First Post of 2013

William
Pen and Ink in Purple Moleskine

I've fallen behind in posting sketches over the last couple of months. My excuses:

1. My computer desk broke and it is now awkward to reach the scanner
2. I've been busy
3. I've been ill (nothing serious, just a nasty cold and over-active arthritis)

Over the next few days I'll attempt to catch up on scanning the sketches. I am still sketching nearly everyday, but not necessarily in my sketchbook. I've been keeping my skills up by playing DrawSomething on my iPhone. This is a fun and addicting game!

For your enjoyment, here are my DrawSomething images (or at least the ones I remembered to do a screen-shot).

These images are drawn on a 2-inch by 2-inch area on the iPhone screen.

If you are just getting started with Evernote, Ana Tirolese suggests that you buy Brett Kelly’s remarkably practical e-book, Evernote Essentials, Second Edition. It is worth setting aside a couple hours to work through this brief, 95-page book. It will save you DAYS of learning Evernote on your own.

642 Things to Draw #43 - Pom-poms

Pom-poms
Ink and Digital Colour

Pom-poms. My little cartoon girl is showing off her cheerleader moves with pom-poms. This is something I have no experience with. I was never a cheerleader, nor did I want to be one.  I have never enjoyed sports enough to want to be at games. And, I am extremely uncoordinated, as it is. When I was going to school cheerleading was not a sport, in itself.

Book: 642 Things To Draw -- this is an Amazon affiliate link. If you would like to purchase this book please use this link. Thank you.

642 Things to Draw #35 - Head in the Clouds

Head in the Clouds
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

This cartoon was so boring without colour so I added some digitally. The colour helps to illustrate the "head in the clouds" theme better.

When someone is said to have their head in the clouds it means that they are out of touch with the real world. They may be flighty, frivolous, scatterbrained, or just daydreamers. They are considered unrealistic or naive as a result of having their  head in the clouds. These people are often guided by whim and fancy.

Book: 642 Things To Draw -- this is an Amazon affiliate link. If you would like to purchase this book please use this link. Thank you.

642 Things to Draw #28 - A Robot

Pen and Ink

Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

I was really excited about drawing a robot. Usually robots are squarish, tall, and masculine looking. I thought it would be fun to draw a small, squat, round robot. To me this is cute. However, my husband and son hate this robot. They say it is ugly, scary, and just not right.

We have several robot posters in our home because we are big into science fiction (both books and films). My men did not understand why I did not model my robot on one of the several depicted in our posters. They could not understand that I wanted something that was all mine.

I still think this is cute, especially after I added digital colour. So it is not Robby or Gort (or any of the other myriad of robots in books and film); it is my robot. It helps around the house, has vast knowledge of everything known in the universe, can sing and dance, and is an excellent companion. It does everything a computer, P.D.A., and iPhone does, plus it washes dishes, sweeps floors, reaches for cans on high shelves, and can dust the top of the refrigerator.

Every Day Matters #13 - Draw Your Telephone

Vista 390
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

This phone was purchased in the early to mid-1990s. I don't remember when we purchased it but I cannot seem to remember a time without it.

Vista 390 (Our phone is a cream colour)
Photo from the Nortel Site.

It is a sturdy and reliable workhorse of a phone. It has outlasted 6 cordless phones and countless cell phones. We do have a cordless phone that we also use in our home, but this is the steady phone. It resides in our living room, right in the middle of all the action.

It has all kinds of features, if we chose to use them. However, we just use the basic features. We don't need all the bells and whistles.

On the Nortel Networks site there is a list of all the features of this phone. Or, you may prefer to view the Vista 390 Brochure.

If you are going to have a land line, then I would recommend getting one of these phones. They are very dependable.

642 Things to Draw #27 - A Crayon

Pen and Ink

Pen and Ink
with
Digital  Colour

As I child there was nothing more exciting to me than to get a brand new box of crayons. I can still smell them.

I have enjoyed drawing and colouring for as long as I can remember. Crayons were an integral part of my youth and development as an artist. Crayola was the brand of choice because they had a better pigment to wax ratio than other brands (brighter colours).

Getting a colouring book with my box of crayons was a bonus, but as long as I had paper to draw on I was happy.

Who am I kidding!? I still love a new box of crayons! Just taking a whiff of that waxy goodness takes me back to my youth and a simpler time when sitting down to draw or colour was the most wonderful thing in the world.

