EDM - Glasses challenge

'Empty Vessel'

I don't wear glasses but we do own plenty of wine glasses :-) This one is part of a set which were bought for us from our wedding list - it has gold painted glass strands running around it and we also have the matching champagne flutes and even margarita glasses (needless to say we somehow haven't got round to using those yet but they do look awful pretty on the shelf ;-)
~~ I'm particularly proud of getting the word 'miniscus' into a poem ... what skill ;-) ~~

Bike postcard up for grabs ... if your name is Janey

'A Bicycle Made for You'

I had been thinking of drawing my new bike (which I *love*) but didn't get around to it until I saw Janey's cheery bike picture. Janey is a prolific postcard artist who will send you a postcard of your choice for free ... all you have to do to balance out your karma is send a postcard to someone else for free ... so how about it Janey? - this one is reserved for you in return for the one you're sending me ... if you want it just send me an e-mail with your snail mail address :-)

i-Friday ~ Daring ~

'Daringest'

For illustration friday ... in a rush but will catch up with posting stuff soon :-)

i-Friday ~ Reinvent ~

'Self-reinventing Wheels'

This is my entry for the reinvent challenge on illustration friday. I thought I'd embrace the clichés that others were shunning and so here is a machine I've invented which reinvents the wheel into a Madonna-wheel which thenceforth can reinvent itself ... oh yeah and there's speakers built in so Madonna can promote her music and rock while she rolls ... sweet ;-)

Personality type

ENFP - "Journalist". Uncanny sense of the motivations of others. Life is an exciting drama. 8.1% of total population.

similarminds.com

So there you have it - my personality compartmentalised for your convenience ... actually I really do *love* these kinds of personality tests and every time I fill one in I approach it with the virginal white hopeful innocence that it will somehow distil my essence into a truth that I can set my clock, compass and coffee cup by. Alas I am still searching for this elusive oracle but from *far too many* of these personality diviners I can thoroughly assure you that I am ENFP to the bone. So don't try and cross me cos I'll suss you quicker than you can steal my heart, my dreams or my dignity. And if life doesn't bring me enough exciting dramas I am more than capable of creating my own epic dramas so step back and shield your eyes.

EDM - Week 10 - Hands

'Pitta Palm'

Today I spent my lunch hour sat at my desk (I know, I still can't believe I'm finally working either!) sketching my lunch and my hand with my new found loves ... my Rotring art pen and my Letraset ProMarkers. Hey who needs pencils or erasers?!
My Grandma told me I had piano player's fingers and I've always had a burning ambition to play the piano ... heck one day I might even plug in the keyboard that's propped up in my art room and give it a go ;-) ... but anyway there's already one musician in this house so it can survive without me making music for a bit longer.
My new job as a temporary research assistant is going well ... 4 days done and about 5 weeks more still to do. I'm missing having all that free time but not the guilt that went with it :-)

This week's hand challenge didn't frighten me as much as it should have done cos I drew my hand when I flirted with Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain so here's what it looked like in 2002 sketched in pencil ... notice the lack of both engagement and wedding rings:


'An Old Hand'

i-Friday ~ Alone ~

'Travel Alone'

I actually chose the quote for last weeks illustration friday theme which was 'travel' but then I was too busy getting employed (yes, you read it right - I'm a wage slave once again, albeit on a 6 week temporary contract) to get anything done. As serendipitous luck would have it, this weeks theme of 'alone' fits just fine so I've gone with my undrawn idea from last week - the extra incubation time hasn't harmed it any I'm sure.
It's drawn with my new Rotring art pen which I love, love, love. I also bought a set of Letraset promarkers which I'm looking forward to experimenting with ... hurrah for wage slavery and being able to afford stuff again.
:-))

My mum's favourite flower

'Daffodil Glimpse'


'A Dull Daffodil Sort of Day'

Those dull daffodils
declining dances,
sitting on the sidelines
for this one
and the next.
Such pale wallflowers
beneath their bonnets,
hanging their heads
all wilted and withdrawn,
hiding away here
from the colour riots
they've heard happening
beyond the bars.

