Ten minute sketches or less - a new goal

                                      Quick sketch of stream at Riccarton Bush off a photo I took

Tip on how to get lettering straight from a blog I follow

In this article there is a picture of a grid Liz places under her work to get lettering straight - great idea that came from her architecture background.

Liz and Borromini: Down the drive (and more): I love the way sketching the same thing brings back memories! This evening I felt like splashing some green paint (blue and yellow pai...

Fantails

October's theme for the sketchbook challenge - animal companions.

Fantails often are company on bush walks as they love to feast on the disturbed insects from the track. One of the friendliest little birds around.

Arty photos for inspiration

http://www.karlblossfeldtphotos.com/photos_list_live.asp?ID=14

Peacock Fountain Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Peacock Fountain Christchurch Botanic Gardens, a photo by 1artalive on Flickr.

Sketchcrawl 2013
one sketch is better than none I guess

Milford Bush Walk

The Budget Bus Trip sketch #1

Nine hours on a bus trip. I definitely needed to do something to break the boredom! Apart from endless sketches of sheep, hedges and cattle, there were 5 minute sketching opportunities now and again - it was a great challenge as whether I had finished or not the bus was moving on - no completeness here - just a general idea.
This was from the bus stop at Timaru.

sketchcrawl 2013

Sketchcrawl.
SketchaWhat?

October 19th

Damp day in Gore

A bit of urban sketching - i.e. not relying on my camera and getting something down in the sketch book in public. Still a challenge but fortunately Table Talk cafe was slightly deserted early morning and the coffee was excellent. Got this down very roughly in about 20 minutes as I ran into a new friend and it would have been rude to keep drawing!

Frugal stamping idea

For those of you with access to anchor products (go New Zealand made!) their containers often have anchors that are 3 dimensional and so make excellent little stamps. I just cut a square of plastic around the stamp to make a square shaped print. A technique that works well is stamping on tissue and then attaching the tissue onto whatever you are working on with gel medium or PVA glue (if you want the stamp to be semi- transparent). Happy stamping!

Art Journaling Practice

art journaling practice, a photo by 1artalive on Flickr.

Dina Wakly's "Art Journal Freedom" tutorial book has been fabulous. This is a practice exercise from the book. Finally creating some art journaling that I love.

Supplies

Well, I have just bought a new pentel waterbrush having searched some of the supplies of bloggers I follow and am so looking forward to having it on hand - I am still very self conscious about using my paints while out and I'm thinking this will help (discretely tipping some of my water bottle's contents into my palette is always tricky) having never heard of them before it will be interesting to see what they are like and how much I actually use them.

May's sketchbook challenge complete

Blogged this fully at my other blog - enjoyed playing around with wax - it achieved what I was hoping for in describing the bowl's rough texture.

EDM #28 draw a jug

EDM #28 draw a jug, a photo by 1artalive on Flickr.

My favourite red jug full of sweet peas

Every day in May challenge outcome

27 out of the 31 challenges done, great challenge to get regularly sketching - and discovered how to make the new flikr work along the way, fun too to see other people's styles of sketching. Glad I gave it a try - makes me aware that there is always a few minutes to sketch and even if the outcome is not great I will learn to capture ideas and what works or not for me.

McLean's Mansion, Manchester Street

McLean's Mansion, Manchester Street, a photo by 1artalive on Flickr.

EDM #20 Favourite drink

EDM #20 Favourite drink, a photo by 1artalive on Flickr.

EDM # 18 left palm

EDM # 18 left palm, a photo by 1artalive on Flickr.

EDM #15 pencil

EDM #15 pencil, a photo by 1artalive on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
This is EDM (Every Day in May challenge) #14 and 15 as I've no ornaments and til the quakes are totally behind us won't be investing in any. The pencil is vintage - possibly 40 years old! I remember as a kid it being huge (maybe a meter long?) and somehow here it is years later ( quite possibly because it's hard to sharpen as you can see from the photo - and a bit chunky) albeit a lot shorter. Funny, I'd never even thought how old it was til we had to do this assignment - nostalgia all the way here ;-)

Autumn fruit

A sketch a day challenge

http://wendyshortland.com/pages/EDiM2013.pdf
Hmm - will I make it?

Strathmore course 2 week 1

Old Vicarage - quick sketch

 

Dee street

A wee bit of urban sketching before I knew it was called that.

High Noon, Matai Bay, fighting the crowds

 

Sort of urban sketching

It's a start anyway..one small step to a gate....?
I am spending far too much time
discovering urban sketchers in cyberspace and need to do some real life drawing.
 

Horse sketch

Nikau in the rain

March's sketchbook challenge - natural surfaces.

Abstract boat

 

Strathmore wk 4

Really enjoying trying to capture action with a bit more abstraction - and I'm happy with the results. Robert Joyner's teaching really has given me a new technique which has a lot more life in it.

Homework done

Strathmore week 3's attempt - not as abstract as I would like so may yet have to have another go. Enlightening journey in that I took a photo and then wondered what the bird was and had to try and identify it. It turns out that we have Eurasian coots in our local bird population. Having cropped this photo already, I now have to work out why it didn't remain cropped but in the interests of time I will leave this one as it is. Art homework box ticked!

2013 Online Workshop Series - Strathmore Artist Papers

2013 Online Workshop Series - Strathmore Artist Papers
And this is the link I promised

An unusual art tool

Okay, this is not what you normally conjure up when thinking of an artist's tool kit but I had the revelation last night that this was a key to more painting happening around here.

My ideal studio would be a warm, light filled, totally sound proof room with hot water on tap for coffees and a fridge full of inspiring and interesting foods to recharge upon. The reality however, is light years away from this! One of these ideals however, can be approximated, and the joys of undisturbed trains of thought are mine (and yes, by this you can deduce that I am an introvert).

The Sketchbook Challenge: Stevia Stamps

The Sketchbook Challenge: Stevia Stamps:
I'm blogging this link so I don't lose it! I've just invested in some stamps from my lovely parents-in- law's Christmas art voucher and this lady has some awesome ideas on how to make your own. I'm inspired to do some stamping!

Creation Inspiration

I am now very spoilt for choice in artwork/journalling ideas. The range of scenery I have experienced over the holidays is vast and the decision is what to paint and how? I think this is where quick sketches in an art journal will really help with final decisions and developing a few ideas.