Tag Archives: floral

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like….OH NO!!!

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As Summer arrives with the ending days of June, we look forward to the end of the Fiscal Year.   That’s right folks, while you’re enjoying the Fourth of July, and trips to the beach, people in retail are getting ready for the December holidays. Even artists are starting to look for the venues for art/craft shows in November and December.  I am no different.

I’m thinking of doing what is named the Pumpkin Festival, which is a large fair at a local church.  I have a while to think about it.  I’m going to give whatever venue I plan to do, my best shot, with my best moneymaker, which I realize now is hand drawn note cards and holiday cards.  So, that’s that.

I’m working now on note cards, because the weather here went from way too cold and rainy to go out drawing, to too hot and sunny.  So, while taking the trash to the dumpster the other day, I found a sweet surprise in the condo complex.  Wild strawberries!  So, I’ve done one note card, and am working on another.  I may eventually do a large version, like I did this:

And tried to do, this:

  

Here’s the photo I’m working from, which I like as a photo almost as much as I do a reference for a drawing….

Happy Summer Solstice!

One Day at a Time..and a Way Back Wednesday …

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So,I’m off from the day jobs today.  I’m working a lot of hours these day, but unfortunately, not on art.  Today was filled with errands, and an overdue visit with a friend.  Not much time, or for that matter, energy for drawing.

However, a little bit at a time is better than nothing.  I remember giving the advice to someone that I had been given, you can at least do artwork for 15 minutes a day.  If you can have your painting set up in a corner at all times that is probably true, but that’s not really possible for all.  So, do what you can. Even five minutes over a period of time mounts up.

So, that’s what I’m doing..working on the endless possibilities I talked about last post, in periods of a few minutes daily.  The good thing is that I’m always hungry to do more, and I’m not burnt out and tired from having done too much all at once.  For those of you who remember this..it’s a review, for those of you who do not, here’s Floral Overload, in which I had gotten so sick of doing flowers over and over again.  If I had done it in only stretches of five minutes a day, I doubt I would have had that reaction.

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The Grand Finale

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All my bitchin’ and moanin” has come to an end.  I’m finished with “Floral Overload”.  Honestly, I haven’t sweated so much over a drawing in years, but I like the result.  Months from now, it will be the result that means anything to me.

 

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Now that I’ce done something really cheerful and lively, I’m looking back to this one I did.  January 2.  I like the tranquility, and tranquility and soft cool colors is a healing combination.

 

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But I was also intrigued by the idea of a rock concert.  I expected to do something really lively, now I’m not so sure.  Can I pull off a tranquil rock concert?  We shall see.

Will you stop complaining, for God’s sake, woman!

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Honestly, I was going to go into another rant on how bored I am drawing flowers.  Then I realized, you’re probably bored hearing me complain…so, peace.  As I go along, though, I find my flowers are becoming more scribbly. It still works, though.

I usually don’t show my work this far along (rather give an overwhelming finale), but I’ve come to an interesting predicament I’d like to share.

 

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At first, the compostition was easy, the colors just fell into place.  But as I reach the finish, every potential move has tremendous consequences.  I’m playing chess with flowers, folks!

Maybe I should make the left corner a pink flower and continue the line of pink.  Or perhaps I should make it blue and balance THAT out.  Or maybe I should just have a good night’s sleep, a cup of coffee in the morning.  Yes, that’s it!  That’s got to be it.

A Flower a Day Keeps the Psychiatrist Away

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Yes, doing artwork is good therapy…..for me at least.  It gave me a reason to live, when depression was clouding my perceptions as to the quality of my life.  These days, I’ve been so busy, that it is literally a flower a day.  So, rather than ruin the surprise of the finish of “Floral Overload”  I will present a detail….one flower.  This is a close-up of the iris.

 

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Next pic?  I’ve just recently been to a rock concert, and was impressed by the drama of the visuals.  I remember a fantastic inner cover of a “Wings” album (back when the artwork on a record cover was a dramatic statement in itself.)  It was a realistic, yet exaggerated painting of a rock concert.  It stuck in my mind long since my record collection faded into CD’s….faded into Mp.3’s…faded into ipods, my smartphone (and who knows what’s next).

Also, a friend’s scizophrenic relative did sort of an art brut version of a rock concert.  Very impressive, very dramatic.

So, after “Floral Overload” is finished, I shall enter the world of Hard Rock.

Another Work in Progress, and Dead in the Water

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I’m happy with the way “Floral Overload” is coming along.  Really, truly, I am.  But, it is a LOT of work. I can get maybe one flower done a day.  One factor is that my job leaves me fatigued, and I don’t have much time..so, Day Job hunting again.  Oh, and I’m going to see the Moody Blues on Sunday.  Just thought I’d throw that in.floraloverloadwip2

These are the Breaks!

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I’ve gotten far enough with the full-sized version of “Floral Overload’, to show a work in progress….and here ’tis:

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The trick is, to make every individual part a complete composition, so every area could make a complete drawing.  Or so I’ve figured out, as I go along. I”m having great fun with this!

 

But it’s time for a break.  In just about anything, art included, sometimes you just get fatigued.  And unless you’re up against a deadline, you’re doing yourself a favor just walking away for a while.  I’ve made many disastorous mistakes (which I’ve prudently destroyed) by pushing.

My next step will to be to add this pretty red rose.

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However, if I don’t take a break and walk away, it’ll come out looking like Heath Ledger’s face as The Joker.  “Nuff said.