AEDM days 5 to 12 (minus day 10)

Last week has been a very busy week at work, including having to stay at a hotel for two nights, a very very long Friday, and working on Saturday as well. I did manage to do some sketching on most days though, but I didn't have any time at all for keeping up my blog, or visit any other blogs. But now the busy time's finally over, and things should get back to normal again.

5/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 5: Dalahästen

These carved wooden horses have a long history and they are very pretty too. They're usually painted in bright colours, the most common one being red, but my favourite one is this plain wooden one with white pattern.

6/11/2012 ~ ADEM Day 6: My Cup of Tea

When inspiration's just gone on a little tea break and you just really don't know what to draw, simply draw what's next to you. Like your favourite tea mug.

7/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 7: Doorstopper

And if you still don't know what to draw the day after, just take the next closest thing that's lying around. Like this turquoise paint tube-shaped doorstopper. Not that I've ever really used it as a doorstopper.

8/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 8: Fighting that Cough

Trying to get rid of that annoying cough with cough syrup and sage pastilles. They seem to be working.

9/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 9: The Conference

The best thing to do to pass the time at the conference was to just sketch it.

10/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 10:

Sorry, no sketch. After an intense and exhausting two conference days, I just didn't have the energy to do even a simple little sketch.

11/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 11: Leaves

Spent all day on the sofa, reading or watching films, and recovering from the conference and all the preparations it required. It was raining cats and dogs all day, so that was just a perfect excuse too. And I even remembered to do a little sketch. Just some simple leaves.

12/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 12: Clementines

I always love the first clementines, they're always the best.

AEDM days 2 to 4, and day 1 with a splash of colour

My intended "quick sketches" are turning out to take much longer to do, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the process, whether it's a quick lunch time sketch with some colour added in the evening, a relaxing evening sketch, a sneaky sketch during art class or an early Sunday morning warm up sketch before spending the rest of the day painting.

2/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 2: Basic Tools

 Some of my very basic brushes (some of them are simple pastry brushes from the supermarket) and my favourite green water jar.

3/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 3: The Artist

M painting teacher at work. Unfortunately, it doesn't look anything like him. I'm still far away from getting a real likeness when trying to sketch people. But the first step is to practise sketching people at all - and getting quicker at it. Why can't people just stand still?

4/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 4: A Pocket Full of Pink

I received a pocketful of Pink the other day, including these lovely buttons. Just perfect for sketching on a Sunday morning.

And the Ginkgo sketch from Day 1 got a bit of colour too:

Have a wonderful, creative Sunday!

It's Art Every Day Month again

November is Art Every Day Month, the challenge hosted by Leah Piken Kolidas from Creative Every Day blog. I took part last year and really enjoyed it, both to force myself to do something every day and the community. I thought I had to give it a miss this years, as November was already filled with plans, which did not really include blogging, or even sketching. But thanks to life being bitchy, it's going to be a lot less eventful month, I'm afraid. And so, with some more time on my hands, I'm joining after all. After all, it's a good way to keep oneself busy.

I know I won't be able to post every day, but I definitely intend to be creative every day. I've dug out my abanondend little Moleskine sketchbook this morning, and my intention is to fill a page each day. I am so impressed by Serena Lewis' terrific sketches for Blogtoberfest and the 75 penk/ink sketch challenge, and they have inspired me try and do a sketch each day for this year's AEDM. Although not necessarily only pen or ink. I do like my pencils (and eraser) and a splash of colour.

1/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 1: Ginkgo

There's a wonderful big old Ginkgo tree (just getting the spelling right is a little challenge in itself!) outside my window at work. Now, in autumn, it's beautifully shaped leaves are bright yellow, and the ground's already covered with them. As well as with its, or rather her, seeds, as there are actually both male and female trees with only the females producing seeds that look like little fruits. I picked up some of the leaves and seeds for this lunch-time sketch this mornin, but I think I'll add a little bit of colour later this evening.

