00

It pays to think ahead for Valentine's Day!Order a COUPLES pencil portrait (a drawing of you and your girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, husband, significant other, your parents or grandparents together - you get the idea!) and get the portrait for half price! For full details, see the Pencil Portrait Specials page of my website.Limited time only

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-89563178449820968712010-01-01T08:25:00.008-05:002010-01-01T08:40:35.083-05:00

I'm sure there are 4,346,964 bloggers with this same blog post title today. How unoriginal I am.The girls had a friend spend the night. I had bought all kinds of food that is generally bad for you. The variety bag of chips. Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, Little Debbie cupcakes. Coca-Cola.I also bought some kazoo-sounding Happy New Year noisemakers. That was fun, but I didn't anticipate my boys

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-45841316745665092112009-12-28T01:58:00.003-05:002009-12-28T01:59:55.554-05:00

One of my favorite portraits of this season, a Bichon Frise (non-traditional Bichon haircut though!)... I combined two photos of the dog to create this pencil portrait.According to my client, his dog is always licking his nose, so that's why he's licking his nose. The client asked if there was something I could do to make the portrait more "Christmassy." It started with the box, then I had the

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-86261368184911609582009-12-25T23:01:00.009-05:002009-12-25T23:48:00.467-05:00

"Konica Minolta has spent many years refining our knowledge of optical technology. Now, the new possibilities of this technology are preparing to make a major impact in the world of art. Behold the advanced technology of the Non-Contact 3D Digitizer, developed by Konica Minolta.This digitizer uses a laser to scan the target object and then analyzes the reflected light to perform detailed

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-85300594534588024302009-12-25T09:44:00.002-05:002009-12-25T10:11:21.478-05:00

Merry Christmas 2009, and I hope 2010 brings with it all your hopes and dreams!

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-42015345773583750652009-12-24T14:36:00.011-05:002009-12-24T14:53:03.004-05:00

Please don't take this the wrong way - I'm not meaning to criticize another artist's work, but looking at other artist's work helps me think about my own approaches to art.I was looking at some art today (by another artist) and it was a portrait of a baby. I was surprised that my first reaction to the drawing was to wince - The baby was probably giggling in the photo, but the baby's hands were

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-35341019304289449892009-12-23T09:35:00.003-05:002009-12-23T09:36:47.040-05:00

This is an old general store and filling station owned by a family. I used several old photos as references, and the client asked her grandparents, aunts & uncles for information I needed to complete this. (the sign looks a bit off-kilter, that's just a photography error by me - this is what happens if the paper isn't lying completely flat when I take the photo!)

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-72021187744227376702009-12-19T21:50:00.004-05:002009-12-19T22:18:05.408-05:00

When you are considering commissioning an artist to draw a pencil portrait for you from a photo reference, how do you know you are presenting the artist with a picture that would work well for this use? ... [more]

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-84076452966221222032009-12-14T09:04:00.010-05:002009-12-14T09:13:54.393-05:00

I love the cute things kids say. They always come right out of the blue.Here's my conversation with my youngest son, age 4.I guess it's hard to remember that the word 'awesome' is a good thing."I love you, Mommy.""I love you too! I think you're awesome.""I think you're...not.""Huh?" I said, feigning hurt feelings."Oh, I mean you are."

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-22901213062902392632009-12-11T20:00:00.009-05:002009-12-11T20:30:02.016-05:00

It's almost Christmas!Here's what's going on in our neck of the woods -We got the tree up (nothing exciting about it this year I'm afraid, sorry.) Bought a few gifts and stashed them away, but haven't had time to wrap anything yet. I have some of that wonderful wrapping paper from the kids' school fundraiser though, so I'm all set when I have time.Sweet Sasha was attacked in the early morning

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-27641791689575614152009-12-05T23:08:00.003-05:002009-12-05T23:11:02.039-05:00

This is a cool site, all you do is upload a front-facing clear photo of yourself and it will match your features to celebrities they have on file. I pulled my glasses up on my head so they wouldn't match me with Michael Moore!http://www.myheritage.com/collageMyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-2847202833454471162009-12-04T21:51:00.006-05:002009-12-04T22:10:24.869-05:00

I read a newspaper article recently about a man who lost a lot of weight by using a grabber tool to pick up trash on his walks. He ended up taking very long walks. I decided this might be a good way for me to get some exercise, because when I exercise, it has to have a purpose - I just can't do monotonous repetitive movements on workout machines.So I bought a reacher/grabber tool [similar to this

