My sister...and a new Moleskine!

Well, I'm trying to upload a sketch of my sister, but Blogger seems to have the hiccups. As usual this sketch does not look a whole lot like my sister...but it does look human and female...and that makes me happy!

This is the first sketch in my second Moleskine! Even though I have sketched off and on all my life, I have never filled a whole sketchbook before. It feels good.

Swimming with the Manatees

I think this is the coolest thing I did on vacation. Swimming in the river and having these huge, shy mammals gliding up to you to get a scratch. They are so graceful in the water despite their size. There were many of them in the river and spring that day. The ropes in the sketch are the anchor ropes for the boat...one manatee kept going over there and playing with them.

I'm also calling this a self portrait for Everyday Matters challenge. I'll do another though...cause it's kind of a cheater...having that mask covering most of my face!

Crystal River on Dwellable

Titania-Queen of the Fairies

This afternoon my sister and I had a good time helping my daughter create a piece of art that depicts one of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream. None of us has done alot of collage (and Colleen has never done one) so we worked together on this for her English class. We put it together on a little 8 x 10 canvas. It was so much fun I think I want to do more of this!

Clearwater Beach

This is the view from our hotel room...we could hear the water all night.

The white sand here is so fine and beautiful. The next morning I went for a long walk on the beach and picked up a lot of shells.


Actually drew this while sitting on the beach close to Frenchies. The rest of the pics I post from this trip will be drawn from photos. We were just moving too fast for this slow artist to draw on the spot.

Clearwater Beach on Dwellable

Florida Trees

I just got back from a vacation in beautiful Florida. I went with my sweet sister-in-law who goes full speed ahead 24/7. I really think she is hyper (HI SUZ!). We stayed with her friend Janet (hey Janet!) and now we are friends too. Anyway, I saw more of Florida in 4.5 days than I thought would be possible. Since were moving so fast I took lots of pics that I want to draw from in the next couple of days. I did do a couple of drawings. I am posting this one tonight since I saw Laura is drawing trees this month, and I was facinated with the Florida trees.

Beautiful Valentine

Joe sent me some beautiful roses on Valentine's Day. I love flowers in the middle of winter...especially from my honey.

Draw a Fruit

I work at a local market part-time as a cashier. It isn't bad work, but my feet sure get tired!

This is one of the few times I have tried colored pencils and I have never really liked them...this is the first thing I have ever drawn with them that I liked. That wierd pattern is just the store name scrambled up a bit.

BCF: Praying Mantis

This is one of those bugs that is so facinating and strange, that I don't get creeped out by it! It was so interesting watching and learning about it's lifestyle.

High School Homework

I have been wanting to try to draw people, but find I am too chicken to do it when I think someone might see me. After all, usually the drawings are not the most flattering because I am just learning--so I am going to practice on my family. They are pretty understanding about my obsession.

It looks like I got her head kind of small in relation to the rest of her, but then again she is wearing a huge hooded sweatshirt so that could be part of the problem too. People shouldn't be any harder to draw than anything else, but they sure seem to be to me.

This could probably count as another interior too!

Ebony and Ivory

For Blind Contour Friday: our piano. Colleen doesn't play it much but hopefully someday she will for her own pleasure. She is pretty busy with other pursuits right now.

Challenge #51 Draw your TV and Favorite Show

I wish I had left some room on my page to journal, but I got carried away with this interior thing! This is another view of our family room/kitchen. We live in this room-fireplace, computer, TV, fridge, what more could you want? This TV slides out and angles so I can see it while I am cooking. When we aren't using it it hides behind a roll-down door. Tonite it is very cold and after Joe and I went for a walk I built a fire to draw by. That big pillow on the lower left is Louie's dog bed.

Playing on the TV is one of just about any show on HGTV. I love the shows like Design on a Dime and Decorating Cents that show great looking homes on a budget. And Divine Design...Candice can come decorate at my house anytime! For a long time we went down to basic cable and I did not miss much except HGTV. Thank goodness for football....that is the reason Joe wanted the extra cannels around New Years.

Ta-da!

I just finished visiting with my sister and her four year old. Little John asked her, "Mom, when God finished making the colors did he say "Ta-Da!" ?" I love that! And I wouldn't be a bit suprised if God said "Ta-Da!" After all, what a fabulous idea colors were!

Art Supplies in My Bag

Members of the everyday matters list have been sharing what supplies they are using. Mine are housed in a ww2 map bag that my dad used while he was in the army in the 1960's.
Moleskine large sketchbook
Grumbacher Transparent Watercolors
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens, S, F, M
Various leads in leadholders
Lead
Stadler white eraser
Eberhard Faber Drawing Pencils HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B

Lately, I haven't been using the pencils-only ink and watercolor.

The Good, the bad, and the ugly

This weekend was full of family fun and visiting relatives. One evening our whole family met a my sister's house for pizza and dessert, and I drew this bust that was sitting on an end table. The face looked tough, so I decided to draw the back of it--hey that turned out pretty good! Then I turned it around and gave the face a try-yikes! Poor lady, she really is quite lovely in person! Then I finished off with a blind contour of her.

Challenge #49 Draw My Refrigerator

I finally did another challenge and combined it with drawing an interior. This is one end of our kitchen including the frige covered with pictures of family and friends. Our frige is over 20 years old--my folks gave it to us when they got a new one. The ice crusher broke, but otherwise it's still going strong. I wonder if the new ones are made that well. Those french doors actually lead to a closet and I plan to put more pics in behind the panes.

I have noticed a shift in my thinking about my sketchbook...I used to be uptight about drawing in a sketchbook, worrying that I might mess up, and ususally I abandoned the sketchbook before long. This time I have stuck with it longer than I ever have. Some drawings I am happy with and some not so much, but each page is a new chance to try and to see things a little more clearly. It shows me learning and I'm liking that.

At the Dentist's Office

Went to the dentist's today and drew the waiting room while waiting for my daughter to get done. Inspired by Laura I am going to do some interiors this month. I didn't get done and actually wished I could sit there for a little while and finish, but...other things to do today!