Plotting an idea

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we have had to create our own lexicon of shapes to create an alphabet. But when we did it we didn’t know what letters we would be given for each challenge. in this case i just have 90 degree and obtuse angles, little squares and moon shapes. How do you fit them together to make a face? And as the subject was a self portrait I didn’t know whether to do something current or a piece based on previous work. In the end I based the final drawing in black and white ink pen, on my 1981 self portrait from when I was a fine art student. The resulting picture doesn’t really resemble the original (not publishing them here) but it was an interesting experiment.

One annoyance is that as I’m using sketchbooks the shadow where the paper does not make proper contact with the glass is really bugging me, I will have to either cut pages out or work out a way of supporting the sketchpad.

I am going to be busy in future so I may visit WordPress a bit less, but I like using this as a diary and sketchbook so I wont be far away.

Drawing

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One of the things I have to do on this illustration course is of course drawing. But I want to learn to do more digitally/visually. Its been a few years since I have drawn at websites or used photoshop. I usually use apps, which is fine, but I need to hone my skills. Finding out again how to shade and add texture. I used to be able to do it straight away, but after three or four years of not using photoshop it takes time to pick things up again. Plus I keep getting error messages- I don’t think Adobe know anyone who still has the programme I’m using, when I looked at a couple of YouTube tutorials the screen appeared different with a black background and far more sophisticated tools, I think I’m going to have to save up and invest!

So this is a little doodle based on an illuminated I. I actually submitted a pen and ink drawing, but there’s nothing wrong with experimenting and learning. In the meantime its hot and muggy and thunderstorms are due!

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Cherries, before the storm.

We just picked all these from the lower branches of our cherry tree. Had to use steps to get at some of them. We go for the lower hanging fruit but try and leave the unripe ones. The birds are getting ready to feast. Some of the fruit has already been pecked. Blackbirds and wood pigeons are particularly partial to them.

Hubby used a broom to hook the branches while I climbed up a couple of steps ( I’m too wobbly to go right up). Then he climbed to strip a well laden branch. Luckily they are bendy so it does no damage to pull on them. We’ve got a bowl full of cherries ready to ripen. Saves them blowing off in the wind which is whipping the branches about. The forecast is for big thunder storms later. It got to 33.3°C in places yesterday. Hot!

Ice lolly 6 pence?

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I can remember before decimalisation in the UK when money came in LSD, (pounds, shillings and pence) if you bought an icecream cone it might be 6d, which meant you paid a sixpenny piece or two thrupences 3d.

This picture is after decimalisation. Because the prices, like 6p have the new letter. I remember sixpence old money  was 2 1/2 pence in new money (we actually had coins marked as ‘new pence’).

Oh how times change! Dracula and Dalek ice lollies! I think they still sell funny faces though. As they say ‘I scream you scream, we all scream for ice-cream!’

Profile

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Profile

You looked out in May

So proud and keen

Your profile reflected in glass

In the window.

Sure you would keep safe.

The sky would not fall…

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Now you have dissolved,

Lost your identity.

Impaled on shards of humanity.

Sifted and sprinkled

With covid 19.

Stay safe they said

As you disappeared.

Catch up with urban sketchers

Two for the price of one! The first was tonight’s sketch… Environment. It was going dark so I drew the fence with some hanging baskets, with our weather station above them. It measures wind rain, temperature and pressure. The dusky sky is visible above the silhouette of the buildings opposite.

The second drawing is spots and stripes. It was due on Tuesday 23.6.20, but I forgot. The first time through all these challenges that I missed doing one. The stripey thing is a cover on our settee. There are spotty and stripey cushions on it and a spotty lampshade. Neither drawing is articulately exciting. They are just about how and where I live..

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Doodles

A few recent adventures in digital art. Trying for something a bit different to what I normally do.

Why? Its easy to say “because I can”. I’d rather say ” because its interesting” or “because I’m learning from my mistakes”.

What is the audience? Well, people viewing my page, also in this case my Facebook Art page. Maybe, one day, a wider audience.

Used ArtRage Pro app to draw these and my tablet and stylus.

Shibui

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I’ve just been invited to join a page on Facebook about Shibui. A Japanese word that seems to mean calm and understated. The art there is ‘found’ with things like paint splatters or blown watercolour paint used to create images. Maybe trees, maybe flowers.

I  had a go at creating something. I used my finger to draw on my the screen and created a digital image. Using a few apps to make something interesting. I want to find out more about the art form.

My favourite Star Trek character.

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Always was, always will be. Spock. Played by Leonard Nimoy in the original series.

I quite like Zachary Quinto who plays him in the recent Star Trek movies. I haven’t seen the new outing of a new Star Trek series with Spock played by a different actor, and Captain Pike before Captain Kirk took over the part.

Anyway this was drawn at an old website called sketchfu which is sadly missed by a lot of people.

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