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.

EDM 18 - View from My Window

The View from My Window
Mixed Media

When I sit in my corner of the sofa, I am close to the patio-doors in our living room. We don't have windows in our apartment, but rather two patio doors, one in the bedroom, and one in the living room. We are on the 10th floor of our apartment building and face the street.

What you see here is my view from my sofa corner. I pulled the curtain back a bit so I could look outside. That is my brown curtain on the right. At the top you see the roof our our balcony (or the bottom of the upstairs balcony). Then you see cloudy sky. The two black areas is my veranda (railing). You can see the tops of buildings between the top and bottom sections of the veranda (railing). At the bottom you see a bit of street and some tree tops between the bottom of the veranda and the floor of my balcony.

I used ink, watercolour, and Derwent Inktense pencils, both wet and dry.

Beverage Receptacles

Left: Drinking Glass; Right: My Favourite Mug
Ink and Watercolour

Recently I saw someone draw some mugs with bold coloured backgrounds. I don't remember where I saw this or who did it. However, I liked it. So, I thought I would try it too.

The image on the left is of our son,s empty drinking glass. He had diet cola in it. There are still some ice in it that has not melted and there is a straw. I am looking at the glass from a slightly lower perspective. Yes, I felt a tiny bit silly drawing this practically lying on the table (okay, with my head down like I were going to take a nap in school). our son is used to me and he claims I do not embarrass him. 

The drawing on the right is of my favourite mug. My husband brought this mug for me. He purchased it at the Museum of Civilization. It has an image on it from one of my favourite artists: Alex Colville. I have illustrated this mug twice before. I drink my morning coffee in it. 

Other posts with this mug in it:

• EDM#4 Draw Your Mug or Cup
• TSP2013 - Make Coffee

Side-View Mirror

View from the side-view mirror
Watercolour, Ink, and Inktense pencils

This view is from the passenger-side side-view mirror. I was on an errand with Alexander (he was driving) and I looked in the mirror and loved the way the clouds were being reflected on the windows and side of the vehicle.

I took half a dozen photos with my iPhone to remember the moment. None were perfect so I used several different ones, plus my memory, to come up with this image.

Perhaps some day I will recreate this in a large painting.

Anthony & Lucha Libre

Lucha Libre (Left) and Anthony (Right)
Pen and Ink

Lucha Libre mask.

These are not related drawings except that they are both on facing pages in the purple Moleskine, both are pen and ink.

I am attempting to perfect my skills with pen and ink.

Two Tiny Dolls

Left: Dollinha, Right: Herbunculous
Watercolour and Ink

I have illustrated and written about Dollinha before. If you go to the previous post, you can see more about her, as well as see some photos of Dollinha. Dollinha is about two-inches tall.

I gave given Herbunculous the wrong name in my sketchbook. Both Alexander and Anthony informed me that the doll is NOT named Mr. Homuculus but Herbunculous. This is a small thread doll that used to hang off the rear-view mirror in our vehicle. There has been a previous post about Herbunculous that explains more about it.

Cake and Coffee

Coffee and Cake
Pen and Ink with Watercolour

I really enjoy a bit of cake with my coffee, not that I have this often. This is from Anthony's birthday and I drew this from a photo because I was craving something sweet and didn't have anything in the home.

Of course, I made a nice black coffee in my Tassimo.

Laura at the Playground

Laura at the Playground
Pen and Ink with Watercolour

Laura checking something out at the playground in the park behind my home. I just really like this image.

Dexter

Dexter
Pen and Ink

This is in my little purple Moleskine. I am working on improving my pen and ink work. I am not thrilled with this pieces, but it really does look like Dexter.

On the Slide

Laura and Alexander on the Slide
Pen and Ink with Watercolour

My friend, Alexia, and her children, met me at the park behind my home for some walking and playing. The kids really enjoyed the playground equipment. These are Alexia's children, Laura and Alexander, playing on one of the slides.

Mr. Bunnese or Mr. Boneeze

Mr. Bunnese, BEST Netherland Dwarf Rabbit EVER!
Pen and Ink

Mr. Bunnese (or Mr. Boneeze), was the best Netherland Dwarf Rabbit, ever! Sadly, he is no longer with us. He went to the big warren in the sky in 2007.

Mr. B. was a perfect fit into our family. He was somewhat of a screwball. He had a kitchen mat that he claimed as his own. No one was permitted to step on it or he'd push you off with his head. He never left the mat. You could go out knowing that he would still be on his mat when you arrived home.

We had a litter box, food, water, and toys on and around the mat. Mr. B. was very content to spend his time there. We would get down on the floor to play with him. He loved to interact with us, on his terms.

FHe was a gentle and sweet bunny. He lived to a very old age. When he had a stroke, about a year before his death, I would hand feed him and give him water by hand. Eventually his little brain rewired itself so he could do these on his own again, but he was a little lopsided. We loved him so much. It was a sad day for us when his little body finally gave up to age.

Lovebird and Fish

Lovebird and Fish
Pen and Ink and Watercolour

First drawings in my new nice purple Moleskine.

Lovebird
Pen and Ink

Based on Missus. Our beautiful lovebird. She is gone now, but we loved her and her partner, Paganini, and we still miss them.

Fish
Pen and Ink and Watercolour

I love having fish around me. They make me feel calm.