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-37814113505711787242009-12-02T19:11:00.005-05:002009-12-02T19:20:33.478-05:00

This is a printable coupon for 30% off, but it's only valid in Dick Blick retail stores, can't use it online. LINKTo find a Blick store near you, visit the Blick Art Materials website and click on the link at the top that reads "Locate Stores."You can also get free art supply catalogs sent to you! Click here to get your free art supply catalog.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-88188356545120390012009-11-28T20:13:00.004-05:002009-11-28T20:19:58.012-05:00

We adopted Sasha today from Bliss Animal Haven rescue of Loganville GA. She is such a love bug! We think she is a Shetland Sheepdog and Spaniel mix. She's very calm and sweet. I'm going to love having her around. It already feels like she fits in just fine! There are so many available adoptable animals right now - because of the economy, people have let their dogs go. Please give an animal a

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-28527520458876663182009-11-27T08:36:00.002-05:002009-11-27T08:39:44.628-05:00

Blick Art Supplies is having a sale with sliding discounts, based on what you buy.However, they also have $4.95 shipping with no minimum purchase for that low shipping price.The reduced shipping fee expires at Midnight. I know I will be taking advantage of this! I love Blick art supply.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-20388728614240971272009-11-15T08:27:00.011-05:002009-12-03T06:48:35.179-05:00

Want to go to an art gallery with me? Yesterday, my daughter and I went to the Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts in Duluth GA for the Fall Juried Exhibition of the Portrait Society of Atlanta. Here are some of my favorite portraits in the show (but to be truthful, I really wanted to photograph every one of them!) I must apologize in advance for not getting the artist's names. That is

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-52767599652984435632009-11-08T23:05:00.014-05:002009-11-08T23:51:11.803-05:00

I received an email today from someone asking about a portrait with several homes on it. It's a great gift idea to have a drawing (or several drawings) showing different houses someone has lived in over the years.That reminded me of this custom pencil drawing I did for Parrish-Hare Electrical Supply, located in Dallas, Texas. They wanted a work of art for their company lobby that would portray

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-77856169635714700052009-11-07T10:50:00.005-05:002009-11-15T12:38:09.192-05:00

NOVEMBER 15TH IS THE LAST DAY!I'm opening up this child pencil portrait special to everyone now (previously I just shared with my mailing list and Facebook followers) but now it's being shared everywhere...if you are interested, get in touch now so I can "pencil" you in! Excuse the pun!This is my lowest price ever in years for this special size (9"x12") pencil portrait of one child subject. I

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-18969179608523708192009-11-04T10:41:00.005-05:002009-11-04T10:52:17.394-05:00

Here is a house portrait I recently completed in graphite pencil. This artwork is 14"x17" on Strathmore Bristol paper. The portrait will have the address and the dates the client lived there handlettered and centered in the grass area. It really had a lot of details - stonework and bricks.The more house portraits I draw, the better I am getting at drawing plants, trees, bushes, etc. It's always

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-7661216584190190692009-10-28T20:25:00.002-04:002009-10-28T20:27:29.553-04:00

I love my Ott-light! I just found out that Joanne Etc online has Ott lights for 40% off retail: 40% Off OTT-LITE Lamps & Accessories

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-61183770873789123792009-10-13T11:55:00.008-04:002009-10-13T12:09:16.077-04:00

Here's a dog portrait of a mixed-breed dog. My client said she was told that Chester was a Labrador/Dalmatian mix. I think I see some Great Dane in him, though - especially in his snout area. But whatever he is, he's a gorgeous dog, and I really enjoyed drawing him. I used 2B and 4B Tombow Mono-Homograph pencils and a mechanical pencil for this artwork. Blending with chamois, erasing and

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-16938084078272855102009-10-13T11:12:00.002-04:002009-10-13T11:12:47.713-04:00

I saw that Michael's has Strathmore 300 Bristol Pads on sale for 40% off this week. It made me think about sharing a bit of what I know about paper.Strathmore 300 is nice for basic drawing, but it's not as good for long-term preservation as Strathmore 400 or 500 grades are. If you want cotton paper and acid free paper, go with 400 or 500 grade.Then, you will notice the Bristol papers have other

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-35863543003573827982009-10-12T09:15:00.008-04:002009-10-12T09:37:37.499-04:00

