Happy New Year!

Well this is the last day of 2006. Time for looking back. I have accomplished a lot this year. I have been sketching from life, which I had not done much before. I am using color in my sketches and drawings. I have purchased and used several new types of colored pencils. I have taken several classes at the WC forum. I have joined a couple more forums. I participate in the forums for drawing challenges, scavenger hunts, etc. I even play host on the scavenger hunts.

I have completed 23 scavenger hunt lists and hope to do many many more. I have learned how to blog, and I have become a fan of many bloggers and artists who have taught me many things.

My Goals for 2007:

I plan to continue to improve my drawing skills. I would like to market some of my work. I would like to learn more about watercolor. Continue to use watercolor pencil. Improve on portraits. As I told everyone in the WDE, I will learn to draw teeth. I will work on making my sketches more finished. Continue my blog. Begin writing my poetry again. Take as many classes and learn as many new things as possible. And get better and better with the things I already am comfortable with. Most of all practice, practice, practice.

I used Derwent Drawing Pencils to put some color to my self portrait.

Self Portrait

I worked on a self portrait tonight. I needed one for the scavenger hunt. It is not really detailed, more a line drawing. But it does look more like me than any others I have done. I am happy with it, except it looks too much like me...old. But without the wrinkles, etc, it wouldn't be me.

I have decided to do a self portait a month about the end of each month for 2007. We will see how much I age, and how much better or worse they get. Hopefully I will improve. And hopefully they will become more a drawing than a sketch.

Last few days of freedom

I start work on Tuesday. Just 4 hrs a day but time away from my drawing. I went to the office today for a couple hours to meet our new manager and work thru a couple sample cases to get used to the new screens in the software program. Looks like it will be a little easier this year. The changes seem for the better.I finished the Weekly drawing of a foggy tree/lake scene. Received the 16 new reference photos for the WDE. I have chosen some and now have to draw them. The ones I like best are all faces. Seems no onel else has chosen those so far. If I do them all, I will have my hands full. Two children, a husband, and a dog. That is a lot for a week. Then there were a couple sheep, a bench with a line of green apples. A lot of good photos provided.I have finished 15 items on the scavenger hunt this time. I provided the list. No one has signed up to host any future ones. I prepared two more lists tonight so that we won't have to stop the hunts. I may search online for other lists to help me out. But I want them to continue even if I have to do all the lists.

Countdown

Well now we start the countdown to the New Year. We don't do any celebrating that day or the night before. Just a quiet weekend at home. We are usually asleep before midnight gets here. But we usually are rudely awakened by the dogs when the firecrackers start going off.

This has not been a good week. Our dryer stopped working. Hubby installed a new timer which cost $120. That was sad. Then he had to put in two other things. Still didn't work. The appliance shop said it would probably be another $100 part. Well by then it will be cheaper to buy a new one. But you can't take back electrical parts so we are already out about $160. Now we have to buy another. Too bad dthat $160 didn't go towards the new one. Hopefully we can get one before the new weekend. Laundry is piling up.

Here is a drawing I did for the WDE. It is Coconut and Mango. They belong to the household of JamieG who posted the reference photos.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it. May your day be filled with remembrance of what the day is all about. Have great fellowship with friends and family and enjoy the moment.

Jeanne

Mad Bird

I drew and used colored pencils for this drwing. Photo reference courtesy of photographer Andy Williams (www.moonriverphotography.com)

Photo used with his permission.

I found a website called smugmug.com. The site has beautiful photography for sale by many amazing photographers. I asked permission of two of the photographers to use their photos. Both responded with a yes.

I liked the photo of this bird because he looks mad. Like he has had just about enough and is ready to fight back.

Help. I can't stop.

When the new Scavenger Hunt on WC started, I decided to combine items into still life settings. The first one I did was something the color orange. I found as many items as I could colored orange. Made a still life arrangement and then sketched them. Used wc pencils and a waterbrush to color them. I liked the look. Another item on the list was my favorite color. Well that is purple. So, off I go on a real scavenger hunt looking for lots of items that were purple. I liked that one also. So I decided to do all of my items as still lifes and as many as possible as color themes.

I have only done one other color theme arrangement. The item was for a decorative item that reflects the holiday we are celebrating (Christmas, Hanukkah, etc). I found as many red items as I could find.

I have already finished 16 or the 26 items and it is only the second day of this hunt. But I am having so much fun. I am having to hold myself back, or I would be doing another sketch tonight.

Thank God for his Son—a gift too wonderful for words! Corinthians 9:15, NLT

Weekly challenge

Today I finished the weekly challenge at WC. The ref pictures were 2 poinsettias. Two different pictures. I had trouble seeing the colored version and forgot that there was a black and white picture ref. I couldn't see the petals. So I found another reference picture and used both to draw my picture. Then used watercolor pencil and a waterbrush, outlining with a pen.

Sunday

Today we went to church, then to lunch, then back to church for a funeral. The funeral was for one of my husband's grade school teachers that he really liked.

