Monday 30 March 2015

Difficult Week but still Painting

It has not been the easiest of weeks, and although I have dated my paintings each day they were not in all honesty done daily.  I did have at least two days of no art at all.  I quite like this first one, I have started to use even more of my art supplies for improved effect.
This dramatic girl was done on my paint palette page in the style of the paint palette Polly's I did, trying a new direction with them so I can continue at some point.  I did find the drama of the piece quite uplifting.
A similar style in my art journal, not one of my better days but at least I managed to throw some paint about and have a practice.  I did like the colour palette.
I did like the style of this one.  I did the initial sketch with a brush so it did start off a bit looser, then refined it at the end with pencils.

Right up to this morning, whilst some of my collage work was drying out I got out some soft pastels and a sketch book and did this one just from my head with no reference picture, she is quite interesting and I still do not really know what I am doing with pastels, would love to learn to use them correctly with the effects I have seen.  But no pencil work on this, all done with soft pastels.
Lastly I finished this one off this afternoon.  Paint and collage to the back and she is painted and coloured using pencils, inks, pastels, oil pastels and paints.  Hope to have time to try another tomorrow before again (hopefully) finding the time to start my new faces course with Gulfsprite on Wednesday.
With Easter upon us I will probably loose more time, and its my Dad's birthday on Saturday so a family gathering for that and mine the week after.. I am hoping to go out then as there is a dog show at one of the local rescue's I support and I would love to take my pretty girl Rhubarb to the fun dog show.  Also have the day job getting in the way from time to time too, but should not complain about that one, that is to keep me in art supplies so a necessary evil.

Monday 23 March 2015

keeping up the practice

It is harder than I thought to keep this up!  But so far so good, I have managed to drag myself into the arty space every day and do 'something' not always a finished page but 'something' involving a brush, crayon or pencil.
Not every face is perfect or 'great' but niether is every day, nor every face in reality.  The good news is though there is a new course called Painted Faces III with Gulfsprite, starting on April 1st - and my seat is 'almost' booked.
I feel sure there will be a marked improvement in what you see then.  I need help with shading I know, and a few other of the finer details.
As you see, above all a visual journal is a place to 'play' it really doesnt matter if each page is not a total 'delight' often they are not, and most people do not have to even show them to a soul if they would rather not.  Must say I do have pages that are really 'bleugh' and even I dont own up to.
Still working on the bodies too, not going so well as yet, but at least I am not shying away from them and having a go.  Must say I do like this visual journal to work in, the paper is good as is the size (I think its 12 x 9) though I do prefer to work larger this is good too, really could not go much smaller though.
Above was a page I finished off a couple of hours ago, it is the hair I was working on and I used coloured pencil on a lot of the face and hair alongside paints and inks.  Yes, her nose and mouth are a bit dodgy but hey................ its a nice background...  I even used my gelatos on this one, not had those out to play for a while.

Wednesday 18 March 2015

Art Every Day

Still going strong and managing to do some form of art every day, even those days when time is so short I manage to do something.
Not everything turns out the way I would like, but I do feel I am making lots of progress and at the same time having plenty of idea's of the direction I would like to go.
The main thing is to enjoy what you do, and one of the BIGGEST lessons I have just learnt in my 'disease to please' book... is about seeking approval, this can be as bad for you as many other things in life.  Luckily my Mum gives me lots of encouragement and approval, but learning not to seek it elsewhere is a very important lesson, and once that can be shaken it is another way of freeing up your anxieties and concentrating on pleasing yourself.. and why not?
Now my pages have been photographed I can see I do need to work on the shape's of their faces a little, they are reminding me of 'spitting image' puppets, LOL.  I am enjoying this new journal too, its a Strathmore Mixed Media 9" x 12" so a nice size and the paper takes a lot of layers with no struggles too.
I have purchased some great fashion books to copy my models from and learn more poses for them.  Finally back to have idea's a plenty and not enough free hours to put them on paper, but rather that than a lack of mojo or enthusiasm.  Those of us lucky enough to have found art are very fortunate, we can shut out the rest of our worries and live on our pages of colour for a while............ Bliss.
anyone who suffers from this awful affliction of 'People Pleasing' I cannot recommend this book enough it shows you exactly what this can do to you, and explains why it needs to stop and you need to learn to start living for you!

