Drawing Animals - Its a Process

This weeks class in sketchbook skool is about drawing animals. I'm learning from the amazing Roz Stendall. We start by doing contour drawings of toys. They don't move on you.

First I tried this wolf stuffed animal, alas it looks like a bear.  It all a learning process, so you just turn the page and do something else.

These are some of a stoneware turtle.

I thought it would be easier with no fur but not so much.

Then I tried Belle and when I got this far, Dave walked in the door so of course Belle got up. Decided I would head to zoo this week and attempt some drawing there. Practice, practice, practice is what it takes. So I will keep at it.  I'll post zoo pictures later this week.

Exploring Rituals For Creative Projects

Just what is a ritual.  In looking for a proper definition I found several ways to look at a ritual.   A ritual can be seen as a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. A ritual doesn't have to religious in nature all it needs to be is a series of acts performed  in the same way.  It can be as simple as lighting a candle or putting on music.

I've been exploring rituals this past week. My goal for this is to discover a way to make my writing a major focus.  I am getting distracted by so many other things.  I figured if I could design a ritual and follow it pretty soon I'd have a regular practice and I wouldn't need the ritual anymore. I would still do it because the act of creating the space for writing would still be important.

My first thought was to create a list of things that I could use as a ritual.

• Candle.
• Talisman - like a figurine.
• Feather.
• Writing jewelry.
• Oracle cards.
• Headset.
• Music.
• Set a timer.
• Set goals.
• Cup of tea.
• Sage or incense.
• Silence.
• Use Freedom software - internet blocking software.
• Look at book vision board for inspiration.
• Put in planner, carve out the time like I have an appointment.

Then I planned to try it at different times of day. I had a little trouble getting started. The list was so long that it seemed daunting. So I just started simply.

1st attempt:

Choose oracle card.  Ponder its meaning.

Put ravens and feather on my desk.

Silence, ie no music.  This worked fine but the next day I did nothing.

2nd attempt:

No ritual, I just wrote because I kept putting it off.

3rd attempt.

Went out to our trailer.

There was no internet access.

I put on some instrumental music.

Got a glass of ice water. This worked.

So the next day I tried it again. Now the internet worked out there and I got distracted. So I loaded the Freedom software which turns off your internet.  This worked great.

After my call with my writing coach I came up with a new idea. My goal for the week was to Write at least one hour a day. I can't go to bed until I have written.  This seems to be working out great. I have done this 3 days in a row now. I am writing late at night but at least I am doing it.

Lessons Learned

So what have I learned in the process.

1. Its helpful to try different things until you find something that works for you.
2. The same thing won't work every time.
3. Be flexible and be patient with yourself.
4. If you invest in yourself and your goal you will accomplish it.

Do you ever create rituals for yourself?

Dancing Fools

This was homework for class, to draw fruit or vegetables in a grid.

We headed down to Alive after Five, since a friend was playing in the band.  I can't sit for long so a dancing fool is what I became.

Here Dave and I take a twirl or two.

Here my friend Amy was taking photos so I just had to get my silly on.  We had a great time.

More Sketching

I've been continuing to do sketches from every day life. They are not perfect but then that is ok. I am just trying to capture a memory. This is out at Market Lake.

This was some random things while having lunch.  I didn't get the proportions right but it was still fun.

I sat in the car and drew a business, then I added color to it later.  Its amazing how if you add a little color that a drawing starts to look a whole lot better than you thought it was.

Went out in the backyard on Sunday and saw this.

This is a young Swainson's hawk that was born in one our pine trees.  He was checking out the neighborhood.

I was able to get quite close to him before he flew away.   What a beauty he or she is.

Creating With PanPastels and Stencils.

I finished up these pages I had started when I had insomnia Sunday night.  The backgrounds were made with stencils and panpastels.  I love using them this way.  Since I learned from Carolyn Dube how to set them with a gelli plate I am ready to role.  Its so easy.  Check out her video on the process below.

Art Journal Play

I pulled out my old moleskine sketchbook recently. It was started in 2009 and I never finished it. I figured its time for some play, so I pulled out my favorite gelatos and just added color. Just pure play in my art journal is one of my favorite things to do.

I did the left side first and it felt like a womb to me so I took up the idea of birthing. Birthing new ideas, new directions to go in my art and creative life. I didn't know it was foreshadowing of events. I have something new I will announce in another post.

This one was created with spray ink and a stencil and gelatos.  I sprayed with hair spray but that wasn't enough to be able to write on well. Oh I would love the perfect pen that would write over oil pastel all the time.

I used some of Julie Balzers stencils over a spray inked background. It was all about play once more. When working in your journal do you always have a plan or do you just play and see where it takes you?

Icon Portraits

So one of the exercises in Spectrum's offering on Nourish this month is all about seeing the divine within and painting an icon like portrait.

My first one didn't work that well. The gold leaf adhesive I use wasn't working and I didn't like the effect of the cardboard.

The second on in process for you. First I added clear gesso and some stablio pencil to highlight areas.

Next I used watercolor pencils and blended with a brush.

Then I added acrylic paint to the face and hair.

Lastly I added gold foil in the background.  I like this one a lot better.

This is one I tried in Panpastels, it really looks different.  I skipped the color pencil stage and it really made it look different.  This process is really fun.  It interesting painting on your own portrait, sometime it looks like you and other times it seems really different. I don't think this one looks like me at all.

Lacy Mandala

I thought I would start doing some posts that are a little smaller. I tend to save things and then lump things all together in one big post. Smaller tidbits mean I can blog more often. i hope you enjoy the change.

I made this mandala the other day in a small traveling sketchbook.  Sometimes making these are really satisfying. I thought I would try a lacier look today.  It was fun. Do you like making mandalas?