...oh dear

anyone want to place a bet on how this will turn out?



Keep coming back for more suckage.

Making toys and drawings

Yesterday I made two new toys for you-know-who. I hope they are lovingly chewed up and enjoyed to the last thread and splinter. As I was making the toys I was thinking of my big greenwing macaw friend and the large toys I would make for him if he were mine . He would need lots of very large blocks of untreated lumber to chew, and the cotton ropes would have to be a larger diameter too. I hope he does well in his new home. His personality is so laid back I'd hate to see that change.

This drawing is coming along. I don't work on it every day, and when I do I place some tracing paper over the top and draw on it first to get into the groove, so to speak. Sometimes going away from a piece causes one to loose the fluid feeling that happens when in the middle of work. Starting up again after even a short break can be awkward and can look really different than what has already been drawn.
At least this is what happens to me sometimes on these kinds of drawings. Even though this is a free form drawing I would like for my hand to feel the same when returning to work. If you ski, skate, or ride a motorcycle think of the feeling of making a smooth, fluid, series of 'S' turns where the movement happens without you having to think too much about the input. The effortless fluid feel is what I am referring to. Does this analogy make sense?

Like father like daughter? Maybe.

On the left is my dad's old sketchbook. I took it out to look at his drawings and get inspired. I really like his flowery drawings and this one became the inspiration for some of my recent doodles. He liked to use the smelly, alcohol based markers, and they were so fluid that they would soak through two pages in his sketchbook. Often he would make drawings on the inkblots that bled through evolving one drawing into a series, or making a different doodle on each page.

I think I will fill this page up then see where the muse takes me.

Primer time

This is a block of Aquarelle paper that I am applying gesso to. It will be an experiment on a smaller scale since I keep getting side tracked with my 16x20 canvases that I'm still noodling (obscure painting term) with. This small page will be a test run for my ideas. Along with making the paper smoother the gesso also adds a flexible durability to the surface which I like.
The gesso is already dry and since I can't tear myself away from this project just yet I'm going to start with a light wash of orange. Have you heard that orange is the new black? Um, okay I don't know that for a fact, but I do know that you don't come here to read about fashion :p Bye for now.

Mystery project day two

This morning two pieces of the mystery project are clear. The only things visible are the brush strokes in the gel medium.

I used the secret weapon for this piece, and as a result the surface is very smooth. I really like this effect quite a bit.

Flatlander gets off of floor. Evolution at the basic level is achieved!

Hi there! I'm working at a table now like most people normally do. I can't say that sitting on the floor was too bad, but it did make for some stiff legs after awhile. Anyway, here is the latest painting carnage:

First, something different. What is this mysterious, opaque something or other?... come back again later and find out what becomes of this piece
and this piece. I guarantee you will be surprised!
One of my new brushes- it's nice! Perfect for this acrylic medium.
New additions to the midnight episode 2 piece..

Close up on some details

Stopping here for tonight.

Loot & a coupon

Michael's craft store was having a 4 hour "madness" sale with a 25% off your total bill (if you brought in the coupon) including items that were on sale. I got two 2-packs of 16x20 canvas, some liquid copper, 3 synth. brushes suitable for acrylic, black acrylic, and an extender for my paint. I'm looking forward to some paintin'.

I forgot a few things.. tape for making curves. It's like pin-striping tape and I thought of ways I can use it on the canvas, so I got two; also a seam ripper that has a mini sewing kit stashed in the handle.


Here is the old Mars Black R.I.P. When I opened the lid powder poured out of the tube- she's a goner fer sure.


Here is my first hand made toy for you know who, whose name will probably be "Violet" unless we find another name that better suits her personality birdonality.

I found a few web pages that sold bird safe vegetable tanned leather, beads, and other knick-knacks to chew on and bought some stuff. Pet toys are expensive, and I'd rather spend the 40 bucks and make several of my own toys than spend the same amt. on maybe 3 big toys. Besides Violet isn't going to be that big of a bird and going the DIY route gives me lots of flexibility in toy making, especially once I see what she likes.

Flatland goes flat

Painting in Flatland doesn't happen very often, but recently I've been wanting to do something creative and painting kept coming to mind. Some techniques I've seen recently have inspired me to just do it.
Painting at midnight, episode 1:



Painting at midnight, episode 2:
I want to doodle with the paintbrush loaded with red paint on a wet canvas primed with a medium.

I didn't like the result so I managed some fancy erasing and started again. This time doodling with the paint straight from the tube.
Nah..
Erasing some more, but this time I add color and continue erasing.
The secret weapon... shh.

I like how it looks at this point, and it gave me an idea for another set of canvas after seeing it next to the episode 1 piece. The gold paint in both paintings is very bright and sparkly without appearing like glitter. For some reason I had the James Bond Gold Fingggaaaarrrr sound track going through my mind when I used it.. I can't imagine why.