Flying with vultures
I heard an item on the radio this morning about a captive vulture who was being taught how to fly at the Airkix vertical windtunnel (which is where the older children are going to have a pre-Christmas treat). So I used this picture on the front of the ‘vouchers’ we’re going to give the kids tomorrow. You can read about the vulture here.
Playgroup after three bowls of shreddies
Can’t be bothered to move off this settee
I was too tired to move from my slumped position on the settee, but wanted to draw so I just did what was in front of me. As you can see the sitting room is very small so if I can’t think of anything/don’t have the time I might have to make this my Illustration Friday entry.
As if I don’t have enough to do!
I don’t know what’s got into me, but I’ve volunteered to do some pictures for Vitriolica’s latest project
‘A story. Told a chapter at a time by bloggers, in the style of their choosing. What a laugh. D’ya wanna? D’ya wanna? huh? huh? D’ya wanna? let me know if you want in.’
Anyway if you’re interested you need to put your names forward by today, midnight GMT Tuesday 29 November, oh and she really, really needs more illustrators so do please think about joining in the fun.
Late posting of Blind Contour Friday
Both the grey hound and bulldog are the same dog – see below to see his real shape.
Bye-bye October masthead
However sweet this little devil is, he’s too unseasonal. So for at least a little while we’ll have the Oriana at the top.
My personal trainer
This little chap drags me out for a walk in all weathers, so I’m very grateful to have him. I’d be the size of a house without him!
Illustration Friday - FREE
I was inspired by the following passage, from someone who was able to feel joy despite suffering terribly in Nazi concentration camps and losing everyone he loved.
”One day, a few days after the liberation, I walked through the country past flowering meadows, for miles and miles, toward the market town near the camp. Larks rose to the sky and I could hear their joyous song. There was no one to be seen for miles around; there was nothing but the wide earth and sky and the larks’ jubilation and the freedom of space. I stopped, looked around, and up to the sky—and then I went down on my knees. At that moment there was very little I knew of myself or of the world—I had but one sentence in mind—always the same ‘I called to the Lord from my narrow prison and He answered me in the freedom of space.’
How long I knelt there and repeated this sentence memory can no longer recall. But I know that on that day, in that hour, my new life started. Step for step I progressed, until I again became a human being.”
Victor E. Frankl ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’
Xavier’s first attempt with ‘ArtRage’
I seem to be unashamedly copying other bloggers. There’s the pictures of musicians below and now like Wally Torta I’m getting children to fill my blog with pictures! I love this one – the criss-crossing slashes remind me of that wonderful Edward McKnight Kauffer poster of birds.
Dick Gaughan
Robin and I hardly ever go out without children in tow so this was a rare occasion, but as Robin had so enjoyed Dick Gaughan’s concert here 25 years ago he was very keen to go again. The venue was great for sketching as I was able to change viewpoints so I was particularly happy.
Both Cin of Learning Daily and and Laura of Laurelines have recently posted wonderful drawings of musicians so my timing is a bit off. I don’t think I’ve ever drawn a guitar before so any musicians looking (John are you there?) will have to forgive the inevitable mistakes.
My Laura Ashley striped cardigan
Was it worth it? I've been inspired by some of the detailed drawings on other blogs and thought I'd try to capture as much as possible. But it took me so damn long. The light source started with the sun shining through the french window on the left and a shaft of sunlight from another window behind. The shaft of sunlight then disappeared. The light from the left softened as time went on. Then people started putting lights on so there was electric light from the right. Then there was electric light from behind. Then I couldn't see my drawing at all so I thought 'sod it' and put the light on above me.
I'd forgotten that when I did drawings like this when I was a student I didn't need to worry about a horde of children bumping the subject matter. I also didn't have to worry about using up a big dollop of good-will (by expecting everyone else to attend to Xavier). This took ten times as long as the drawing below, so what should I do – more of the shorter drawings or save up my good-will time to do drawings like this?
House full of sea cadets
We had extra children sleeping on settees and floors last night because Robin was taking them all to London Docklands to participate in a ‘pulling’ course (for some reason, this is the technical term for rowing). These two girls were much better at sitting still than Flo has ever been.
Blind Contour Friday - My kids in the papers!
Both Flo and Tom made the front pages of our local papers. Flo’s photograph on the front of the Observer and Tom’s name was mentioned in the report about winning the Mayor’s Christmas Card Competition in the Herts Advertiser. That’s what I love about local papers – the Mayor’s Christmas Card merits the front page!
Illustration Friday - STRENGTH
I think that at the moment my real creativity is seeing which picture I can post that takes the least possible time – either because I’m recycling something old or coming up with something that takes only a few moments to create!
The hand was for a real paid job but especially for Illustration Friday I changed the colour and added the quote – you know how it goes. I've noticed there seems to be a thing with hands going on here in Julie’s Pictures.
What we had for supper - kind of
This pathetic little scribble is all I can manage. In between bouts of mopping up gallons of chocolatey sick, I cooked fish for all the family apart from poor little Xavier who has had the most horrible bout of vomiting.
Oh the pressure, I haven’t thought about Illustration Friday, that masthead that’s past it’s sell by date is looking at me reproachfully and as for blind contour friday and the EDM challenges...
Remembrance Sunday
I did this little sketch a few weeks ago, but as Flo and Tom had to spend over an hour standing to attention in front of the War Memorial for remembrance Sunday, a good time to post it
Old roses
I think my throbbing middle finger is going to erupt so you’ll have to have something old while I save what little use I have in this finger for paid work.
Even Flo can tire of chocolate shops
Flo let me have ten minutes to quickly sketch this lovely sculpture by Michelangelo that can be seen in the Church of Our Lady. I didn’t have the time to do justice to the sculpture but it’s great how even the few minutes I spent drawing it have imprinted an image of the work on my mind. I did think that the Madonna looked so much more serene than I feel with a similar aged little boy!
I think I’ll make this my EDM museum drawing challenge while I’m about it so I can at least cross another one off the long list of challenges I want to complete
Hmm - now is she going to drag me into a museum or will we go shopping?
Flo gazing out of the restaurant window while I wait for the bill.
BCF 15 - Self portrait
I had a twenty minutes while waiting for Flo at her singing class and I couldn’t choose between all of these gargoyles so you get them all!
Illustration Friday - NIGHT
Just a quickie, as I have too much work on!
Tess and David - dinner on the Oriana
Tess, glamorous as ever, in the company of David. A big family gathering, two grandparents, five parents and nine grandchildren.
Waiting to board
As usual Hugo is off in a little musical world of his own as we wait to board the ship.
Resistance to Moleskines
I thought I was going to scream if I read yet another blog discussing what I perceived as this overpriced fashionable sketchbook, but in the end curiosity made me buy one and I am a convert for two purposes – it fits beautifully easily into pockets or bags and there’s virtually no show-through when using pen and ink. That’s it, no more discussion, but I’ll probably use it mainly when I’m out and about and just want to use pen or pencil.
Blogging from the Oriana!
I had to do this! I can't manage a picture from here and I hope the burglars in our area aren't reading this, but the novelty of doing this a hundred miles out at sea - wow. Bruges tomorrow and if my daughter doesn't drag me into too many shops, hopefully a few sketches.
BCF 14 - Left-handed as well as blind!
Illustration Friday - BROKEN
The lengths I'm prepared to go to for my art!
I find that if you park your Peugeot people carrier on a slope, struggle with removing shopping and a toddler who wants to try every door and then let the full weight of the sliding door slide shut onto your fingers you should be pretty successful at creating the perfect subject matter for Illustration Friday.
