Last week I did not work on any “serious” art projects, although I did finish up something that I have wanted to do for a long time. I have wanted to make a one page mini zine for years now, probably since 2004 when I first saw one. For various reasons, I never got around to it until now.
The front cover of my one page mini zine.
It was nothing fancy, just a small series of pen and ink drawings pasted to a sheet of paper and photocopied. They were nature drawings from around my house, sketched quickly.
Making the paste-up using a super old lightbox that I've had for years.
Below I scanned my photocopy and arranged the pages in order for you to see. These drawings all fit onto one 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper.
I haven’t done anything in straight pen and ink for a long time so I decided to give it a try again. Pen and ink is a real challenge for me because I struggle with adding too much detail. I really love detail, but I can carry it too far at times. I don’t ever remember doing a landscape like this in ink before–I wanted to show the different “layers” of trees and ground. I’d like to try a similar landscape, only draw it more simply next time. It was a lot of fun to draw for sure.
The scene depicts the view from Fox Hill in Bernardston, Massachusetts. Bernardston is a small town in a very out of the way part of the state. I love it there! It was the same place that I spotted the pheasant.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my personality and how I am nothing like the stereotypical “artist personality.” I took a Myers-Briggs test and I came back as ISTJ (introvert, sensing, thinking, judging). I am very serious and organized. I am ultra-dependable. I see things in black and white and I have a need to follow the rules (sometimes too rigidly!). I love my personality, but sometimes I can get too intense and that’s why I love art so much, because it lets me “depressurize” myself.
The drawing is based on an old photo of a stream taken while crossing over a bridge. I believe it was in Northern Italy. I drew it the other night after Cate had gone to sleep. She has been going to bed around seven o’clock every night so I have some extra time in the evenings these days.
A portrait of my baby niece made as a gift for my sister. She and Cate are already friends even though they are so different in personality. Lizzie has the most dainty whimper of a cry but Cate has a powerful set of lungs and doesn’t hesitate to use them!
I posted work in progress shots of this drawing in my last issue of Delicate Paperwork. If you are interested in seeing more behind the scenes images from me, you should subscribe. I’m sending the February issue out on Wednesday where I’ll be showing you a sneak peak of what I’m working on for the upcoming Twitter Art Exhibit.
This abstract drawing is inspired by the tufts of hair of my flokati rug. These days I like to make abstract, repetitive drawings while Cate takes mini naps during the day. This drawing was especially fun to make with my Noodler’s Flex Nib pen.
Congratulations to Endment who is the winner of my notecard giveaway. Please contact me with your information so I can mail off your prize. If I don’t hear from you by Friday, Jan 20, I will draw another name.
If you haven’t signed up for my free email newsletter Delicate Paperwork yet, it’s not too late. I’m sending off the first issue tomorrow. Click here to sign up.
I did some multitasking one evening, alternating between reading, listening to the TV and sketching Ruben (whenever he changed position). I felt so productive.
This is the first year that I can remember that I haven’t been stressed out over Christmas. I decided not to gift anyone artwork this year, and my family decided on a one present per person policy which really simplifies shopping. Now that my shopping is all done and I don’t feel “pressurized,” I actually haven’t minded the few times I’ve been out in the stores. I spent a couple of nice afternoons visiting Thornes Marketplace and Kringle Candle.
I’ve been posting to Pinterest for the past few months, whenever I find an interesting image that I want to save. Pinterest is a great site for finding online inspiration, and I love to browse through other people’s pins. If you use Pinterest, feel free to follow me, and leave a comment so I can follow you.
Above are some small sketches of Katie, and not very good ones at that, done over the course of a few days. Whenever I sketch Katie, or any animal, most of my sketches are no good and only a few really please me. It is such good practice and so much fun that I keep doing it though.
I seem to be having more and more ideas for new projects than ever, but less and less time to work on them. A few days ago I saw this article titled Balancing Parenthood and Your Art Career by Lori McNee, and I felt like “the universe” was reading my mind.
I’m trying to think of ways to do more work, or rather, to finish more work. I feel that I need to work faster, or at least in a less tedious manner. Interestingly, I’ve been feeling like this for a long time now, well before Cate came along.
Baby Cate arrived last week and I’m finally getting into the swing of things enough to make some sketches while she naps. I am no expert on baby portraits, but I will definitely get a lot of practice over the next few months as I’ll want to do plenty of sketches of my precious baby girl. I am so lucky!
