Giveaway At Norah's

There is a woman online whom I've admired for a long time. She is now doing online classes and is giving away a chance to win a spot in it. The class is called "Faces in Technicolor" and the instructor's name is Sharon Tomlinson.

If you already know Sharon, you will definitely want to take this class and if you somehow don't know her, go here to find out more.

I'm sure you will want to follow her blog and probably take a class.

xoxo

Inchies and More

I have never made inchies before and was a bit intimidated by the size of them. How was I going to draw on such a small "canvas"?

For this project the theme is text background. That was easy; I made the text background on a larger piece and then cut it into inchie size. I finally got up the nerve to draw on each one. I am not displeased with the result, except I think I will go over the colored pencil either with marker or wet watercolor pencil to make them "pop" more.




I also finished up an ATC exchange project whose theme is four letter words. This was fun and no pressure.




For both of these projects I still need to finish the backs before putting them in the mail. Meanwhile, I am still adding to my EDM journal, but desperately need to figure out either how to shade to give them a 3-D quality or get out the watercolors to add some depth to them. I am finally beginning to think I can reasonably draw the outline of things, now I really need to make the leap to making them look more real with shading or color.

Today is going to be quite busy. I am spending the morning with an art friend working at her house and then I am picking the kindergartner up from school and taking her to ballet class.

I won't get an opportunity to spend time in my art room today, but tomorrow I am planning to spend more time on the face for my Faces class (there is a new video due today) and maybe start a new one.

That's it for now. See you tomorrow.

Bye!

EDM #5 and Faces class

I have attempted to sketch my bed. My first try was atrocious. As you can see, I not only wrinkled my page when erasing it, but I also ripped it. While my second attempt is not very realistic, it is certainly better than the first try.




I also tried using the Caran d'Ache pencils to add color to my girl's face, but they didn't work as well for me as they worked for Paulette on the video. I think my face is a bit spotty, but I am going to put off fussing over it any more for today and maybe do a bit of clean up before I spray her with workable fixative tomorrow.




I finished the book I was reading called "The Power of One" by Bryce Courtenay. It was quite good. I will now go spend some time in this wonderful quiet to start the other book I have checked out from the library called "The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox" by Maggie O'Farrell. I'll let you know how I like it.

Until tomorrow, then.

Bye!

Good and Not So Good Squared

I think I will start with the good.

I am quite pleased with how the tissue box turned out. The only thing is that I chose a cheaper Spartan brand of tissue in order to get the square-ish box (all mine are rectangular) and the box is a little too tall to get the bottom of the holder back on and the tissues are of very poor quality. The next time I am at the store I will get a box of Kleenex and see if that doesn't make it better.




Now for the not so good.

The first not so good is that I weighed and measured this morning and I don't see any difference in the numbers from last month. Lots of variables in this process; firstly, the scale is a dinosaur that has a needle that swings back and forth wildly before stopping on a number. I am going to pick up a digital scale next time I am in town. Also, I am taking my measurements with a somewhat stretchy old measuring tape and I don't always know the exact spot on my thigh, bicep, hip that I measured last time. I can tell by how my clothes fit and by looking in the mirror that my figure is changing for the better, so this is not going to stop my workout regimen. I may, however, really limit those snacks (even the healthy ones).

The final not so good news is my girl. Yesterday's lesson was to add hair and brows. I am not very happy with mine. I wanted the hair to be a believable red (kinda a reddish brown). I am not sure that I achieved that. Then I put a second layer of lighter brownish red on and I think it looks pretty bad. I am going to let it sit for awhile and then decide if I should try something else. I am thinking maybe a light wash over the hair just to unify it more.




I really wanted to paint the brows as more single hairs, but my picture is too small for me to have that kind of control. Somehow in my adding hair and brows and using a damp brush to correct mistakes running to the face, I had a yellowish forehead, so I cleaned it up with a mixture of Titan Buff and Titanium White. I need to be careful when I do the final shadow and highlight layer to get her to look more dimensional. She is looking pretty flat right now.

I was supposed to have the girls today and then not again until next Tuesday, but I don't have them today, but do have them tomorrow and Thursday. Their Dad is having some surgery on an artery in his leg tomorrow so I am rearranging my schedule to accommodate that.

