Road Trip

(Sheep made in Alma’s class last month.)

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“Finding your voice, to me, means becoming comfortable with what is unique and authentic about you.” — Meg Guiseppi, from her blog, Executive Resume Branding

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I’m off on an adventure in just a few days… always the fun REALLY starts when you leave home and get in the car, don’t you think? (It’s the giving up stage…. “I’ve done all I can do”, “I’ve done my best”, etc.)

FRIDAY, 8/1: Drive to Santa Fe and set up for the Girls Inc. Art & Craft Show. Make a stop near Taos at noon to meet the fabulous Jenny Kostecki Shaw… how lucky am I?

SATURDAY/SUNDAY, 8/2 + 8/3: Meet me at the Plaza in Santa Fe (booth #98)!

MONDAY, 8/4: Drive to Phoenix, AZ for the Art Unraveled Retreat; begin to learn Hindi.

TUESDAY, 8/5: I will teach “Voice Lessons” today… I like the quote above. We will be talking about such things…

WEDNESDAY, 8/6: I will teach “Drawing Blast” in the evening… always a fun class!

THURSDAY/FRIDAY, 8/7 + 8/8: I’ll be exploring Phoenix… any suggestions?

SATURDAY, 8/9: All day Shopping Extravaganza at the Embassy Suites in Phoenix. I’ll have Girls (paintings and prints), journals, owls, elephants, purses, transfers and animal paintings!

SUNDAY, 8/10: Drive home to Salida. Master Hindi. (Just kidding!)

Oops

I left one of my paintings out in the rain! But it’s fine… completely waterproof! Before I wiped off the drops, I got a few pics…

Today I’m getting ready for a show this weekend in Santa Fe. It’s put on by Girls Inc., so my girl paintings are a good match. I’m in a booth on the Plaza… all you locals, please come and visit if you can… I’d love to see/meet you.

Happy Monday!

More Creatures

Here are more creatures… there are five here, but I love how they look all stacked up on my desk like this. (Maybe I’ll make a 25-high stack!! A 100-high stack!!) If you want to see them individually, there are three here.

(And thank you for all of the nice comments from yesterday’s post… I feel much better, thank you!)

Laying Low

Yesterday I was in tears when Steve came home at lunch: I’m Sick, I Have So Much To Do, Nothing is Getting Done, I’m Way Behind, Those Poor People Waiting For Their Commissions, Etc. Etc.

This is one reason why I love my husband: He hugged me, told me to take a nap and not to do anything else productive the rest of the day. I resisted… “I’m not tired!”… but I did what I was told and laid down. I woke up four hours later. Then I slept a full night last night as well. Hmmm.

I’m still feeling achy and such this morning, but at least I’m well rested. And ready to tackle the day.

I realized that LK had nominated me for a Brilliante Weblog Award… thank you!! (I always like to be “picked,” don’t you?)

Here are the rules, with my comments in blue.

1) Put the logo on your blog. I tried, and couldn’t. I’m a dork.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you. http://gryphonsfeather.typepad.com/
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs. Notes from the Voodoo Cafe, Karine’s Blog, Tara Ross Studios, Fran Meneley, Joyously Becoming, Happy Day Art, and Jane Moore Houghton.
4) Add links to those blogs on yours. Done.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs. I will do it. I haven’t done it yet, though. I will, though. Just add it to the list.

**** Later: Sorry to be so boring!!!

Wes and His Elephantie

Even 13-year-olds love little elephanties!! I made this one for Art Unraveled, but realize I need to make some gas money to GET to Art Unraveled, so it’s on sale here. (Sorry Wes!)

Assignment #31: Modified Blind Contours

Using some of my husband’s photographs as reference, I took a thick Sharpie and started a blind contour drawing on white cover stock. But, I cheated a little bit, in that I allowed myself to look once or twice, just to make sure the characters ended up looking like PEOPLE!! But, I really like the distortion that happens with blind drawings (such as the girl’s face, above).

Later, with an ultra fine point Sharpie, I added the smaller shading lines, this time looking at the paper the whole time.

Here are a few more from the same day:

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What are “Assignments”? They are mini tutorials of drawing exercises I do myself. I hope you will try some of them… drawing is a blast!!! Here are some past “Assignments”:

Assignment #16: Blind Contour Giraffes

Assignment #22 – Go to the Library

Assignment #56 – Draw Cats in Bed

Elephantie

Owlies

I’m just a posting fool this week for some reason. Here are some “owlies” I made yesterday while watching (well, “listening to”) Lord of the Rings with Wes (click to enlarge).

Aren’t they goofy?! Have a great weekend!

Assignment #16: Blind Contour Giraffes

Find some photos (either through Google or your library) of some giraffes. Again, with Sharpie and paper, start drawing, but DO NOT look at your paper. Try to match the movement of your hand to match your eyes running along the contour outline of the giraffe.

Sometimes you might need to glance down at your paper to reset you pen to the right area… but don’t move the pen while looking at your paper! Think of it as Drawing Freeze Tag.

These will not be perfect drawings… they’re not supposed to be! They are exercises to get your hand and eye more “in sync” with each other. (BUT, some of my coolest drawings are blind contours or partial blind contours.)

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What are “Assignments”? They are mini tutorials of drawing exercises I do myself. I hope you will try some of them… drawing is a blast!!!

Assignment #22 – Go to the Library

Assignment #56 – Draw Cats in Bed

Mess Up