Dachshunds and Daubs

2011-03-20T19:10:00.000-07:00

No pics today. I have had a health problem [temporary] that affected my eyes and no art or much else done. Its so annoying when you are limited in what you can do - not much time on the computer or watching TV.

Bored? Not really I had a friend at work tell me how she listens to "talking books" while she does other things and I thought I would try it while drawing and I had my first one from the library and couldn't draw or anything! So nice to listen to an English who-dunnit like a radio play [it was the one guy reading it though, but he put on the different voices] - it was great. So much so that I have another ready for me to pick up from the library.

I am working on a professional peer presentation for work and so I thought I would get a little something for myself to complete the new computer equipment.......I am now cordless! I have a wireless mouse and keyboard and its great - I can have the keyboard on my other desk, my lap almost anywhere! And it is so much easier to use the keys than on that the really old board that I had - sort of like going from an old manual typewriter to an electric [those old enough to remember will know what I mean].

Well that is about all for now except the old dogs are bugging me because they think on the days that I am home that dinner should be served when they want, not at the usual time! LOL!

2011-03-03T16:51:00.001-08:00

I forgot one of the puddy - tats that I did and she is such a gorgeous creature - hope I captured some of that in this pic.

2011-03-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

Well I Can't believe that its been 12 months - that I have been so slack! I have let a lot of things slide and that needs to be rectified! I have had various issues but I am going to make sure that I post once a week. I did make this as a New Year's resolution but then I had computer issues. I have a new one now and lost all my old files in the process. I have now bought an external harddrive to save everything on - live and learn.

The floods here in Queensland delayed the computer repairs a bit .....and I was a just slack through February after I got the computer back - well as a Luddite I was trying to figure out Windows 7 which was loaded on the new one....easier! Not! Well at least not for this little black duck. All those people in t he ads who say they designed it and its so much better must all have grown up with computers and can operate them in their sleep. Makes me feel less stupid if I think that way. I have the hang of most of it now but there are times when I just have to walk away.

Maybe I have the wrong kind of brain - I wonder if Mac is easier...............

Anyway I have been delayed in a Wet Canvas swap because all the pics that I needed of perple's pets were loaded on my computer and the ref pics were online. So after having to wait nearly a month and a half before I could get the pics loaded again I have started in earnest and hope to finish soon.

Here are a few of the pics that I have done since the computer has been back up.

Its been a while.......

2010-05-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

I have been remiss.......

I started a new job this year and the learning curve has been a bit steep. Its different to my usual nursing, although I am using my nursing skills to assess people I am writing reports and have to use Government speak. So I am learning what I used to call "weasel words" where you use 10 words to say what I would previously have written in 3 .....ha ha ha.
I have still been drawing and painting, but not as prolifically as I was, and instead of being one of the first to get my ATC's in the post I am becoming last. But I am getting them done. And unfortunately my scanner had an untimely death and it took a little while for me to get another.

So here are some cards that I did for the 'MacDonald's Farm' swap on Drawspace

The Little Brown Hen

Black Sheep

Yummy Honey

The Ever Vigilant Hound Dog

Gobble Gobble

ATC Swap - dogs [dachshunds]

2010-01-08T01:54:00.000-08:00

I've been practising my ink work on ATC's for a Drawspace Swap on the topic of dogs. I decided to do .......what else.........all dachshunds. Most are Standard Smooths, but I also did a few longs and minis. Here are a few of the cards I've done so far.

I have been enjoing trying to get the expressions right and keeping the dots small enough. Until I am in the middle of playing with the images and the ink I forget how much I really do enjoy the process of making these ink images.

More Winter and Pieces ATC's

2009-12-19T03:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some more of the Winter and Pieces Swap cards.

Called this starting the beanie

This is a crochet cluster

These are peg dolls made from
bits and pieces

some cotton reels

and finally some chess pieces

2009-12-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

I have been extremely fortunate in winning a draw prize from Melody Lamb - a wonderful miniaturist. The little frog porcelain ornament arrived yesterday in the mail and it is beautiful!