Word Excavation

In certain circles there have been discussions around whether folk go back and read old journals and how they feel about it. As a lifelong serial diary-starter who desperately wanted to be an everyday diary writer but could never manage more than a couple of days straight I have very few journal entries to look back on. I did manage to do two journals worth of morning pages when I was reading The Artist's Way (links to Amazon.com so you can take a look inside the book) by Julia Cameron and when I re-read those entries I'm struck by how repetitive they were ... a typical entry went something along the lines of: It's still dark; I nearly didn't get up this morning; I can't believe I've managed to get up early for x days/weeks; The cats are being a nuisance; Now one of them has snuggled up on my journal and I'm writing around it; My throat is a bit sore this morning, I hope I'm not coming down with something; I don't know what to write; It's getting lighter earlier every morning now. ... Or words to that effect anyway. I felt disappointed when I got to the end of Artist's Way and realised that there was no end and that the idea was to continue with the morning pages indefinitely. Heck I might start them up again at some point but for now I'm having too much fun with my art - any mention of regular writing slots and my rebellious streak starts acting up and getting in the way.
One thing I love looking through are the small notebooks I often chuck into my bag when I'm off on a night out or have by the side of my bed for those pesky sleep-time visitors that scamper round my head until I write them down. I'm always pleasantly surprised by what I've written and usually can't remember the words coming from me at all. Here's an example of something I scribbled in a notebook on 28/2/2003:

Dressed in dreams
Moved to tears
Smiling pockets
Escalating schemes
Tired excuses
Surrounding me
Desperate dances
Chasing words
Born performer
Stealing lies
Elasticated truth
Drenched in you

I have no idea what inspired that flood of words ... was I drunk, bored or just hit round the head with some inspiration? I'll never know why or how I wrote those words but they still speak to me in their strange offbeat way.

If you liked those words in the slightest then promise me you'll visit this special person who I greatly admire for her words and paintings and who inspired me to post the poem in this entry ... but hey don't blame me if you look up again and find it's next week cuz it's that kind of place.

EDM Challenge - Watches

'Shiny Happy Couple'

Last weeks Everyday Matters challenge was to draw your watch or any other piece of jewellery. I wanted to have a go at beating the perfectionist within by sketching something with a pen (gasp ... no way to erase the mistakes!!!) so I bought a technical drawing pen and had a go at drawing my engagement ring ... so far so good ... I had a go at drawing my wedding ring and that came out okay as well ... then it just kind of escalated from there - I had a go at doing the watch that my beloved bought me as a wedding gift and decided to continue the wedding jewellery theme until it seemed downright rude not to include Mark's ring, watch and cufflinks. I painted some sturdy watercolour paper with silver acrylic paint, collaged the drawings with a photo of us on our wedding day and added a quote that I found several weeks ago:
"Marriage is tough, because it is woven of all these various elements, the weak and the strong. 'In-loveness' is fragile for it is woven only with the gossamer threads of beauty." ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

BTW the space at the top of the collage is for when I summon the courage to have a go at drawing my tiara :-)

If you go down to the woods today ...

'Wild and Woolly Yorkshire No. 8'
I have no idea *why* there is a large heap of rope and twine on the forest floor but there is.


'Troublesome Bats'
I haven't a clue *what* made the bats implicate themselves with their graffiti but they have.


'Banana Tree'
I can't imagine *how* this banana skin found its way into the hedgerow but there it is for all to see
... actually that last one isn't quite so mysterious - all I'm saying is that *yes* I did play a part in its placement but it was an accident and it's probably safer there than on the footpath after all. It had disappeared when we returned a couple of days later ... must have been one disappointed monkey swinging through the York undergrowth that day.

More of a hindrance than a help ~ A photo-story

In which our anti-hero, Wendel, gets in the way of art:

'If you take one more photo I'll come over there and sit on your artwork ...'


'See, I warned you I'd sit on your art ... and here I am, sitting on your art.'