Tonight is really cold. Not cold by Alaska cold, but cold for Bakersfield. I am drinking iced lemonade. Go figure. It seems funny but we seem to want ice cream in the winter more than the summer. Maybe that is so we can cuddle up with a warm blanket.

The dogs are fed and pottied. Now they will settle down for a bit. When their papa goes to bed, they will beat him to his spot in bed. They have to be nudged over. Then when I go to bed, the same game starts again. I have to roll two big dogs from my spot so that I can crawl into bed.

I did a couple scavenger hunt items last night but none yet tonight. I did finish and post my weekly drawing of a cat. I wasn't too pleased with my cat but posted any way. Have to show the bad as well as the good.

Merry Christmas

I made my Christmas Card today. Emailed all that I could and got a few ready to mail. I did it with watercolor pencils and waterbrush. Then a Pitt artist pen brush. I decided to make it in a little looser style.

I am working on my secret santa present. I had several false starts but finally got one to a point that I can live with it. Now to fine tune it. I have until Dec 24 but did not want to put it off until the last minute.

My nephew is moving out on his own for the first time. He will have a roommate. He got a house instead of an apartment. More room for his toys. A quad and a motorcycle. He is in a spending frenzy buying furniture and all the trimmings for the move. Grandma had saved dishes and a few other things, but he wants all new stuff. He is very particular and wants everything to match. He will probably even buy cloth napkins. He will be broke for awhile after this move. But he is really good at saving his money and will rebuild the savings in no time at all.

Mid Week

Here it is the middle of another week. They are sprinting by. Christmas is almost here and then there will be a new year starting. Where does the time go?

Another tax class today. One more to go on Friday. They said we were going to have fun. I will have to see it to believe it. Today we had a very nice speaker who gave us many tips on how to increase our client list.

I did some sketching today. A leg here, a cup, arm, back, a couple of faces, and my ever ready hand. I can't remember how many drawings I have done of my hand and fingers. In about every position. I guess it is because a hand is always with you, and "hand"y, and doesn't mind posing.

I had several entries for the scavenger hunt yesterday. I tried to do some in color. I also worked on my secret santa gift and made two starts but was not happy with either. I will back off of it and start another in a couple days after a rest from it.

Hubby out of town till Friday night so I don't have to cook. I made some bean and cheese burritos last night and will have one of those for dinner. Tonight is the show Top Chef. I enjoy watching it to see who will be sent home. I watch several of the reality shows and a lot of the police and law shows. Since my tv is behind me when I am in my office, I do more listening than watching, but the tv is always playing. Plus I have my bird in here and she keeps me entertained. Talks up a storm. Repeats things many times trying to get me to say them.

I still haven't done the weekly challenge. It is a choice between 4 cats. I did get the WDE done so I think I am good till Friday when another is posted.

It's time to get some drawing started. I was up all night doing a class for taxes on the computer. I may need to take a nap before my show comes on at 10 pm. My eyes are heavy now with a touch of a headache. I had better get some sketching done before I totally fade.

Lazy Sunday

I have finished a cup of hot chocolate and read thru several of the WC forums. Last night I was up late. Finished my drawing for the WDE this week. It is of Al Jones' granddaughter Kennedy. Such a cute bundle.

Still waiting for hubby to decided to cook breakfast. Just have to outwait him. He did take some bacon out of the freezer so must be planning to do the cooking. He is the one in our house who cooks bacon.

I am procrastinating. I need more certification hours in taxes, but I just keep putting it off. I only have a couple more weeks to get it done. It's too bad it isn't as much fun as art.

Christmas Wishes

Today I did a drawing of a Christmas Cactus. I posted it in the Colored Pencil Forum of WC without a background. I wasn't sure I could do a background and not mess up the picture. But I printed off a page with 9 copies and played with some color on the background. I was using Inktense Pencils for the cactus and wanted to finish with them but all the colors are pretty dark. All except yellow (looked gold on the pencil). I am not usually a yellow kind of person, but that is the color I ended up with as a background.

I did try some watercolor pencil colors as background too but still nothing worked but yellow. It is very, very bright now. But all other colors took the focus from the flower. So I went with the yellow.

Weekly challenge

The new weekly challenge was a tree with above-ground roots. Big roots. Ref by Bigs/Sue. I went a little bit looser with my style this time. I also used more than my regular mechanical pencil.

I joined the virtual Secret Santa gift exchange. Looking forward to it and the fun. Can't wait to see who I get to draw for. And in the end who will get me. The one big problem will be, I have to guess which artist was my giftor and have to PM artists until I find out who it is. Might be a problem for my drawing as I have had a couple people in the scavenger hunt thread say they are recognizing my style right away. I may have to go outta the box for the Christmas gift. But I want to do a good job so can't go too far. But I thought I knew some of the artists style and was fooled by the Halloween entries.

