Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Turkey Shopping



Turkey Shopping, created in Corel Draw X5
I'm preparing for Thanksgiving; that doesn't mean I'm all work.  I played with the drawing tools in Corel Draw--it's taken me a week to get this drawing from Corel into my blog (and, somehow, several inches of white got cropped from the top).  Oh, well--I'm getting close.

Dip Mold, photo
Yesterday, while cleaning out the refrigerator to make room for the turkey, I found some old dip.  The mold on top looked like sculpture, so I got out the camera.  I see a reindeer, a rabbit head, a rear end, and some duck and pig feet--art is sometimes found right under our noses.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Circling the Thing Called Art


Pencil Sketch of Dave, 5x5

My sketchbook is always handy but until three weeks ago I had never sketched in public.  At an auto shop I got my chance; sitting across from me was a great model, my husband Dave.  Both our Jeeps were at the dealer (54 miles away) for repairs.  Dave's not very patient--he sat for a few minutes, left before I sketched his feet, and returned to a different seat.
Corel'd Dave
I recently bought Corel Draw Graphic Suite X5 (an upgrade because Suite 12 didn't work with Windows 7).  I wanted to play with digital paint brushes and colors so I tried scanning the sketch into Corel--the scanner didn't work.  We now have a new printer/scanner.  Everything's working, thanks to a good friend, Sam Caparatta.  Sam and Dave spent lots of time talking with "Tech."  We bought a Windows 7 computer in January and it has taken me 10 months and a lot of cussing just to get back to where I was last year.  I'm not sure this is progress; it's more like treading water and trying not to drown.   



I took a 3-hour linoleum block printing class at
Convergence Art Guild, a real pleasure, taught by my sister-in-law Mary Wilkerson.  My
subject was the chair next to my work
station.  I added a cat the following day, Halloween, and only needed three bandaids. 



Two-legged Chair, linoleum block, 7x5

I hope to do more linoleum block printing.  My problem is I like the block itself--looks like bas relief , and I'm hesitant to cut pieces away for printing with more than one color.  I just read THE COMPLETE PRINTMAKER, a book I've had for years; printmaking is definitely interesting.


Terry, charcoal drawing, 24x18
I attempted to draw my artist friend Terry during Thursdays at the Y Art.  The easel contraption stood still; Terry didn't.  When she appeared too thin, I took the easy way and made her head smaller.  She said she had always thought she had a pinhead--ha.  She was wrong when she said she lacked a sense of humor--we laugh a lot.  

Longwood Park
I feared I had missed the autumn colors so I took my camera along when I voted yesterday; luckily, I wasn't too late. 


Kinderton Golf Club


Clarksville Marina--3 blocks from my house


End of 4th, next to Marina--my favorite.  Geese patrol this knoll during the summer.
And I'm still playing with my Winsor and Newton watercolors--nothing worth posting yet. 
Posted by Picasa