April is the cruellest month

I'm trying to draw a bit quicker. You need to be quick if you want to draw birds, cats, sailboats and other moving targets. This was an attempt to let go of the details and capture the shape - the essential "birdness". I'm not sure that I like it.

I did it last week, when the robin was gazing skyward and basking in the sunshine, and I was contemplating breaking the capri pants and flipflops out of winter storage.

This week, we were visited again by winter with lots of wet, heavy snow, wind warnings, and barely above freezing temperatures. This afternoon the robin was slogging through the snow, probably wishing he hadn't let the travel agent talk him into taking the Early Bird flight back to paradise. For now, the summer clothes stay put, and I hope the robin's fluffy feathers will keep him warm. Oh, and any complaint about snow has to be followed by the obligatory phrase "But we need the moisture" Sigh...

Monthly sketch project

This is for the monthly sketch project, photo provided by ffyrebird. It's a great photo. Don't they look like they are gossiping? I can hear the one on the left saying "And then ya know what she said...?" as the little one shakes her head in disbelief.

This is watercolor pencils in the Moleskine wc sketchbook.

The Monthly Sketch Project site is here

http://monthlysketchproject.blogspot.com/

EDM 75 - Favorite recipe ingredients

Last weekend I made soup. Two kinds - roasted mushroom medley, and tomato vegetable. I washed the veggies in preparation for dicing, and laid them to dry on the green waffle tea towel. They looked so nice, that before I could create soups, I had to create a drawing. I liked the colors and the shapes and I really love to draw fruits and vegetables and fresh, growing things. I'm, not sure how that poor pepper got so lopsided, though. It was a creative weekend, as I now have a freezer full of cups of soup to take for lunch and an EDM challenge! Life is good.

Monthly sketch project

This sketch is done from the charming photo posted on the Monthly Sketch Project site. It's very serene, and probably from a zen garden. I loved the photo and really liked doing the sketch, but because it's not my photo I don't have a story to go along with it.

However, I can write a bit about the flowers surrounding the temple. I think they are wax begonias of my favorite variety. It's the Cocktail series, the white flowers are called Whiskey. The red variety is called Vodka, and the pink ones are called Gin. They have those lovely bronzy-green leaves, and flowers upheld on stiff stems. They are my favorite shade plants for the patio. And such cute names!

Virtual Paintout - Canary Islands

This is the urban sketch that I chose for Virtual Paintout this month. It has the angular lines, and the perspective that I need to practice. It's an easier one than the one I chose last month. I was able to get those windswept palms and dramatic grey skies that appealed to me so much (although the skies do not show up so well in this scan).

The perspective is still not great, but I'm learning a lot each time I try. And traveling vicariously with my Internet boyfriend, also known as Google Pegman, is a real treat. It looks like this time we made it to the literal "end of the road".

Virtual Paintout is here ; http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/

This street scene is at Calle del Mirador del Charco, San Juan de la Rambia, Canary Islands.

Signs of spring

This is not the post I had in mind today. I think it was John Lennon who said that real life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. I can attest to that. None of the drawings that I wanted to post are happening the way I want them to. I think I need to lighten up and stop trying so hard.

So to switch my brain off, I noted the signs of spring that I saw on my way home today and then drew them as quickly as I could. But ture to theme, I chose a new, untried pen. It takes forever to dry, smears when I try to erase the pencil, and is not waterproof with the brushpens.

On the up side --- 4 signs of spring! Spring is most welcome this year. Now, back to the drawing board.