New Purple Moleskine Sketchbook

New Purple Moleskine Sketchbook
W: 3½" x H: 5½" x T: ½"

I started a new sketchbook. It is a small, pocket-sized, book covered in a purple silk fabric. The book measures 3½" wide by 5½" high by ½" thick. It has a heavier stock paper in it that is good for light watercolour, as well as pencil, pen, and water-based marker.

The tacky flower I drew on the front is so I can remember which side is the front. I kept opening it upside-down and backwards.

I picked up the book at Phidon Pens, some time ago, but only got started in it in August, when I filled up my last pocket-sized Moleskine.

Double Page Spread

I always stress about starting new sketchbooks so now I just dig right in with a cover page. It can be silly, fun, colourful, or anything under the sun. Once that page is completed to my satisfaction, I am free to explore through the sketchbook.

Cover Page - My Name
Ink and Watercolour

Once the fear of messing up the new book is gone then the sky's the limit.  Here I did the cover page of my name in black ink with blue, yellow, and red watercolour. The three primary colours with black (a shade). 

First Attempt at ZenTangle

This is my first attempt at ZenTangle. It was fun.

Waiting Room Sketch

I drew this while waiting for Alexander at his dentist appointment.

EDM 6 - Draw a Childhood Toy

Dollinha (Doll-ee-nyah)

I brought this tiny doll with me from the Azores (Portugal). My grandmother gave it to me. When Anthony, my husband, saw her he immediately named her "Dollinha": the English word "Doll" and the Portuguese diminutive suffix "inha" (meaning cute and small). The name stuck.

There is a whole Dollinha mythology and back story that Anthony created for this little doll. He even created an anthem for her that he and I sing at the top of our lungs. It is a march.

When I was looking for a name for my online self, I had Dollinha (the doll) sitting on my monitor, and decided to use that name. I have been Dollinha online since the early 1990s!

Here are some photos of the actual doll, that I took today. As you can see by the photos she is tiny and she has been handled a lot. She was and is a favourite doll of mine from my youth.

My little Moleskine sketchbook is 5½" tall and each page is 3½" wide. That should help with sizing Dollinha.

EDM 5 - Draw Your Bed

I love my bed. It is very comfortable and I think it is beautiful. It is made of solid cherry wood and stained very dark.

We were originally looking for a traditional sleigh bed but chose this Euro-Style because I would be less likely to bump my knees against it as I walked by. I also like the lower foot-board. Alexander, who is quite tall, can inherit this from us and fit in it.

I rarely tuck in the bed-spread (comforter) like this, although it does look nice. I did it so I could show off the frame.  Normally I have the bed-spread just hanging out, all around the bed. It looks nice that way too, and is a lot less work (and a lot less scraped knuckles).

When we know we are having guests over I put on extra-fancy spreads and fancy pillows and pillow throws.

For everyday use, I just have the sheets, a warm bed-spread, and three pillows. Two pillows in dark pillow cases are Anthony's and that one pillow in a light coloured pillow case is mine. I do this because it drives me crazy when Anthony uses my pillow. I like my pillow to be "just so" and when he uses it it gets all hot (and sweaty in the summer months) and he crumples it in ways that are not comfortable for my neck and head. To be fair, he doesn't like it when I take his pillows either. He says I get them too hot as well.

Well, that is our bed.

EDM 3 - Draw your Wallet, Purse, or Bag

This little wallet is just a little bigger than my had and fits in any of my pockets as well the smallest of my purses. It holds everything I need to carry in a wallet. Often I just slip it in my pocket and don't bother to carry a purse.

The front has six slots to carry cards, including a pocket with clear front so you can carry your photo I.D..  The back has a zippered area for loose change and a pocket for paper currency folded in half. I ordered this from FlyLady's FlyShop. This was money well-spent.  I love this wallet!!!

This is the most perfect wallet, as far as I am concerned, and I am thinking of getting one for my son to carry too. He could use something that is easy to carry in his pockets without weighing him down.

Trek Nation

The above was done, in pen and ink in my small Moleskine sketchbook, while I watched a very interesting documentary about Star Trek's influence on the world as seen through the eyes of Gene Roddenberry's son, Eugene (Rod) Roddenberry Jr. It was also about father/son relationships, and his, in particular. I found it fascinating.

Here is the description from their FaceBook Group:

Trek Nation Documentary film directed by Scott Colthorp examining the positive impact that Star Trek and creator Gene Roddenberry may have had on people's lives as seen through the eyes of his son Eugene Roddenberry, Jr. ("Rod").  It includes interviews with cast members and crew from all five Star Trek shows, as well as various fans and celebrities who were markedly influenced by the show while growing up. Rod Roddenberry also visits Skywalker Ranch to interview George Lucas on the influence that Star Trek had on him. Lucas shares how he had gone to Star Trek conventions prior to creating  Star Wars. The film premiered on November 30, 2011, on Science.

Links:
IMDb Trek Nation
YouTube Trek Nation Channel
Vimeo Trek Nation
Trek Nation: Director’s Log Featuring Deleted Interview Clips

Sebastien

Sebastien is my nephew: my brother, Mylo's, son. He is a special boy full of energy and imagination. I am not sure why he is pulling his turtle neck over his face, but he is likely creating a superhero alter-ego.

Sebastien loves to read and write. He fills notebook after notebook with his stories. It is important he has a notebook because if he runs out of paper he will write on any surface he can get his hands on. I noticed, at my brother's Christmas party, that the Kleenex box was covered with writing.

It is always interesting to see what he will come up with next.