I would recommend any and everyone to have a look at her beautiful miniature artworks on her blogsite at http://melodylamb.blogspot.com . At the moment she is doing a series of winter birds - and has the story on there of a little baby house sparrow that she hand raised - so cute!

More ATC's

2009-12-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

Wow!! Last month here in Oz was a scorcher! We broke temperature records!

It has finally cooled down, but I think it lulling us into a false sense of security, then at Christmas it'll be a stinker!

Anyway I have been doing ATc's for a few swaps all at once - still doing some for the pieces swap and so here are some more game pieces that I have done for that one.

Dominoes

Rubik's Cube
Twister Spinner

I have changed tack on the Winter trade and decided to do some on knitting. I am knitting beanies for newborns at the moment - part of the knitting for charity that I do - and I thought that it would be a great idea for the cards - just couldn't hold the knitting and sketch at the same time LOL!

And the last swap I have on my hands is one on giraffes - I didn't think I could come up with enough ideas for it but I managed - so here are a few of my giraffes - stuffed ones, romantic ones and hungry one's. I am continually amazed with the fact that I can come up with so many images just from hunting through photos on the net, and everyone else on the swap comes up with images that are individual as well. I guess it is this swapping of singular ideas and styles that keeps me swapping . I love these tiny individual paintings!

2009-10-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

I have been making cards for a monster swap and had to wrack my brain to think of what was scary to lots of people and I came up with these for a start.

I love the fact that so many everyday things can become scary objects in our minds, a nasty grin or odd look, add a little darkness and our imagination takes over big time!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

I have realised that I haven't posted any of my pastels........they aren't new, but I am proud of them - most are on full sheets of Colorfix, except for the tiger's eyes below - it is about 17" x 9" (if I remember right) - I wanted to get that look as though he was watching through a gap in the grasses - I wanted the eyes to follow you around the room, I don't know if I got that, but the eyes can give some people the willies!

I started doing pastels of companion animals, and this bassett was the first one that I did - he is an Australian Champion - I just loved those soulful eyes, couldn't resist him, really.

This is my first ever nude - I was planning to do a pair - male and female - for my bedroom, but my best friend was so admiring of her that I made it her Christmas present a little while ago. I enjoyed doing this so much that I did another and will probably do a few more.

This second nude I just had to experiment with the play of light - I loved doing it ....but pastel dust all the time on the black Colorfix was a real pain in the proverbial!

2009-10-16T02:13:00.000-07:00

Well I have done a couple more ATC's for the swaps I am in, but have been running relatives to and from hospital appts lately and have some more chauffering to do next week, so will be slower with these swaps. For the 'Pieces' swap I have decided to do childhood games - those things that we could never play with when we wanted because we had lost the important pieces!

And I am trying to get used to the new softer Polychromos pencils and I think I am getting better with the blending - this native hibiscus was fun to do.

Today I was trying to get rid of one those hideous malaware attacks that somehow snuck under my Anti-virus Protection. The Protection people were great though and step by step told me what to do and I now thankfully don't have the rotten little pop-up associated with the malaware popping up every few seconds and making it impossible to get anything done on the computer.

With dial-up it took me half the day though to download the program I needed to do the deed then get the log back to the guys in the know ...........I hate not having any speed!! But at least the job is now done and I can surf around again in relative safety!

New Desk

2009-10-01T04:26:00.000-07:00

Well I have realised my carpentry limitations, so while I would love to create my ideal piece of studio furniture I know it ain't gunna happen. So I was lucky to be the only bidder on ebay for this desk that will do half the job. I will just have to make or buy a paper cabinet - either flat file drawers or a large pigeon hole type arrangement that will take a full watercolour sheet in most slots.
But in the meantime I have a desk that has some pigeonholes to take my bits and bobs and my art books and some larger items can find their homes underneath in the shelved cupboard area. I will be picking it up on saturday afternoon and then rearranging my drawing space again.

