Drawing Resources: Pose Maniacs

Starting today I will be sharing my research findings on everything "how to" art/writing/creating.  This won't be a regular posting as it is time dependent and resource dependent.  There are many great on-line sites that will teach you how to draw or paint or write (a children's book for example).

I will keep a page with the resources listed and I will organize them for us.

So today - Pose Maniacs. From the website:   Pose Maniacs supports all artists, including art students and people who study illustrations and mangas on your own. This blog is for uploading variety of poses for nude sketching, and introduces other FLASH training tools for drawing. Some donation enables me to make English version. Thanks alot


It seems to be a Japanese site (English not being the strongest point.)  I'm not going to get into the technical portions of it because I'm just not able to do that!  There are many sites that explain HOW they do it and what the software is etc.

I posted about Pose Maniacs previously.  At the time I was focused on the adult form and mostly just getting my "figure drawing" up to scratch.

Post Maniacs Gives:

• timed drawing sessions of varying times : ie 30sec poses.
• organized options of male/female/child/bodybuilder/dancing/running/ etc etc
• figures are offered in anatomical view - you see muscles and bony landmarks - no skin.
• negative space drawing
• random pose viewer
• there is an iphone app available

Pose Maniacs runs on donations - so it is a free resources, (thank you says the student in me!)

I downloaded the app but it doesn't seem to work nicely on my phone.  I've not managed to update it though so it might work great now.

I practiced every day for 10minutes a day - increased to 30minutes a day - for over two months.  My drawing improved greatly.

Downside:  Posemaniacs wouldn't be perfect as there can be some questionable poses that 1. might appear unnatural.  2. might have the weight distributed incorrectly and 3. there's no skin!

Up side: Posemaniacs is brilliant for learning to see and observe to record what you are seeing in a relatively time efficient manner.

They appear to be social media oriented so you should be able to find them in a medium that suits you.

Here's to you improving your skills or finding resources for a painting!  Let me know how you liked this resource.  I'd love to hear from you.

Thursday Progress

The beautiful Milly posing for our morning life drawing session.  Great triangle action happening in this pose.  I love the other sketchers at work behind her. 

Gorgeous Michelle sketching.

I would not post this except that you've seen it in progress and I am in progress so... While I would like to do it again I really need to move on - so below is Brief 1 Scarlet

Brief 1 Scarlet complete.  

Below is brief 2 (or maybe 3?) of Scarlet.  I was much more interested and inspired by this one.  I did change her facial expression - I thought it was more interesting with the car lights coming out of the car part.  Her original expression was more...maybe determined?    I know it's not perfect but I am happy with it overall.

Brief 2 Scarlet complete.

Feel free to leave a comment.  I wold love to hear your feedback.

SARK Tuesday: Blaming

SARK: We can all find people or things to blame about why we're not spending more time with our creative dreams.  Blame is misdirected energy and a habitual fear reaction.

MMinP: This is an amazing card.  How often do we blame lack of time for not being able to accomplish more?  How often do you blame house cleaning or family needs from taking you away from your art.  How often do you blame your "real" job, lack of space, lack of money or anything else?

I find when I get really down I will blame just about anything and anyone.  I know the truth however.  I'm just afraid.  I'm afraid I can't create what's in my head.  Or maybe I'm afraid I can and I'll do it so well everyone will start expecting me to do it every time.???

The real truth is we often don't know what we are afraid of.  We really have everything to gain from creating art, writing a picture book, putting ideas out there.  I think a way to move out of this blame experience is to simply make a date with our creation supplies.  A true block of time like you would give to someone you adore.

I often experience resistance when I do this.  I spend the first part of my time settling in.  Getting a snack to make sure I won't be hungry.  A cup of tea or coffee.  A glass of water.  I set up all my stuff.  Cruise a few websites to "get me in the right space".  I know I'm "wasting time" and somehow this pushes me to the next space.  The space of getting to "play!".   Suddenly I'm on another plane of reality and all that exists is the creation at my hands.  I often find it disconcerting to have to leave this place and return to "the real world" when time is up.  I promise myself to make another date.  A good friend once gave me some great advice: "If you don't set a date and time then it won't ever happen."

Over time this beginning routine will decrease in length and the amount of creation time would increase.  This would also lead to less blame - because if you are making that daily date creation is happening!!

What is keeping you from spending more time on your creative dreams?

What can you do to assist yourself to make that date?

Thursday Progress

The above constitute the best of brief 3.  Still on Scarlet from Marvel Comics A. Maleeve.  I'm not keeping up at all with the class.  In fact I've had to decide what I might manage to finish before the end of the term - especially as I will miss the last class!  No way around having children and school holidays starting before the big kids get a break.

