this … this blogging thing. (Bad. So bad.)

It’s not because I have nothing interesting to say. I do. Or, at least I think I do. 

Truth is, I’ve jotted down a freakin’ list of things interesting or funny or odd – things I thought might amuse others.  

Among those are topics such as …

• Too Old to Connect Four?
• The Baby in Our Back Yard
• It Snowed in My Bathroom This Morning 

that last one prompted 

• Blood Bath of 2006 Revisited

Not to mention, I’ve done a lot in both Adobe and Corel since my last post. 

It’s time. Actually, the lack of it.

Right now, things are just so hectic –  I can either draw/paint or blog about wanting to. Or both, but then either dinner won’t get cooked, a kid won’t get a bath or there won’t be any dishes to eat dinner on even if it does get cooked.

And, I can’t even remember the last book I read for pleasure. This from someone who sometimes frets over the fact that she’ll die before getting a chance to read all the great books in the world. Or who’s biggest fear (well, one of them) is going blind and not being able to read. So, what’s it been? A year? If not, it’s awfully damn close and that’s just so wrong. 

It’s been long enough that I’m not sure which book I left off at with the Sue Grafton. Patricia Cornwell or J D Robb series. Or Janet Evanovich … that one I really have no clue. (hmmm, now that I think of it … I need to add a couple more series to the list … jeez this is worse than I thought!)

Someone! Hand me a book! Stat!

Ohhhh, Edouard. Yooo hooo! Over here, Edouard!

Yeah, here I am. Central Texas.

There ya go!

Have a seat, won’t you? Stay a while?

I totally understand you aren’t half the man you were two days ago. Only remnants of what you once were, some say, but you’re man enough for me. I know you can’t stay long, but lie to me and say you’ll never leave me. When you’ve gone and all I have are the memories, like muddy puddles in the drive, I promise I won’t forget what we had together.

I … I … I think I love you.

Hold me?

————————

Late evening update: After forecasts such as this….

…. the rain and cool temps were a much needed and welcomed relief. We live in an old farm house with no central AC, and we sacrificed our window units a few years ago to save money. Now, as horrid (and nuts) as this may sound, it really isn’t so bad. At least, not as bad as one might think.

We are in the country surrounded by open fields (and cows) so, while this isn’t exactly good during grass fire season, it does mean that there is almost always a breeze – unimpeded by buildings/houses and such. With the windows open and a couple of good fans (Honeywell fans are top notch, if you’re interested) it’s bearable at the least and not bad at all most days. It takes a couple of weeks to get used to the hot temps once spring arrives, but after that, not bad.

This year? Not so much.

These temps we’ve been having are the hottest this area has seen in over five years. If you aren’t wondering how you’ll ever make it through another day with a heat index nearing 110 and no breeze, you’re praying some fool doesn’t throw a lit cigarette out of his/her car window or think the burn ban doesn’t apply to them ( besides, it’s just a small pile of limbs/garbage, and who’s going to know?)

Today, it rained – a lot. And the thermometer never made it above 77. At one point, I had to turn the fans off or down and even got a chill or two.

The best part?

We were able to take a nap this afternoon, the kids and I. I wasn’t even tired, but did it anyway just because I could. Most days it’s too hot to even sit in the bedrooms, much less try to sleep in there. So, you see, I had to do it.

Thank you, Edouard.

(Do you have any brothers or sisters? …. aunts, uncles … cousins?)

I’m just askin’.

Am I the only one who doesn’t have a set drawing/painting/illustration style?

For a long time, I felt like a poser. Someone just pretending or playing at being an ‘artist’. Because, for so long I’d look at other artists’ websites/portfolios and clearly see a defined style to their respective work.

My creative style is a lot like my taste in music. Both depend on what kind of mood I’m in at any given moment.

So, while you’ll see a lot of my work that looks like this….

You’ll also see work that looks like this ….

And, even this ….

Big difference, I think. But, all mine. (If there is anything that shows a consistent “style”, I guess it would be that I rather enjoy drawing on black.)

I no longer feel like a poser. I quite like my style, or lack thereof. I think it means I have a broader creative scope – a more open mind.

Either way, I love drawing more than anything and would be absolutely miserable if I couldn’t do it every day. I love it more than reading, and if you know me, that’s saying A LOT!

So, there you have it. Is anyone else style-less?

Or else, you might end up with something like this ….

Cravings, anyone?

I was inspired by my oldest daughter (6) who loves to pick flowers for me. After I finished, it hit me. I had loved to do the same for my mom when I was a little girl. And, one day, my mom gave me a painting she had done of me, older, selling flowers. I always cherished that painting. Sadly, it was lost many years ago.

Without realizing it, I’d done the same for my daughter by drawing this. I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me until I’d finished.

I’ve since decided to do two more – one each for my son and youngest daughter. Just the way my mom did for me and my two sisters.

I’ve been MIA for a couple of weeks – lots of summer stuff going on and I’m trying to spend as much time with the kids as possible before I send two of them off to school in September. (Crap, that’s not getting any easier to say.)

It’s been rather sweet around here as a result. Not much inspiration for sour. So, I decided to do something with type.

Pattern used for type by Miriam Moshinsky

Not sure where this came from. Maybe my subconscious telling me I need a vacation after the last month and a half of stomach flu, infections, head and chest colds and – the latest – my 6 yr. old daughter’s broken finger.

Although, if I had my choice I would not choose this particular destination as I’m getting enough heat here in Central Texas, thank you.

Give me cold, even rainy, please! Where in the world is it snowing in June? Anywhere? I’ll take THAT vacation spot.

Anyway, desperate wishes aside, this painting was done completely in Adobe PS CS3. I took a break from Corel on this one.

I’m thinking of recreating it in Corel Painter, though – to compare the two on final look and rendering time. Maybe later tonight. We’ll see.

I was hired to do a drawing recently and thought I’d post some of what has come out of that process so far. These were 1st drafts, getting a feel for drawing from the photo I was given as reference.

These won’t work for the final product – the client wants more of a cartoon. These show my tendency to keep adding more lines/detail – not what a cartoon calls for – at least not what this cartoon calls for. (The cartoon version is coming along nicely, btw.)

Very busy this week, so once again, I’m going to pull something off the virtual shelf for this week’s IF.

I was interviewed on Author Melanie Anderson’s (whose website I designed & maintain – she’s also a friend) blog this month, and one of the questions could best be answered by illustrating it.

You can read the full interview here.

Here it is – my very first true illustration using Corel Painter X. I don’t really count the first two as illustrations because neither used my typical techniques for illustrating.

Maybe that only makes sense to me, but I’m ok with that.

I’m excited for the days to come. I have a few new books on cartooning, drawing caricatures, and comic strip techniques I’m getting ready to dive into. I’ll make sure to use Corel as well as Adobe when I do.