The start of a new week.

Today starts another new week. Tax classes are almost finished for this session. I did some more drawings at class. A perfect place to do them. I can listen and sketch at the same time. And no one seems interested in what I am doing.

I finished up my scavenger hunt items tonight for the WetCanvas site. My last one was an egg. I had boiled dry almost a dozen eggs. They are awful but the dogs don't know that. I will eventually feed them to the dogs. As I carried the bowl of eggs to my deks, I had 2 dogs at my heels thinking it was their dinner time.

I still have to start the drawing challenge of the week. It is a ref of a very nice sky. Also need more work on my Toad Hollow challenge list. I think I am finished with the first page and now am skipping around to different letters of the alphabet.

The start of a new week.

The start of a new week.

Addition to the family

Here is our newest "baby". 9 months old, yellow lab named Penny. She has been shuffled a little bit too much in her short life but now will have a stable home. She has already made herself quite at home.

My Saturday

I spent this morning in a make up tax class. I missed one on Friday. We spent Thursday night at the emergency veterinarian. Our dog had an allergic reaction to an insect bite. She looked like something from outer space. Her eyes looked like she had golf balls under the skin. Eyes close almost shut. The top of her nose swelled, her neck, and her ears were about a half inch thick. I have never seen anything like it. She had some shots and visited her regular vet Friday. Swelling is going down. She is on 100 mg of benadryl 3 times a day thru the weekend. Quite a scare for her and us. Left the house too fast and didn't take my sketchbook or her leash.

I did some sketching while in the class this morning. I didn't look to see if anyone was watching. It's like I am in my own little world. I can't believe I didn't even look to see if the lady next to me was watching. And I didn't even try to hide my sketchbook. I even showed the teacher during the break.

After I got home, I did two more sketches for the scavenger hunt and a "from memory" drawing of what the dog looked like swollen. It is not very good but gives you an idea of how bad it was.

"Those who believe in God will be careful to use their lives for doing good. Titus 3:8

Quick sketch

I did a quick sketch for the composition class. My perspective is way off but it is primarily for a critique on the composition and filling the corners either with or without filled space.

Another 7-11-06

I started participating in the Artwork from Life site of WetCanvas. They are having a scavenger hunt. A list of 26 things we are to find and draw from life. So far I have completed 7 of the items. I cropped this one as it fills both that one and another self portrait. I think this one looks more like me than any I have done. I have so much trouble with my mouth and this one was easier without it.

Another self portrait

These self-portraits are becoming a habit with me. But at least I am doing them faster. Egads I am getting more acquainted with my face. Too bad I don't see it better than it is. I have always said instead of saying I'm 39, I would rather say I am 79. (currently I'm 57). I would look pretty bad if only 39 but I look pretty darn good for 79. hehehe. Makes more sense. Besides when I am having a senior moment, no one would take a second glance.

not my will, but Yours be done. Luke 22:42

My day July 10, 2006

I did quite a lot today. Started my tax classes. I was even able to stay awake. Came home and read all the new posts on WetCanvas. I had uploaded the new weekly "challenge". A metal pot with sunflowers.

New challenge

I worked on a quick sketch for a forum challenge. The challenge was to sketch something in your house from the perspective of an ant. I had the ant on the floor and drew what he would be able to see from down there.

I love challenges. They give me a reason to stretch my ability past my comfort zone. As soon as I read the challenge, my imagination started to fly thinking of how I would handle the challenge. It only took about 10 minutes with a mechanical pencil.

7-9-06

I did some sketching in church today. A nice little couple sat in front of me. I showed them the sketches, and she asked for them. I scanned them and now will send them to her or take to her next week.

Went to an anniversary dinner for my parents yesterday and swore I would never eat again. Well just finished a plate of spaghetti and french bread. Stuffed again. What is it about food that pulls us in until we can't breathe. Now I wait for the relief to set in.

I need to clean my office. May start that tonight. But...will probably draw instead.

7-8-06

It is now the middle of the night. The night will be short for me. I checked out a ton of sites today. The new class at WC will be composition. I looked for information about that. I need to learn about this subject.

I start tax classes next week and also a parttime job. It will cut into the time I can spend on the computer and art but regretfully we need to eat.

I still have not done my Illustration Friday drawing. I don't post them on the site, but I do sketch something for it every week.

I must get back to writing poetry. I miss it. I haven't done any for several weeks, and I need to get back to doing it regularly. I do that in church also, mostly spiritual ones, but have been sketching in church instead. I have to keep my hands busy while I listen to the sermon. Otherwise I fidget too much.

I need to get to bed now and some much needed rest. I tend to burn the candle at both ends and at my age, that is not a good thing. I need all the rest I can get and much beauty sleep.

