Away for holiday

My post for today is sadly going to have to wait. I was blessed with a few extra hours of class time this morning which means that everything else was put aside. In the rush to leave for our holiday I managed to leave something behind. I left our main course, the machine to blow up the inflatable mattress and my drawing progress (from this mornings) for this post! I also left other mundane things but nothing crucial. We have all the kids, our toothbrushes, bikes, books, my sketching supplies.. I will post again before April to be sure but at this point -family is primary for the next week. See you again soon....

Sark Tuesday: Solo Adventures

SARK:  Solo adventures can awaken new creative dreams.  When we spend our time with ourselves doing something BRAND-NEW, it literally changes how our brains function.

S ucculent

O pen

L uscious

O ptions

Update: March 21, 2012: The above is my version of A.Modigliani's painting (for the sole purpose of  education - Please see below to learn more about Modigliani.

MMinP:  I laughed out loud at this card.  I laughed because for every week since I started SARK Tuesdays I have shuffled the deck with a focused intention for the answer to a specific query for going forward as a beginning artist.

I don’t do workshops generally.  They take time from my family - I like something deeper than the quick one-day experience and mostly I tend to shy away from new unknown experiences where I am flying solo.  This past weekend I took a Reverse Painting Class given by Paul Birchall. 

I had some really great experiences from the entire process of deciding to take the workshop to the actual point of my return home on the day.  I think the best part  worth sharing is the part where I realized I was TOTALLY confident in myself -through the entire process.  I rarely feel this way in general, so it was quite amazing.

This gave me such a shift in paradigm. I was actually able to clarify my idea for the 12x12 picture book draft challenge so that my March manuscript is now drafted.  Yipee!!

Please share your BRAND-NEW experiences here.  Look around you and take note - what spurs you to take a SOLO path?  What keeps you from taking part?

A bold experience is right here now !! - leave a comment ;-D


(The above painting is NFS - mixed media painted on plexiglass - Amedeo Modigliani.)

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.