Fun Bun

 

Just a little fun sketch

Thoughts On Paper

 

Working through some thoughts on paper

Royal Giveaway

Sunday was rather hectic, as always, made more so by the fact that I was trying to get everything finished by early evening so I could plonk myself in front of the TV and indulge in a whole night of Rolf Harris on BBC4.

It all started at 7pm with one of his 'Star Portraits' programmes, followed by 30 minutes of 'Rolf on Art' where he spotlighted Lowry and attempted to paint 'Going to the Match' using Lowry's techniques and palette.

The next hour was a programme entitled 'My Family at War' and since it wasn't really art related and started at 8pm, I generously handed over the TV remote so the boys could watch 'Top Gear'.

At 9pm 'The Queen' began, a whole hour of Rolf's experience including his live sessions with Her Majesty and all of the nerves, apprehensions and sleep depravation he suffered throughout this amazing honour. It was wonderful to see such emotions from someone so accomplished and experienced, this is what I love most about Rolf...he's very grounded.

The evening drew to a close with an interview by Mark Lawson and an episode of 'The Rolf Harris Show'.

What a night!

Queen Elizabeth as a child-ACEO-Acrylic-©Anita Davies

My tiny ACEO (2.5x3.5") version of the Queen as a young girl can be yours...FREE! All you have to do is leave a comment in this post, it's that simple!

You can comment as often as you wish but you must have at least one other persons comment between your own.

The winner will be announced on Friday.

Screen Dazzlers

Two recent journal pages involving two magnificent screen experiences.
The Beijing Oympics opening was just awesome, I was stuck to the screen throughout the whole event along with millions of other people.
Wall.E is such a fantastic film, it has a little of everything and involves some genius animation that fills two rather motionless characters full to the brim with emotion.
The perfect family film that is truly suitable for all age groups.

One Track Mind

I spent Sunday running through the usual chores and picking up my sketchbook for relief in between. I can't seem to avoid Christmas in my sketching at the moment, excited as I am!

My first sketch is of a latex snowman we have that sings 'Frosty the Snowman' as he wobbles from head to foot, I added a background from my imagination.



My second 'Drummer Boy' is a sketch from imagination as is my third of three ducks overindulging in the Christmas spirit, as most of us do year in, year out.

It simply wouldn't be Christmas without a little over indulgence would it?

Sidney the Singing Snowman

Meet Sidney!

Sidney evolved today from a packet of cherry menthol sweets called 'Tunes'. I purchased the sweets to help ease Jake's sore throat and, after sketching the lettering on my journal page, I decided to get all festive and created bauble designs to hang from it.

The snowman bauble stirred my imagination further and so I continued the 'tune' theme and gave him a microphone.

What a star!
...Much like Jake who I am happy to say is looking a lot healthier today!


Journal page - 10 Dec 07

Halloween Sketches

A bit late, I know!

Above is a sketch of the pumpkin my eldest hand carved this year, we've never had fangs on our pumpkin before. He also carved my youngest Sons' initials in the back so when it is lit they reflect onto the wall behind.

Below are two quick sketches from imagination, just playing around with ideas while watching TV.

Movie Magic

This afternoon I watched 'Ghandi' on the television, I had wanted to see it when it was on at the big screen but did not get around to it, I am so pleased I found the time today.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. -Mahatma Ghandi - Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

I have also taken the boys to the cinema twice so far this holiday. We watched Shrek The Third and The Simpson's, both were thoroughly enjoyable.

Blue flower, red thorns, blue flower, red thorns - this would be so much easier if I wasn't colour blind! - Donkey

Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try. - Homer Simpson

*All images are taken from my Summer 2007 Journal

Harry's Hero

The school holidays are taking my time right now and I am enjoying every moment. I am managing to keep up with the Summer journal I started specifically for the holidays and I just know it's going to be something special to cherish in later years for both, myself and my children.

The past few entries I have had have been location sketches and can be seen on my Location Sketchbook. So, I thought I'd share something from my large watercolour moleskin to upload here that I created a while back, my Sons favourite action hero...Spiderman!
He has handfuls of these little figures, some throw webs, some have masks to change from Peter Parker to Spiderman and then there's black Spiderman and gunge and more webs and shooters....etc.

Of course, I am terrified of spiders!

Keys To Drawing With Imagination

Exercise 5 - Shading

In this exercise we were to trace a previous doodle, determine the light source and shade accordingly.




Exercise 6 - Multiplying

In this exercise we are instructed to first take a previous doodle and create a design by tracing on a radial.
We are then instructed to create a mirror image, also from a previous doodle.
I enjoyed this exercise and the results. I like the depth created by the spiral design of the radial and the mirror image reminds me of a crocodile.


Oooh, is that my imagination stirring?




Iconic Characters


Over the next pages of the book Bert talks us through his explanations and comes to 'Iconic Characters' Although this is not specified as an 'exercise' Bert suggests we practice creating Iconic Characters often, until we are comfortable with them and they become 'easy'.

He starts with the basic stick man, sketching it in a varied amount of positions/poses, he then moves onto more formed characters and suggests you should only move on once you find the present character 'easy' to portray. This is obviously an ongoing pursuit that one should practice and probably the reason it is not specified as an 'exercise' but perhaps more a way of life by setting aside a small amount of time on a regular basis?




Iconic characters


I skipped around with this process a bit, flitting from stick men to fat, round characters made from balls. (What can I say?...I was born to break rules!)

Still loaded with pain killers, feeling fairly lost, frustrated and lethargic, I flicked back through my pages today and noticed I had created 2 different 'species' of ballerina. Inspired, I reached for my large watercolour moleskin and began to sketch with a 0.1 pigment liner.





It isn't a masterpiece, merely a simple sketch, but it came at a time when I was feeling totally uninspired and unwell which would usually result in an unproductive day for me with an unimaginative sketch copied from a magazine at best. This illustration expresses my mood, the character is a creation of my own, it's personal, unique and most of all it's inspired...Today of all days!


I think this illustration proves that Bert Dodson knows what he is talking about, understands the process of thought, inspiration and creation. For me, it offers a positive push to stick with it and to continue through these exercises.

Personal Postcard

Finally got around to adding colour to my postcard design this afternoon.