I am looking forward to finding the right way to use this vintage piece of furniture to my advantage!

Bangles and Beads

2009-09-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

Today I stopped in at a bead shop not too far from me ............well a half hour drive, but that's close really. They were having a free class on charm bracelets and all I had to do was pay for the beads and findings that I used...........so I stayed and took forever to pick a kit that I liked. I have never worn much jewelry before because as an RN you tend to have problems with disorientated patients attempting to rip out earrings, strangle you with necklaces etc etc etc. But now that I am no longer actively nursing, and not able to be called in at a moments notice to work, I am wearing different things. So here is the very first piece of jewelry I have made....

Don't you just love the summery colours!

And I think I will try some earrings soon...........will let you all know how that goes too.

Dragons and dust storms

2009-09-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

I spotted this Bearded Dragon the other day trying to blend in with the trees. I thought you might like to see him.

I took these today - we have a huge dust storm here - it was 11:30 am when I took them. The redness is the iron that we have in our soils in the interior - the red dust has been blown all the way from the deserts in central Australia.

Sydney was affected earlier than we were here in Queensland, and their airports were closed with flights redirected to Brisbane. You couldn't even see the Harbour Bridge - it is amazing when these things happen, just not looking forward to dusting ..............even though the house has been closed up it gets in everywhere!! Many people in Sydney apparantly woke up to the storms, thinking that the eerie red glow was bushfires, and it really feels like the hazy redness that you get with them.

These pics are of the trees at the front of my place and along the creek at the back - normally can see more trees beyond them.

2009-09-20T03:16:00.000-07:00

Well I have been trying to figure out how I can reduce the furniture needed for my art 'stuff ' and how I can have a piece of furniture that could be out in the open in my lounge room or where visitors can easily see. At the moment I have a small wardrobe, a computer desk, books everywhere and a fold-up table all in one corner of the lounge. So I looked at some ideas and came up with this variation on a Victorian writing desk. I just have to decide on how to support the flip down lid for when I am drawing on it....I love the idea that I can close it and hide it all away!! Plus the large flat drawers on the bottom that will take a full sheet of W/C paper, so I can store new paper and finished images. Now I just have to work out when I can get it made, or if I will change the design yet again...............any ideas will be welcomed !

Am starting to do some flowers, not my strong suit, for a winter swap on Wet Canvas. It is coming into summer here, so I really don't feel like doing the cold stuff, besides it doesn't snow where I am in Queensland. In Australia we do have a large number of plants that flower in winter though, and here is a Brachyscome in coloured pencil...........am hoping tha ove the length of this swap my prowees with the flowers in CP will improve.

A link

2009-09-05T03:24:00.000-07:00

I have been tip-toeing through the blogosphere looking at inspirational sites and found Linda Huber and her wonderful tutorials on portaiture - they are really terrific and I have recommended them to others so I thought I should mention her here. Please find her at this net address : http://midtel.net/~imaginee/

It was well worth my time waiting on dial-up for her tutorials to download, so those of you on fast internet services .....do yourselves a favour and check them out.

1960's Trade

2009-08-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

I shall have to 'sketchercise' more............I figure that's what exercising my sketching muscles would be called. I have been doing some serious knitting for the local charity here for winter warmers, but as the warm weather is setting in I am slowing down a bit with that, so will 'sketchercise' more.

Here are a few of my ATC cards from a recent 1960's themed swap.

I am great Hitchcock fan (pity he didn't win an Oscar himself)

I loved copying this iconic image of Peter Fonda in the poster for 'Easy Rider'

Bewitched was one of my favourite shows in the '60s.

And who could forget the 1960's very funny and campy Batman!
("Holy nightlight Batman!" ......
"To the Batmobile Robin!")

I had a lot of fun trolling through movie and TV
references for this card trade.

Birds and Sketch

2009-07-14T05:37:00.000-07:00

I have been doing battle with my Derwents and losing - usually resorting to using my watercolour pencils as a dry medium. I just found the Derwents so scratchy and could not get much colour without what seemed like way too much pressure. So I bought a set of 36 Polychromos and I love them! They are as smooth as butter and they have wonderful lightfastness! Almost too good to be true (I just have to live up to them now lol).