When I do self portraits, I see myself in the worst possible light. This one was done 7-6-06. It looks similar to me but it looks older and more stern than I really am. But at least I am getting some "from life" drawing done, and I am getting a selection of self portraits stacked up. Nice to be able to compare those for any improvement.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength". Phil 4:13

When one door of happiness closes another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.

Helen Keller

July 5, 2006

Well it is a new day today. The sun is shining. I have the whole day to myself. I believe I am in the mood to sketch/draw. As I posted in one of the forums, I can now understand why Katherine T and some others have said sketching from life is addictive. At least it is not a bad habit...unless you think about the housework I still will not be accomplishing.

Yesterday as I watched my husband pick apricots from our tree, I spent some time sketching outside. I had already done a couple things at my desk. I filled about 5 half pages. Seems so natural now. I haven't used a grid much. Maybe once since I started the Sketch from Life Class at WC. Even with the weekly drawing challenge this week, I did not use a grid and even when I do use one, it has become less important. I generally use it just to get a basic start. Before I kept the grid thru the entire picture.

I am not participating in the present WetCanvas class and no new one has been posted. I have finished both the weekly drawing for WetCanvas and the 2-week challenge at the Toad Hollow Forum, so now I am looking for something to inspire me to do a more complete drawing. Usually when I become stuck like this, I do another CP floral collage. It doesn't take a lot of brain work and is relaxing for me. But I do tend to keep working at it until it is finished. For some reason, it keeps calling me if I put it down. I will pick up a pencil and do just a tad more, then another color, then another. I don't know when to quit.

I need and want to work on the tonal values of a face. I tried on a drawing of my cousin's baby last night but just can't seem to get it. I can do the same on wood, metal, etc, but seem to rely on a stump to shade faces. I look at all the portraits the people post and can't imagine 15 layers. I seem to get my darks right away and use the stump to get a medium shade and leave the lights as the white paper. I have a lot of work to do before I get it.

July 5, 2006

Well it is a new day today. The sun is shining. I have the whole day to myself. I believe I am in the mood to sketch/draw. As I posted in one of the forums, I can now understand why Katherine T and some others have said sketching from life is addictive. At least it is not a bad habit...unless you think about the housework I still will not be accomplishing.

Yesterday as I watched my husband pick apricots from our tree, I spent some time sketching outside. I had already done a couple things at my desk. I filled about 5 half pages. Seems so natural now. I haven't used a grid much. Maybe once since I started the Sketch from Life Class at WC. Even with the weekly drawing challenge this week, I did not use a grid and even when I do use one, it has become less important. I generally use it just to get a basic start. Before I kept the grid thru the entire picture.

I am not participating in the present WetCanvas class and no new one has been posted. I have finished both the weekly drawing for WetCanvas and the 2-week challenge at the Toad Hollow Forum, so now I am looking for something to inspire me to do a more complete drawing. Usually when I become stuck like this, I do another CP floral collage. It doesn't take a lot of brain work and is relaxing for me. But I do tend to keep working at it until it is finished. For some reason, it keeps calling me if I put it down. I will pick up a pencil and do just a tad more, then another color, then another. I don't know when to quit.

I need and want to work on the tonal values of a face. I tried on a drawing of my cousin's baby last night but just can't seem to get it. I can do the same on wood, metal, etc, but seem to rely on a stump to shade faces. I look at all the portraits the people post and can't imagine 15 layers. I seem to get my darks right away and use the stump to get a medium shade and leave the lights as the white paper. I have a lot of work to do before I get it.

Watercolor Daisies

Colored Pencil

Floral Collage in WC

Oil Painting

An oil painting I did for my cousin.

New WC weekly challenge

Well another weekly challenge was posted. I was worried about the subject but at least I did try it. I figure each challenge I try will bring me closer to my goal of getting better. I started not to post it but decided it would be too easy not to. Harder to post it and show the world. But the world may not be ready for this one.

Sketches from the sketchcrawl

10th Worldwide Sketchcrawl July 1, 2006

I had a lot of fun today but totally worn to a frazzle. I left the house at 9:30am. Arrived at the museum at 10 and started to sketch while still in the car waiting for the museum to open. We were there until 12 noon. Then to lunch and a nice air conditioned break (weather about 100 degrees F) after walking around for a couple hours outside. Then visited a local park, then ice cream cones, then home by 3pm. Good company (my 2 teen neighbors), good food (yummy), good ice cream (double yummy), and so glad to get home. A much needed nap and now I am good for a few more hours. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. Very few people at the museum and no one even looked my way in the restaurant or the park. No shyness at all. Held my sketchpad the whole time (and my camera, pencil, backpack, camera case, and a cane. Had to check each time I stopped to make sure nothing was left. Next time I go with only the sketchpad and pencil and camera. My shoulders are killing me from the backpack and I never once got anything from it. Of course I would still need the cane...oh well downsizing sounded like a good idea. But as usual I would probably take the kitchen sink again.