Beautiful day here

We have had freezing weather and last night a wind storm, but today the weather is beautiful. Calm after the storm. The yard is a mess with leaves. Even the front yard which has no trees, and I suspect the leaves came from the tree next door.

I worked on the WDE picture and had fun with it. I call it my Wonky Flying Truck. The photo ref was at an odd angle, and it was a little hard to sketch. My sketch looked a little cartoony. Several comments about it said I could use it as an illustration for a children's book.

Hubby and I will go to church shortly. I need my spiritual self replenished. It is hard to get up and around when the bed looks so inviting. But the rewards are well worth it. And today is communion which is so fulfilling. I have missed so many Sundays at church. Just from laziness. I hope to make that a priority especially in the new year.

A new scavenger hunt list was posted last night. By Arnica this time. Her first time. Good to have new submitters so the lists are varied. I will start some of the items later today. After (or probably before) paying bills, starting dinner, etc, etc, etc. Which do you think will be my priority? You guessed it...sketching.

Tomorrow starts another round of tax classes. About 7 days worth at 4 hours a day spread over about 2 1/2 weeks. Then after Jan 1st, back to the offices to work on practice case studies to get our blood flowing and our fingers warmed up for the peak season of income tax preparation. Not looking forward to the interuption in my sketching time, but the money is needed.

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.Philippians 1:11

I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.Leviticus 26:11-12

Munching Seeds

I sit here munching on sunflower seeds with my mouth getting puckered from the salt. Dinner is finished, the dogs fed and sacked out, hubby in his recliner, and me sitting here with my computer. Tis the season where there is nothing on tv but reruns or specials. I am not ready for Christmas specials yet. Some of the readio stations are playing Christmas songs already. I could probably handle two weeks of non stop Christmas songs but a whole month? A little much.

We aren't putting up decorations this year. With Penny the 1 yr old pup, that would be a disaster. I can see the floor now. Pieces of Christmas tree, ornaments and lights and wires stripped and all over the floor. No little kids around here so we will pass on the decorations this year. Next year we will see.

Last week a man was mailing all his Christmas cards. Wow what an early start. I haven't even thought about mine yet. Maybe I am just not in the spirit for celebrating this year.

I finished the scavenger hunt items today. And all the challenges. And two days early. Ready for the next one. We have lost a few who were doing them. Now seems there are less than 10 people participating. I don't know what happened to chouchou. But I miss her. Maybe after the holidays more people will join in again.

Dance of the zippers

I did two items for the scavenger hunt tonight. One was the first thing I see in the morning. That is my dog Penny. She sleeps next to me and usually has her head laying on some part of me. Sometimes it is on my shoulder and when I open my eyes, her beautiful face is right there.

The other item was a zipper. I did a drawing of 4 zippers. I wanted to have several in different colors. I have 14 items finished and one challenge done. The hunt still has until Dec 3. Not an eventful day today. Just some housework and a long nap with the dogs. Hopefully tomorrow will be more of the same. With some sketching of course.

Sunday

Well after dinner yesterday I didn't think I could ever eat again. Wrong. I ate my regular dinner tonight. How sick is that? When you eat too much, you shouldn't be able to eat again until your body uses up what it already has. lol

I worked on some scavenger hunt items today. Here is one of them. It was for a piece of jewelry. I decided to do a cross I have with stones. I used Inktense pencils because they have a more ink look to them. I thought that would look more like jewels.

Here kitty kitty kitty

For the WDE this week I did the cat named Possum. Most of the photo refs were scenery of wooded areas. I didn't want to do trees as I had just done one not long ago. And I have been wanting to do a cat face. I would like to do one to practice colored pencil. But this one I did in graphite. I was pretty happy with the drawing. Not perfect but done in a two hour time frame.

I believe tomorrow is a new scavenger hunt post. I still have 5 items for this one unfinished. I may be able to get them tonight or tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another Thanksgiving dinner. My cousin's house this time. There will be about 20 people there. Another day of stuffing myself to beyond full. Tastes really good but sure is miserable after. Yesterday was turkey tomorrow will be deep pit ham. I have never tasted that so will be looking forward to trying it.

Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak." Mark 14:38

With a full stomach.

Today being Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., I have eaten until I am stuffed. Very nice dinner with hubby's sister and husband. When we got home, Penny, our lab had chewed up the insides of a new pair of house slippers I bought to replace another pair she had chewed up. We left her too long and she was bored. Filled her time with chewing. She is just a year old. Still a puppy at heart. When you scold her for it, she looks so hurt. And then she just starts wagging and is happy we are home. I really don't think she has a clue.

Here is a picture I did yesterday (5x7). I finally scanned it tonight so that I could post it here. I will be doing more of these. Just a perfect size for gifts.

Judy1957's daughter Maggie

I finished the Weekly Challenge tonight of Judy1957's daughter Maggie. Judy is the Moderator this week and chose the reference photo of her daughter. You can see the drawings here: http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=383569

I also posted some more items for the scavenger hunt. I did todays on black cardstock that I bought last week at Michael's. I used white Prismacolor pencil on all the items and the same brand of red and green on the teabag.

