More March faces

This is my birthday gift to my brother who loves his boat. I like that Calgary -where he lived for years- is on the map, as well as the waters in which he loves to cruise. In the close up you can see that the back windows look like eyes looking forward. They brought a smile to my face but I think I'll change it before I give this to my brother as he may not appreciate the cartoonish look that this gives his gift.

This enchanting young woman represents my darling daughter and she really IS a lovely person...inside and out.

A lot less than one-a-day but so much more than one-a-week. So surprising to me...from me.

Springtime

Hurrah! a sunny day for beach walks with friends. for visiting elderly friends who've just moved into a Seniors Village. After the driving rain with howling winds we were treated to yesterday (first day of spring, indeed) today was certainly a treat.
The young one is important to another DD, the regal woman...my grandmother from a photo my brother had copied from a slide our dad had.

sisters

I don't know these girls yet but they are important beings in my DD's life so I've attempted these from pictures I was sent. Hopefully they are close enough to be recognized by the girls as I have added names and printed off copies to put on or in scrapbooks as we're having 'camp cousin' at the beginning of spring break and while enjoying our beach holiday/sleepover extravaganza I want the 3 (DGD included) to be drawing, colouring and pasting in their own art journals.

March: Parade of Faces

Well, well, well. Missed February entirely, did I? I'm not surprised. It is, after all, a very short window of opportunity for the posting disabled.

The winds of March should energize me (though the rain may sodden my ambition) I'll give a go to sketch (not post) each day from photos as otherwise all I'd manage is my sweetheart slouched in front of the TV.

On the left, our DGD. The interesting bit for me with this one was seeing the different sides of her gene pool as I moved a line here or shaded a contour there. Curious as I haven't really captured her to my satisfaction.

The right hand drawing is me as a toddler and yes, my ears were and are that big and I do look cross eyed in the picture but not, thank heaven, in real life. LOL

Pups and shells

A practice/thumbnail sketch for a larger piece of art I'm doing for a friend. Not certain what medium will suit a blk dog. Maybe acrylics?

I agree with Izzies assessment of my imagination sketch....chew it up and spit it out...but none the less, thoroughly enjoyed the process, so it's all good.

The shell with keys, 2nd bit to fit in with the Still Life Project http://oobos.blogspot.com/ A poor attempt at a shell but that's life, isn't it? Maybe next time.

Live and Learn

Finally, my focus for 2009. My year to learn. I'm looking to sign up for classes, imitate others sketching styles, read some books. Learn, change, grow, adapt. 2009.

The little girl is done so much better over at http://wagonized.typepad.com/ ,

the crayon (cheap wax borrowed from my GD) with w/c a very interesting learning experience, is based on a beautiful oil painting by BC artist Kathryn Amisson.

The shell sketch is my first time playing along with the Still life Project found while visiting http://oobos.blogspot.com/ (Judy Bec's site 'A drawing a day' and also allows me to participate in EDM's suggestion for last week. Not bad multi-tasking, hey?

Such fun.

president Obama

I just love how all the collage elements fell into place with my quick sketch. I love the life ring as the 'O' in hope, that all the words I found were red, white or blue, that I'd painted over 'American' with gesso thinking that it would dry clear and having to sand it off when it didn't! Along with oh-so-many here in Canada and around the world we're feeling your renewal of Hope and getting that this historic election is a fulfillment of hope for many. Not shown but the left hand page has "Yes, we can" so I feel this is quite representative of your 44th president.

needle case

Though I haven't been sketching, I have created in the past few months. My latest sewing is this needle case for Georgie's b'day. Heaven forbid I should just use a pattern and get the dingidy-dang thing done. I kept changing my mind on how this was going to come together. Does that mind changing ever take alot of time. :-) She's got it now and I think we both love it.

odds and sods

While I did sketch this 'plein air' I didn't stay long enough to splash on some colour. Learned some surprising perspective lessons this day though so this wonderful old church has value to me.

This is my sweet son. From a photo. The strange thing with this one is that in the photo he is a teen (a stage where his wonderful, generous spirit was bent full force on making me realize the limitless powers of a mother's patience) and I've transformed him into his sweet easygoing 10 yr old self. Now 29 he is both neither of these boys and more of each one.

Another oldie never posted. This was done after enjoying Karen Winters portraits with a splash of colour on the page. My DD with her nephew, our adorable grandson. The small in the corner is an overdone drawing of this same DD working hard husking corn on the back step in her soggy cloth diaper.

Incomplete. Loved learning from this but copying a painting in watercolor mag. is probably not worth finishing.