Friday 13 March 2015

New me, New Style

Starting as I mean to go on, with the 'new me' thing I have even managed to find the time each day since my last post to do some art.  Above was on Tuesday, I had the idea I wanted to try some daffodils as spring is struggling to begin here, though we do have daffodils and crocus out and about which are a delight to witness.  The girl is my version of one in a fashion illustrator book I am learning from, while I try to make my girls less 'stiff' and a little more movement in them, still a way to go I know but improving I feel.
On Wednesday my new idea was developing slowly, not quite sure what prompted this one but I think she does have 'something' about her.
Thursday I have very little time for art (or much else) I had already played with a background so just added a quick sketch in paint again with the help of the fashion illustrator book.  Still developing the new idea's I have.
Up to today which is Friday, back into the new journal.  My husband is home today and he peered over my shoulder and said 'oh, still in dont give a sh*t mode then?' as he feels my work has improved as a result.  See if I can keep it up now, nearly 49 years as a "People Pleaser" is not going to disappear over night it needs a lot of work.  Fingers crossed again, I am enjoying my new works and new idea's, not helping much with the sleep thing though as I would rather be up and painting.

Monday 9 March 2015

People Pleasing

Have you noticed how nice and friendly my blog has always been? never an opinion, or any phrase or offering that just 'might' offend somebody somewhere?  This is part of the definition of 'People Pleasing'.  I had no idea what this actually was until recently (actually this weekend) whilst reading This Book I read that the author had penned another book called 'disease to please' I have ordered this one too.
I always thought that pleasing people was a good thing, it would make you a nice person and gain love and respect from those around you.... WRONG!!! it is very bad and take it from me it can also make you very ill.
To learn more after some on-line research I found this video on you tube that tells you more and starts the path to sorting this out.  As my daughter is often keen to remind me, I will be in my 50th year next year, and spent an entire lifetime trying to please, and trying to please two specific people in my life, who have always bullied and put me down, stamped on my confidence and near destroyed me.  The above video just explained in no uncertain terms that I will NEVER make them happy or gain their approval, and why on earth do I find it necessary to seek approval from anyone?  Now is the time to begin living for me....
Here is the new Strathmore journal I treated myself too.  The first picture is my first page... When I purchased it last week it was to be my 'happy journal'.  Hopefully it still will be my Happy Journal, but more likely it will be my 'honest' journal, I may share some of the pages here but not all - not because they might offend you, but to keep some things more private.
Above is my 50/100 faces I am still working through with my arty pals on instagram.  The background was not my idea but shamelessly stolen from Jenniebellie, its 'spirograph' I highly recommend this childhood toy, its just so much fun - I also got some stencils to match.  The face was drawn in inktense pencil, which is why there is so much blue.. I think she has attitude, do you?

Dont be like me, and try to please everyone.  It is an impossible task.

Wednesday 4 March 2015

Sad Neglected Blog

Happy New Year!!! Well, what can I say? who would have thought it would be almost 3 months since my last blog post?  Without going into too much of the boring stuff, 'below post' little dog was very poorly and my health took a downward too.  All is well now though, near enough and we are back to it.  I did do a small amount of art works but not so much, yesterday I had a good few hours in my long lost art room and came up with these, so lets start from 'now' eh?  I wanted to learn 'movement' in my art, so my girls are not so stationary so my last book was on fashion illustration. 
Finding it quite easy to do and enjoying the effects.  I put the above face on my instagram account and it seemed quite acceptable to my arty pals on there.  Having also made the realisation I cannot earn a living from art no matter how I try - I am also starting a new business in dog walking, I want a door sign to advertise and cards etc, so trying to get something together for that too, to show my arty side as well as what I am to be doing.  Hence needed to learn about movement.
I am not giving up on my art by any means.  Just taking off the pressure and giving myself the means to afford my paint, books and on-line classes.

Must add, another reason for needing to restart my blog is I have been lucky enough to do an interview with the wonderful JENNIBELLIE not sure when this will go live, but I will let you know when it does.  There is a link there to my blog, instagram and etsy shop - so need to be sure they are all active.

All is now well in doggie land here.  My new girl is now getting back to full health, and we are all getting along nicely.  So I will close with one of our fave photo's of the three of them together.