These are done with the new Polychromos for a Drawspace Bird ATC swap.I really could see the difference between the cards that I did with the other pencils and the second half after I got the Poly's. Its amazing what a difference a pencil can make.

Toucan
Sulphur - Crested Cockatoo

Rooster

This is a quick sketch that I did in the 5 mins before I had my physio appt. I loved the way the purple flower spikes curved and trailed..........done with the 6 watercolour pencils and waterbrush that I carry in my bag with the sketchbook.

Naughty

2009-07-08T00:53:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular belief I have not shuffled off this mortal coil.........I just haven't updated the blog.......naughty naughty!

I haven't beeen much of a shutterbug, but I have some pics from my last ATC swap titled Childhood. I hosted this one on Drawspace, as well as a cartoon drawing challenge, so I haven't been totally slack while I haven't been here......

Here are a few of the cards that I did for that swap:

I will be a better blogger and be more consistant with my posts.

Sketching

2009-05-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

I am wanting to be more spontaneous in my art, I will draw straight on the page when its my sketchbook, but I will so often be afraid of the page when it comes to doing a complete piece. I sketch and erase and fiddle and diddle about till I get it right, or if I want to be very precise I will grid up.

Talking to Jeanne Grant (her blog is listed to the side here - check her out), I realised how rigid I can be.........so I have decided that while I know I can draw and sketch, what I am lacking is confidence in my own ability. I mean here is a sketch of a folding shopping bag of mine that I did some time ago.

So I can do it - its the belief that is the problem. I just have to refine and practice to make sure I get more confidence in the lines I put on the paper.

In order to do this I got myself a copy of Bert Dodson's "Keys to Drawing". It is amazing that while he is mostly saying a lot of what I have heard or read before, but its the way he says it just "clicks" with me. I will be working my way through the exercises in his book.

I would recommend it to anyone to at least have a look at this book, even if you don't add it to your own library. With pride it has joined my instructive books.

I will add pics periodically to the blog as I work my way through the exercises. I hope it will do as much for my quick sketches and initial drawings for projects as I think it will.

Alphabet Swap

2009-05-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of an Alphabet ATC Swap on Wet Canvas
I just loved trying to come up with ideas for each letter - some are cartoon characters so I won't post those here.

But here are:

J is for Jabberwocky

O is for over

SH (we had 27 people ha ha) is for Sheep
- that's Baa Baa Black Sheep!

And Z is for Zingaro which I believe
is Italian for gypsy.

2009-05-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

As the weather has been cooling down the arguments about the bedcovers have begun - Maggie likes to get under the covers and just go to sleep, but Buster has to toss them about till they cover his head just right and he is comfy..........lets in all the cold air and she tells him so, in no uncertain terms! I think I will have to dig out the sewing machine and run up a couple of snuggle sacks for them........one for each to climb inside of..........I hope that might stop the arguments.

Once the rain settles and my rapidly rising moat ebbs away I will go fabric hunting. We have had about 12 inches in the last 2 days and its still raining (thankfully it is easing a bit). But I know that the front of my drive will have the start of a Grand Canyon carved into it................the 4 wheel drive comes in handy out here!

Unfortunately dachshunds (expecially mine) believe that they are made of sugar............if they go out in the rain they will dissolve! I need a crow bar to prise them out of the blankets to go out and do the necessaries of life. They believe that if they set foot outside the backdoor the rain will find a way to get them, even if they are on the concrete and under a roof ! So the battle of winter begins !

2009-05-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Went down into New South Wales on the weekend and the Border ranges are gorgeous!

There are so many rainforest plants there but I love the huge tree ferns and of course coming up out of gullies that can be a hundred feet deep or more, are long straight trunked gum trees - some have probably been there since before white settlement.

