Bananas Anyone?

Here is the drawing I did for the weekly challenge this week. I spent most of the day getting my office/art room organized so we can bring in the new used desk.

After I had had enough of that, I had my shower and sat down to finish my drawing.I started this at work on Wednesday. Got it about half done. Then it sat in my bag until today. In fact I didn't even know where my bag was.

Everything in this room was covered with stuff I took out of the desk. Now at least it is all in boxes where it may stay forever.

Weed killing

This drawing is the bonus ATC that I sent to IrishRose as a thank you for hosting the ATC Project exchange. I know she had a hard time as her mom passed away right after the exchange started. But she never faltered. She said it was her therapy. And we are hoping for another one soon. This is called Nemo Wannabe II.

I spent the day going thru stuff in my office/art room and the other spare room where the sewing machine resides. Weed killing is just the phrase I used to describe the effort I was making to get rid of extra stuff.

It is very hard to discard my stuff. Even if I haven't used it recently, I still never know when I might need it. I used to give things to my mom. Then when out at her house, I would be going thru books, etc and thing that I would like to take it home. She just saved them and didn't use them either, so was happy for me to have them back. There they would stay until my next nest cleaning project.

My garbage bin outside is about half full. And I have 3 boxes of stuff for donation to the church for their yearly sale. It is the largest yard sale you have ever seen. Takes a week to set up, runs for a day and a half, and they sell usually over $10,000. All of the money made goes for missionary work. None of it for running the yard sale. All workers are voluntary.

Right now my office/art room is such a mess, I have to walk carefully. Hopefully in the next two days I will get it in a little better shape before I have to go back to work on Monday. Right now I am missing my desk. The portable rolling computer stand I am using is just not very big. I am used to leaning on the desk and there is no room for that on this one.

I am anxious to get the new used desk in and see how comfortable it will be. There will be one problem. The new one has no storage and the old one did. Now to figure out what to do with the overflow.

Woops

I don't know why I neglected to post the last couple of days. I went to the ones I read daily and then just moved on.

Today I had to wait wait wait. A donation place was supposed to pick up some stuff. They didn't show up till about 5 pm. Nothing like being stuck all day waiting.

I had to leave a couple times. To take my schnauzer to the groomer and pick her up. But I tried to hurry so that I was here when the truck arrived. Now the stuff is finally gone. But...I put some more outside.

We have had an oak desk sitting in the living room waiting to be installed in the office/art room. Well I didn't get it moved in, but I did move part of the existing desk out. The hutch part. The rest is in the room standing on its side. I put the computer on a small rollaway computer cart. That way I was able to do some cleaning around it.

Now there is a jumbled mess of boxes and stuff all over the room. What's bad is the newer desk has a lot less space. I have no idea where all the extra stuff will go. I still have to buy a file cabinet but that won't take care of anything but the file drawer. I hope that I figure out some solution soon as I can't find anything.

I just got the computer put back together. I unhooked everything to get it out of the old desk. And I still have a mess of cords sitting on the floor. Oh well.

Tuesday we had rain and these are some of the clouds that we saw that day.

Off tomorrow

I took the day off tomorrow. I will be waiting for an appliance repairman. Our not-quite-2-yr old clothes washer is leaking. Warranty still in place so it at least won't cost me. Just waiting around will give me a chance to do some artwork. And an extra day off this week. I think I can handle a 2-day work week.

Thursday is dog grooming day plus I will be waiting around again. This time for someone to pick up some donations we are giving. I have put it off for too long. Time to get the stuff out of here.

The news tonight said it was raining in a couple parts of town. You's never believe the weather here lately. Really hot one day, and rain the next. We'll all end up sick if this keeps up.

Here are some items I did tonight for the new scavenger hunt. (Next hunt is mine to host and provide the list)

Well I am getting very sleepy and had better get to bed.

Lazy Saturday

I have been surfing thru the WC site and looking at all the art and reading some blogs I regularly read. I decided to do another art card. I found a picture of a barn in the RIL.

I have to get some organization going with my art supplies. Just my reference photos are getting out of hand. I had to buy an external hard drive yesterday to give me more space to save picture files. My computer was down to just over a fourth of its GB. I now have about a third free plus 320GB on the new hard drive. Yes! I kept my poetry, family pictures, and my drawings on the computer. Anything I could lose and not have a meltdown myself went on the new drive.

