Uhhh…Happy New Year?

brothers

Brothers

Graphite on Bristol Smooth, photo from Wet Canvas

This has been one crazy year. It’s been scary, difficult, awesome and life changing. Starting a career in your late 40’s is pretty daggone daunting (especially after being a house mouse for the last 10 years). But I’m getting the hang of being out there again, and I am meeting some great people. The downside of all this that I have been M.I.A. on my blog and art in general.

I am hoping to get on some kind a schedule. I am at a point where my life is running me and I am not running my life. But there are people that work full time and still manage to find time for art and blogging. And I will be one of them…eventually. I guess in a nutshell, I just wanted you to know that I am not giving up my blog and I haven’t quit drawing or painting.

Now on with the drawing, This thing was a beast to draw and I thought about throwing it away a hundred times. If you draw and paint, you know about the ugly stages and how you are suppose to work through those ugly stages. But I was so frustrated. Those ugly stages were fighting and clawing and just didn’t want to leave. Even though the photo quality isn’t that great, in real life this is one of my better pieces and I am so glad that I didn’t give up.

So, How long are you willing to work through the ugly stages?

Be Well and Happy!

My Sketching Essentials…

There are so many supplies available for the artist to work (or play) on the go. The equipment can get really elaborate as well as expensive. So, I have put together a few things I have carried with me from time to time with no problems. By problems I mean, I have never sat down to sketch and said, “Man! I wish I would have brought_____!”

Sketching

I am first and foremost a graphite girl! I like to draw on a smooth papers. And the above are my papers of choice.

–400 Series Strathmore Drawing Pad – 8 x 10, 80 lb., pad is coiled so it folds flat (which is awesome). Paper has a slight tooth, but I still consider this a smooth(ish) paper.

–400 Series Strathmore Sketch Pad – 5.5 x 8.5, 60 lb., pad is also coiled, slight tooth and not as thick as the 80 lb.

-Canson Drawing – 5.5 x 8.5, 70 lb., pad is coiled and has very little tooth. It is the mid range weight between the two pads above.

-Canson Drawing – 5.5 x 8.5, 65 lb., pad is coiled, slight tooth and also a good mid range weight

The two Canson pads are not available, but here is a link to see the Canson line.

–Moleskine Journal – unlined, stapled and smooth tooth, compact and very versatile.

Tools

These are all the tools I need to keep me happy!

–A stump – for blending

–A kneaded eraser – erasing mistake of course 😉

–2B lead – a very versatile degree of graphite. Depending on the amount of pressure and using a stump, this one soft graphite can give you anywhere from a 4H, 3H, 2H, H, HB, as well as 2B!

–Lead Pencil – Trimming your pencil may not be an option, so for me a lead pencil is a definite must.

When I want to sketch on the go and I don’t want to or can’t take a bigger pad. I throw a Moleskine, stump, kneaded eraser, lead and a lead pencil in a Ziploc baggie and off I go!

Colored Pencil…Would be essentials

I rarely take colored pencil on the go. I may if we are traveling by car, but not usually as a rule. If I decided to and I had no plan in mind, this is what I would probably take with me. I bought this portfolio from Dick Blick many years ago, and I love it. The portfolio holds a pad of paper, 12 Prismacolor Pencils, and a sharpener.

The additional pad:

–300 Series Strathmore Bristol Smooth – 6 x 6, 100 lb. paper, heavyweight paper that will hold many layers of pencil.

Tools

-Colored Pencil Portfolio – I bought this on clearance for a whopping $20.00…ikr, yay me! Sadly, I don’t think this is available anymore.

–A 12 color pack of colored pencils

–A kneaded eraser

-Sharpener

–Lead Pencil – not shown.

–typing eraser – great hard eraser

–Prismacolor blender pencil

-A Baggie – for pencil shavings

Watercolor….Would be essentials

I haven’t had the pleasure of working in watercolor (yet). But I do have a few things that I would choose as my essentials if I were to paint on go.

Paper

–300 Series Strathmore Bristol Smooth – 6 x 6, 100 lb. paper, heavyweight paper that will hold many layers of pencil.

Other watercolor pads

Tools

–Loew-Cornell dry watercolor pan

-12 color pan no longer available
–Winsor & Newton – 12 color travel set – linked to a similar set

or Watercolor Pencils not pictured

–Travel water brush

-A Mister

-a folded paper towel not pictured

–A stump

–A kneaded eraser

–2B lead

–Lead Pencil

Ink

Sometimes, I want to Zentangle and this is perfect to throw in my purse!

Paper

–300 Series Strathmore Bristol Smooth – 6 x 6, 100 lb. paper, heavyweight paper

–Moleskine Journal – unlined, staples and smooth., compact and very versatile.

Tools

Micron Pens

–2B lead

–Lead Pencil

–A stump

–A kneaded eraser

I think oil and acrylic would fall under the en plein air category. And since we all can’t know everything I have no idea what a charcoal or pastel artist would carry. But I would definitely be interested in finding out.

