Drawing #54 - In the Morning

"In the Morning" is another larger piece, 12 x 16 inches. That isn't large as artwork goes, but for this style it seems huge to me. This one has been under way over a month. I started with strips from my mother's elementary reader and her shorthand textbook. It made me think of bones, but the design took on a different life. One phrase in it refers to six in the morning and I began to work with that idea. Click on the image to see it larger, or perhaps right click and view the link to see it even larger.

Memory Saved With an Enhanced Photo

We have a challenge this month to take an old photo with color problems and improve it then scrap with it. I have a super picture of Dick on the beach in Seattle in 1969. The print has an odd color cast but I got it to look a lot better. See what you think.

The original scan of the print

My correction of the color cast

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DesignerCredits:
-background, photo mask, transfer: ArtPlay Palette For The Record by Anna Aspnes
-brush, transfer, shells, twig: ArtPlay Palette Salty Living by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Serial Sue, Mystical, Catriel

Drawing #53 - Asteroid Belt

I'm not sure how this one got its name, but it seems to relate to drawing #50 which has been renamed "Voyage Into Space." That's because it keeps making me think of the movie "Gravity." The new drawing has two small bits of shiny silver paper which don't really show in the scan. This is the 8 x 10 inch size and I have a large one nearing completion. Our show opened Saturday to a very nicely attended reception. Several people wanted to discuss my drawings and it was quite interesting and enjoyable. Check here for a photo of hanging my pieces and here for a photo of the seven of us with the gallery owner. As always, click on the image to see "Asteroid Belt" larger.

Cousins Revisited

In an October challenge to do a subdued page with a touch of red I revisited a photo of Dick and his cousin when they got together two years ago. I love the result without the distraction of colors.

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Designer Credits:
-background, gold pieces, red flower: Merry by Dido Designs
-border paper (blended), tape brush, thread, butterfly, brush: GreenLeaf by Dido Designs
-photo mask: WaterColor FotoBlendz No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Lemon Chicken, Pea Beth

Drawing #52 - Wandering Off

I had a fleeting glimpse of a plant with large withered brown leaves opposing one another at its top. That image stayed with me and was the beginning of this drawing. While it was in the works I once realized that my thoughts had gone wandering off. Well, they're want to do that all too often. I made the connection between wandering thoughts and withering plants in the fall. The result has collage from a newly acquired old reader with the message "confused idea." That may say it all!

Meanwhile its exciting to know our show will open in less than a week. We met today to share our selected works and plan a bit on hanging them. That will be on Thursday, opening Saturday evening. Oh, and yesterday I got my framed pieces from the gallery for today's session. It's all getting very real.

Drawing #51 - Driving On Ice

Monday night the world turned white with accumulations of slushy snow. This drawing was nearly done and had achieved its name beforehand, but now it seems prophetic. I am so not ready for winter weather but this icy drawing seems to make its frightful aspects beautiful. You know the drill: click on the image to see it larger. Original size is back in my first sketchbook at 7 x 10 inches.

A November Week

Last week was pretty much the usual. Sunny to start there was still lots of color in the foliage and the temperatures weren't bad. There were some highlight too like my book's early arrival.

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Designer Credits:
-papers, leaves: GreenLeaf by Dido Designs
-transfer: ArtPlay Palette Lush by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Hurry Up, Huxtable

Butterfly and Moth from our travels

The butterfly is called a Buckeye. I think they are boldly beautiful. They can be migrants in the fall, this one seen on asters at a nature preserve in Missouri 24 October 2013. The second creature is a day-flying moth that acts much like a hummingbird, its wings constantly whirring. It is such a treat to see and a challenge to photograph. This was at a botanic garden in Oklahoma.

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Designer Credits:
lift of 'Autumn Promenade' by 'casbury' 
by Anna Aspnes:
-background: ArtPlay Solids Viaggio
-photo mask: Original FotoBlendz No. 12
-frame: FineEdge Frames No. 1
-stitching: UrbanStitchez No. 3
-line: ArtPlay Palette EnRoute
-brads, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Socialize
-word art, glow: Roots Sampler
-bright color: ArtPlay Palette Bask
-brush: ArtPlay Viaggio BrushSet
fonts: Mystical, Sybil Green

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Designer Credits:
AnnaLift of ‘let us ENJOY’ by ‘Lilly-10’ 
by Anna Aspnes:
-background: ArtPlay Palette Christmas Nostalgia
-photo mask: WaterColor FotoBlendz No. 1
-frame: ArtPlay Palette Tapestry
-transfer: ArtPlay Palette Vintage Rose
-brush: ArtPlay Palette Socialize
-bead: ArtPlay Palette Barren Sunrise
font: Boopee

Drawing #50 - Emergence

I don't know all the things that may be emerging, but it is clear to me that they are about to pop. This one began on our trip but needed to get home for some paint.

I'm also excited as I now have a book with all my blog posts (save 2) of my drawings from their infancy to the present. There are companies that specialize in creating books from blogs. I've done them once for each of my genealogy blogs. On the way home, on the last day for a 15% discount, I realized I could limit the design blog posts to those for my drawings and put it together in the motel that night. It arrived on Monday. Color reproduction isn't really the best, but I'm so pleased to have a printed history of the development of my "mental landscapes."

A Week Into November

Here's the week that got us to November!

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Designer Credits:
-background, art stroke: ArtPlay Palette For the Record by Anna Aspnes
-mask as brush: Mask It Butterfly Vol. 1 by Dido Designs
-glow: SpookyGlows No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-gold paint: ArtPlay Palette Tangier by Anna Aspnes
-spider: Zen & the Art of: All Hallows Eve by Maya de Groot
-bird: Like a Bird by Maya de Groot
fonts: Hurry Up, Huxtable, joeHand 2

More October - some in Oklahoma

We're back from visiting in Oklahoma where we had a great time, saw lots of birds and caught up with Jim and many of his friends. Here's the week that ended while we were there. Remember to click on the image to be able to read the text (hopefully!)

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Designer Credits:
-papers, brad, cloud, circle frame, splats: Oscraps Collab Journey
-chevron: Stamped Mess {Take a Chance} by Studio 68
-fine frame: FineEdge Frames No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-butterfly: FlutterBy Lace No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Hurry Up, Huxtable