'A bit more brown just there methinks ... no, not that much! There - you've ruined it now.'

So there you are, every cat's a critic. I often wonder whether Wendel wants to sit on me when I'm drawing because he is an avid patron of the arts and wants to get as close as possible to the act of creation, hoping therein to gain an insight into the very mind of the artist ... but then monkey mind guffaws in the background (spitting out a mouthful of coffee) and between the laughter lets me know that Wendel actually sits on me because he despises my art and hopes to distract me from drawing, thereby saving me from embarrassing myself any further.

Actually any cat-owned blog-readers out there will know the truth all to well ... cats are at heart attention seeking little beggars who will get between you and whatever you are trying to concentrate on.

Just to prove this wasn't an isolated incident here is Wendel sitting on more of my art ... notice how he's listening out with one ear just to check whether his distraction services are needed more somewhere else in the house.


'Can't Get Close Enough to the marmite'

It's all about the benches.

I have no idea why I'm drawn to taking photographs of benches ... I think I just appreciate coming across seating that looks like it's been there forever or like a bit of thought has gone into the design or some planning committee somewhere has taken a risk when it's come to 'bench-commissioning' time. So anyway here are some benches I've snapped in recent weeks so please do take a seat and enjoy the view as the world hurries on past:


'Elegant Iron Bench'

That bench is a short walk from Lendal Bridge alongside the River Ouse. Looks to me like it's watched a *lot* of boats passing by.


'If Only Our Garden Was Bigger'

You wouldn't believe how comfortable this bench was ... and not just because it was the first bench we'd seen in about 3 miles :-) If the weather had been a touch warmer I'd have turned my jacket into a pillow and curled up for a nap. It's in a great spot overlooking York Race Course ... if I was off to the races I'd be there early and stake out my position here for sure ... cooler box to the left, barbeque just over to the right and I'd be sorted for the day.


'Combined Bench'

I love it when old clapped out machines get a new lease in life. I'm sure this little fella could have done without the paintjob from 'T*sh*' but he still looks like a sturdy chap with decades of seating service left in him. You can find this tractor-bench hybrid on cycle path 65 just beyond the York ring road at Rawcliffe. Must get a bit toasty on a sunny summers day and a bit frosty on a brisk winters day but for the other 15 days of the year it must be perfect ;-)

So there you have it, benches 1, 2 and 3 in the Eyespy book of York Benches. More to follow I'm sure.

Your 'Promise' Has Been Duly Discarded and Disregarded

'So Much For Your *New and Unique Promise*'

Far too often the advertising suits get a *little* over-excited and carried away, making overblown statements with no substance to back them up ... so (while I in no way condone littering) it seemed fitting to see this unwanted flyer discarded in an off the beaten track footpath in York. If my corporate branding radar is correct I believe it could be an ad for the AA (the roadside recovery outfit rather than the other one) so heaven knows what the marvelous life-changing £40* (the * in this usually denotes that they are intentionally misleading you and are legally obliged to drop you a clue) is all about ... seems like quite a bit of dosh to me so it would have to be truly exceptional to tempt me (particularly as I'd have to buy a car first).

Sometimes a theme just won't let you go

The Illustration Friday theme from a couple of weeks ago was 'fragile' (you can see my original post for that here) and, as happens with this sort of thing, it kind of infested my subconcious and I started seeing 'fragile' wherever I went. Here are a couple I captured on camera for your viewing pleasure:

'Easter Casualty'
A tragic Cadbury's Creme Egg fails to fulfill its destiny ... so poignant. Let's hope the chicken does come before the egg or we're done for come next Easter.


'Fragile Champagne'
We live very close to the National Railway Museum and I spotted these discarded empty bottles next to their recycling bins. You can hire the museum for corporate schmoozing events and even weddings so I guess they're left over from a recent shin-dig unless they have *exceptionally* good staff catering.

Dull or Arty ... who am I to judge?