I have not done A THING in FOREVER! Why is that I wonder that business rolls into laziness and before I know it...it's been 4 FREakin' months w/o a look at this spot that I always INtend to post weekly at least. I've FELT like drawing ....OK clearly, not enough so I'll just put up the randomness that I have at some point prepped by resizing for our smaller bandwidth buddies.

sketching from photos

Think I'll try to sketch most nights at work. Lots of sketching before a painting attempt.

Accordian Sketchbook with lightweight paints

My little 6.5x7" sketchbook opens to about 7' long and proved to be the perfect size for my glorious hiking trek along the extreme northern tip of Vancouver Island.

Using 90lb watercolour paper I simply cut single fold pages and using 1"x7" spines (folded lenthwise) attached one to the other forming my accordian. I chose to position my paper so the the join was in the inner crease of each double page. This resulted in some pooling of paint (see cabin sketch) but I am fine with this and was pleased with having good flow from one day (double fold) to the next.

Because I had my paper glued into a hardcover book I could easily sketch and paint with a firm surface yet had the option of opening up the odd time I was connecting pictures with the next page.

North Coast Trail

I'm so thrilled to have had the opportunity to hike this trail before it becomes as busy as the West Coast Trail!

The cabins hosted president Teddy Roosevelt back in the day!

NCT hike

Just back from hiking the North Coast Trail. Brand new trail this year across the top of Vancouver Island. What a beauty of a trail it is! Enough hauling oneself up hills (ropes are provided), lowering oneself down the other side (thanks be that ropes are provided) and rolling along rocky shores to be challenging. Enough heavenly scents, awe-inspiring sounds (whales and loons being my favourites) to be mystical. Enough good company to be wonderfully relaxing and entertaining. Our dear 'Coastal Cinder' once again planned and coaxed us through an unforgettable experience.

As for the sketching, folks allowed me my space so that I would not feel intimidated and were very kind with their comments when they did wander over to look.

Included in the photos are 1. the cover of the childrens book that I removed the innards to replace with an accordian of w/c paper . Forgive me whoever you are that showed the method I followed to create accordian pages that don't take lg sheets of paper. The little book is 6.5"x7" and proved to be the perfect size to manage on the trail.

2. Title page. The trail name will end up here.

3. pg 1-2-3 our first campsite at Laura Creek. July 2'08

4. pg 4-5 Irony Creek camp at Shuttleworth Bight July 3

5. pg 6-7 a fern to represent the beautifully lush woods we spent most of this day hiking through

6. pg 8-9 the beach at Nahwitti Camp looking toward Skinner Creek.

7. pg 6 through 9

8. the cabins at Nahwitti Creek.

Hurrah for May

And actually completing and posting 31 quick sketches IN MAY. Unheard of for me. Nice to know that I can successfully participate in such an event. Nice to know that I CAN find the time for a sketch, even if it means a partial cheat of playing catch up on nights when life has gotten in the way, or I'm just bone weary.
Now a quick post to finish off the month and off we go boating overnight. Yippee!
Yes, of course I'll have my sketch pad along.

Tomorrow one more 3 date spread

So much posting, so few words but then let's face it, we're all busy sketching and posting so you don't have time to read my ramblings anyway. Thanks for peeking at pictures.

Catching up on my EDinMay posting

The others I'll load in reverse order.

Catching up on EDinMay

The 3rd and the 4th were both done on the 4th as Saturday was completely taken up with playing photographer at a workmates DD's wedding. 'Lucky is the bride the sun shines on' could not BE more true. The days leading up to this wedding were WET and COLD then ...whella... beautiful, warm, windless wedding day.
OK. I have no idea why I cannot get the perspective right on any camera I ever attempt. Totally bazarre. As for our sweet granddgtr, She looks sick doesn't she? In part, because she is. Hence the heavy evelids. She was moving all over the place, changing her expressions but the sketch WAS done on the 5th of our dear 5 year old so there you have it.
I'll have to retake Fridays scratches and post them with todays (whatever they may be). Another day full of a granddaughter (who will not nap today) and people popping in and out.

Every Day in May

One down..30 to go.
The book I've chosen for the Every Day in May fun is a LARGE folding book of poor quality paper my DD picked up in Japan for me. It's actually taking the colour better than I thought and it is great for collage and I love the size and the accordian thing it's got going on. Joy was certain that I would never use it just add it to my collection but I think it's going to be perfect and hopefully it'll be chock-a-block full come May 31'08.

Totally unrelated subjects. Will this theme continue? AHhh, a mystery for May.