The answer to this question depends on what you want. If you want a very quick store that you can set up, with ability for checkout, then I think signing up for a website like Etsy or ArtFire would be the quickest and most efficient option. Here is my Etsy shop, so you can see how it sort of looks like an online store. You can add a banner to it. In February, I interviewed John Jacobs, the CEO

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-83971470637204703612009-10-10T10:05:00.005-04:002009-10-10T10:11:37.541-04:00

Great quotes by Robert McCloskey - he was the author and illustrator of Blueberries for Sal, Make Way for Ducklings, Lentil, Homer Price and others. I found this in his 2003 New York Times obituary, while looking up info for this Squidoo page on Robert McCloskey. I love it, and I completely understand what he meant."Speaking of his art, Mr. McCloskey once said that while the hand is trained, ''

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-27632449789820027672009-10-07T20:43:00.009-04:002009-10-11T10:18:04.827-04:00

Here's a link to get free art supply catalogs from Blick Art Supplies.There are several to choose from, including the Blick School Catalog, Blick Studio Catalog, K-6 Classroom Catalog, Studio Sale Catalog - Holiday 2009 edition, and the School Sale Flyer for Fall of 2009. I have ordered more than one at a time in the past, so if more than one of them interests you, go ahead and request whatever

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-50681995051580434412009-10-07T18:01:00.006-04:002009-10-07T18:09:06.690-04:00

I have been really enjoying Alyson B. Stanfield's blog, The ArtBizBlog. This post in particular may be of interest to you, if you are an artist and have people asking or expecting you to give your art away for free: Visit Alyson's ArtBizBlog .Well you know me by now, I had to get my two cents in the discussion!My response to an email asking me to give my art away would be something like this:“

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-48686910265392282992009-10-04T20:41:00.005-04:002009-10-04T20:58:21.910-04:00

I've been trying to rest my shoulder. A few days ago, the pain was pretty bad, but it wasn't as bad as the whining. I took 600 mg of Advil (that's 3 of them) at a time and put ice on my shoulder. I was beginning to think I fractured it. Greater minds than mine wanted me to go to the doctor about it, but I really didn't want to. The solution would probably be a prescription for muscle relaxant

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-29320001031868289802009-10-01T00:56:00.010-04:002009-10-01T01:11:34.600-04:00

This newspaper article about how to salvage water-damaged photographs was published because of the recent flooding in Atlanta. This information is good to have, no matter what incident caused water damage to photos and documents. Hopefully, you'll never need this information, but here it is just in case!Photos: Do not let photos dry in stacks as they will stick together and breed mold.Wearing

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-34042275411790965682009-09-30T08:52:00.007-04:002009-09-30T09:00:54.487-04:00

I was driving to the grocery store the other day, and on the way there are several 4-way-stop intersections. Unfortunately, there are more 4-way-stop intersections here than there are people who understand how to use them.So, after the 2nd such intersection, after dealing with people who weren't paying attention (talking on their cellphones, etc), I got a little upset and started venting, "Oh,

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-4032134151430231432009-09-27T18:04:00.007-04:002009-09-27T18:09:22.914-04:00

Why some police sketches are not good artCheck out this police sketch from British Columbia. A home was broken into and a victim stabbed in the leg. You may be shocked by the strangeness of this...Keep Reading »

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-41599450969695353712009-09-25T09:07:00.004-04:002009-09-25T09:22:07.377-04:00

The blog has been redesigned! I hired Lindsey from SourAppleStudio.com to create this for me. What do you think? Don't you think she did a great job? I really needed something that would show my pencil portrait art as soon as someone clicked to this blog. I explained to Lindsey the style and look I wanted, and she was very intuitive about what I needed. I am really happy with it. It's like moving

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-85571470578338792372009-09-24T16:35:00.001-04:002009-09-24T16:35:14.254-04:00

I just turned down a 500 calorie Sonic burger. I hope I get a shiny star from Dr. Oz. lol #Nice gift from boyfriend to girlfriend - pencil portrait bit.ly/orMYk #I try not to complain when gmail crashes, because I have NOT PAID anything for the service! tinyurl.com/y8zesde #So you just joined Twitter today and are following 800 people? I feel soooo special! LOL #Really, really, really thankful

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-23909257165978347442009-09-23T15:03:00.000-04:002009-09-23T15:04:00.695-04:00