Every Day Matters #12 - Draw Your Dinner

Eggs, Fries and Toast
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

I enjoy cooking and usually make up creative and interesting suppers. My husband and son are pleased that they get a large variety of delicious meals. However, every now and again they want something simple and less creative. This is one of those meals.

Orignal Rendering: Eggs, Fries and Toast
Pen and Ink

Eggs, fries, and toast is a simple meal that my family finds comforting. I have handful of these meals in the back of my head for when they are not in the mood for another Thai Coconut Chicken meal or Black Bean, Corn and Couscous Salad.

For me, cooking up a healthy and delicious meal for my family is a way of showing them that I love them. It is a way for me to take care of my husband and son.

Here is an older version of this challenge: EDM #12

Every Day Matters #10 - Draw Your Hand

My Hand
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

Over the years I have often made drawings of my hand(s). It is a ready model.  Whenever I really want to draw something but am not sure what to draw, I draw my hand.

Hands and feet are frequently said to be the most difficult things to draw. I used to feel this way, but now I have had lots of practice and am no longer intimidated by hands or feet. Noses and ears are another story! 

Here are some previous posts that have drawings of my hands:

• Draw The Palm of Your Left Hand
• EDM 10 - Draw Your Hand (previous version)
• My Last Nerve (and a favourite of mine)
• Errand Day
• March 2, 2009 (at the hospital)

My husband says he can recognize my hands anywhere. He knew immediately that the above was a drawing of my hand. Mind you, he has been looking at my hands for over 30 years!

I have these weird looking knuckles on the middle joints of my fingers with excess skin. It creates valleys and peaks of skin. 

My Hand
Photo with iPhone by Ana Tirolese

I have attempted to take a photo of my hand in as close a pose to the drawing as possible. You can see my knuckles in this photo. (Nails by Bill and Lily of Top Fashion Nails, Sherwood Forest Mall, London, Ontario Canada.)

I took some more photos of my hand (on July 15, 2012) so you can see my crazy knuckles. I have painted my nails silver in hopes of hiding the fact that I am overdue to get my nails done.

My caved-in fleshy knuckles. No matter how thin my
hands are, I always have that excess of flesh around
the knuckles on my fingers.
Photo by Ana Tirolese, taken with iPhone

You can see how my fingers curve upward at the knuckles.
Photo by Ana Tirolese, taken with iPhone

I can do this with my fingers. Yes, it looks awful and painful.
It is not painful. However, it kept me from playing guitar
because they would sometimes get stuck in this position (It has nothing
to do with the fact that I have no musical talent).
Photo by Ana Tirolese, taken with iPhone

A better view of how my fingers curve upward at the joint.
Photo by Ana Tirolese, taken with iPhone

642 Things to Draw #24 - A Trumpet

Pen and Ink

We have a lot of musical instruments in our home because our son is a professional musician and plays just about everything. He mostly plays bass guitar these days, but he has been playing trumpet on some recordings lately. So, when I came across this page to draw a trumpet I just had to go get my son's trumpet.

This was done freehand and some of the proportions are a bit off. However, unless you are super familiar with trumpets, you will not likely notice. I think this looks close enough. I added digital colour below to help better see the different parts of the trumpet.

Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

Wynton Marsalis is one of my favourite musicians. He is an amazingly talented trumpet player. Here is a video of him playing with the Boston Pops Orchestra (with John Williams conducting).

Every Day Matters #6 - Draw a Childhood Toy

Spider-Man PEZ Dispenser
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

In all honesty, this particular PEZ dispenser is not a childhood toy of mine. It belongs to my son. However, as a child I did enjoy PEZ and all their really cool dispensers; all of which have been broken and lost over the years.  My husband does have quite a nice PEZ dispenser collection of his own, but he was much better at looking after his toys than I was looking after mine.

I did this challenge before, back in January 2012, when I drew Dollinha. That was an actual toy of mine from my childhood.

This drawing represents all the PEZ dispensers in my life. I enjoy the candy, and how it comes out, one at a time. I love all the different themes the dispensers come in. To me they were great to have, until they broke. Back when I was a child I had no idea how to get refills. Now, as an adult, I know I can purchase refills for my dispensers and that makes them even more fun.

Check out PEZ's history here--> www.pez.com/history/

Every Day Matters #5 - Draw Your Bed

My Bed
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

My Bed
Original Pen and Ink Rendering

I did the Draw Your Bed challenge back in January 2012, however, I have started doing the EDM Challenges from scratch and felt like drawing my bed again. You can see a difference in the drawings by comparing the two. The first rendering I was showing off the features of the bed. In this one, it is far more relaxed and shows the bed in our bedroom.