That's it for now. Bye!

End of March and CED2009

Can you believe another month is just about over? Where does the time go?

I have been working out really hard this month. This morning I worked a balance ball workout for 30 minutes and then walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes at an incline of 3 degrees at 3 mph. I am beginning to see a difference and feel different. Tomorrow is the next weigh and measure day. I hope the results are as promising as they seem today.

When my daughter moves into her home (she is expecting to close sometime in the next 2 weeks) I am planning to paint Elmo onto a canvas to hang in the baby's room. So I did a practice sketch in my art journal. I think he is very cute, although I must say I have listened to him way too much this year, so I am finding that his voice is beginning to grate.



Payton was quick to tell me that I made his body too long and that he needs legs. I apparently have some more practicing to do before I commit to canvas!

I also rediscovered a tissue box that I bought unfinished at Michael's several months ago and decided to play with it. So far I have gessoed, painted, glazed, stamped and collaged. I am planning to paste various letters from different sources to spell blow, wipe, and either sneeze or achoo on the three sides that are not collaged.




Meanwhile, I have an ATC swap done (the yellow pages) and will take that to the post office after I get a shower. And at the same time I will mail the Chinese Painting book that Katina won. Then I will come home and work on more ATC swaps that I have signed up for before watching the latest video in the Faces class.

I have the two girls tomorrow (Payton is on Spring Break) so I don't expect to get much done then, unless Payton and I can do some art while Morgan is napping. At any rate, I will post again when I have something to share.

Bye!

Another Rainy Spring Day

I went for a short walk around the yard with the hubster this morning in a fine mist. By the time we had only walked around about 1/2 of it, the mist had turned to rain. It sounded like Spring, it looked like Spring and it smelled like Spring. Ergo, it is Spring.

Yesterday morning I decided to mix up my workout a bit, so instead of doing Cathe's workout, I got out a ball workout and did that one. It was a great workout and I am a little bit sore today. I used 5 lb weights for the lighter weights and 10 lb weights for the heavier weights. The woman who leads the workout has a British accent and at one point while working on the glutes, makes a comment about how this exercise is so great for the "back yard". I love that expression for referencing the bum, don't you? I followed up the ball workout with a 30 minute walk on the treadmill. I am really getting anxious to see this month's results when I do the weigh and measure next week. I am reminding myself that muscle weighs more than fat, so the number may not have changed much, but I am expecting the measurements to have changed considerably! We'll see. At any rate, I am addicted to working out every other day now and that is not going to change regardless of this month's results.

I worked on my Face in progress yesterday and am pleased with the eyes and mouth so far.


The next lesson we will be using Neocolor II crayons to add another layer of color to the face and to shadow and highlight the lips. At least, that is what I think we are going to do.

I also spent a bit of time in my art journal last evening. It had been quite a long time since I felt I had time to play in it. I dropped some Rosy Posy craft paint on each page and used a scraper to move it around. When it dried I applied a bit of Sunflower craft paint and did a similar thing. I really like those two colors together - kind of Springy, maybe even Eastery (I know, it is a made up word, but you get the idea, don't you?). Later in the evening while trying to decide whether to paste cuttings from magazines or doodle (I am still anxious about trying to doodle, but am determined to just try it - some day), I decided to do a big face and then color the eyes, lips and hair using Neocolor II crayons. I purchased a cute set of alphabet stamps called Fun Type from Michael's yesterday (that's a whole 'nother story), and decided to give them a try. They are cylinders of wood with a letter at both ends. For all of the letters up to the "d" in haired, I just looked at the letter on the other end and if it was upright, I got the upright letter when I stamped using the other end. However, as you can see, even though I was looking at the "c" on the other end of the stamp in the correct orientation, I got an upside down "d" which looks like the letter "p". My 6 year old grandgirl thought it was a hoot!




I do like the look of the stamps, though!

A reminder, if you haven't left a comment on the giveaway post from several days ago, you still have time. I will be drawing the winner on Friday. Good luck!

Bye!

Yellow Pages ATCs and A Lovely Day

I spent the morning with a dear friend playing on her computer, looking at her art and just generally having a good time. We had lunch at a local and very good restaurant before I headed home to take care of a sick little girl while her Mom went to pick up her kindergarten sister for ballet class.