Nothing is set in stone and you should carry what makes you feel comfortable. For me these things mentioned is what makes me comfortable to sketch in the past and what I shall continue to have with me in future.

What are your go to sketching essentials?

Be Well and Happy!

Happy 2014!

“Lola”

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

I hope this post finds everyone excited for the new year. I know there are a lot of exciting things happening this year in the Ottaway household. So much so, that I don’t think I could handle making any resolutions let alone keep them. I hope times are as good as I anticipate them to be, though they may become a little bittersweet.

Above is a commissioned piece that I completed over the holidays. Sadly, this lovely girl has crossed over the rainbow bridge. But you can tell she was probably a rambunctious little priss pot and spoiled rotten by her owner, lol

Not a whole lot going on right now to blog about. I have been spending my time like everyone else. I ate so much food that my jeans are tight and the thread is screaming. I watched a copious amount of Hallmark movies. I enjoyed a lot quality time with my loves (more than they would have liked) , and A LOT of time spent in my P.J.s. That’s pretty much it.

I have a few things planned for my blog, so stay tuned!

Be Well and Happy!

Randomness ;)

Remember this portrait? This is Sheriff Graham/The Huntsman. He was one of my favorite characters from my still favorite show Once Upon a Time. THEY KILLED HIM OFF! I was so upset. But they left a glimmer of hope in me when the last scene was of a wolf running through the woods…I said to myself, Self? At least they left an opening for him to come back. And they are! I am so excited! I know it is lame, but there ya go…

I went home last weekend and was finally able to give my nephew Evan this Tiger portrait. He loved it and was rendered speechless. He actually kept saying over and over, ” I don’t know what to say?” So, I guess he was not that speechless. It made me so happy, to be able to make him happy and all it took was a little time out of my days.

I have also, been working on this exercise from the book Masterful Color by Arlene Steinberg. I will not say too much as I plan on doing more of these exercises so I can give you a newbie review.

I’m ready for St. Patrick’s Day nails and all! This color is Miami Spirit from the Wet ‘n Wild Fergie collection. I really like the Fergie Polishes from Wet ‘n Wild. And man, they are dirt cheap at $3.49 a bottle. In the bottle the color has blue micro glitter that is absolutely beautiful on the nail (especially outside). Alana and I both love funky nail polishes. The brighter the better! but my favorite…favorite color has to be and hands down Navy Blue! LOVE LOVE

And lastly, yesterday my glasses finally came in. I had to get bifocals. And it is so very lovely to be able to see and read using the same glasses. I got the progressive lens so, I feel like I am in a fun house for now, LOL But I really think I will enjoy them.

Welp, those were the highlights of my week. Yes, I even find nail painting exciting. You guys have a wonderful and creative weekend!

Be Well and Happy!

Randomness:)

Below, is a couple of pictures of projects that has occupied me this week:

This is the other ear of my drawing project. I have about 12 hours invested in this so far and it is half completed. This is a very slow process, but I think it is going to be one of my better pieces. If it doesn’t end up in File 13. That is the relationship that I have with drawing. The more I struggle? The better the outcome.

I also made myself these sterling silver earrings. The two pieces were from an old necklace that belonged to Grandma Ottaway that I took apart and refashioned. They are a little long, but I have really long hair so everything is in balance. I really am enjoying making myself some jewelry for a change.

I guess that is about it. What can I say? My life is a Valium. I have not been mindful of the my happenings this week. I guess I just dribbled in a bowl, LOL

Do you ever have days or weeks like that? Just lose track of time?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Be Well and Happy,

Randomness:)

Happy Friday!!

My week has been pretty calm, which is life speak for a little boring but stress free 🙂 But I do have some pictures to give you some idea of how my time passed:

We finally installed our counter tops! YAY!!!!! I think David did a great job and we are so close to having our kitchen completed!!!! I wanted black counters, but I was afraid that since our cabinetry is white that if we put in a solid black top it would make the kitchen look a little sterile. I was hoping the silver gray would soften it some and I think it did. Thank Goodness. It really worried me that it would not work out…It would be an awfully costly mistake on my part.

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Also, we have been trying to eat a little healthier. We are not going crazy, but I need more grains and cut out the fried food. And ever since I watch an episode of “How it’s Made” featuring Couscous and Quinoa, I’ve been more than a little intrigued as to what they would taste like…..and now I do. The Couscous tastes okay and kind of reminds me of rice. The texture is mushy and it’s the mushiness that gets me. The Quinoa reminds me of the pellets that is in a stuffed teddy bear. It’s kind of gritty and has a funny after taste. Needless to say, these were not a favorite at my house and I don’t they will ever be on our plates again, lol…

Also, I have everything ready to sort and organize my beads. I bought the black boxes from Ikea and I can’t even begin to tell you how well these are made. Although Ikea has many sizes, these are CD/DVD storage cases. I think they sell them 2/3.99. I like them so much, that when we redo our living room I am going to use these to sort out our movies and music.