The bed had been made in the morning, but I did not draw this until after my husband's afternoon nap. I considered remaking the bed before drawing it, but I thought this would be more real -- more "in the moment".

Our bed is quite comfortable and, in my opinion, attractive. It is a Euro-style sleigh bed (the foot board is low -- see original post). It is part of the Fontaine Collection of furniture made in Durham, Ontario, Canada.

Our bedroom is quiet and peaceful.

Every Day Matters #4 - Draw Your Mug or Cup

My Mug
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

My husband brought this mug back for me from The Museum of Civilization. It has an image of one of Alex Colville's paintings on it: "To Prince Edward Island" Alex Colville is one of my favourite artists.

My Mug
Original Pen and Ink Rendering

I enjoy at least one cup of coffee a day, usually in the morning. My husband gave me a Tassimo Coffee Maker several years ago for Christmas. It is great because I can make one perfect cup of coffee as I want it. The Tassimo also makes lattes, cappuccinos, hot chocolate, teas, and more. I can make a black coffee for myself, a hot chocolate for my husband, and a chai latte for my son, one after the other!

My morning coffee being made in my favourite mug with my Tassimo Coffee maker, also a gift from my husband.
Photo by Ana Tirolese with iPhone

Coffee for me is more than just a beverage. It is also a chance to get together with friends for visits.

Every Day Matters #2 - Draw a Table Lamp

My Lamp on My Bedside Table
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

This is one of those lamps that you touch to turn on and off. It has three brightness settings and goes from low to medium to bright with each touch, then off with the fourth touch. Unfortunately the lamp has stopped working. It does not turn off now so I have to unplug it to turn it off. I have not decided if I am going to get it repaired or just get a new lamp. I have had this one over 25 years. 

My Lamp on My Bedside Table
Original Pen and Ink Rendering

This is my bedside table. On it is my lamp, the current book I am reading (sometimes I have a paper book and sometimes I have one of my eReaders with an eBook that I am reading), a small decorative box of treasures, my reading glasses on a whimsical nose-shaped holder (a gift from my son when he was little), and my Jesus (a gift from a priest when I was 12 years-old).  

Actual Bedside Table
Photo by Ana Tirolese, taken with iPhone

I did not draw the doily or the teddy bear that is also on my bedside table. I also have my glasses case for my everyday glasses, a box of tissues, an old clock radio, and my iTouch that I use as an alarm clock.

Every Day Matters #1 - Draw Your Shoes

My Shoes
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

Danny Gregory started drawing the Every Day Matters (EDM) challenges from the beginning again and he spurred a bunch of us on to do the same.

These are my current comfortable-everyday shoes. They are easy to slip on and off and I can wear them with most of my pants, including jeans. They are my everyday shoes.

The ink in my Lamy Safari fountain pen is not waterproof so I am not able to add watercolour to the drawing without smudging it to heck. I have to purchase some waterproof ink once I run out of my current ink. I drew the challenge in pen and ink and added digital colour in Photoshop.

My Shoes
Original Pen and Ink Rendering

Every Day in June #26-27 Draw a Shirt and Something Orange

Every Day in June #26 (EDM #286) - Draw a shirt 

Every Day in June #27 (EDM #296) - Draw something orange

Pen and Ink with digital Colour

I got a little behind on the drawing so I did two challenges in one with this one. There really is nothing to say about this drawing.

Every Day in June #19 (EDM #216) - Draw your inner critic

Every Day in June #19 (EDM #216) - Draw your inner critic

Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

I was having a bad morning and when I saw this challenge the above image materialized. Too many of us are familiar with this beast.

My son said, "Hey, mom, your inner critic is scary."

Yes, yes it is.

This is my psyche at it's worse.  This is when I lose all confidence in myself; when I cannot remember that there are are good things in my life.

When I posted the above image on Facebook I was surprised at the amount of comments that came my way. Here is a sample of those comments.

Facebook Comments - Used with permission

My friend, Sherry Power, of Power Home Solutions wrote a lovely blog post about this situation entitled Silencing Your Inner Critic. Please take a moment to go read it.

Thankfully I don't go to this place very often, anymore. I have mechanisms in place now to keep me from getting here, or staying long, if I do go here.  