It is getting late here and I was up late last night. Still have to load the dishwasher before going to bed.

WDE 11-17-06

I finished my drawing for the WDE site. I did the elephant. I seem to be stuck on animals lately. I didn't take much time on the elephant. About 1 hour.

Late night, early morning

Depending where you live, it is early morning, or maybe late night. I am still up at 1:30 am. I need to get to bed as I have a hari appt in the morning at 8:30 and at least a half hour drive in heavy traffic. The hair dresser has moved this past month to the farthest area from where I live. Before she moved I could make it across town to her shop in about 15-20 minutes.

I have been playing with my Derwent drawing pencils again. I did a picture of KC our Golden Retriever who passed on about 3 yrs ago. I am not really happy with the picture but will probably not do it over. I want to give it to my husband for Christmas. I have done several pencil drawings of her that I liked much better. On this one, the black I used to get the darks of her eyes and nose just look a mess. It got waxy and didn't really look black. Maybe I will try to burnish those two areas.

My bird is behind me in her cage wanting me to talk. She keeps asking me "What are you doing". Of course even if I told her, she would still ask again and again and again.

Well I can't stay awake much longer. I just wanted to get something posted for today.

I worked on new pieces for the scavenger hunt which started today. A pretty good list. I have 5 items finished and 5 of them are already posted. Hopefully tomorrow I will work on my WDE drawing for the week. And I still need a Christmas card for another forum. I haven't a clue what that will be. I am not good at making something up from my head. I would like to do something that is more spiritual instead of something that shows commercialization. But a spiritual picture is even harder to "imagine" from my mind. I thought about a child praying but would need a ref picture. Also a fireplace with a burning fire, but ...I could do a candle still life but sounds boring. I will have to think awhile longer. It has to be posted by Dec 15 so I have a bit of time.

Well time for some beauty sleep (if only that were possible). Tomorrow, strike that...today is another day.

Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! Romans 12:16

Last of the trio

I finished my last of the 3 dogs for the weekly challeng on WC. This one is a mix breed named Zipper. I wasn't as happy with this one. I don't think I did this one justice. I was happiest with the husky. It is fun seeing everyone's drawings. Even the different mediums. I did all three drawings in mechanical pencil.

I have drawn animals for several years now. My accomplishment has been that I am now doing them freehand. Formerly I used a graph. I have no problem with graphs or people who use them. It makes it much easier to get ears, eyes, etc in the right places. And believe it or not, you can still make a mistake with a graph. But I was tired of drawing all those lines and then having to get them erased off of my drawings. Sometimes it was impossible to take every little bit off. It also caused smudging.

I am so much more satisfied with my drawings now that I can do them freehand. Such a freeing feeling. I still cannot measure. I have to just start at one spot and work at it until I get what I want. I might use a ruler to measure a dogs muzzle length but I just can't seem to do the lines or measurements most people use to get the proportions right. It just does not work for me, so I will stick with what does work for me.

Sometimes my measurements might be a little off but if the drawings please me, that is a plus. I also tend to do more line work. I tried to develop that more fully, but have found my style is more for the linework. It just seems to fit me better. Some things I can extend the tonal values but others just seem finished to me without. I seem to like the fact that I can get a likeness with just a pencil and some lines.

Looking forward to whatever new challenges face me next week. I am ready to start a new landscape in pencil and also to try another animal. This time in colored pencil. I wish to be able to do the fur of animals using the colored pencils. If I can make fur with pencil, I should be able to make it with colored pencils.

A husky named Sage

Tonight I did the second dog for the weekly drawing forum. The dog belongs to WetCanvas member She-She. The drawing is from one of her photos on the Reference Image Library. I now have one more to go. It is a mixed breed and short-haired. I hope to get that one done tomorrow.

A new Monday.

I finished the last of the scavenger hunt for this week. There were 7 less items this time. I didn't do two of the challenges but may later. Tonight I concentrated on the weekly drawing challenge. The photo refs were 3 different dog photos. I was going to draw all three (head shots) on on page but later decided to do each individually. I finished the sheltie tonight. Two more to go plus the WDE drawing for the week to be done.

Penny our lab is getting settled in finally. She still chews but mostly her own toys. She unstuffs them all over the house. But she has stopped tearing up any papers laying around on tables. She also does not panic when I leave. She is so happy when I get home but now knows I am coming back.

We have had her now just over three months. The change in her is great. She is such a wonderful dog that I can't imagine not having her. I am so glad she came to us. We have great patience with dogs, and she needed someone like that to get her over her trauma of being abandoned. We both feel if she had not come here, that she would have been shuffled to a few more homes. It would have ruined her spirit.

As a 1 yr old dog now, she has a zest for life. So happy just to have a ball or a chew toy to toss around all by herself. She is so happy. Loves to eat, sleeps hard, and very loving. Thank you Penny for coming into our lives.

