Sunday, December 31, 2017

Thanks to Judy from Sktchy for the inspirational photo once again.  I've painted her earlier this year and this time I have her kissing 2017 goodbye.  I wanted to upload before we head out to celebrate with friends! It is late afternoon and most of the light is gone!  Happy New Year to everyone here! It has been a very good year and I hope that 2018 will be the same!  Cheers All!! 



Saturday, December 30, 2017

I drew a fishing boat from a photo I took that I saw in Newfoundland (it might have been at Quidi Vidi Lake - St Johns NFLD) when we were there in 2013.  Our whole family will be heading there this summer for a holiday.  I have been surfing on AirBnb to find suitable accommodation.  We used AirBnB the last time and it was great so giving it a go again. 


So... the reason for this quick representation in my sketchbook!  This boat doesn't appear to be used as used as a full fledged "fishing" boat in the business sense but as a recreational boat! However I could be wrong since we were there off season (for tourists and fishing).


Can't wait to see my granddaughter kiss a COD(fish) in order to get "screetched in" - how we become honorary Newfoundlanders or as we would say - Newfies! 


I'm still singing "I's the by that builds the boat and I's the by that sails her and I's the by that catches the fish and takes 'em home to 'Lizer!"


It is -17C now and with the windchill -26C going down to -22C overnight (I'm not bothering to check the windchill) so I needed something fun to think about! 



Wednesday, December 27, 2017

This is what I drew yesterday at the restaurant in my small sketchbook.  This couple were sitting at the table beside us! Yes, I was eavesdropping of course! 



Tuesday, December 26, 2017

LDec 24.  Our tradition on Christmas Eve is to watch this movie with the family.


I drew Clarke watch a reel to reel home movies in the attic, a sweet moment in the movie.



Dec25-  our turkey ready for stuffing 


A collaboration with my granddaughter who thought that the turkey needed to be decorated with Christmas holly. 


Pen and kiddie markers. 



Tuesday, December 19, 2017

I attended a Christmas ornament exchange party the other night with the women from work.  This is the ornament that I ended up bringing home!


The shape is called a bee skep and it is a coiled hive that was used before the modern hives.  The glass ornament symbolizes the diligence and teamwork that are often necessary to achieve life's great rewards.  



Saturday, December 16, 2017

A friend of mine has made several different rooms and I thought I would give it a go too.  I drew and painted out my plan in my sketchbook then made my room from some canvas paper I had.  I used pen, Copic and Spectrum Noir markers.  Reminiscent of book titled "In Other Rooms, Other Wonders". 


I folded up my room and put it away in back of my sketchbook.  I can't wait to see what my granddaughter thinks of it!



Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Not a lot of time today but snuck this drawing in because it has been awhile since I have done so.  Thanks Rick I love your expression in this one.  I'm reading Stephen King Thd Dark Tower The Gunslinger so when I saw your photo in my queue, I knew it was the right one. First time using new pens Pilot EF clear body and Duke fude nib (nib is quite interesting to try and figure out). Gosh your hat was difficult!! Regardless, I had a good time drawing you. 



Monday, December 11, 2017

CThanks to Kirsten for her sweet photo.  I made an art journal page because these are the sweetest little birds at our feeder. I had this blue background and had stuck the single layer of some fancy 3 ply facial tissue in three areas and some washi tape. That was as far as I got.  Now what?.....I left it there and closed the book.  Your photo gave me an idea of how to use the page. I used craft paint, acrylic markers, sequin waste ribbon and ink pad, white gel pen, and a black Uniball. 



This is the way it looks here through the eyes of the camera lens!  The lens picks up a lot if purple in the snow! We are forecasted to have snow everyday this week! 


I only used the brush to paint the dude of our house.  It's the dude with our Christmas lights. 

It is dark now by 1700 hrs and I was home late so it was almost pitch black out.  



Saturday, December 9, 2017

No prompt- documenting stuff. A glass Christmas ornament that I have to wrap up. Some more snail mail.  Top snowman is made by Heidi from Austria; the bird is from a woman living in Nova Scotia; the square'ish snow man is from a woman who lives in eastern Ontario.  I love these hand made cards.  The bottom one is s purchased one from a friend who owns a vintage VW van and she finished restoring it this summer! 


Watercolour in my Fabriano Venezia sketchbook.  I need practice on mixing up a darker dark. I like the grey but I wanted it to be darker. 



Thursday, December 7, 2017

 had to document them.


On the left Lynn from the USA sent me a machine stitched batik fabric Christmas tree card.  The envelope had this cool pattern on it. 


Then I got a fabulous ornament Christmas cards surrounded by bright salsa orange colour from a woman in Germany.  


In addition, I got a handmade art card from a woman in Sweden.  She had covered the envie with postage stamps and and a cool airmail stamp! I tried to replicate her aurora borealis as best I could. Totally loved her Star Trek insignia and To Boldly go .... stamp. 


I used pen,  ink and gouache.  Also acrylic ink and black India ink for the aurora borealis in my Fabriano Venezia sketchbook. 



Sunday, December 3, 2017

No prompt - This is how I looked this morning after the night before.  We went to our first Christmas party last night.  No alcohol was involved for me since I was the designated driver.  However, we had such a good time my head didn't hit the pillow until 0300 hrs.  Ugh! I didn't wake up until 11:19 hrs this morning.  I lost the most productive part of my day. 


New sketchbook (Fabriano Venezia) means I need to do a new selfie sooner rather than later.  So my brain is still muddied with sleep since the caffeine hasn't hit it yet.....drew myself while looking in the table mirror.  No pencil was used either!! 


I added blue and purple not because I have my hair that colour but because ...... I could.  I'm the artist and I can design by page whatever way I want!



Saturday, December 2, 2017

We took our granddaughter to mail a very important letter. 



Friday, December 1, 2017

Spent a wonderful afternoon at the Royalv Ontario museum in Toronto and saw the Viking exhibit.  I sketched a montage of this and that.  I painted them later while having a refreshing "beverage".