Art Every Day Month: Day 30

The last day of November today, and with it the last day of Art Every Day Month. Time certainly flies by when you are creative! It was a great experience, and made me try out and get into some new things, techniques and supplies, which I really enjoyed. I also profited from the challenge of trying to do something small (almost) every day. It doesn't have to be a big painting on canvas every time. A little sketch, a drawing, watercolour pencils... it's such a good exercise to just do something, anything, no matter how small, every day. I actually didn't do something on each and every day. I had one or two days when I just didn't had the time, or simply wasn't inspired. It happens, and it's okay too. But I managed to do something on most of the day, which is actually a lot more than I expected. So I'm really happy. And the community of all the Art Every Day Month participants has been so inspiring and rewarding! The talent and creativity out there is really amazing!

A big thank you to Leah Piken Collidas of Creative Every Day, who hosted the challenge and who gave us a platform to share our work and connect with each other. Thank you!

And so here is my last contribution to Art Every Day Month. Two days ago, when I posted my unenthusiastic Saint Nichoals, Nigel asked for a reindeer, and how could I possibly ignore his request. So here is it, a little reindeer in the  snow just for you, Nigel :). (Click here for some music to go with it)

He looks a bit exhausted, poor chap. I first thought it was because of all the work he has to do this time of the year, but then I remembered that the present delivery service doesn't start until later next month. So my conclusion is that he's a little bit drunk, naughty little thing. But maybe a glass of red wine is just the right thing now, to celebrate a whole month of creating art (almost) every day. Cheers to all my fellow participants!

Actually, Art Every Day Month is not the only challenge Leah hosts. In the past three years, she has also hosted the Creative Every Day Challenge, and I've been so inspired this month, that I'm seriously thinking about joining this challenge, if she will host it again next year. There's a theme for each month, and I really like this idea. (I have been doing a similar thing with Picture Inspiration, where we are given a prompt each week for a photograph. It is a great challenge and inspiration to come up with something for a theme I wouldn't necessarily have thought about myself.) Even though it is called an "every day challenge", it doesn't actually mean that you have to  post something every day, which really would be absolutely impossible. Also, "creativity" is meant in a very broad sense.

Well, I'm definitely going to miss Art Every Day Month, but to be honest, I'm also quite looking forward to taking a bit slower again. These past few days especially, where I tried to do and post something every day, have been exhausting (I feel a little bit like my litte reindeer), and I definitely need to catch up on some sleep! But if there's going to be a Creative Every Day Challenge for 2012, I'm almost certainly in!

Art Every Day Month: Day 29

Only one more day to go with Art Every Day Month, and till Decemeber. Today, I thought I'd do some baubles to help me get into Christmas mood.

I also went to the city after work, to enjoy the Christmas lights everywhere (and to have a constant battle with White Balance, I really never know which option to chose at night, and with all the lights. None of the options really seem to work...). But I just loved the reflections in the river!

I also bought some wool to knit a scarf or two. I'm really bad at knitting, and I can only do simple and straight, so it really has to be just scarves. It'll be my challenge for December. At least I'll be ready for when the snow comes :)

Art Every Day Month: Day 28

Day 28 of Art Every Day Month, and only two more days to go! Even if it's not quite yet December, the Christmas season is already in full swing. Yesterday was the first advent, and there were numerous Saint Nicholas processions everywhere ringing (quite literally in some cases, see below) in the season. It's less than four weeks till Christmas, the Christmas lights and decorations are on everywhere. But somehow, I'm just so not in the mood yet. Don't know why, as I quite like this season, really. So I thought it would help if I sketched a Saint Nicholas, or "Samichlaus", as we call here (he's not quite the same as Santa, even though they look similar).

Hmmm, didn't really help much yet. Maybe if I added some colour? Some bright christmassy red, surely that would help?!

But alas!, my "Samichlaus" looks about as unenthusiastic about the whole business as me. And he also looks a bit undernourished. Maybe that's why he's so grumpy?  Hmmm, maybe I should get out my Dean Martin Christmas CD, or the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain one, maybe that will help to put some Christmas feelings into the air? 

Here some pictures of our local "Chlausumzug" (Saint Nicholas procession), complete with the bell ringers (I'm sure they never feel the cold, those bells must weigh a ton!), a whole truck load of Saint Nicholas', and even a bunch of junior ones too :)

According to the weather forecast, there should be some snow coming in the middle of the month. I hope we'll have some down here as well. That would most definitely put me in the mood for Christmas!