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.Revelation 3:20

Pencil landscape

Yesterday I did another landscape. It was from a reference photo from the WDE last week. I saved several of the photos that week to do. This is the second one I have done.

Yesterday started another scavenger hunt. #17. Wow it is hard to believe that I have done 16 of them already. This one has 19 items 7 less than usual. Plus 3 challenges. I have already finished 10 plus one challenge. I think this one will be finished fast for me. That's ok as I plan to do more landscapes.

I still have several Christmas presents to do plus some genealogy work for my sister-in-law that I want to get done. Also I want to do a picture using the reds like Al Jones for a Christmas present for my husband of our KC who is no longer with us. I want to take my time on that one and make it special with mat and frame for him.

Thanksgiving is not very far away. About a week and a half. My cousin and her husband will be doing some deep pit meat. We will take a turkey over there to have done for us too. We will have Thanksgiving dinner with hubby's sister and brother-in-law and another dinner with my cousin's family the Saturday after. Just what I need, more food.

It seems I am doomed to repeat my early dating and marriage time in the age when I should be cutting down my food intake. When dating my husband, we started celebrating holidays with both our families. Fortunately (or unfortunately) , my family had their dinners at noon, and his family had their dinners around 6-8 (his mom procrastinated and was the slowest person when getting dinners ready).

His mom was always at the bank at 5 minutes to 3 when they closed at 3. On Friday nights, closing time was 6. His mom showed up about 15 minutes before closing. She never even started to get ready and pick up the check and dep until late in the afternoon.

I remember one Christmas Eve, we were all gathered around to open our presents. His mom just got home and was in the bedroom wrapping the presents she had just bought. Why bother to wrap them when they would just get ripped off half hour later.

But I ventured from the subject. We ate dinner with my family at noon, and ate again with his family in the evening. Two big dinners. And both insisted we eat dessert and the works. That is one day we were stuffed all day. But it kept family harmony with both sides, and our parents never felt that we gave preference to either side. Made for nicer relationships. But not on the body. We now carry way more weight around than is comfortable. And now we have swung full circle around and are going to eat two meals. Makes me groan at the thought. Will be tasty but........

Colored Pencil Landscape

I just finished a colored pencil landscape. I used a photo reference from WC but didn't note the person who submitted it. I thought it was the photo I got from my friend Jean but soon realized that hers was from Oregon and had water in the background. I will have to do hers later.

I am relatively happy with the finished product. It is one of my first done with colored pencil. I did use a little watercolor pencil for the background but did the rest of the picture with dry colored pencils (prismacolors.) I have recently gotten several tins of Prismacolors from ebay. Having fun trying them out.

Weekly challenge

I finished the deer scene for the weekly challenge. So everything that I needed to accomplish this week is done. I even finished the Scavenger Hunt today. Another doesn't start until the 9th. Maybe they will post early this week.

Bible study was tonight. Only one more before the holiday break. Then starts up again mid January. By that time I should be doing taxes.

I worked yesterday on two small watercolor pencil drawings. One is some roses with a white background. The other is a scene with mountains and trees. I am getting a little more comfortable with the colored pencils. Not good but comfortable.

WDE Wishing Well

Today I worked on my entry for the WDE for this week. I chose the picture of the wishing well to do. I first sketched the scene, then used dry watercolor pencils. After I finished that, I added some water with a waterbrush.

I was happy with the way the drawing turned out. I am getting more comfortable all the time adding some color to my drawings.

I ordered from ebay some watercolor Prismacolors. I haven't tried them yet. I did receive them today. I tend to like the Derwent watercolors. But I like the verithins better for dry work. They seem harder. I will try the Prisma watercolor pencils tonight and see if I like them as well.

Jesus replied, "You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”Matthew 22:37-38, NLT

Scavenger hunt still life

I did a still life with some of the scavenger hunt items tonight. I like the way it turned out. Most of the time when I try to arrange a still life, the items don't look like they belong together. This time it was different. Of course most of them are food related so maybe that is why. I really liked the arrangement any way.

Egg Cup

The new reference photos for the colored pencil monthly drawings were posted yesterday. I decided to do the egg in the cup. This was my first time joining in on the colored pencil site. I am finally getting comfortable with doing colored pencil drawings. Especailly as I used wc pencils and added a little waterbrush to blend the colors. Then went over the drawing some more with the colored pencils dry and did some burnishing.

I still have to work on the weekly drawing challenge. It is a herd of cows. Well about 5 cows standing in a row. I will try to work on that today.

I also want to do the sketchcrawl for the drawing and sketching thread. It is any time over a week. I still have several days to participate. I may just do some drawings around here but at least I will participate.

I am also reading and looking into some ACEO cards. I would like to do those. I have done several for practice and would like to explore that more thoroughly. I have always liked cropping and doing just the eyes of animals. And a lot of my self-portraits have been bits and pieces of me. I think those kind of crops would make good ACEO cards.

