Downsizing

I will be moving to another house soon.  From a 3 bedroom to a 1 bedroom.  Lots of work to do purging and packing.  Having to let go of a large amount of my little knick knacks that I draw.  Hurts quite a lot as I have been collecting them for years.  Just not going to be enough space for storing so much stuff.  Trying to keep most of my art supplies but something had to go.

While packing, started having trouble with my sciatic nerve.  Hurts to bend, walk, and lift.  Just really painful.  Doctor said stay off of it and rest it.  Haha.  Like that is not going to work if I'm to be ready to move.

So don't give up on me posting.  Hopefully I can get back on track and post more often after all the mess is over.

I'm Still Alive

In case anyone is still following, I am still alive.  I have been super busy and stressed.  I will be moving in a couple months.  From a 3 bedroom to a 1 bedroom so as you can probably guess, I am aving to pack and do a major purge.  Not fun but necessary.

About Time

Well it's about time I posted.  I have not been feeling great.  Nothing specific, just no energy, regular old-age aches and pains.  It sucks to get old but it's better than dead.  That's what I always say.  At least so far. 

I ave not done a lot of art.  I have done a couple of ATCs for trade.  And a bookmark for trade.  I have a few things started but I seem to have no "want to" to finish any of them. 

This week, I did trace off a photo of my passed dog Friday.  I hope to start that this weekend.  I need to get in gear and get my mojo back. 

Last week was I had errands all week which makes it hard for  me.  I end up on cruthes for the evening

Last Sunday we had a dinner at my nephews for my parent's 69th anniversary  It was a nice evening and I got to be with my special babies.  My nephew's 2 yr old sone and 8 yr old daughter.  Highlights of my life.

 

I just finished this elephant in graphite. I had forgotten how easy graphite is for me compared to the work I have to put in on colored pencil. 5x7 inches, watercolor smooth size paper. Photo by David Ash and used with permission. Now I'm ready to find another to do in graphite.

Elephant Family Finished

My elephant piece is finished. Graphite, smooth side of watercolor paper, 9x13 inches. Photo by David Ash. If I had to choose one medium as my favorite, it would be graphite. I love using one 2B mechanical pencil to make things look "real". It's very satisfying for me to be able to show that something is more than one color just using graphite.  It's darker in person.  The light on the graphite washed out the left side.

Elephants

Here is what I have been working on. Graphite, watercolor paper (smooth side), 9x13 inches. Photo by David Ash and used with permission. 3 of the 5 elephants are finished.

MIA

Sorry to have been MIA.  Still having medical problems.  Still working on some art.  Hope to be back to blogging soon.

I spent Easter with my nephew, his wife, his 7 yr old daughter, and his 2 yr old son.  Great to be with them all especially the babies.  Love those babies.

Sookie

Sookie belongs to Larry Seiler on Facebook.  Still a puppy but at least twice this size now.  I am enjoying watching the pup grow into an adult.  Photo belongs to Larry and used with permission.The actual drawing is about 5x7 on larger paper.  Colored pencils on the smooth side of watercolor paper.

I have been watching some you tube videos and some live streaming of artists doing colored pencils. Two are from England. Amie Howard and Alice Photis (Fine Art by Alice). I am trying to incorporate some of their ways into mine. And most of all, I have had to slow down. I tend to hurry thru to get done. With these I'm taking it slow and stopping when I get antsy and want to hurry. I really like how these are going. Also trying to start several at once so I can go back and forth.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone.  Still having medical problems but hopefully the new year will bring healing.

Christmas Card Trade on Wetcanvas

Once again I participated in the Christmas card trade on the Wetcanvas Forum.  My cards are all done with graphite, watercolor, colored pencil, and ink all on each card.  Watercolor cards and envelopes purchased for the trade.

Missing In Action

I have been depressed because of my eyesight.  It has been 20/500. All because of shingles I got in December.  It has been a long fight.  It got better and then the doctor decided to put a contact on the eye to help it heal.  That was a bad call.  It suctioned against the eye and took a turn for the worse.  Now after several months, it is healing again.  And luckily there is no scarring.  Last appt it was 20/300.  I look forward to going back in 6 weeks to see if there is more improvement.  

I am doing a Christmas card trade in a project in Wetcanvas forum..  15 cards to send out.  I have 3 finished, in envelopes, and labeled and stamped.  2 more are sketched out.  I'm trying to get the International ones out first.  Canada takes 3 weeks or longer to arrive.  Then I will concentrate on the domestic ones.  I have 6 International ones and 9 domestic ones to get out. 

Inktobeer 2016 - Day 5

Inktober Day 5. Copic pens from 3 of my ceramic animals.

Inktober Challenge

Even though I haven't posted, I have been doing the Inktober challenge. Here are my next 3 days. I'm using various pens. The first one of the flowers are done in Staedler fine line pen.  The flowers are from an oil painting I did many years ago. It was done with a palette knife. 3 and 4 are from ceramic animals I have collected. They are done with Copic pens.

Update on My Eye

My eye is still trying to recover from the problem that happened when the doctor put on a contact "bandage". It has been a month. I can open my eyes now but can't see much. After the contact went on, I had a 20/300 eye sight. Today it was 20/500. But he did say the eye itself is healing and looks pretty good. I guess the "scabbing' is probably making me see less. I go back in a month and during that month, I use one eye drop twice a day. That's better than the 9 drops I have been doing for a month.

Inktober

I am participating in the Facebook Inktober challenge.  It is to do a piece of artwork in ink every day in the month of October.  Here is Day 1.  A Walk With Doc.  Photo by Li Newton of her husband Dave and her dog Doc.  This is done with a Staedler Triplus Fineline pen in a cheap sketchbook.

Eye Trouble

 
I haven't been doing much art, in fact almost none. My eye took a turn for the worse and now I have 20/300 sight in the one eye. Not fun. For a week I couldn't even open it. Now it stays closed most of the time since it is almost useless to see with. I find it hard to stay in the lines. So tonight I decided to play with some art just to keep in practice. Not from any photo or real items. Just from my head. Graphite and Verithin colored pencils on Gray toned paper. Sorry for the bad photo. Taken with my phone with just a lamp for light.

Weekly Drawing Even on Wetcanvas

Seems I have been taking an unintentional break. I think I was tired from the 31 days of watercolor pieces. This piece was for the Weekly Drawing Event on Wetcanvas for 8-19. Graphite on Stonehenge Vellum Finish. 8x8 inches. Photo by Li Newton.

Day 31 - Fancy

Day 31 - Fancy (and done). Photo by Andy Mathis and used with permission. ‪#‎worldwatercolormonth‬

Day 30 - Mace

Day 30 - Mace. Photo by Andy Mathis and used with permission. ‪#‎worldwatercolormonth‬
This one catches me up again and only one more to go.