'Reflecting on Trees'

I showed this photo to my beloved to see if he'd spot the *clever* thing I'd done ... his remark was something along the lines of "It's a bit dull and washed out, maybe." ... to which I replied triumphantly "Ah ha, but it's a photo of the tree's reflection you see." ... I think I still like it very much, for all its dullness.

i-Friday ~ Crowded ~

'If More Crowded ...'

This is my entry for this weeks Illustration Friday topic. The background is a quote that I've written in gold and silver pens over and over (and over) again in different directions. I showed it to my beloved and he enquired after my mental state (i.e. "Have you gone mad?) ... well perhaps he has a point. Anyone out there deranged enough to work out what the quote is?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
30th March - Bonus entry:


'Urban Sprawl'

This is a photo-shopped photo of some highrise bird boxes near the Rawcliffe stretch of the River Ouse. It was a grey-skied day so I thought I'd muck about with it in Photoshop and see if I could make it look sunny and colourful ... then I stumbled across this effect and forgot all about the sunshine :-) If I actually knew what I was doing with Photoshop I'd probably never have been able to do this - hurrah for blissful creative ignorance.

What does Hellkitten mean? (Specifically rather than generally)

HELLKITTEN

H is for Happy
E is for Explosive
L is for Loud
L is for Luscious
K is for Kind
I is for Intense
T is for Thrilling
T is for Tender
E is for Energetic
N is for Naive

What Does Your Name Mean?

EDM Challenge - Week 7 - In the Kitchen

'Delicious Spread'

Yes it most certainly does what it says on the label ... 'delicious spread with added vitamins' ... apparently some strange folk don't like it but I can't get enough of it. When I was a full time wage slave I got into the habit of making marmite (and here I'm using marmite as a generic descriptor ... like I call our Dyson vacuum cleaner a hoover) on toast and taking it to work with me to eat cold with my first cup of vending machine coffee of the day ... ahhh, the memories. At one point I was sitting next to a marmite-phobe who winced whenever I took my toast out of my bag and used to go out and have a cigarette while I was eating it (so in some way I was hastening his future early demise but I don't like to think about it that way - he's still alive now as far as I know so I didn't hasten it that much) but not before I carried out my daily ritual of turning to him with a look of deep sincerity and asking 'would you like some of my marmite on toast?' ... simple pleasures but *so* rewarding :-D
I will have Marmite (the real thing) if supermarket own-brand yeast extract isn't available for some reason but I have to be careful because Marmite needs to be spread quite thinly whereas yeast extract can be applied quite thickly without becoming unpalatable ... many an onlooker has recoiled with a look of terror and disgust when they've seen how thickly I apply it. A couple of years ago I discovered a new taste sensation ... fried egg on marmited toast ... scrummy!
Inspired by a friend's display of Marmite jars I made it my mission to have one of every size on our kitchen windowsill ... there are four sizes from the cute 57g to the mighty 500g jar (my Mum once claimed she saw an even bigger catering size jar but has yet to provide any concrete evidence) and eating that much Marmite when my preference is for yeast extract was a challenge but the resulting Russian Doll effect was most pleasing visually. They don't actually fit inside one another I hasten to add before you all get excited and rush to your nearest Marmite stockist. In our pre-move decluttering session I decided to send those jars to be reincarnated at the great bottle bank in the sky but I believe I will embark on the challenge again someday soon.
If you are staying in a superior class of hotel or bed and breakfast you may find that you are lucky enough to be greeted at the breakfast table by a basket of fun-size condiments, including 5g plastic pots of Marmite. I myself would never take the risk and often take a jar of marmite with me when I travel. At breakfast the morning after I got married our delightful venue (previously mentioned) did indeed provide the fun-size pots which was just as well because it had slipped my mind and I hadn't packed marmite into our honeymoon luggage. Luckily for me my Mum was staying at wedding venue and I was able to whisper across the breakfast room that I wanted the Marmite from her table to take on honeymoon with us ... quick as a flash Mum did a circuit of the room and smuggled about a dozen pots out for me - I mean I'm sure the venue would have gladly given them to us if she'd asked but why take the risk? This also gave my hubby an additional amusement every morning as he'd wait and see whether I'd remembered to take a pot down to breakfast with me every morning and giggle at my crestfallen face if I'd forgotten. A couple of days he even put one in his pocket in case I'd forgotten ... but mostly he'd just giggle at my marmite-dependency.
Anyhoo that's enough yeast-based spread stories for one day but it you'd like to read more then look at Island Girl's blog (she *believes* Marmite tastes like 'drunken puke' and/or 'bonfire' but I won't hold that against her - perhaps she'd prefer yeast extract like I do ;-) or Robyn's blog which extolls the alleged virtues of Vegemite which I really wanted to like when I tried it (my best friend in high school was from Australia and banged on about it) but it just wasn't the same (i.e. nice tasting) as Marmite or yeast extract to me ... still as they say up North, there's nowt so queer as folk ... and some of my closest friends don't like marmite so I can't be accused of being prejudiced.