Start of a new month

Well here it is November with Christmas just around the corner. Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. Hubby brought home a card and cake. He has started doing a few little things like that in the last few years. He has never been a romantic but he does make an effort at times. I enjoy getting cards from him as he finds ones that have really nice sentiments. It is surprising to read them as he isn't very vocal about his feelings other than saying "I love you". The cards he buys are the only way I know the depth of his feelings.

Here are a couple of watercolor pencil paintings I have been playing around with. Trying to get my feel of working on landscapes with the watercolor pencils.

I have been adding some color with the pencils for quite some time now and have been satisfied with my attempts. I just did pencil drawings for years, so the color I have been able to add at times, is very pleasing to me.

It is funny how I can manipulate the regular pencil to draw and make things look as they look in real life. But adding the color is more of a chore. That seems strange to me as we see in color. It should be easier to do the color.

It seems foreign to me that my dogs are able to see only in black and white. It seems so limiting. And why do dog toys come in all sorts of beautiful colors? For the owners apparently. Since it is not color that attracts them, what makes them choose one toy over another from a basket full. I would love to know what goes on in my dog's minds.

Well Bible study tonight and I haven't even started to answer my questions. So today that is the first thing on my list. It is a little cold here this morning and we don't have our heater ready yet, so curling up in bed is very tempting. But that won't get my study finished.

Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight.Psalm 119:77, NLT

Colored Pencil

I have been playing around with some colored pencil art. And using a waterbrush. I really like the way they turn out. I don't seem to be able to use watercolor paint so the colored pencils are my way of trying watercolor.

I participated in the WDE and this was the second picture I have done from the reference photos that were provided. The scan didn't do the black justice. Washed the color out to more of a gray. For the black, I used an inkbrush.

I also did a couple more pictures to get the feel of doing a complete picture. I had been adding color to my sketches for the scavenger hunts but just touches here and there.

WDE 10-27-06

I decided to participate in the WDE this week. Someone posts several photos (16 this week). You choose one and do your picture within 2 hrs. Or post it as a WIP. I posted mine tonight with the label that I may do more than one image.

I am not getting a lot of response on the scavenger hunt this week. Not many people are posting and it seems deserted in there. I feel like I am talking to myself.

I have been looking at more forums in WC. I have been monitoring the Colored Pencil site, the Still life, sometimes even the Plein Air. I want to get as much time in drawing and sketching before I have to start working in Jan. I will have some classes starting in November for the computer program for the company I work for. Usually about 5 sessions at 3 or 4 hours a session.

Don't plan my day

My husband has been off just one day and already I feel the change. I told him tonight that it is much quieter when he is at work. He has a hard time hearing because of the noise of the motor in his diesel truck. He is a truck driver and that occupation tears up the body.

The noise was the television. He has it up so loud, you can't think. I will yell from the other room for him to turn it down some and before long it will be loud again. Like most men he sits with the remote control in his hand. If I am to believe my hubby, the remote must activate the volume button on its own. He says he doesn't turn it up.

We have 3 more days of "togetherness". The first day he complained that I was not to plan anything for him to do that he had that taken care of. Well today, as I expected, he sat in his recliner most of the day and slept.

His plans for tomorrow are to get up early and get busy. Well we will see.......

I did more items for the scavenger hunt today. And I found the thread at WC for the Weekend Drawing Event. It looks like most of the participants there are doing the work in mediums other than graphite. But I may just join in and do my graphite. I can always add some watercolor pencil and waterbrush. The ref photos will be posted tomorrow night. As I understand the rules, you have 1/2 hour to pick your ref and then two hours to do the artwork and post. If not finished in that time, you post it as a work in progress. Sounds fun and interesting.

Little Pale face

I finished the weekly drawing challenge. My scan doesn't show a lot of the shading. When I try to darken it in my picture program, it starts looking like a dirty face. So I have to take what I can get.

I also finished 5 more scavenger hunt items. Hopefully I will get more done tomorrow. I want to do a picture of my dog Penny. I have a photo that I took. It is of her whole body. I want to try it in colored pencil.

It has been a long day. And hubby is off work the next 4 days. Not that we will do anything special. He already has planned to do chores around the house.

Shopping

I went to Michaels today and bought a 24-pk of Verithin Prismacolor pencils. I will be trying them this week. They don't work with water, and I wanted to be able to blend the colored pencils better. The verithins seem to do that. I kept seeing posts that people used Prismacolor pencils exclusively and wanted to see what they were all about.

I noticed on the Worldwide sketchcrawl site that the next one is set for Dec 9, 2006. Gives us plenty of time to plan. Hopefully it will enable more people to participate. I want to get as much sketching and drawing done as I can as Jan 2 I will be reporting to the tax office where I will be working part time thru April 15. Which means less art time.

Uneventful Sunday

Today was church, lunch, nap, some surfing on WetCanvas, dinner, and then tv and more Wetcanvas. The new ref photo for the weekly drawing is another person. This time a child's face. Should be interesting.

