Staring at me…

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Lined up, their beady eyes staring at me..

Two owls, mock leather and fake jewels. They sit on the sofa and look back at me. Is there a glint if evil in their eyes. If I fall asleep, will there be a great flapping of wings? Will they peck my face?

They are mocking me, watching me, sitting ready to pounce once I have closed my eyes. I just know it. Nightmares fastening their claws into my arms. Beaks ready to stab at my ears, eyes and mouth.

I remember being paralysed by the fear of them. Black and gold feathers brushing my hands. Their talons raking my veins, tangling in my hair.

How can I escape their gaze. Looking back at me. My reflection in their eyes? I want safety. Instead I may be trapped inside them, in their black lined guts. Lost forever in their gaze.

Today’s challenge was ‘busy’

Today’s drawing session, these are for my Urban Sketchers Stoke-on-Trent daily challenge. I thought I would share them, I was planting up pots and trying to tidy up, plus attacking the ivy that’s taken over the garden. Finally had a beer with my hubby and then came round onto the back yard to listen to the blackbird singing on the chimney tops. That was wonderful. So melodious

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Yesterday, VE day…

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In other parts of the city there have apparently been large congregations of people, playing house music late into the night to celebrate VE day. People are so badly informed and they are clearly not thinking about social distancing and their own and their families safety.

But it’s been all quiet down our street for most of the day and evening.

However the people round the back of our house had an argument earlier on. My hubby could hear them (and he’s very deaf). I was inside so didn’t hear it. I’m wondering if we should have rung the police. It’s worrying what is going on behind closed doors.

I wanted to avoid VE day. There were so many deaths, so much sadness as well as the rejoicing.

I think lockdown needs to continue. We need to take it seriously. And don’t start me on Brexit!

In six months…

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It will be Autumn again.

The leaves will be turning.

The world will have changed.

Life may resume.

We will find out,

if the tragedy is over,

or only just begun?

Flowers will be dead and gone,

Fruit will be picked.

Cats will be snoozing.

Lives will be missed.

Everyone who stayed alive

Will thank their lucky stars.

Realise they have survived.

Through the virus wars.

Dragon in my sketchbook?

The dragon flew into my sketchpad from my imagination tonight. I was watching a series called Merlin on TV and it just sort of happened. The purple ink pen went a bit splodgy.

The world is still in lockdown. People want to escape but its not safe. So playing with glitter glue, ink pen and felt pens is just taking my mind off it. Then edited it to a negative image to be a bit different. 

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Tension

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I wake on a cliff edge.

Teetering, tottering..

Tension racks my shoulders

Stiff, creaking joints.

Sleep does not touch the tightness.

I feel like bones will break.

Mentally I’m OK,

Physically I’m OK

But my mind is tying my body in knots.

Spine fused with tension.

Like a gathering storm.

Waves waiting to break,

Teeth ground to sand.

Life fights.

Thunder clashes overhead.

Will I fall?

Will I stand.

Still.

 

Gecko

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I drew this at sketchfu probably about ten years ago. I’d drawn the orange and green pattern first, and then added the gecko afterwards. I love the idea of camouflage. I can’t remember if I made the lizard up or if I used an image of one from somewhere. If I did I would have modified the colours.

One problem with sketchfu was the way the colour laid down on the screen. Different drawing apps work differently. With sketchfu what happened was that if you did not have the pens on full opacity you got a slightly fuzzy effect. Imagine if you had an old felt pen. The colour is fading and the nib is a bit frayed. That’s what the effect of the pens on the digital app was like.

I hope you like my dinky little gecko.

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Day fourteen USK challenge.. Pets

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I drew this at about 3.30am but waited to post till now. This is my fourteenth urban sketchers Stoke-on-Trent drawing.

I have tried to draw the darker areas with heavier pen strokes. The lighter ones I’ve drawn with the same pen, but trying not to put as much pressure on. I used a unipin ink pen 0.8 size nib. On an A5 sheet of cartridge paper.

The stripey thing he is lying on is a knitted cushion in the shape of an owl. It’s my cats favourite sleeping spot as it’s over the gap between the chair arms of our two arm chairs, so he gets the chance to sleep between the two of us when we are there. He’s lying there now. Dozing…

Another drawing

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Today’s #uskstoke challenge, day 13, Friday, back gate / door. As I don’t have a back gate these  are  reflections and distortions in the window of my back door. I hope you can see my hands and the black sketchbook reflected in the frosted glass. (it it frosted or patterned?). Anyway it’s quite difficult to draw your hands while you are drawing. They tend to move about, so this is more of an impression.

Some of the colour is outside, some inside. I think the patch of red and orange above my hands might be my face? I know the sketchbook is too small, bit it was difficult to see where the book ended and my cardigan started….