Thought of something to say

I have been taking some more drawing classes!  And having so much fun, it ought to be illegal.  Since I am such a newbie, it takes me forever to finish a drawing, but I don't care.  Even I didn't really believe a 69 year old could learn to draw.  But I am learning.  So anyone out there that wants to draw or paint or anything - just start doing it.

So.  I took a class from Artful Gathering 2012.  Elizabeth Johnson was the instructor and we used Graphitint pencils to draw an owl.  Think the title of the course was Portrait of Beauty.  And this is mine.  Hope you like it.

Where did all the days go?

Time needs to slow down a bit, like it did when I was young and summer lasted forever . I thought it had been just a week or so since I updated this blog.  Oops again.

Anyway, got another couple of male drawings for you, and if I ever get around to scanning in the cards I made lately, I'll get them in too.

So here are the two new ones.  I finally actually added some hair, but need a tad more practice.  These are both modeled from photos I found on the web, FLicker I think, but should have written it down.  If they are yours, please email and I will happily add the  info.

My daughter and her hubby tell me the second one is Johnny Depp.  Guess it does look a little like him.

Portraits - Male

Yup.  Same day.  Bombarding you with entries so you can feel good about checking in.

CHA is in full swing, which means a shrinking bank account.  Everything is so expensive, especially for us retirees.  Why don't these on line companies have a senior discount?  Just sayin.  I still haven't bought the last set of Copic colors they came out with.  Yummy colors, but right now I am deeply immersed (trying to sound intelligent here) in graphite, Derwent Graphitint and Prismacolor colored pencils.  And trying to write this while my cat keeps pushing things off my desk.  Sheesh.

I have this terrific basement apartment ( or Mother in law suite depending on who I am talking to ) with bedroom, full kitchen, laundry room etc.  I like etc. don't I?  So my daughter has brought down all her artsy stuff, which was a ton, and every room is crowded with artsy/crafty stuff.  Like a multi-room studio with a tv, recliner and bed.  Can't eat in the kitchen any more (usually eat upstairs with dd and dsil anyway) so beautiful antique oak table is covered in a see thru shower curtain, and that is covered in newsprint paper to protect precious oak so dd doesn't end my life prematurely.  Which you can hardly see for all the supplies scattered around it.  I love it.  Stunningly gorgeous solid oak buffet (purchased at Habitat for Humanity for a song) is filled with art supplies and art books.  'Living' room has cabinets along most of the walls, filled with supplies. I got lots.

So why did I mention this?  I don't know.  I started with CHA didn't I?  Well, I'm 69.  I can wander if I want.

CHA.  Ok.  Everyone is wild about the new Tim Holtz and Dyan Reavely goodies.  Don't kick me or leave nasty remarks, but I'm getting tired of Tim.  Love, love the distress inks and markers.  Just generally ho hum. Sorry Timmy fans.  Just not much there I am drooling over.  Although I do like the palettes.  Got my distress inks in one (kept waiting for them to dry, and finally learned they wouldn't - can't sit that one on it's side) and plan to get another for all these alcohol inks I went nuts over and never used.  Now that they have the refillable pen, I can use them a lot like my Copics.  Once I get over my graphite and colored pencil obsession.

While I am really drawn to the colors of the Reavely sprays, the Frugal Crafter http://thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com demonstrated how to make my own with acrylic paint and stuff.  So all I have to get are some spray bottles since I have tubes and jars and bottles of acrylic like mad all over the place.  Spellbinders of course has a zillion new dies.  They are gorgeous, but frankly, I can't affored $20 or more for a die I may end up using maybe 3 times.  Besides, I have a gazelle and can cut just about whatever I want in the die cut area.  the Gazelle has a 3 point print and cut too, so I can do that as well.  Cool.  Penny Duncan http://pennyduncancreations.blogspot.com has gorgeous files that work really well.  I was lucky enough to read her blog way back so I must have most of her files cause she gave them away free back then.  She still does, bless her, but they are only available for a few days, so you gotta keep up.  She sells cd's or dvd's, don't know which, with all her files on them.  Totally worth it.

Well, I've been a blabbermouth today, but I think I have finally run out of words.  I'm going to grab a graphite pencil and practice, practice, practice some more.

Here are shots from the Portraits:Males class so far.  I'm behind.  No surprise there, huh?

And yes, they are bald.  I really hate doing hair.  But I have found, much to my surprise, that the male faces are far more interesting to draw than the female faces.   Who wudda guessed?  Anyway, the black and white was roughly drawn, with a few changes and not at all accurately, from a photo I found in a google search.  Don't know who it is or who photographed it, so if anyone knows I will be glad to give credit if you want it or can even recognize it as yours. Just leave a comment and I will gladly add it.