• I have a list of accomplishments that I keep in a file on the computer. I add to this list as I go along.
• I keep emails, letters, notes of nice things people have said to me or about me. I read these when I need to remember that I am not as horrible as my critic is telling me.
• I have gone for counseling in the past, and, although I am not longer in counseling, I would recommend it to anyone who is feeling overwhelmed. It really does help you to see outside the box and get a fresh perspective on what is going on in your life.
• I am on low-dose antidepressant.
• I surround myself with positive people.
• I draw, read, create art, have coffee with friends, interact with people, mentor people (online and off), get involved with others with similar interests

I created this image, that is supposed to be far more positive, in response to the inner critic. This is supposed to be my inner cheerleader.

Inner Cheerleader - More positive image
My family and friends think I drew myself looking too scary.

However, I think it the cartoon of me is just as scary as the critic cartoon. It was supposed to be me cheering, however, I drew the teeth in the wrong angle.  Still, the colours are prettier and the words are nicer. I strive to be the things in this image, although I have not always succeeded. 

There were more Facebook comments left regarding this image.

Facebook Comments - Used with permission

I read a blog post some time ago about 20 Bad Habits Holding Good People Back. It is from the blog Marc and Angel Hack Life: Practical Tips for Productive Living and was written by Marc. I suggest you follow the link to read the full description of the 20 bad habits. It is well worth the read. Here is a quick listing of the habits.

1. Expecting life to be easy
2. Overlooking your true path and purpose
3. Chasing after those who don’t want to be caught
4. Not asking for help when you know you need it
5. Letting one dark cloud cover the entire sky
6. Holding on to things you need to let go of
7. Spending time with people who make you unhappy
8. Not making time for those who matter most
9. Denying personal responsibility
10. Letting everyone else make decisions for you
11. Giving up who YOU are
12. Quitting as soon as things get slightly difficult
13. Doing too much and pushing too hard, without pausing
14. Discrediting yourself for everything you aren’t
15. Running from current problems and fears
16. Constantly mulling over past hardships
17. Denying your mistakes
18. Expecting your significant other to be perfect
19. Focusing on the negatives
20. Not allowing things to be good enough

Through the magic of computers and digital technology I have created a less scary cheerleader image. Here it is.

My Inner Cheerleader - Rebooted 

Pen and Ink, Manipulated Photo, Digital Colour.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Every Day in June #16 (EDM #186) - Draw something you’ve always wanted

Every Day in June #16 (EDM #186) - Draw something you’ve always wanted
Ana Singing

Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

I have always wanted to be able to sing. Unfortunately, I was not blessed with any musical ability and even less of a singing voice. When I was in grade 6 my teacher asked me to just mouth the words to the songs because I had the worse voice she had ever heard. I stopped singing altogether, then.

Sadly, this guy sings better than I.

God did bless me with a musically gifted husband and son who have a lovely singing voices. I thoroughly enjoy listening to my son and husband sing. My husband sings for me daily.

Happy Canada Day!!!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!
Watercolour with Digital Text

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Every Day in June #15 (EDM #176) - Draw something summer
Pen and Ink with Digital Colour

Watermelon is is one of my favourite foods. I could eat this stuff until I am completely waterlogged! When I think of summer I think of watermelon...and ladybugs, and ants...

I enjoy summer, but not when it is very hot and humid. I become quite cranky then. I prefer the cooler days of summer.

The above image was originally rendered in my sketchbook in pen and ink. I then scanned it and modified it in Photoshop. Digital colour was also added at that time. Below is the original, untouched, image.

Original Pen and Ink drawing from Sketchbook, untouched.

Every Day in May Challenge # 29

Draw Somewhere New

Ink with Digital Colour

I did not have time to go somewhere new today. This is a bit of a cop-out on today's challenge but I spent a lot of the day waiting around and doodling.

Initially I thought I would draw somewhere that I would like to go to that I have never been, however, there were far too many places I would like to visit, world-wide, and could not decide which one to draw. Then I thought I would  try to draw a restaurant I have not been to yet, but would like to try out... same problem... I could not decide which one to draw.

In the end, this is what I decided to do for today's challenge.  I'll do better tomorrow.

Every Day in May Challenge #21

Draw something that makes you happy.

Ink and Photoshop.

I was going to draw something to represent art or music, both of which make me happy, but then I thought what really makes me happy is my little family. I love my husband and son and they make my extremely happy, when they are not worrying or frustrating me. After drawing this I realized that I represent visual art and my husband and son represent musical art (especially my son), so I guess I did draw art and music after-all.

This is a little cartoon of our family. It does not really look like us.

Here is a photo of my husband and I from the weekend. We went to Chapters and then to Starbucks for our "date". He had a strawberry and cream smoothie and I had a double chocolate chip frappacino. 

Anthony

Ana