Drawing and listening to blip.fm/DarlaDixon #Listening to voice mails, taking notes, answering emails, typing as fast as I can. #Are you a pro pencil portrait artist or want to be? Join my group, what the hey groups.yahoo.com/group/PPPArtists #Want to follow my updates on Twitter? These "tweets" were automatically sent here by LoudTwitter

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-4641325786649615972009-09-23T07:13:00.004-04:002009-09-23T07:20:58.205-04:00

The storms have passed through, we didn't have any problems at our house, other than just a lot of water. Sadly, 9 people in the Atlanta metro area died. If you heard about the lady who died after minivan was swept down a creek, that was near us in Lawrenceville GA.The school system closed for two days, which has put me a little behind in my work, but I hope I will be all caught up within a

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-2518382364928345122009-09-21T08:35:00.001-04:002009-09-21T08:37:28.390-04:00

Flash flood warnings in the Atlanta area, so bad that the Gwinnett County School system has closed. Our school system is the largest in the state and has 160,000 students. They don't close unless things look very bad.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-89375362228737403262009-09-17T16:00:00.000-04:002009-09-17T16:01:34.921-04:00

We're at the beginning of a 10 day forecast of rain in the Atlanta area. I should start a mold farm. #RT @Utrecht_Art $250K top prize up for grabs in Mich. art event bit.ly/1q0YPg #Police sketches don't have to be pretty, here's why bit.ly/2kBQmv #"Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring and integrity, they think of you." H. Jackson Brown, Jr #Want to follow my updates on

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-89259994617439553642009-09-14T12:32:00.007-04:002009-09-17T10:53:38.972-04:00

If you don't use Twitter, then you probably won't care about this blog post. Sorry about that, carry on then, nothing to see here.However, if you do use Twitter - and especially if you are following me, and I'm not following your updates back - here are some possible reasons for that. ... Read more>>

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-88087732247537894962009-09-11T10:11:00.001-04:002009-09-11T10:11:49.917-04:00

I remember seeing the first tower on fire while watching the news reports, and then my horror when I saw the second tower get hit, on live TV. It hit me that there was no way this was an accident. As the realization sunk in, I said to myself, " this is like my generation's Pearl Harbor."This page asks, Where were you September 11, 2001?

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-74065416676622958602009-09-08T18:18:00.001-04:002009-09-08T18:18:59.662-04:00

Got sucked in (again) by same person's drama. When will I learn? #Ok, finished large pencil portrait of man with heavy beard and eyeglasses. Glad to be done, but yet sorry to be done. I grow attached! #Drawing portrait of a couple from 2 separate photos to make it look like they posed together. It's working out really great! #Little boy pencil portrait bit.ly/4oprQf #Pencil portrait of a young

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-5831879007697827012009-09-06T17:24:00.001-04:002009-09-06T17:24:42.010-04:00

Just love it when I good friend signs up for Facebook and adds me :) #Etsy password reset meant too many hoops to jump thru, and I can't get it to reset to email address I want to use. I'm not lazy but tired #Well, technology has me flustered. Back to my pencil...where do I plug it in? ;) #Want to follow my updates on Twitter? These "tweets" were automatically sent here by LoudTwitter

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-22803338139401546282009-09-05T20:52:00.004-04:002009-09-05T21:30:54.413-04:00

This is so funny, and it really does apply to me! I was 5-years-old in 1970, 14-years-old in 1979.If you were a little girl in the 70's... You had that Fisher Price Doctor's Kit with a stethoscope that actually worked.It did work, just barely. If it didn't really work, we'd imagine it did. You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it.Yes, I did! Mine was purple I

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-41996943569939528102009-09-04T11:42:00.020-04:002011-02-17T12:39:35.264-05:00

My name is Darla Dixon. I live in Snellville, Georgia, which is considered part of the Metro Atlanta area. I have lived in Snellville about 17 years, and have been in Georgia for 28 years. I grew up in Michigan. I've been married for 25 years, and we have 17-year-old fraternal twin girls, a 7-year-old boy, and another little boy who just turned 5. The dog in the photo with me is Sasha. She is a

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-39839145541977551442009-09-03T12:54:00.002-04:002009-09-03T12:56:34.376-04:00