Now onto an altogether sweeter spread:


'Gold Comfort'

Mmmm, the glorious sun-filled elixir that is Golden Syrup ~ I love it on toast, pancakes (both the scotch and non-scotch varieties) and in warm milk. The plastic bottle I've drawn for this challenge doesn't have the aesthetic appeal of the original tin but it's much easier to dispense (it's pourable - goodbye sticky teaspoon which you can never quite get all the syrup off) in todays sunlight the plastic bottle comes into its own and shows off the pure liquid gold nectar in its full amber glory, casting shafts of golden light across the surface it sits on (my box of watercolour pencils in case you were wondering) and looks like it contains distilled magic to this artist's eye. If you click on the above picture you'll see from my handwritten notes that the label has the words "out of the strong came sweetness" which I had never seen before (either on the label or anywhere else) but a quick dig around on google reveals that it is a quote from the bible. The full quote is "out of the eater came meat and out of the strong came sweetness" and it's a riddle that Samson set as a challenge to some philistines, apparently ... but hey this ain't Sunday School (even if it is Easter weekend) and I'm the last person who should be waxing lyrical on matters biblical so type it into google if you want to find out more. What I can't work out is how that quote came to be adopted by the Tate & Lyle sugar company ... I know that the chocolate companies in Britain had religious foundations but I'm not aware of the same link with sugar companies - still I'm sure all will become clear in the fullness of time.
I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to doing this week's EDM challenge because I knew that drawing jars was going to be difficult but I stuck with it and am really pleased with the results. It never ceases to amaze me how your mind inteferes with what your eye is seeing when you try to draw something simple and everyday. Both drawings were done with my watercolour pencils (dry), the outlines were done with black ink and the gold on the golden syrup label was done with my gold staedtler triplus pen which I never tire of using (or mentioning) and should probably be negotiating some kind of commission deal with staedtler. I was worried that it wouldn't be fine enough to cope with getting in between the letters but with some deep concentration and an *almost* steady hand I managed to do it all, even where there was only a whisper of white to cover ... and all despite the best efforts of our cats who each had a go at jogging my arm and rubbing their face on the end of my pen whenever it looked like I might be attempting anything tricky.

If only I'd done this at the beginning!

Well today I added a visitor counter to my blog (right at the *very* bottom of the page) and now it looks very strange - *hey great blog ... it's 5 months old and only had 3 visitors ... way to go norma-no-friends!* I got my free counter from the nice people at statcounter and it was easy enough to add to my blog template following their instructions. So now I can feel downhearted about the lack of visitors as well as the lack of comments ... nah not really, I do this blog as a way towards creative recovery so in some ways the fewer comments and visitors I get the freer I feel to post whatever I want without worrying whether anyone will like it. I need to get into the habit of just creating without relying on someone standing at my elbow stroking my ego and feeding me positive reinforcement - I need to find my own internal source of creative bravery if that makes any sense. That's not to say that I don't appreciate the lovely, supportive comments that folk have been kind enough to post here, just that I mustn't fall into the trap of relying on receiving comments in order to motivate my creativity.
Not sure where adding a statcounter to my blog fits in with all that but I am a curious little kitten after all ;-)