Today’s variation

_20200721_233830

Work for my course. Take four images, a person walking, an animal, a recognisable plane and a building or part of a building. Three of them are mine and the fourth is a fellow student. I turned the images into tarot cards this time. I enjoyed doing this one. I tried to make it more coherent than the other three I’ve done. I’ve also got an usk challenge to do. I might try and get it done today.

X

Second idea

_20200719_165850

Fireworks. That’s what this is called. This is my second variation using four initial A6 images on an A3 page. I played with the background I did yesterday, with more black ink, more shading, but I added iridescent white to brighten plus thin strips of paper to try and make little explosions to brighten it.

Next step may be to swap a couple of images. I might cut into one or two of them. We will see….

Glass

FB_IMG_1595155188611

Just found this on my Facebook page of glass cabochons I made in a workshop that my friend did a wireweave around. They each have chains and they were for sale in my craft stall last year. I sold a couple but they are sitting safe in a bag waiting for when I can do it again.

The pleasure of art is that it helps me mentally. Doing workshops where I learn new things also helps. This lockdown has been difficult. I don’t want to go out much. I can’t go to workshops and apart from the risks of going shopping, I’m socially isolating myself. Yes I might miss a few things, but I feel safer that way. I think our government has lifted lockdown too early. I think it will lead to another spike. Am I being too pessimistic? Possibly.

X

Juxtaposed

FB_IMG_1595155239254

Juxtaposed they sat

The jelly mold and the light

Till they got in a fight

The triceratops came off worst

The cat pounced

Paw out

Dinosaurs leg fell off

Juxtaposed in opposition

They growled

And snarled.

Only in the dark

The cats eyes sharp

Wobbled over to the triceratops

Whose battery had gone flat.

Batted it with a jelly paw

Splat!

Now he’s really flat!

Morning time.

Bin time

Sorry you can’t be glued.

Now jelly mold

Hangs it’s head in shame

Magnetised with a hook

To the fridge!

Morning glory seedlings

Morning glory seedlings growing up in our bathroom. I’m amazed at how many germinated. Usually I only get a handful of seedlings. But this year it was warm for days when I put them in. It was warm for about a week. The packets directions said that they can take a few weeks to grow. Now I’m waiting for it to be properly warm again so I can get them outside. It’s been cool for a couple of weeks with rain and cold winds. But I want them out in the sun, growing gorgeous flowers.

X

Catello Argonese, island of Ischia, bay of Naples

_20200718_210232

Today we had a virtual sketch tour of the Catello Argonese with urban sketchers Stoke-on-Trent.

I didn’t wake up in time to do the mornings sketching, so I took a screenshot and worked from that.

It’s just a 6B pencil sketch. On cartridge paper in an A4 sketchbook. I enjoyed mooching round, trying to fit the shapes together. It’s a bit like a jigsaw puzzle.

Anyway I’m pleased with the result.

X

Introducing an illustrator

IMG-20200715-WA0001

As part of my illustration course I’m meeting fellow artists and more about their lives.

I thought I’d share a lady called Zoe Ainsworth-Grigg’s website so you can see what one of the other students do.

http://www.zoeainsworthgriggbooks.com

She’s a children’s author and illustrator, you can see some of things she’s involved with on her site.

I might share more about my new friends as the course goes on.

Enjoy x

Busy time

_20200716_173853

Part of an illustration I’m working on for my college course. I have to fit four A6images I create into an A3 sheet. Having to work on dots per inch sizes, screen resolution… Relearning photoshop that I’d forgotten. Its getting there slowly.

There are other programmes I might investigate, like something called procreate… Hmm. Too many bells and whistles perhaps?

X

More fresh cherries off the tree

DSC_2747

Hubby went up the step ladder this afternoon and got some more delicious ripe cherries off the lower branches of the tree. The really bright red and dark red ones are too high up. A lot of the ones he got had peck marks in them and splits where they had started to burst their skins. I put about twenty or so on the bird table and then more bad ones in the bin when we came in. But it’s still a good haul. I’m thinking of doing another trifle…. Yum.

Now they are safe and washed and in the fridge, but they won’t last long…

Back yard view

IMG_20200715_210913_045

Doing what we always do this time of year. Cram the back yard full of flowers. We have a big patch of land next to the house, but it’s full of trees and shrubs and fruit trees and a couple of small plastic greenhouses with tomatoes. But the back yard is visible from the kitchen and living room and I love a riot of colour. The baskets are mainly from a nursery, but some managed to survive the winter. My hubby even planted an iris in one of the baskets. We’ve put a couple of lilies in the far end so the cat can’t get near them (poisonous to cats).

They will grow and get blousier. It’s amazing that the brackets can hold three baskets in one go. Water the top one and the lower ones get watered too.

I will post more images as they grow.