I'm looking into hiring someone to redesign this blog. Frankly, I've done all I can do with it and I'm bored with how it looks. All the hacking that I've done to the code has made it harder to use, and when it's harder to use, I'm less likely to post a blog entry! When it's redone, it will probably be at a new web address, and I'll share that with you when it happens.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-17048537752780598422009-08-31T18:35:00.003-04:002009-08-31T18:35:56.909-04:00

Just ordered a Mr. Dressup 3 DVD set for my kids...well, I SAY it's for the kids tinyurl.com/6s7x9 #This job interview video is a little too close to real life for some now! bit.ly/IqeKk #Good morning! Busy but productive day ahead! #I can't believe all the hubbub over IKEA changing their font to Verdana tinyurl.com/mlf2xf bigger issues in the world I think? #Gotta run, doing some serious work

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-57746743078501663662009-08-18T16:33:00.000-04:002009-08-18T16:34:04.355-04:00

Spaghetti and cheese-stuffed meatballs, $1.62 per serving tinyurl.com/ryjk2u #My sons like stacking up sofa cushions, covering with various blankets & toys, and pretending they're making cakes like Cake Boss #Everything I know could fit in this little box. #Lesson learned from PBS special on Sammy Davis Jr. Do your craft well, it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks, just do your craft well.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-66820086600601308132009-08-12T11:56:00.002-04:002009-08-12T11:57:06.823-04:00

If you have an art or otherwise related website you would like to promote in my blog, you can advertise here! Click here for more info!

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-71574871615324776992009-08-11T10:08:00.003-04:002009-08-11T10:09:44.102-04:00

Just found what looks like a fantastic art blog. I need to get off the computer and get some work done, so I'll have to look at the blog more later, but here it is if you would like to check it out! http://www.linesandcolors.com/

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-8816772820470756662009-08-08T09:42:00.003-04:002009-08-08T09:45:15.626-04:00

My son will be entering first grade. On his list for school was "24 glue sticks." I thought aloud: TWENTY FOUR glue sticks?!? If these things didn't say "non-toxic" on the label, I'd swear your teacher was addicted to glue!"All right, that wasn't a very appropriate thing for me to say out loud, in the middle of a big retail store. But it was just a joke, really. I received sidelong glances from

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-79731739009238027992009-08-01T22:20:00.005-04:002009-08-01T22:25:23.061-04:00

Are you getting weird questions via email? I've received two of them, so I finally decided to look it up, and it appears that a lot of people are getting these.The latest one I've received is this, but they are going out on a variety of topics:Hello,Who pays water bill in rented house?Would you consider giving me a hand orat least some advice based on your experience?Would you consider giving me

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-11109891728904763042009-08-01T10:53:00.002-04:002009-08-01T10:53:50.837-04:00

Doing a direct mail campaign costs money, so you should do the research to make sure it's a good option for you. Take some time to determine if it...[more]

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-54727238206323307182009-07-17T00:22:00.002-04:002009-07-17T00:23:59.395-04:00

How to draw a baby's short hair"Brianna" Baby pencil portrait / Darla Dixon I've had several people looking for instruction on how to draw short hair - All short hair is not the same.The page has links to other pages about how to draw hair or animal fur in pencil, using blending techniques, and erasers to beautiful effect.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-27527242931347361082009-07-04T20:38:00.003-04:002009-07-04T20:41:02.073-04:00

claude monet impressionist Monet's Water Lilies at the HIGHExaminer.com - USAMonet's Water Lilies at the Woodruff Arts Center, High Museum of Art in Atlanta GA runs today through August 23, 2009. The exhibition presents four masterpieces by Impressionist artist Claude Monet, shared by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City. The Monet exhibit is included in museum admission. You can find

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-10116274480568572362009-07-04T19:11:00.000-04:002009-07-04T19:14:28.798-04:00

"I'm not paranoid, everybody's just out to get me." Competition can be a good thing. It can motivate you to succeed. I know I would look at... [more]

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-91172249789405780282009-06-29T15:07:00.001-04:002009-06-29T15:08:47.295-04:00

Go Steelers! Make a room deserving of your team: bit.ly/n0AWa #I finally assembled my new Alvin drafting chair. It wasn't too hard. Tonight need to reorganize my work area & play catch up #It needs to be said bit.ly/I8d7J make sure you aren't making any of these mistakes on Twitter #Looking for a copy of book: Napoleon at Waterloo by Scott Bowden. If anyone happens to have this 1983 book,

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-5204120538181539282009-06-28T16:13:00.001-04:002009-06-28T16:13:58.951-04:00

