Work in Progress

Update:  The medical issues with my pop-in-law kicked me out of the Drawing on the Right Side momentum.  I've done two pages of that book in the last month.  The (almost) daily little drawings in the journal continue.  Sketchbook Skool starts Friday - YAY!

The biggest news of the day, however,  is not what I'm drawing, but where I shall be doing so.  I rearranged the guest room last fall to include a little art space.  It's a nice little space with supplies nearby, but still very bedroom-ish.

We recently decided it is finally time to replace the worn carpet throughout the upstairs.  YES!  My husband suggested more durable hard flooring for my studio area. (grin)  I said - as long as we're redoing the floor, I might as well replace the dated bedroomey wallpaper with neutral paint.  He said - as long as we're ripping up carpet, we might as well refinish the baseboards.  And - as long as we have the room bare, we might as well remove the popcorn ceiling.  And - as long as we're removing that popcorn ceiling, we might as well do the same to the other two bedrooms.  And - the kitchen will then have the last of the popcorn ceiling, so we should fix that.  And - as long as we're in the kitchen working...   It doesn't end.  My husband loves updating... a lot.

That photo above is the before and below is ... Tadah!

No, it's not done, but it is about half way - just the ceiling and closets to paint before the floor goes in.  This is the cause of blog neglect and lack of drawing.  The flooring should be done by Friday.  The furnishings will take a bit longer since my hubby is building me shelves out of old fence wood (more grinning).

Back to painting - Benjamin Moore latex, not Winsor Newton watercolor.

Procrastination - Digitized & Immortalized

Eight weeks have zoomed by since I sent off the little brown book for the Sketchbook Project.  I searched their digital library today and my book is now digitized.  Eep!

I have not looked at the photos taken prior to sending the book - an attempt to make it seem "new" when finally viewing it online.  I began clicking through the pages...  Oh man, how I wish I'd not procrastinated away precious drawing time!  The cartoon figures made me want to yell "I really can draw!"  Sigh.  Another lesson learned.  Motivation for next year perhaps, or at least to keep on sketching and hopefully improving.

If there is a bright spot, the middle isn't too bad - including the appearance of my duck-talking groom.  Regardless of my regrets, here's my sketchbook story in all it's procrastination glory:

An Artist's Tale -or- Procrastination is my Super Power

The Sketchbook Project mobile library will be traveling around the US starting this month and continuing into the fall.  I would love to see the work of other artists in person, but alas, it does not stop nearby.  If anyone else is interested in seeing my book or any of the many, many others, this link will take you to the full schedule. 

Life Happens - Draw It

It's hard to get on a roll when life keeps happening.  We unexpectedly admitted my pop-in-law to the hospital for heart-related issues Tuesday.  He's getting better and will be going home soon.  I could've been sketching while tests were happening, but I lose interest when in coping mode - something to work on.

Back to the trek.  In addition to working through Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain...

I'm tackling my list of must-read art books - because that jungle grows daily.  The latest library trip unearthed a shortish book on John Singer Sargent, a fat book of illustrators from 1900 to 1960, and Webb on Watercolor, which has great tips on painting your own interpretation instead of exactly what you see.  The issues mentioned last time happened when I got to the "encounter" (now-you-do-it) pages.  Not quite ready for his loose style.  Instead, I will dive into One Watercolor a Day - a birthday gift from my dear husband.  I also happily discovered our library has Guptill's Rendering in Pen and Ink.  Yes!  Saving that until Drawing on the Right Side is complete.

I have been adding to the Live Simply planner nearly every day.  About a year ago I posted tiny drawings from a very tiny calendar.  I got halfway through the year with that one.  I'm hoping to make it all the way through this year.

There was a photo shoot Sunday.  Of course, you-know-who had to check it out.

Some entries were done rather quickly after a crazy or stressful day, as in the first photo below.  My team was awful, awful, awful and I was very vocal.  There is more (sloppy) writing than drawing on some days and others are mostly sketches - like supper on the stove.

I recorded our first portrait without the kids.  My sweater had a long cowl-type affair in front and long beads that are now immortalized as a strange medallion or something.  Also, this is not the best likeness of my husband, but it's just a sketch, so I'm posting it anyway.

I leave my planner on the end table now instead of the night stand, so I have all evening to remember it.  I still sometimes procrastinate & have to catch up.  It's amazing how much you forget after just a day.

I also signed up for Sketchbook Skool (and you can too because it's for everyone regardless of drawing skills or lack thereof).  That starts in April and we can chat about it more then.

Dread Not, Draw More

Looking at the past few weeks, it might appear this artist is veering off course or losing focus... or something.  Not to worry.  I'm still trekking - still finding my way - still making it up as we go.

I had a minor epiphany last week.  You know when you're dreading something and that dread climbs on your shoulders and pulls down your arms until you grow exhausted from the weight of it?  Yeah.  That feeling kept hitting me as I contemplated a certain watercolor exercise.  Ridiculousness.  Some trepidation or discomfort is expected with new steps and I'm sure my inner critic was exaggerating the dread, but it was just too much.  Perhaps I was jumping in too far beyond my current abilities and comfort zone.  Whatever it was, I gave myself permission to step back and change course.   Hence the minor epiphany:  New paths will cause some anxiety, but they must also cause some excitement.  The good must outweigh the discomfort.

My goal is to do something to stay on the road every day.  Currently, I'm about 1/3 through Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.  The exercises are not difficult, but they are revealing some intriguing things I never really thought about when I'm drawing.  I highly recommend this book to anyone with any desire to learn to draw or improve their skills.

My drawing table yesterday: Drawing on the Right Side workbook on the page I just completed, remnants from the Sketchbook Project and a small card my sis sent me.  The card illustration is a stick version of DaVinci's Vitruvian Man by Jeffrey Metzner.  Check him out here.  The animations are hilarious, especially The Scream.

Up close...

Several ongoing adventures are keeping me busy and I'll share them soon.  Right now, it's time to draw.