I will hopefully get a chance to add colour to the above work by the end of the weekend.  I'm quite happy with what's here and how I managed to accomplish it.  I must say the class while feeling like torture at times (because let's face it graphic novels aren't my preferred excitement) has taught me so very very much as well as improving my drawing.  That was the WHOLE point of the class.

I'm going to apologize again for the photos - they are taken late at night under florescent lighting with a cell phone.  I am really looking forward to adding the colour as it's my VERY favorite part.  I really miss my oils - I mean I REALLY miss my oils.  Gouache has been interesting to work with and learn about.

Feel free to leave a comment -

SARK Tuesday: Develop Support

Dancing Fairies -Newsprint Cutouts by Melissa Mead 2011

SARK CARD:  Our creative dreams need support.  It is essential to practice receiving so that you can ask for, AND receive support.  We are meant to help each other.

This weekend I was surrounded by my core support staff.  Family and friends came to spend the weekend with us.  We laughed, shared food and children and talked and planned.  It was wonderful.

This core group allows me to have space and time to paint.  I call on them to assist me.  I have slowly learned not only to ask for the help but also to accept it.  I think sometimes we ask for the help but when it comes we start to feel guilty for needing the support.  This guilt fouls the creative juices in such a way that we can't really make full use of the support we've received.

I'm also learning that I am surrounded by a HUGE support team in my links with the Marks and Splashes Course as well as my 12x12 and PB Dummy groups.  I'm not at all versed in social media and I'm really floundering about trying to work out the best way to assist these folks.  I know that what I give I will receive.

It's a funny awkward feeling knowing help is waiting and all you have to do is figure out how to help another (sometimes how to help yourself!)

How are you supporting your SELF?  Do you have a support team?  How might they help you?  Remember - voicing a question can lead you through a myriad of people who lead you to the answer.

Leave a comment about your answers - I look forward to hearing from you.

Missing a Post

The above reference photo is my allusion to myself.  After the past few weeks of mayhem and disorder I have only crumbs left.  Lucky for me I have a wonderful supportive family and they are giving me rest and rejuvenation!

I apologize for any disappointments.  I know how I feel when I'm waiting to see more from a favorite blogger.

I will be back again with my Tuesday Sark interlude and Thursday we can all wait expectantly for something from the easel or drawing board.  Maybe even further blog changes!

Happy resting.

SARK TUESDAY: Impatience

Today's Creative Dream Card from SARK is about impatience.

Making creative dreams real can sometimes be a slow or uneven process.  It can be tempting to practice impatience to try to accelerate progress.  This leads to fear and frustration.

The above is incredibly true.  So true in fact I've been living it for the past few weeks.  I keep breathing and napping and pushing and ...ok ..yes trying to do it all and have it all and be it all!  There...the first step to recovery.  Whew - I still don't feel less frustrated or fearful.  I am being patient with the process though.

For me it seems I get one opportunity, (I was encouraged by a gallery to send them pics of my artwork just four days ago!) - to have it feel taken away from me, (I walked into art class this morning and looked at my three weeks behind work and felt I might never reach my dream).  How could I have gallery ready art when I can't even finish an art class project?  The two sides of me went head to head and what I'm left with is the knowing that I need to breathe and believe that with each micro-step I take I am doing something to reach my dream.  It may take me an eternity longer than I would like it to but at least I'm moving forward.  I have been in two exhibitions, I have sold art works, I have paintings in New Zealand and will soon have one in Australia.  I can do this and I even have moments when I AM living my dream.

I think the best part is what's slowing up my process is being present with my big beautiful family.  I am behind in my projects because I go to the sports games and gala's.  I do the homeschooling and the outings.  My children are growing and learning and watching me do the same.  My stretching nourishes their potentials.  I have to keep in mind that there are limits to what one person can manage in 24hours.

I also need to keep putting one creative mark after the other!

What are you being impatient about with your dreams?  How are you being patient with your process?  How do those around you benefit from your journey?  Share your success or slides!  Let's get there together.

My candle burns at both ends - and maybe through the middle!

Well - it's been the most wild ride of a week we've had in a while and I can't believe that it's not over yet! Cricket Game matches and practices and home schooling outings and school picnics and it just keeps going.

First of all the work I managed in my shortened classes Monday and Tuesday - shortened due to my hubby being away on business for those days:

The top left you saw before but the others are all new WIPs  of Scarlet from Marvel Comics

I did rotate this however when I posted it - my computer twisted it back!

Wednesday I wanted to try and put some work on my illustration course and picture book work so I sat down with the children and they worked out some of their own illustrations:

This is a picture of a family baking a cobbler on the left and a picture of swimming at the dam on the right - by Aurion  

This is a cobbler in a pan with butter and crumble on top - by Kael.