Art Every Day Month: Days 21 - 27

Week four of Art Every Day Month is already over, and its only a few days left. I can't believe how quickly the time went! This week wasn't quite as productive as I had wished. But sometimes, one just has too many other things on one's mind that keep distracting one's thoughts and concentration. I managed to get something done, or at least began something, almost every day, although some of it was rather frustrating.

Monday, 21 November: My mind had been running wild since the early hours of the day, and it needed some sorting out. So instead of painting, drawing, sketching etc. I spent the entire evening jotting down my thoughts into my journal.

Tuesday, 22 November: My thoughts kept wandering off, and I found it hard to focus on what I was doing, so my drawing attempts resulted in only half a dog. He doesn't look too happy about it, the poor thing...

Wednesday, 23 November: I spent the afternoon going through a pile of antiquarians' and auctions catalogues, and I found a lovely 1920s image of what must have been a champagne ad. I copied it into my sketchbook in the train on my way to Swedish class. I don't really know why I always feel like drawing in that particular train, it's always crowded and constantly swaying and jouncing. It's not really a very comfortable train.

Thursday, 24 November: I met up with a friend after work so got home later. I did continue working on my watercolour techniques reference book, though.

Friday, 25 November: I had the day off, and so much to do that I kept running around all day. The biggest achievement was that I finally, finally decided on a fabric for my new old sofa. It  actually took me  an embarrasing 15 months to decide... Luckily, I found a very patient upholsterer. No idea how long it will take now until it will be ready and in the living room. I didn't dare to ask... It'll be ready when it's ready. I just hope I made the right decision about the fabric...!! I tried to do some kind of watercolour landscape scene in the evening. I want to practise as much as possible with watercolours to be ready for the workshop in mid December, but it just didn't work at all. So I decided to give up and call it a day. I'll finish it later. Or maybe I'll just leave it and start something new.

Saturday, 26 November: At last, I started working on the new picture for the living room, now that the sofa fabric is sorted out, and I spent all morning working on it. The bubble theme is still going on. So many things on my mind, so many bubbles in my head. Not quite sure yet how exaxtly I want it to be, but I want lots of texture.

Sunday, 27 November: From bad to worse. This week really wasn't a good week, creatively speeking. I really should have just forgotten about that watercolour sketch I started on Friday, as it got from bad to much worse. Isn't there a saying, that you need to make bad art first in order to start making good art, or something like that? Well, this is certainly as bad as it can get. Only good for cutting up and re-using for some collage or something. Ah well, the week's over, and hopefully, with it my creative low.

Art Every Day Month: Days 18 & 19

One of the many things I want to practise drawing and sketching are humans. So I tried to do some small portraits last night for day 18 of Art Every Day Month. The one on the left right was the first one I did, drawn from memory of a sketch I did a few weeks ago. For the others, I used the theatre programme of a play I saw in London last months. While I at least  manage to get them to look like humas, I'm still far away from achieving a real life-like likenenss, so the actors are not really recognisable at all. Of course I used my newly discovered, and already much beloved Sanguine pencil again.

Today, day 19, I finally got out my calligraphy things again. It's something I've neglected far too long. Two, three years ago, I could rarely spend an evening without getting my nibs, pens and inks out. But with all the other things happening since then, they somehow got a bit neglected, though not completely forgotten. It wasn't only me that had become rusty, my poor nibs seem to have suffered too. I definitely have to get them out more often again!

I'm afraid my proportions are, as usual, all wrong. It's because I'm always too lazy to prepare and rule my paper correctly. I just want to write. Also, I never manage to write something without making mistakes. I'm concentrating so much on the shape of the letters when I'm writing, that I completely forget the words, and so sooner or later, make a mistake.

Colourless green ideas sleep furiously (Noam Chomsky)

Art Every Day Month: Days 16 & 17

I've discovered a new medium yesterday, and I have a feeling that it might well become my favourite drawing/sketching medium: Rötel, or Sanguine. The English Sanguine refers to the "true" colour of blood (a reddish brown), while the German Rötel simply refers to the colour red (Rot). Rötel/Sanguine is made of clay and hematite, and has been used for drawing and sketching since the Renaissance. It usually needs to be fixed with a fixative, although the one I have is not a dry one, but an oil one, which means that doesn't smudge, and therefore needs no fixing. Which is perfect, as I always end up making a big mess when I use something like charcoal, and the only effect my fixative seems to have is to give me a headache.