It's warm here. Rained during the week. Actually it poured. Then the next day back in the 80s F. Soon we will have to start running some air. Enjoying the mild weather but not looking forward to the hot, hot weather coming up. Too much sweating going on during that time. Or complete inactivity.

13th Sketchcrawl 3-17-07

I finally got around to scanning and posting my sketchcrawl items from last Saturday. You can see them here: http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=410306

Just in time

As last week, I am running behind on my drawings. I just finished two art cards for the WDE. I did the host's (Blu ize) twi cattke dogs and a frog on a second. Now I still have to do the silk or satin and egg for the Weekly challenge.

Last week I didn't get the WDE drawing posted until it was a few hours before the new weekly photos were posted. I was really running behind that week. No reason as I spend plenty of time on here reading different things. I just need to quit dreding and surfing and get to more drawing. My house would probably say more housework. I know my husband would.
In the mall close to my house, they have a shop with local art. The artists have to join the organization and then they can put their art in the shop. Not sure what it costs to be a member or what the monthly fee is, or how much selling goes on, but I want to check it out. You also have to donate some time in the shop.

I have been in there when an artist was sitting at a table doing their art. I haven't been to the shop lately, in fact only once but I have an urge to go have a look. Since I have problems walking very far, it won't be easy. But I'd like to see what they have to offer.

Saturday we will be doing some fixups around the house and Sunday I hope to make it to church. I have missed too many Sundays this year.

Hubby was out of town working yesterday and got home today with some scrumptious round loaves of French bread. I will go get a slice and see what is on tv and then concentrate on some more drawing.

Free at last

Well I am free now for the rest of the week. Yippeeeeee!. Now I can draw, then draw some more.

Today at work I did some sketches for the scavenger hunt. I still have to do the WDE and the Weekly. And I am ready to do some more work on my Old Master. I also got some new colored pencils last week that I ordered from Dick Blick and haven't tried them yet.

Hubby is out of town for the night, and I picked up a chicken sandwich and fries on the way home. So just have to feed the dogs and get the trash out. Some good tv on tonight and I can draw while I watch. And tomorrow I can sleep in.

Here is the still life I did last night for the scavenger hunt.

Wishing my life away

A lady whom I have known most of my life gave me some advise that I can't seem to follow. I was always wishing for time to pass for some event or other. She told me I shouldn't do that as I was wishing my life away.
What she said was true. I still seem to be doing that. At the moment I can't wait for April 17 so I can be home and not at a tax office preparing taxes. I don't actually like doing that job, I do it because we need the money.
Ever since I found WetCanvas and started participating in the forums there, I have become so passionate about my art that everything else seems to be an afterthought. All I want to do is "do" art or read about it. Everything else just gets fleeting thought. Poor hubby. I love him dearly but I do take him for granted. Of course he does work some really long and weird hours. I do fix his dinner but don't always sit down with him while he eats it. He is usually too tired for conversation any way. All I can hope is that he understands as he has a passion for camping and fishing and during times he is planning a trip, he thinks of nothing else.
Back to the lady with the advice...she lived to be 101 years old. She was part of history. She and her brother were orphans in the East and were brought west on the "Orphan Train". I didn't know anything about that until I attended her 100th birthday party. The woman I saw from childhood as a church-going Christian who crocheted her heart out, had some interesting things that made her who she was.
I miss her. I didn't see her that often, but I knew she was always around and doing her crocheting. Now I don't often think about her but when I do, it is with a fond memory of the afghans and things she crocheted, her dedication to church, and the kindness she always showed to me. She was my cousin's mother-in-law, her name was Myrtle, and she is missed.

Project Old Masters

I am participating in the Old Masters Project on WetCanvas. Here is the point I am at now. We had to choose an old master painter who lived during a certain time frame. I chose a picture by Remembrandt Called Old Jew Seated. It is done in a reddish colored ink or pencil, at least that's what it looks like. I am doing mine in graphite. We have a year to finish. I would say I am probably half done. You can see the reference and the progress updates here: http://www.wetcanvas.com//Community/Projects/index.php?cmd=browse_progress2&userid=84176&proj_id=1081

Weekly Challenge

I got my weekly drawing done tonight. Ref was a cute little kitten. I did it as another ATC. It is so nice to put as much detail as I want but not have to cover as much blank space. Tomorrow is the sketchcrawl.. Busy day with that and some errands.