I did a couple sketches for the scavenger hunt. My easel and a bookcase for a piece of furniture.

I have been going thru my colored pencils. I notice everyone seems to use Prismacolors. I only have two or three of those. I have mostly Derwents. I have over time collected some cheapies. One set (I have doubles of all) don't even have a label on them. I have Liquitex, Crayola, Pentech, Ultra something or other, some two sided ones, Colorease eraseable, and who knows what else. These are just the ones I haven't really used much. I usually use the Derwent watercolor pencils. I am going to have to do some trials on all of them and maybe discard the ones I don't like.

I have some Pentech Pure colors that I don't like. I bought them at Barnes and Noble I think. I don't like them. I can give them to the little kids next door or the teens across the street, or donate them at church. Maybe when I decide I will have some more ready to go.

It's funny that whatever craft, art, or whatever your hobby is you never have enough supplies. The problem happens when you don't stick with one hobby. I was an oil painter. Then I started drawing.

In between, and most of my life, I have crocheted, knitted, and sewn. Then I went thru a calligraphy stage. I also tried tole painting, painting on sweatshirts, jewelry,and we bought an engraver for big bucks. That I didn't like. Too messy. Have to wear a face mask because of the glass and/or wood dust flying. And the dust gets everywhere. As well as the air compressor is noisy and scares me every time it starts up. I usually have a wobbly engraved line each time to show for it.

Now I would like to sell the engraver. My husband had big dreams that I could use my art and the engraver to make big bucks. I still think buying the engraver for me was a way of keeping me from being upset when he purchased his big giant ladder the same day.

Any way I have way too many supplies. Not just for one thing but all the others too. I have tried to toss some of the ones I no longer or hardly ever do, but when I do that, it seems my interest again peaks toward what I abandoned. I end up buying more of the same supplies. So I am doomed to store them all. Someday when I am gone, it will be a chore for someone else.

Scavenger Hunt Items

One of the challenges for this weeks hunt was to make a still life of 3 of the items on the list. I did that tonight.

I shopped today at Costco and Winco Foods. My foot is killing me. It was like a job going to both stores and having to load and unload and put away everything. I was exhausted. The dogs and I took a long nap. Woke up just in time to fix dinner for hubby.

I had a slice of pizza that I got at Winco. They have a little fast-food area and you can buy pizza by the slice. It wasn't the best I have had but not the worse either. I had enough left for the dogs to have a bite.

One of my favorite things to draw is animals. I looked thru the WC image library for references tonight. I found several I want to draw. Maybe I will start one tomorrow. I still need to finish the portrait of my cousins. I hope to do that soon.

Hubby works tomorrow so I will probably be doing a bit of housework. And hopefully I can fit some drawing/sketching in between.

Fall

I have been reading and thinking about ACEOs, They are trading cards but with artwork on them. I have been playing around with some for a few days. Here is one I did for a seasonal challenge for Toad Hollow Drawing Forum.

Cowboys coming from the woodwork

In the weekly drawing thread there is an overflow of cowboy drawings. Everyone right from the start seemed to love the ref picture. After just a couple days, the drawings started to pour in. I think more people are drawing this week too. I procrastinated for a few days but not that long since it is only Wednesday. Everyone else was just in a hurry. And some really nice drawings in there.

Now that mine is finished, I can relax. I have a few other things I need to do this week and the week is almost over. It's only a couple months until the tax offices will open. I need to make some new clothes. And get to some more of the housework I seem to neglect by leaps and bounds.

I finished two more items for the scavenger hunt last night and one for today. Going a little slower this week.

My Poetry

I Am Woman
by Jeanne Grant

I am woman, hear me roar
As I mop the kitchen floor
Wash those dishes
Smash those wishes
Never ending always more

I am woman hear my plight
As I’m turning out the light
Make those wishes
Shove those dishes
Take the kitchen from my sight

In Darkness
by Jeanne Grant

Today my world has been rather dark
Life is changing, future seems rather stark
How can I make the adjustments needed
Warnings were there but went unheeded
Sadness is touching all parts of my heart
Piercing my soul with a lightning-like dart
Peace I need, it keeps flitting away
I long for release for my cares of the day
My heart is heavy, my head in a spin
Wondering frantic which emotion will win
Too much to absorb, too much to decide
My body is tortured, a tornado inside
Lord give me the strength to endure all that I can
Don't let me stagger, help me make the right stand
Please keep me on track and into Your Word
Stay by my side, I need you my Lord

Path of Light
by Jeanne Grant

I awoke this day to a bright new sky
The sun is not shining and I wonder why
I look around, take stock of the day
Feeling that I might lose my way

Then up ahead I see a bright light
It’s so outstanding, what a wonderful sight
The light stays ahead paving my way
It is so awesome, takes my breath away.

Could that be my Father lighting my path?
Is that Him clearing my way with His wrath?
I know the scripture says He’s the light for my way
I know this is true as I see Him this day

I follow along with complete trust in Him
Not just wandering all alone on a whim
But trusting my Father to lead me as I go

Not often bored, but...