We were serenaded by the bell birds and although we didn't see any (very hard from a moving vehicle, and there is no place to stop) there were koalas in the area (you can smell them). On the way home I did have a pottoroo do a kamakaze dash across the road in front of me. Thank heavens that with all the hair-pin bends I was only going about 30km/h.

Countries ATC Swap

2009-04-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

Well I have been a little quiet on here, but have been busy with art - I finished 13 cards for an ATC trade on Drawspace. Its called "Countries" and I have chosen all kinds of things that represent particular countries. The Eiffel tower and Tut are easy to pick, but incase you are wondering the 2nd card is a Maori facial tattoo from New Zealand, and the last one is a masque for Carnivale in Venice. I really enjoyed searching for ideas for this swap.

2009-04-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

I was sent this map and I just had to share it because I am sure that after the report of a shark or croc attack this is how some of our visitors must view our beautiful country!

Dog Breeds Project

2009-04-06T22:59:00.000-07:00

Have been doing some dog drawings for a continuing breed project on Wet Canvas. Every 2 weeks there is another dog breed to draw. Here are a few that I have done in ATC size. We are onto labradors at the moment and I am trying to decide which cutie to draw. The first is a Griffon Bruxellois and the other is a Pug.

Cards arrived

2009-03-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

Two cards from my Out of Africa trade have arrived with their new owners. One is of the Southern Crowned Crane and I really like this one.....I haven't done a bird in ages and was very happy with the results. The second is a close crop of an antelope.

Not a lot happeneing here at the moment, but am hoping to get a bit of sketching in this week.

New ATC's

2009-03-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

I have been making ATC's for a musical instrument themed swap. I decided to do Aboriginal instruments to do something Aussie. They don't have many instruments....there is the didgeridoo that everyone knows, plus they use clapping sticks, some were solely instruments but as a nomadic tribe many things had to do double duty, so the women often would use digging sticks and the men boomerangs to get the dinstinctive clapping beat behind their music. Also I have included bullroarers, while really being a communications device, they can be heard in the background of some modern Aboriginal music. For those who don;t know what they areyou may recall having seen PAul Hogan swinging a device which hummed in a low growly sound, was a bullroarer.

Here are:
1) a bull roarer with kangaroo design
2) clapping sticks with an emu design
3) a didgeridoo with seed pod design

Introducing the "Paw People"

2009-03-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

As I said I am owned by 2 dachshunds,. They are both red in colour and each comes first in their own way. Buster (13 yrs old) believes that if he doesn't get his meal on time that his throat has been cut. The poor little man thinks with his stomach, so he is fist to get his meal. Maggie (10 yrs old) waits for hers, but she will brook no interference when it comes to cuddles.....she has to be first and she will put herself between Buster and me until she is picked up, then she is happy enough to allow him his cuddle....just as long as he knows she is first!

I love watching them, they re so entertaining and can be delightful time-wasters. So here is a photo. Buster is the one under the blanket .... he has a strange fetish for having things draped over his head. He will set his blanket up that way and he will sit under the long curtains and have them drape over his head doing what I call his "Babushka" act.

2009-03-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

Well I have finally bitten the bullet and started a blog.
I have no idea if I will be good bad or indifferent at this but I am dipping my toe and trying to find out how to do things with the pages on here - like all the pretty background colours people get??? Being technologically challenged I will eventually get there.
The name come from my lifelong love of (and being owned by) a succession of possessive dackies (doxies to those in the States) - I only work to keep them in the lifestyle they've come to expect! I also enjoy my art and its something else that will last a lifetime - especially as it will take that long to learn as much as I can which I am sure will only be scratching the surface because I am reading new new tips and tecniques every day.
I hope to keep myself (and others) entertained with talk of what my "paw people" are doing, with pics of them and scans of my art and the problems of the blank page staring at me daring me to make a mark!
So welcome to my new blog and I hope that I will get the hang of it quite quickly.

I thought I might start by showing an ATC from a recent "Out of Africa" swap on Wet Canvas - this is a beautiful Congalese woman that I could not resist drawing in graphite.