Feeding My Habit

I am an art supply junkie.

If I had piles and piles of cash, some charities would be very happy and I would travel often and art goodies would arrive daily on my doorstep.  Thinking about it makes me giddy.  I would also hire an art trainer - like a fitness trainer, only they'd make me actually USE the paints gathering dust in the studio.

Old and new stuff just waiting around
for the artist to get inspired...

You see, every time I read about a new technique, watch a demo or get inspired by a blog post, I think "I need that pen/paper/paint!"  The must-have item(s) will often end up in my online art store wish list for the next sale.  (No local art store.)  These places send weekly specials, so it doesn't take long, though I do have some restraint.  The boxes show up on my doorstep only about every other month.  Does this actually translate into more art - generally not.  There, I admitted it.  I feed my habit, but my habit doesn't always feed my art.  Sigh.

In related news:

I discovered yesterday that my 1980's gouache paint is still usable.  What!?!  That's fantastic!  I'm signing up for an online class that lists gouache as one of the possible tools.  I immediately went into I-need-that mode.  It then occurred to me there were a few tubes in my old pale green tackle box.  I pulled it out of the studio/guest room closet and managed to unscrew all of the lids.  (Which wasn't easy.  I actually have a blister on my thumb from the effort.)  Three are dry as dust, but the other five are still good.  Woot!

In unrelated news:

I'm cataloged!  I received an email from The Sketchbook Project that my sketchbook has been cataloged into the Brooklyn Art Library.  How cool is that?  It's one of many thousands, but still...coolness.  I'm excited to see how my goofy little illustrations look digitized.

In additionally unrelated news:

Since returning to my art, I've been upcycling lots of bags and jars and such.  My husband was about to toss a big zip-type plastic bag this morning, but asked me first "Do you need this bag for art stuff maybe?"  Not monumental by any means, but it was a first time question that just seems, I don't know, it just made me smile.

I am not an Addict

I tagged along with hubby on a work-related trip today.  This meant a chance to peruse art supplies in person.  I went in searching for a waterbrush, but the aisle of paper and pads called my name.  In light of the recent sketchbook gathering, I had no intention of buying another one.  Then . . . I spied it.  A "hand made" watercolor journal with deliciously rough pages & deckled edges.  Tempting, so very tempting.  I picked it up and put it back multiple times.  It spoke to me like those doodads do in the Pier 1 commercials.  I went into another aisle then came back.  "Now listen here - you have plenty of blank pages waiting to be filled!"  (That was me, not my hubby.)  Alright already . . .  I relented - took a photo and added it to my wish list.  We headed home with the waterbrush, masking fluid and dreams of future projects on handmade paper.

You Simply Can't Have Too Many

"Why do you need that?" . . . "Because I want one of these." . . . "Don't you have enough of those?" . . . "No, not like this one - and not in this size."

This was not about jewelry or clothes.  This back and forth took place in Target when I spied a Moleskine blank journal in a larger size than the pocket one I actually had in the vehicle parked outside of Target.  I reminded hubby of the year our daughter received hoodies from everyone and she said "You can never have too many hoodies!"  Well, you can never have too many sketchbooks!  He sighed & I bought one more.

This prompted a gathering of sketchbooks, paper pads and miscellaneous books intended for drawing exercises.  I lined them up on the stairs and did a little photo shoot of my prized possessions - an activity which promptly put the dog to sleep.

I haven't used any of the color paper pads gracing the top row - bought over the years for future colored pencil, pastel & charcoal attempts.

Below these are 22 blank, gridded or lined pads of paper and one repurposed almanac.  Ten have been used to some degree and two are full.  A dozen were obtained since starting the sketchbook trek.  Several more are waiting in my art supplies wish list.

I am not alone in this obsession.  I recently discovered the notebook stories blog and their notebook addict posts.  Kindred spirits.



Too many sketchbooks?  Never!  I promise to fill up a few before I add another... maybe.

Towards the end of the organizing and photo taking, Milo showed up to inspect, get bored and then leap over the pile to startle Daisy.  I missed the leap by a nanosecond.

Best Laid Plans

Remember the 30 Day Drawing Challenge?  That was, lets see, about 13 days ago.  Am I on day 13 of the challenge?  Nope.  Day 6.  So, this 30 Day Challenge will likely take me about 60... or more... days.  I admit it.  I notoriously start a plan all gung ho and then am easily sidetracked.  Last week, a new batch of art supplies arrived.  You simply CANNOT receive new pencils and such and not use them!  So, I had to test out the charcoal pencils instead of doing the challenge that day.  Which means I actually sketched Milo for awhile - something I mentioned doing back in October.

Furry Milo and a few charcoal Milos soaking up some sun.

I felt blech one day and did some therapeutic mandala coloring with the Prismacolor markers.  Along with other distractions, we took an impromptu shopping trip last weekend.  I brought my little Moleskine sketchbook and recorded a somewhat jiggly version of the ever-changing view.

Yesterday, my parents' beloved dog left this good earth - 3 1/2 years after her best friend, my Dad, passed away.  She was closing in on 16 years of age and the whole family was "blubbery" as my Mom put it.  Belle had been fading fast the past week and an image of her & Dad was growing in my brain.  When I received the news, I had to quickly sketch the pair and share it with family and friends.  It's a simple sketch that I'd like to redo at some point.  But the feel of it seems to fit them.

None of this artwork was part of the Challenge.  During the sketchbook trek, I've made plans, broken plans, made new plans, ignored those plans, etc.  However, I kick myself in the buns and get back on track.  Whatever plans are made, forgotten or reworked - I'll continue arting it up.

The Gang's All Here!

The two replacement Prismacolor markers arrived late last week - along with several other new art supplies.  New art supplies which are distracting me from the 30 Day Drawing Challenge.  More on that soon.  The new marker caps are ever so slightly larger than the old ones, so don't fit in the retro carousel as they should.  Rats.  They must lean against the oldies a bit askew.  At least the family is all together again!

A Tale of Two Catalogs

Two days ago I noticed an old university catalog on a co-worker's desk.  It had been taken out of storage to retrieve some little bit of ancient coursework requirements.  This faded catalog had been in storage since I started working in the office over six years ago.  This dog-eared catalog just happened to be from my first year of college.  I sentimentally paged through the art section, commenting on pre-computer art & long-retired instructors.

Today in the mail I received a deliciously fat art supply catalog - the first one I've opened since my college days.

Coincidence?  Fate?  Blessing?  I believe so.

PS:  Just to keep me honest - yes, daily drawing continues.

Pale Green Tackle Box

In there somewhere...

Lawyer - briefcase.  Carpenter - tool belt.  Artist - tackle box.

I've no clue what current art majors use to tote around their supplies, but in the 80's we all had fishing tackle boxes.  Brushes, pencils, gum erasers and such - all fit nicely in the fold out compartments.  I began college with a rather small box.  My then boyfriend (now husband) gifted me a larger one to tote a growing stash of supplies.  I closed it up within a year after graduating.  That pale green box sat in our basement for years, opened only to swipe a brush or bit of acrylic paint for a child's project.  Well, it's time to open it up.  Release the creative fragrance of graphite, pastels, old paint & conte crayons.  It's time to find the artist lost somewhere amongst the broken lead and dried paint.  Time to begin again.

~ See "What is this trek?" and "ProcrastinArting" if you are visiting for the first time. 

~ Tomorrow - a tiny bit of past art & my persistently prodding progeny.

I heart art - note the lack of brushes 

My curious sidekick - got catnip?