Today I spent most of the day taking income tax classes online thru the company I work for during tax season. Way too many hours spent today. I finished one module and passed with a suitable score. Now (and it seems like forever) I have been working on another. I still have about 70 screens to get thru on the section I am on. I took a break for dinner and having a really hard time getting back to it.

I had been putting off taking the courses. But time was closing in. I have to have 30 hours certified to receive a pay hike. I still do not know if I passed the class I took in person. I tried to find out and still haven't received a phone call back. That means I have to take more classes online. I can't take the chance. Time is running out. I have only until November 1st to have all classes done and certificates turned in. I don't even have a clue how many I have. It is not easy to get information about where I stand for hours.

I took one class in Sept. Only one person in my class passed. I can still retake that one if I need to. But I would rather not. No one passed the same class last year. After a month or so, they lowered the % needed to pass but I still missed it by 4 points. Since there are only about 15 problems, you can only miss one question and still pass.

Today just for the second class, I have already taken 17 pages of notes and screen printed about 20 pages. All so that I have references for 15 questions. Then it is still hard to pass as the wording is strange trying to stump you.

I probably still have a couple hours reading to go to finish this module before I can take the final. Then tomorrow I will call again about the Rental Real Estate class I took to see if I passed. After that, I will either study to pass the first class in September or take another long, long online course.

So today I have only sketched a small vase with a ribbon on it. So not enough sketching for today. I would much rather be doing that than courses for taxes. But that is my seasonal job, and I need the money from it. The time to report to the offices is slowly arriving. Usually mid December or after Christmas. There was talk that this year we would go in early as the classes finished early.

When we first report, we have practice cases to go thru. A whole binder of them. We aren't supposed to do anyones income tax return until we have finished at least 20. Last year I think I finished 5 before I jumped in. At least it wasn't my first year. The firsdt year I didn't feel ready even after the 20.

The picture is of Bozo, our cockatiel. She is a character. Talks a blue streak. Has a whole vocabulary. One little spiel she says, even we can't figure it out. But she knows what she is saying as she will repeat it over and over. She calls the dogs, says their names, "hello kitty, kitty, kitty", "come on girls", hello pretty bird, what are you doing?, meow, whistles one song, and does a wolf whistle (like guys do when a pretty girl walks by), and tells us "hi". Great entertainment. And very vocal and demanding when you ignore her.

Almost finished...

I am almost finished with the 13th Scavenger Hunt. Afterwards I will work on items from the last 2 or 3 hunts that I did not finish. I also finished the weekly drawing challenge and a sketch of Tobey Rand from Rock Star Supernova.

No future

Here is another scavenger hunt item. A whole tree. I chose to draw our "piece" of an apple tree. Hubby had to cut a limb off last year that had broken. Well this year another big limb just fell over. The drawing I did is what is left of the tree. Now the tree has to go.

We bought a camp trailer and have no place to park it. Hubby will be making a drivway in part of our yard for the trailer, and the apple tree will have to go. So for now it is living on borrowed time. I will miss it. It has the best red delicious apples. This year we only got one apple from it. I don't know how long it will be before the driveway becomes a reality, but I will enjoy the little tree until that time.

Columbus Day

I have been working on the weekly challenge today. It is a scene in front of an Ethiopian restaurant. A man and woman are sitting on a bench in front of the brick wall. The window has blinds, and some signs, even one in neon. I have the man finished and the bench and wall. About half of the picture complete. I haven't decided whether I will finish the rest of the picture or just leave it like it is. The lady is in native dress and the fabric is very detailed. Still thinking it over.

I did some more scavenger hunt items today. I am finished with number 13, and the hunt started on Saturday. I figure if I finish early, I will work on the items I missed on the last 3 hunts. One of them I only got half the items. I want to finish them all.


"I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. Prov. 8:17

Up late

I am up late again tonight. Seems I just can't stop when I start reading threads on WetCanvas. They were down for updating last night, so I didn't get my daily fix. Tonight I have been reading some of the posts in the colored pencil site. One thread was about introducing ourself to the group. I am just on about the 6th page and there are 16 pages. Really interesting the different people in there. Some are actually working artists who do that full-time.

I am trying to learn more about colored pencil. I make florals with watercolor pencils but now would like to learn to draw with them dry and get the results I see in that part of the forum.

Drawspace.com

I joined another art forum not long ago. I recieved an email letting me know there was to be a drawing challenge from a ref photo. It was started by IslanderNl. I am happy that I found out about the challenge before it was over. I had not checked my email for a couple weeks. I had a choice of three photos to choose from. Green tomatoes on a vine, a gosling in her hands, or some kind of mill with much too much perspective. I chose the gosling and posted it today.

More scavenger hunt items

I have been doing one to two items a day for the scavenger hunt. I finished the two dog portraits I wanted to do and still need to finish the one of my two cousins.

I finished my tax class today and took the test. Now just have to wait for my score.