I printed out an image of a typical Venetian scene from the internet yesterday, and did this Venice sketch on the train on my way to Swedish class. I really love sketching with this Sanguine pencil, it's so smooth and soft, and I simply adore the warm, earthy, reddish colour.

Today's sketch I did on the train again, after work. Two weeks ago, in my painting class, we talked about a painting we had made at least 10 years ago. It was based on a day in our life, with simple images or symbols of the things we had done that day. I have it in a sketchbook, and everytime I look at it, I still remember every detail of that day. So I decided to do a similar thing. I thought a double page of my sketchbook would be more than enough, but at the end, I needed two - it's because of my long commute everyday... So here's a typcial, ordinary day in my life, with me having to get up far too early, running to the train station to catch my train, commuting, working, and trying to sqeeze in far too many things in the evening once I'm finally home, and always ending up going to bed too late as a result. That strange image on top of the last page is me trying to take decent pictures to post on my blog without natural light, as it's already dark by the time I finally get home. I'm forever struggling to get the colours right, usually not very successfully. I've tried to scan the images, too, but our scanner at work does not seem to be very impressed by my creative outlet, and simply refuses to produce an acurate reproduction.

This one's my favourite of them all: it's when I arrive at the office at last, 2 1/2 hours after having got up, and finally getting my first cup of tea of the day.

I've done a lot of sketching these past 2 1/2 weeks, thanks to Art Every Day Month, and it's great, because really that is what I've wanted to do: draw and sketch more. I've always felt bad about my inadequate drawing/sketching skills, and it has influenced my creative confidence enormously. But today, I read something very comforting, in Victoria Finlay's wonderful book Colour. She tells the story, about Michelangelo visiting, according to his biographer Georgio Vasari, Titian in his studio, and although he liked Titian's way with colours, he commented afterwards that it was a pity that Titian had never learnt to draw well. It is, basically, about different approaches, about careful planning versus spontaneity. But to me, it is a reminder that we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and if we aren't so good at one thing, it doesn't mean that everything else we do is worthless because of that. Yes, I would love to be really, really good at drawing, but I probably just have to face the fact that it's not really my strength. And that is okay. There are very few who are real masters of all arts (and that includes not only amateurs). For the rest of us, well, we just have to focus on what we're good at, and keep practising what we're not so good at. Me, I'll definitely continue practise drawing and sketching. Especially now, that I discovered that wonderful Sanguine.

Art Every Day Month: Week Two Summary

Week 2 of AEDM (Art Every Day Month). I posted day 8 separately, so here's the rest of what I've been doing during this second week. It was quite a busy week at work, with a big do at the end of the week, which meant long hours and having to spend two nights at a hotel. But I took my sketchbook, pencils, coloured water soluble pencils and one of those clever water fillable travel brushes with me. It was just a bit playing around, and trying out those coloured pencils, but it was fun to do, and definitely a good way to spend the evenings in a hotel room.

Wednesday, 9 November: I did just some simple drawing exercises. Blind drawing, drawing with left hand. I just realised that I forgot to scan or photograph them, but it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that I did something.

Thursday, 10 November: At the hotel, coloured water soluble pencils, inspired by all the coloured and fallen leaves, musing about the seasons and how the trees and leaves change during the course of the year.

Friday, 11 November: It was a long day and a late night, but I still managed to spend a little time sketching before turning in. I'm getting very fond of these coloured pencils. They're perfect for short trips and holidays.

Saturday, 12 November: I bought some more individual coloured pencils, as there aren't many browns and earth colours in the box. I only wanted to buy one or two, but of course ended up getting about ten. I can just never resist colours. But they're just perfect for this leaf. Glad to be back home again, but still inspired by those coloured pencils.

Sunday, 13 November: Finally time to paint, all day long. I did some art journaling. I've been thinking about dreaming and what my dreams are a lot lately (that's the things you dream about for your life, not the dreaming during the night while you're asleep ones), and when I put my thoughts to paint and paper, they always turn up as bubbles, circles, polka dots. I've added parts of Edgar Allen Poe's poem Dreams: I have been happy, tho' in a dream. / I have been happy- and I love the theme: / Dreams! in their vivid colouring of life, / As in that fleeting, shadowy, misty strife / Of semblance with reality, which brings / To the delirious eye, more lovely things / Of Paradise and Love- and all our own! / Than young Hope in his sunniest hour hath known.