I did say I was going to shut up didn't I?  Lied.

And a photo of my Pomeranian, JJ.  Just because I am nuts about him and I can.  It's my blog, see.

Wow! I knew it had been awhile....

Sorry gals.  Really.  Kinda embarrassed too.  I may not be a dedicated blogger, but come on, over 2 months?

I have been totally immersed in the portrait class I am taking from Rhomany http://rhomany.org.uk/.  She has a unique system that doesn't involve those stinking ovals that I can't draw, and her system worked.  I can finally put the bits (eyes, nose etc.) in the right places.  I have learned so much from her.  She is a fantastic instructor and gives you a critique that helps you enormously!

I still have a way to go, of course, but I'm quite pleased with my progress so far.  I CAN draw.  I CAN!

ok.  So I am a bit excited.  Very, actually.

So here are a few of my first female efforts.

What I Am Working On

Can't believe I still have 5 faithful followers, I post so seldom.  Lots of activity here.  Daughter got married which kept me pretty busy, then 2 days later my new Step Grand Daughter In Law, Sarah, got in an auto accident with a UPS truck and was in ICU for nearly a week. She suffered slight brain' bruising', whatever that means.  It affected her speech and right side of her body.  It has been over a month now and she has been in both speech and physical therapy.  She is at home and can finally walk by herself without wobbling and needing someone to hold on to her.  Her speech is improving and she and dd sit here with me and do 'art therapy' which is helping improve her eye/hand coordination.  Full recovery is expected and she will be able to graduate.

So.  I have been busy.

Now I am looking ahead to getting some art in.  I have joined the 29 faces and am excited to also be taking the Portraits course by Rhomany.  It is awesome!  This woman gives you so much information that other instructors always seem to think you already know.  And you don't have to draw an oval (I can't. They are always wonky) she works from squares and it MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.    I can't tell you (well, won't confess) how many on line portrait classes I have taken, but still spend most of the time erasing.  It shouldn't be that difficult.  Now it won't be.  I highly recommend Rhomany's Portraits course.  I've signed up for all 3.  She has female, male and the last is stylized which teaches clothing and accessories and stuff like that I think.  Don't care.  Want them all.  I actually learn from Rhomany.

Here's the link: http://rhomany.org.uk/classes/

Check it out.  She also has a Ustream channel that I watched before signing up for the class.  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/rhomany-s-realm

So here are 2 faces (before Rhomany's class started) that took me most of the 2 days to complete.  The 3rd day I threw away.  It was really bad.

Above is May 1.  This gal needs better shampoo and conditioner, doesn't she?  Very limp.

This is May 2.  You may notice that I didn't mess with hair at all on this one.  I don't know what to do with hair.  Rhomany will teach me.  Also, they are already beginning to look like the same person, just with different bad hair days.  I have GOT to learn not to draw the same face over and over, in spite of all the erasing!!!

Well, gonna work this weekend on my Rhomany homework, so I'm thinking I might not actually make 29 faces.  Or will.  Guess I and you faithful 5 will find out.

Love ya
Hugs
Sande
  

Some New Things I have Done

What can I say?  I have been practicing and painting and drawing and having so much FUN.  I got supplies from Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium.  After you join the yahoo group (same name) you can shop in the OWSE shop site.  Great gals and they have a nice mix of cardmakers, art journalers, stampers, well, crafters in general.  Also, challenges for everyone to win great prizes and weekly specials and tutorials.

Anyway, here are a few of the artworks I have finished, and photographed.

Enjoy.

This is from a Tamara (willowing.ning.com) class.  

And this is my first She Art from Christy Tomlinson's She Art class.  Can't tell you how much fun it was!

Hope you enjoy!

Journal Classes

I am having so much fun!  My daughter and I hauled out all the art supplies we have been hoarding for years and gathered them in my craft area (my entire apartment).  They will finally be used instead of occasionally touched and hugged and put away again!

The Tamara LaPorte Portraits class is moving along fairly well.  Lots and lots of practice and I finally can draw a face that looks, well, a little more like a mannequin than a human, but human-ish which is great progress for me.  I can now draw eyes the same size, on the same face, and in the correct position!

I finished my first LifeBook lesson above.  That is my very first ever background (couldn't tell could ya) hehehe.  Now that I have gotten over my inner "but what is it FOR" demands I can learn to stamp and smear and paint and stencil and ink with wild abandon for no other purpose than to have fun.  And with more practice, I will get better and better and ya'll will eat your hearts out!

Till next time.

Merry Christmas to all!

Hope everyone has a very very lovely Christmas Day!

