Trees (Sunday Sketches)

I've been wanting to draw trees lately.  I finally finished one I started a couple months ago. Then I worked on a simple one (with the swing) with my 8 year old drawing beside me. I love how his turned out but he doesn't want me to share it.

I started a faerie picture for faerie day but I can't seem to get back to it. I don't know if trees are inspiring me because of what is going on in our lives with my father in law being so ill but for some reason, trees seem to fit the bill of what I need to be drawing.

We celebrated my father in law's 70th birthday this past weekend and it was a lovely day. He was so alert. He ate, joined in conversation and laughed a lot. I'm so glad he was able to have a birthday like that. There are days when he is feeling so unwell and despondant that we wonder if he will be with us at the end of the summer.

Anyway, maybe the trees signify life to me...beauty, strength and being alive...

Sea Turtle (Sunday Sketches)

Today I felt like I needed some colour and whimsy. I've been finding myself looking at a lot of beach pictures lately. It's one of my favourite places to be...sand & sun...feeling warm to the core. I've been needing to feel that safe place. We are still kind of reeling from hubby's dad's diagnosis. He is on his second round of chemo but unfortunately one of the meds is causing his heart rate to increase to a scary number so they've taken it out. This med is also a major part of the chemo so...  

Anyway, I've noticed a lot of sea turtles in my beach browsing and decided to draw a mosaic type one because I knew I'd get a chance to try a lot of different designs and colours. I don't know why I chose the patterns I did but looking at it now, I can see how they all make me think of some of the different emotions jumbled up inside of me. 

It feels great to have drawn something again and to be back on Sunday Sketches. Thank you Alexandra for hosting this art community. I hope you are feeling better. I've been avoiding the art blogs for a bit because I didn't feel inspired to do much. I'm really hoping with the beautiful weather that's finally here, that I can get myself back on track and keep making new things.

Dreaming of Spring (Sunday Sketches)

This is not complete but I think if I don't post it now I won't get a chance to put it up for Sunday Sketches. I'll continue working on it tonight. The original flower was one I've seen online but when I took a screenshot I only saved it under flower...I know...anyway, I will look for the link and add the source to the post.

I am desperate for Spring to come. I'm just at the tail end of my second cold of this year...which I am blaming on the weather. It honestly knocked me on my back for the last few days. I don't usually nap when I'm sick because I'm always having to run with kids somewhere, but this week, I called people to help and if it was something I had to do I would set the timer on the stove and crash on the couch. Hubby and the kids were helpful but they fully enjoyed the fact that I had no voice (at all...nada) for 5 days.

So bring on sunshine and warm weather. I am truly done with this white stuff.

***ok, I've finished with the colours. Happy SS!

...searching

Lots of self reflection going on this summer. Unfortunately not much time to do it.  I think I've realized that I want to feel more "joy". I'm trying to consciously stay in the moment and look for joy within me and around me.

Anyway, today it came out as this drawing. It's totally not my comfort style but I find when I'm looking at other blogs, I'm drawn to the colours and whimsy. I can't do that with the portrait style that I usually draw. So maybe it's time for something new. These pencil crayons aren't of the highest quality and I find they don't blend well. I only have a nice set of skin-tone colours so I had to raid my kids left over school art supplies for the colours I wanted. The pink I wanted for the word Joy wasn't what I found but there is a limey-green in here that I am loving.

Happy Sunday Sketches!

Live without Boundaries

I was out shopping today and saw this t-shirt on display with a picture of a road travelling off in the distance and the logo "live without boundaries." I had already paid for my purchase but I had to go back and find the shirt. I loved the colours and honestly the first thing that came to my mind was that it was perfect for my youngest son.  He's 7 and he is mighty. I call him my Force of Nature. There are times he can drive me to absolute exasperation and other times, he's the sweetest and most gentle little person you could meet. I use to say I wish he'd out grow the parts of his personality that wouldn't seem socially ok but then I realized he is resilient, strong and will stand up for himself. Yes sometimes it's still frustrating but I don't want him to change. Oddly enough, no one outside our immediately family has ever really experienced these particular personality traits (thankfully) and his teachers always say they can't see the child I've told them a story about in him at all...lol.

SO, obviously I bought him the shirt...even though it's going to hang on him like a dress. I also decided I wanted to try and draw it, in colour. Unfortunately, the picture is too big for my scanner and apparently my camera sucks. There are actually some lovely blues, greens and purples here, I swear ;) Still, happy I tried it cause it's a picture that I will associate with good feelings. Also, underneath this pic is another I drew a couple years ago of my little Force of Nature, when he was looking up at me from the pool. He was 3 or 4 when I took the photo that I drew from.

Happy Sunday Sketches.

Colour

I love looking at all the beautiful colours in many of the art blogs I follow. I want to work with colour but I just can't seem to get the same detail and shadowing as I can with graphite. That being said I've only tried 2 things with colour... Both with coloured pencils. I have however just purchased some watercolours...eek. On my bucket list this summer I'm planning to work with a couple of different mediums. Fingers crossed that I do it. Anyway, this is my start....

Since I do a lot of faces I figured I'd try a face part in colour.

This dandelion pic is one I found on the internet (without the words) and I really wanted to to try it myself. I think the original was watercolour and looked just gorgeous. I couldn't capture it with pencils though :(  Looking around the internet for the original so I can give credit.