Monday, 14 November: More art journaling. I wanted to try out at last some of the supplies I had bought in London last month for my second post in my Favourite Shops in London series - which I'll post later this week, together with more pictures.

Art Every Day Month: Day 8

It's day 8 of AEDM, and I'm still only doing lunch time pencil sketches. I'd love to sit down and take some more time, but I won't be able to do so this week before Sunday.

The two "love birds" I actually did yesterday, after my summary post. I was just about to leave, when I saw a photograph of these two birds in a nature magazine, and I couldn't resist to draw them in my sketchbook. I didn't have much time, as I had to catch my train, but I'd like to draw them again, and maybe also paint them.

Today's sketch was again made during my lunch break. A date stamp, the library's Ex Libris stamp, a pair of scissors, an eraser - just stuff that was lying around on my desk.

I really have to do a lot more drawing practising. I'm not at all happy with my lines, and I'm still far away from the quick, light, but accurate rendering of my subject I hope to achieve one day. Well, practise makes perfect... :)

Art Every Day Month: First week summary

The first week of AEDM is over, and I've been keeping, well, more or less up with it. I missed the first day, as I only read about it last Wednesday. I did do a little sketch then, though. And here's what I've been doing since then.

Thursday, 3 November:

A little pencil sketch of a leaf on the train on the way home from work, which I then filled in with some colour pencils later in the evening, once I was home.

Friday, 4 November: I didn't feel very well, and simply couldn't be bothered to even take up a pencil. There simply are days like that. Best to just stick to the sofa, the hot water bottle and alphabet soup.

Saturday, 5 November and Monday, 7 November:

More leaves. I did some quick, and rather unfinished, watercolour sketches on Saturday, during painting class. The paint wasn't quite dry yet when I left, so I just put a sheet of paper over it - which is why it looks a bit untidy in some places. I added some more pencil sketches of leaves today during my lunch break

Sunday, 7 November:

Again no energy to be creative at all. So back to sofa, the hot water bottle and alphabet soup again (I don't know why, but somehow, I find alphabet soup just so comforting...). I did manage to go for an inspiring walk in the afternoon though, taking loads of pictures. And I spent most of the evening processing them, using a variety of textures. (See also yesterday's post). I'm sure that should count as "doing something", right?

A little challenge for November

Today, I read about the fabulous challenge Elin of Huldas Burålåda set herself for this months: One motif - thirty pictures. A different painting of the same motif for each day of the month. I think it's a wonderful and creative challenge, and I'm looking forward to seeing the different pictures she's going to create. And it has inspired me to look for a little challenge for myself as well.

She got the inspiration for this challenge from two sources: The Sketchbook Challenge, and Art Every Day Month. I've known about the The Sketchbook Challenge before, and have been wanting to participate for quite a while now, but somehow  never managed so far. The Art Every Day Month challenge was a new discovery for me. And I've quite spontaneously signed up for it. Committed to it. There's no chance that I'll be able to paint every day, but it should be possible to do a little something every day, right? It doesn't have to be something big, just a little sketch, like the leaf  on the left, which I made in my notebook last week on the train. That really should be possible.

In fact, I had decided to do something like this  quite a few weeks ago, in order to get back into the  habit of drawing regularly. I had bought a little sketchbook to carry with me all the time especially for this. I've done a few sketches, mostly on the train, but then, somehow, the sketchbook got lost somewhere under a pile of books in my home, and disappeared. So, here's a new start. Tonight, I'm going to find that sketchbook, put it back into my bag, and take it out every day to make a little sketch of something. And when I have some more time, I'll make a little painting. I've still got a whole pile of leaves I collected, which I wanted to paint anyway.

So here's today's piece, a quick little pencil sketch of an apple, which I did in my lunch break.  I just couldn't wait until tonight, so I had to use ordinary copy paper, which made the blending a bit less smooth as I'd wanted. I really have to find that sketchbook!

I won't be able to post my sketches and paintings for this challenge here on my blog every day - painting/drawing something, taking pictures of it, processing them, and putting them all into a blog post, that's just not possible on a daily basis. But I'll plan to post a summary at least one post a week.