Inktober 2014

Inktober begun in 2009 for artists to come together and create an ink drawing for every day of the month of October. Well, I never heard of this before and accepted the challenge 3 days into the month. I had some catching up but saw it as something fun to do. When I saw that many of the works were sketches or free hand of form, I was going to do the same thing but just wasn't comfortable in having that online. Its like answering the door in a bathrobe and curlers. Why would you want anyone to see you like that?

The first drawing I submitted was the last entry for the Drop Cloth Series. It was fitting seeing where the other works were coming from, the expression for this last one was as if she was fed up with it all and was seeking help. But if her parents weren't going to give it, then who was she supposed to look up to?

The next 3 were a series of hairless cats. I saw these animals and was fascinated at how ugly they are
tot he point of having to draw them. This brought the challenge to the 5th day. Another series of 3 were frogs. These three are a little quirky and fun to draw. The stippling took some time and the idea of coloring these later is appealing.

I saw a picture of a stuffed toy and had to do my own version. After finishing it, I named it Bunny and was placed in the corner for punishment because of using art supplies when there was other school work to do. The next piece was of Bunny making the best of the situation. I thought it was funny and have no idea where the story came from - it seemed to be crying for it.

On the 10th day, there was an aquatic series of marine life. Trying the Japanese style worked for the first one and then, I don't know what happened. Still, its fun and am determined to get through the challenge. On the 13th, my intention was to do a series of owls. I needed to stretch my scope of subjects to draw. Usually its flowers and females and seeing I haven't drawn in a little while, this challenge was perfect to get ting me out of the slump. But it was right about here, where I was looking to get back to my flowers and

portrait illustrations. Still focused, I got through one of the owls.

To see the other entries to the Inktober 2014, click on the link or go to my art page on Facebook and click the thumbs up - please.

Finishing Drop Cloth

For little over a year I have been working the Drop Cloth series off and on. There were times as I finished one piece to the next I thought of the children I worked with over the years and how they fared with all of what life has to offer and how much each of them didn't know. I find it perplexing that when my mother was ill, I had the inspiration of doing this series. She passed on to be with the Lord the beginning of the year, and now after 16 pieces do I believe the series is finished. Its a peculiar number to finish with and the timing as well.

Nevertheless, when looking at the last piece still incomplete, one of the guests where I am employed was introduced to me. She saw my work and I explained what it meant. She had the same reaction as so many others in hearing the portrayal of the series. However, she was the only one that heard why the series is completed. She said,"that's why she looks like this." I thought she was referring to the piece being incomplete. She was referring to the expression of the girl. Deliberately when sketching each piece the children were made to be looking at the viewer so the each person looking back could see what is happening to our next generation. The way we treat material objects is with so concern more so then the very ones that will soon be heads of state and corporations. These children will be in the government making decisions that will be affecting our lives. How wonderful would that be if they learned something about compassion, considering the other person, or love? Instead what they have learned is that is is a dog-eat-dog world and you better get your before someone else snatches it fro you. How do I know? Because a teacher said it to me while I was 1 of 30 in grade school. Did  the system get better? Are there better teachers that inspire children to learn? Really? In Detroit, Michigan 60 schools were closed down, boarded up, and some were demolished. No one fought it. When adding more tax to cigarettes, there were those that had petitions, the senators got involved, and it became a ballot to vote on.

The last piece was of a girl with her hands of her face pulling downward. She is a young child dealing with adult problems and having nothing to draw from to resolve the giant of an issue. Who is she going to go to? Who has the answers? Mom and Dad are arguing. The teachers don't have the time. The counselors are focused and one thing and nothing more then that. Where is the help? Where are all of the resources to keep this child whole and healthy. So she looks up. Its what I have been taught as well in those times when there is no one left to hear the gripes and complaints and you realize as an adult, that complaining gets you no where. You look up. 

When that last piece is finished, I will link it here.

Greeting Cards

Its been a little while since I have posted anything. I had lost my inspiration due to a loss in my family and have been trying to get it back. During that time, I was doing a host of research and browsing through Michael's every now and again. As much as I am not a scrapbooker, I have become fascinated with greeting cards. Seeing that I do them anyway with my art work, I decided to see what else I could do with them directly.

Having a fascination with how big the scrapbooking phenomena has become, I went through all of those aisles that is specifically for them. The area I have a fondness for are the rubber stamps. Its been that way since I was a child and went through Frankenmuth, Michigan. I recall seeing the wealth of rubber stamps back then and just went, "aww, ooh." I don't know why but knew I would have liked to have at least one. I don't remember if I got it or not, just the feeling when I saw them.

I have a collection of stamps, punches, and various paper pads right now. I also have a collection of pictures from others who have been doing greeting cards for years and are artists in their own rights with the absolutely gorgeous things they have created.

For the last few months, I have been studying the rules when making cards. Some don't follow any thinking that whatever looks good to them should also look good to others. But that's true of any artist - isn't it? The thing is, I am  trying to sell my work. As much as I have researched with the color rules and doing your own thing, it hasn't come together. I have to like it, yet in that small space it can't be overwhelming to the viewer. Its such a fine line.

Here are my 2nd and 3rd card attempts. The 1st one is pinned on my cork board. I keep it there to remind me what not to do anymore - ever!

I stamped this card on multi-media paper and then colored it with the Tim Holtz distress markers. I was looking to make the coloring with some sort of depth. I stippled it at first and changed the colors to shade in the folded areas. It looked too flat to glue to a piece of cardstock so I tore the edges and distressed it a little  - lol. It still looked flat. And then I remembered the raised glue squares. It was too late for them, I had completed 4 cards in this same way. The only thing was missing was the sentiment, I figured I could get a little more creative with that but didn't know with what.

My second attempt was a little more fancier. I used a different stamp but water colored the back ground with a little pink and blue gray. It can't be seen really well in the picture but its there. I also tried to get fancy with the grass but didn't want as much color seeing this is supposed to be a masculine card which didn't keep me from dolling the card up with 3 tiny brads at the bottom of the piece. I used the embossing powders for the first time in the sentiment and found out why the heating tool is needed rather than my blow dryer.

Its my 3rd card and was more pleased with this one then the 2nd. I think I can do this for a little while and do well at it. I was hoping it not take as much time but these 4 cards took almost 2 hours to complete. Eh, I'm new, its won't be like that all of the time. You can see for yourself when I link this to a video.