Latest items for Scavenger Hunt #32

The current scavenger hunt ends on Saturday, the same day as the Sketchcrawl. I decided tonight that I needed to speed up my entries. I still have 5 do sketch but they will be harder for me to "find". One is a religious item for a religion other than mine. Haven't a clue what to use for that. Wind chimes which are outside. Chop sticks...I had a pair that I made a set of knitting needles from but can't find them. A pedal...that will have to be from the sewing machine of the unused recumbant bike in the living room. And the last item is sardines. I don't have any of those so they will have to turn into tuna or salmon.

Here is the still life I made of 10 items from the scavenger hunt. I think these little still life drawings turn out cute. All the things are usually unrelated but fun to put together for the drawing.

One of the scavenger hunts had a challenge to put all 26 items into one still life. I really enjoyed that one and have done small still life drawings for several of the other hunts. I am waiting for another lis that has items I can put into one picture again.

I worked on my Old Master's Project drawing last week. I am possibly half done. I have posted two updates so far. We are supposed to update at 33%, 66%, 90%, and completed. The picture I am doing is Rembrandt's Old Jewish man sitting in a chair. It is monochromatic in a reddish color. I am doing mine in graphite. We have a year to finish but I don't think it will take me that long. Probably not more than another month or two as tax season will end in another month and I will have more time to draw.

This week I still have the weekly to do, also the WDE and that changes tomorrow. (Yikes I am behind.)

Shell 3

I decided to try again with the shell. After I posted the last 2 pictures, I could see that I needed to adjust the spirals.

Shell experiment

I sketched another shell tonight. Playing with the darks in the crevices like Katherine suggested. I think I got more depth but my spirals were a little uneven. Also the skell doesn't look much like the original. It is not as dark as the sketch. I will play around with it some more and see if I can get better with it. Both were done with a mechanical pencil. The one in the former post was colored with dry watercolor pencils. I am also including a picture of the shell.

Another work week

I received a call from my boss. My hours were changed. I don't mind. I don't have to be there until 11 as opposed to 9. Gives me more time to get around. But I work part of 4 days this week instead of 3. I kind of liked the 3 days and then 4 off.

I bought some more sketching props Friday. One was a shell. Several times in the scavenger hunts one of the items was a shell. I had one that was the base of a figure of a Mexican man that was a pipe. A gift from a neighbor. I don't even want to think what the pipe was for.

I did an art card of the shell. I like the way it turned out. But I also want to do it again and make the shell look more 3D. The part that spirals needs to be raised up and towards me as I look at it. I think I will ask KatherineT to take a look and see what I should do to make it spiral forward.

I turned the shell different directions and wouldn't have trouble with the look of it except on that heads-on view.

Time for bed.

Posting a quick one for tonight. It is too late and I have a hair appt in the morning early. Here is the weekly challenge that I did tonight. It is less than 2 inches square and not a very good attempt. But time was running out and I wanted to make sure I got one done.

ATC

Here is another ATC that I did a few days ago. I saw a starfish on something and wanted to do one of my own.

Art Card

This is an art card that I did a few weeks ago. I drew it from a silk flower I have on my desk. I needed a flower for the scavenger hunt. Bigs/Sue from the scavenger hunt said she would love to have that at her house, so I sent it to her. I liked the way this one turned out.

I went shopping last week at a craft shop and found several things I bought for my box of drawing props. I found several more large bloomis on long stems in different colors. A nice rosebud, a stem of 4 poppies in different stages of bloom, a couple of stems of fern fronds for greenery. I also bought a few pieces of fake fruit like grapes to practice on.

These were added to the many items I have "found" for the scavenger hunts. Many of the items I have sketched several times. In the box are things like rocks, wine glass, pinecone, stuffed fish animal, and other miscellaneous items. I started out with a small box and now have a storage box holding them. Oh well one more thing to find space for.

Nemo Wannabe

I did an art card of a fish. It looks a little like Nemo. I bought a stuffed fish so I could have it when I need to draw a fish for any of the scavenger hunts as well as several other items to use as props. This is the first drawing I have done using my purchases.

The Basque Man

I finished the weekly drawing challenge tonight. The photo reference was a Basque Man. So much character in his face. A lot of people are participating this week. It was a face just begging to be drawn.