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Featured Resident - Dan Ketchum, continued

I started drawing pieces that appear rather ‘flat’, lacking shading or per-
spective but are full of color. Examples include a drawing of a Medieval
Village and an Audubon sketch of Cedar Birds (1828).

Over the past 14 months I’ve practiced techniques that try to evoke per-
spective, texture, lighting, shadows, and using more natural colors.

A few examples are based on a photo I took walking in Roseville; a
handbag shop; a woman walking on a bridge in New York’s Central
Park; and a storefront display of chocolates in Belgium.

I have realized that one reason that I never tried to paint using traditional
paint/canvas is the worry that I would ruin a good canvas and waste
paint on a project that would go in the trash. Digital art has allowed me
to practice without that worry.

In the year that I’ve been ‘drawing/painting’, I think I have about 140+
art pieces saved on a flash drive (to save space on my iPad). I have found
myself taking photos with my cellphone camera while we’re out and
about, to use later as an inspiration for a drawing. Most recently, I exper-
imented with the canvas aspect ratio so that I could print at Costco with-
out losing much to cropping. I would recommend trying digital art to an-
yone, especially during these COVID times.

February 2021 Page 32