It is now after dinner and I am sequestered in my art room playing. I got online and downloaded the latest video lesson from my Faces class and hope to get uninterrupted time tomorrow to paint the eyes and lips on my work in progress. I also spent some time finishing my yellow pages ATCs. I am quite happy with how they turned out and think using a phone book, especially yellow pages with ads on them is a great way to sort of have predetermined what picture you are going to draw as your focal point.




I had a package when I returned home with the 10 whimsical cats from an earlier swap I was in with the group ATCsForAll. They are really nice and when I get a chance to look more closely at them, I will perhaps post some of them for your viewing pleasure.

Meanwhile, I need to get to work on a few other swaps I have signed up for, namely:

(30) 5 x 5s with a quote theme that are due on May 30
(3) ATC sized featuring hand drawn art supplies due April 15
(3) ATC sized featuring a drawing of something that represents a four letter word (clean!!)
due May 4
(3) ATC sized with drawn/painted barns due April 30

Also, don't forget to go to the earlier post to leave a comment so that you are eligible for the lovely book that is being given away.

Bye!

Another Lovely Mail Package

I can't believe it! I had another personal item of mail today. There is nothing like it - so much nicer than ads or bills.

This one was the four cards that I traded in an arttechniques swap entitled "All Things Books". Here is what I received:


These cards are from (from the left and reading horizontally) Sherre Hulbert, Susan Sager Brown, Rozsi Moser, and Lisa Cousineau. Thank you so much ladies. They are exceptionally lovely.

I am planning to spend some time today working on Lesson 2 of my Faces class in which I am to prepare a textured background on which to draw/transfer a face as a focal point.

The hubster is still sick, so I have been making him tea, scrambling him eggs, and just trying to be quiet so that he can rest/sleep.

I'll post my background when it is finished.

'Til then.....

Faces Class and CED 2009

I downloaded my first lesson video for the Faces class yesterday and couldn't wait to start practicing. I have done one page each of eyes, noses and mouths; but I know I will do many practice pages of each until I get something I consistently recognize and like. I then tried putting it all together in a girl's face. I don't think it is too bad for a first attempt, but hope to get better and better with practice.



Yesterday morning I spent with an arty friend playing on her computer - and let me tell you, if laughter is the best medicine, then we are good for each other. She is always great fun to spend time with.

I tried out my daughter's TomTom GPS and it performed pretty well. It did, however, try to get me to turn into a person's yard that apparently once was part of the road that now takes a 90 degree turn and changes names.

Once I got rid of my sinus headache this morning, it has become a pretty good day. My daughter has accepted the counter offer for the house she wants and so we were a little busy today, but she is sure this is the house for her and her two little girls so all is well.

When I put the baby down for her nap, I spent 40 minutes on the treadmill walking hills and burned a whopping 314 calories. It feels so good to work that hard.

If you haven't yet left a comment on the giveaway post, do go there and leave one. I will be drawing the winner on Friday, March 6.

Go play and have fun!

March Resolution - Blog Everyday

I know I have somewhat MIA, but February was a very busy, complicated month. Thankfully, it is the shortest one. March has arrived very cold and snowy. I am hoping this qualifies as "a lion" so that she will go out like a lamb.

I have been exercising religiously and am happy to report that in the month of February I lost 3 pounds and 3 inches. This makes a total so far this year of 7 pounds and 10 inches. I am thrilled and so sticking with it. As a matter of fact this morning I walked for 40 minutes between 5 and 10 degrees of incline and between 3 and 3.5 miles per hour for a burn of a whopping 307 calories. I think I could become addicted.



My goal for March as far as cyberland goes is to blog every day. I need to get back into doing art every day. Hopefully every one of us is over the February blues and head colds. I have done a little bit of drawing and would like to share it.







Tomorrow begins my Faces class with Paulette Insall and I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I have purchased the supplies on the list that I didn't already own and absolutely can't wait for the first video lesson. I have tomorrow off, but am going to a friend's house in the morning to help her with her computer. As Paulette is on the West Coast the lessons are promised by noon, which is 3 pm my time. I will post my first attempt when I have it.

'til then, enjoy the moment!