How to be a millionaire artist: Start with 2 million, end up with 1 million if you're lucky #Michael Jackson's death was Twittered, text messaged, and Facebooked tinyurl.com/mwh2mn #BooksAMillion, $10 off $50 purchase thru July 9: bit.ly/PuaGv #Sad news, TV pitchman Billy Mays has died at age 50 bit.ly/LvEKa #Warnings about Zicam nose spray use tinyurl.com/kqa2p3 #Want to follow my updates on

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-40281425911901391232009-06-23T19:05:00.000-04:002009-06-23T19:06:12.436-04:00

RT @50champ RIP Kodachrome. tinyurl.com/kmr3vj #I hate it when Google Adsense says, "You are not yet scheduled for a payment." But it's close to payment time, yay! #Just bought a new Alvin drafting chair. Putting it together will be like watching Wipe-Out. #Sites to enhance your Twitter experience bit.ly/16zeKK #Oven's not working. Easy Bake Oven looking better every minute. #"Never interrupt

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-4950189166644193252009-06-21T20:14:00.003-04:002009-06-21T20:28:57.857-04:00

I created a fan page for Darla Dixon Portrait Art & Illustration on Facebook. I'd love for you to join. It's free to sign up on Facebook!

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-56896329301945650392009-06-20T20:20:00.002-04:002009-06-20T20:22:13.979-04:00

table display artist Ideas for selling your art prints at a fair or conventionExaminer.com - USAFor example, if my table sign read "Darla Dixon, Artist," that isn't as ... Darla Dixon is an Examiner from Atlanta. You can see Darla's articles on Darla's ...

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-5312317611681317972009-06-15T21:22:00.001-04:002009-06-15T21:22:42.618-04:00

If every spam follower I have would order a portrait, I'd move into a mansion. #"You've taken a vow of silence, how fascinating. Tell me about it." ~ Lord Percy in Blackadder #Updated Squidoo page on drawing pencils www.squidoo.com/tombowmonohomograph #Updated Squidoo page on How To Draw Hair www.squidoo.com/howtodrawhair it's #12 in Arts, #182 of Squidoo overall #I'm saving up for my

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-32401540271960711482009-06-12T23:41:00.004-04:002009-06-12T23:45:27.497-04:00

My Twitter entries from the past week or so. Can you tell I've been busy? Very little time to blog. The newest are at the beginning, the oldest entries are at the end. :) In desperate ploy to tire kids out today: Play-doh, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, McDonalds, Wal-mart. Kids outlasted me. I am old. lol #Logically, it doesn't make much sense to keep on with my art business. But I don't do it

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-18718670999413623992009-06-10T08:29:00.004-04:002009-06-10T08:51:24.557-04:00

Saint Augustine, Florida artist Melanie Rogers has shared some really nice photos of her artwork on her blog, Melanie's Creations. They're really pretty on the wall together.

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-54309890110509310582009-06-06T02:38:00.002-04:002009-06-24T12:26:23.430-04:00

Posted dog pencil portrait bit.ly/fprZj #Posted pencil portrait little girl bit.ly/AZ90u #Grow your art business during recession bit.ly/qr5UF #My Squidoo page on how to draw hair bit.ly/p5241 has received a purple star award bit.ly/CkVm8 YAY! #Found on Craigslist, they need someone to create a sad dog painting to be used in short film # link expired

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-87842318583716483062009-06-01T15:23:00.001-04:002009-06-01T15:23:31.252-04:00

Interesting concept, www.wrapmail.com/ puts wrap around ad/brand recognition into every email you send #Am I weird? Inc. Magazine gets me very inspired. #This was technology when I was in high school too bit.ly/19RCZN Macs 1984 #Took the cushions off our ancient Cargo sofa & played w/ the boys like it was deck of our pirate ship (foam swords) I was sea monster #twitpic.com/6cyzc - Darn. Missed

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720904.post-14477519961063134492009-05-28T18:28:00.001-04:002009-05-28T18:28:50.625-04:00

Loving that the kids are out of school now, just wish all my work was done #Updated Squidoo page on house portraits bit.ly/DEixo #There's a best time to buy everything www.squidoo.com/best-times-to-buy #Want to follow my updates on Twitter? These "tweets" were automatically sent here by LoudTwitter

Darla Dixon, Artistnoreply@blogger.com0