Then The Two Oceans Aquarium visit:

Clowing around with the clown fish

Fairies among the clown fish

This IS only Thursday.  I've barely managed to get my blog posted today for all the family activity.  I really hope there is time and energy left this weekend in between all the sport till to come!

My candle burns at both ends

It will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -

It gives a lovely light.

Edna St. Vincent Millay, "A Few Figs from Thistles", 1920

US poet (1892 - 1950)   

SARK TUESDAY

SARK Creative Dream Game Card face

DOING THINGS BADLY:

One of the most inhibiting factors for creative dream living is how we think we need to do something well or perfectly to begin it.  

Give yourself permission to do something badly.  How badly could you do it?

(from the SARK Creative Dream Game)

From Me:  I think this is one of my more favorite cards in the game.  I am a recovering perfectionist.  I make my life (and my families life) really tough trying to be perfect.  This card reminds me to LET GO!  PLAY.  Having fun is OK!  Heck it's preferred.

One more thing...my beautiful husband phoned me one morning.  It had been a tough morning.  I was really getting a lesson in practicing patience.  Keeping my cool.  Thinking outside the box because my homeschooling plans were crashing worse than a freeway in the rain during rush hour.  After the usual how's it going - fine etc.  He said "I love you".  He meant more than that.  Then he said "Your doing a good job."

This tore off my perfection coat and allowed me to see that I was actually doing a good job.  I wouldn't really do a bad job, (on purpose) taking care of my children.  I was doing my VERY BEST.  I think we need to remember about our "very best".  It's a changing gauge based on experience.  When we first do our very best we usually need to do it again.  For instance in our first draft - the first expression of ideas etc.  Then we do it again and improve on our best - making a new "very best".

So - what are you going to allow your self to do badly?  I'm going to write my February Picture Book story and I'm going to finish my first "Scarlet" Art class project.  I will do it badly - and I will leave it alone.  

BREAKING NEWS I've been Choosen

I've been honored by Rena J. Traxel - a great writer, photographer, humorist and more...please check out her blog.  She's given me the

This Award is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers, all in the spirit of fostering new connections and making friends.

Liebste is German word that means ‘dearest’ or ‘beloved’ but also ‘favorite’ or 'like'.  The idea of the Liebster award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers.  

The Rules are (possibly changeable):

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your top five picks for the award and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the love from the supportive people on the blogsphere.
5. And, best of all – have fun! 
6. There seems to be an additional rule that you tell five random things about yourself.

I searched briefly for the "original" liebster Blog award but I came up with only more and more amazing little blogs (as opposed to big with over 200 followers).  What I found was that each one eventually had some little change to the rules.  The basics seemed to be 1-3.  But alone they are a bit...lonely.  4-6 add a little spice.


Rena J. Traxel I want to thank you deeply for this opportunity.  I found so many amazing blogs and got most of the way through the Picture Book Dummy Challenge blog list.  Amazing talent.  I also found that many of my favorite blogs had received the award already - of course.

These are the five blogs I wish to nominate for this award (in no particular order):

Lisa Thompson I don't know how many followers you have but - your blog is great inspiration.  As a mom of 4 I know the challenges of 3.  I'm also starting "late" on knowing what I want to do when I grow up! PLUS we are both in the Marks and Splashes Course .

Helga Pearson Another Marks and Splashes Course  cohort, mother, late starter.  What can I say - like attracts like.  The kicker is we are both in South Africa.

Josh Reed What a fabulous drawing site!  The BEST BEST BEST - Thank you Mark G. Mitchell

Kevin Cross Super Rad illustrator and Dad to be.  Kevin - I also don' t know how many "followers" you have but I found you Super Rad (as advertised)- even the dad to be blog!

Karien Naude If it wasn't for Karien I wouldn't have signed up for the Marks and Splashes Course .  Thanks for the encouragement Karien - such beautiful work!

Cheers, Ciao, Adios and Thanks for all the fish! *Curtsey*

EDIT:  I visited Lisa Thompson's blog this morning to find she's received the LA already from another M&S cohort.  Great minds!

Also I realized I failed to DIRECTLY state 5 things about me.  I must say I think you can find them between all the lines but here's to simplicity:

1.  I get REALLY excited about sharing with others - so much so I forget to put it all together BEFORE I put it out there.
2. I am proud to be living in South Africa - And I'm proud to be from TEXAS (San Antonio - home of the Alamo!)
3. I'm a dream chaser,  encourager and muse
4. Fine art, illustration, paints, colours and general creative expression fill me with happiness.
5. I love books and writing - especially if they are children's books.  So little drama and so much fun!