I know I have been among the missing.  I'm never sure what to say so I decided I would just ramble on.

One reason I have been among the missing is that I am busy taking Art lessons on-line!  I have always wanted to learn to draw, and lately have wanted to learn both mixed media and collage.  Beginning to get tired of doing cards.  Not certain what I will do with the new finished artwork projects, but I didn't know what to do with all those cards either.  It's all for fun anyway.

Right now I am busy with Tamara Laporte's Portrait class http://willowing.ning.com/, then I will do Whimsey and Art Journal (me, and Art Journal!!!).  Her Life Book series starts in January and from the looks of it will keep me pretty busy.  I also want to take several of Suzi Blu's classes http://suziblu.ning.com/.

When I finish something I won't mind people seeing, I will post it here.  In the meantime, here are a few cards I have done.  Could we call them a Christmas present?

So Excited!!

Boss Kut has not only a software upgrade but a motherboard upgrade as well.  The combo is primarily for Print and Cuts, which to be honest, I haven't had a big problem with - but I'm all for easier so I ordered my new motherboard as a Christmas present to me.

I can't say enough for Boss Kut, that they are not forcing me to purchase an entirely new machine for this upgrade.  Not many companies would go that far for existing owners.  They have the best customer service going as far as I am concerned.

I haven't used my little Gazy a fraction as much as I had planned to.  Got sidetracked with Copics - Taking lessons, practicing and practicing and so on.  Gazy sat by gathering dust along with my Prismacolor pencils, which I love, and a lot of other supplies.  Well, the new upgrade gave me a kick where I needed one to put Copics aside for awhile and start using my Gazy.

I have tons of gorgeous cutting files from Penny Duncan (side bar) and Paulo at http://scale-files.blogspot.com.  They are both such totally talented and amazing designers and they GIVE their designs away to us far less talented people.  I appreciate them both so much!

So now I'm guessing you might be expecting an example aren't you?  Well, I don't have any new ones yet, but I do have a couple of really bad photos of a couple I made with an intricate Penny Duncan file that cut just beautifully.

BAD PHOTOGRAPHY, GREAT FILE

Isn't that a gorgeous file (ignore how bad the photos are please - so embarrassing)?  I took the little wings off for the pink card, mostly because I tore the blamed thing taking it off the mat.  Since then I have learned how to remove delicate cuts from the mat without destroying them.  I tried that little Cricut spatula thingee and it gouged stuff to bits.  Then I discovered pins.  Plain ole pins get under and lift SO EASY!

Now for those of you who are gluttons for punishment and keep reading, or are designers who can enjoy a good chuckle (or a smug smile) I have one more card that I actually created a cut file for!  GASP!  Yes, it's true.  The little checked border.  Won't win any prizes, but yep, made it meself!  It is a card for my sister, in chemo after cancer breast surgery.

Black checked border by ME.  Image by Cheryl Seslar, colored with Copics.  Paper from stash.  Really big stash.

Well, that's it for today.  I'm going to get busy with my Gazy for the rest of the day.  Be blessed yall.

Autumn is in the air, so I'm thinking Spring

Autumn has arrived!  It is so gorgeous here in the Georgia Mountains.  Gotta love it.  But I would love it a lot more if it jumped right into Spring.  Autumn means Winter and 30 degree temperatures and snow.  Snow and cold are two of my least favorite things.  I have really tried to convince daddy God that a little adjustment would be very welcome, but as anyone can see, He has chosen to leave it as it is.  Sigh.  I can't be sure, but it just may be that He figures I am blessed enough as it is.  And I am.  Such a spoiled brat, really.

Meanwhile, there are still many mysteries to life.  For instance, while I truly intended to enter many challenges, this has not happened.  For one thing, you have to find a challenge that hasn't got 500 entries already.  500 to one is not the greatest of odds.  Then you have to create a card that suits the challenge.  Well, I can't slap one together in a day.  Takes me that long to pick out JUST the right paper.  Then a day to Copic the image and start assembly and then learning that what you had in your head is really not working out on the card.  So there is another day redesigning.

Not to mention the TIME involved in finding the challenges.  Exhausting really.  So as much as I love to win prizes, I think I will just post what I make and if it accidentally fits a challenge, terrific.

And --  I found one.  (yes, the crowd can go wild with applause and relief)  It is for the Color Me Copic Challenge group and is a 'boy' card.  Not sure how boyish this is, but little boys like dogs, right?

It's a little washed out from the flash.  The black cardstock should be, well, black.  And Bowzer is a nice dark brown.  Will I ever get the hang of this?



http://scrapbitzcopics.ning.com/group/cmccopicchallengegroup is where the Boys Boys Boys challenge is located.

Hope you enjoy.