So challenged by this, Easy one, to finish with... coloured pencils...
Thursday 27 February 2014
Wednesday 26 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge # 26
Different - again. This is from a photograph of Theda Bara, (1885-1955, one of the earliest 'sex sirens', filming between 1914-1926, in silents) entirely in Inktense (and using masking fluid).
Tuesday 25 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge # 24
Inktense Pencils and Caran D'Ache Luminance & Polychromos coloured pencils; with a touch of acrylic ink.
Monday 24 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge # 23
Firstly, this is NOT my design, I've tried all sorts but can't find the original artist to credit. I tried to recreate it using mainly Japanese Yasutomo Iridescent Watercolours (delicious) and the odd tweak with coloured pencils. I felt the need for something different and this did it for me.
Sunday 23 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge # 22
V different; came out of my printer, which needs new inks, but really appealed to me. Totally not satisfied with it, but, hey, has to count as a face, yes?
Saturday 22 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge # 20
Is this cheating, in terms of the 29 Faces Challenge? Almost identical to # 18, but it's a sort of 'commission' and different colours etc. and, hey, I made another face, right?
All good practice!
Friday 21 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge # 19
Anyone could probably tell I had trouble with this woman!!! I wanted simply to sketch something quickly today. Now, as a beginner, I still have massive problems with drawing, though it's a skill I yearn to have. I've signed up for the Danny Gregory Sketchbook Course which starts in April and am really looking forward to it, albeit with mixed feelings! Back to our woman - it's not an easy pose - with head tilted up somewhat and I've spent over an hour on it before deciding ENOUGH! I really do need to take in, properly, the ethos that art is not about seeking perfection.
Thursday 20 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge # 18
Dr. P H Martin's Watercolors, Polychromos coloured pencils & Staedtler Fineliners
Wednesday 19 February 2014
Tuesday 18 February 2014
Monday 17 February 2014
Sunday 16 February 2014
Friday 14 February 2014
Thursday 13 February 2014
29 Faces #9
Cross between a flapper and a flamenco dancer??? Oh dear!
Wednesday 12 February 2014
29 Faces #7
Portfolio Soluble Wax Pastels and Polychromos coloured pencils, plues Kyrole 18ct GoldPen.
I do know, virtually as soon as I've posted, what is 'wrong' with these efforts. I'm becoming more comfortable with that feeling: how else will we learn. Even though I've only been doing this for a week, I really feel as if I'm learning a lot and, with all worthwhile endeavours, there has to be a certain level of 'slippage' involved. Yes, I wold make changes to this, but, hopefully, that awareness will carry over to future endeavours! I am attempting to be gently with myself and, at the same time, putting my stuff out, for all the world to criticise.
Art Journal Page 12 February 2014
Big breaths! I've decided to put my art journal pages 'out there'. Partly, to try to get over this fear I have of my efforts being criticised; partly to interspace the 29 Faces posts. This is a VERY big deal for me, but I am trying to follow Andy Warhols adage - 'don't worry about what people think about your art - while they are deciding whether it's good or not, just keep on working'! (Not verbatim, but you get the idea...)
Tuesday 11 February 2014
29 Faces #4
Used a combination, here, of Pitt Pastels and new Caran D'Ache Luminance 6901 coloured pencils (I LOVE THEM!)
It's the first time I tried pastels, so I'm not really used to them, but I do plan on experimenting more.
Monday 10 February 2014
Sunday 9 February 2014
29 Faces Challenge #1
I only recently heard of the '29 Faces Challenge' and decided to join in because it's something I really struggle with and, to be honest, I haven't put in anything like the amount of practice it takes to get anywhere near competent. This is all part of me trying to structure my efforts, instead of just scribbling, sketching on the back of envelopes etc. While there are some gorgeous faces, set in beautiful backgrounds on the site, I've opted for concentrating just on the face itself - on ordinary printer paper - and then sticking them into a dedicated journal. Here's the link to the FB site:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/29faces/?fref=ts
Saturday 8 February 2014
New Beginnings...
I had a blog - edbcrafts for quite a while and, for the most part, I posted regularly on a fairly large range of crafts in which I have long been interested. It mostly consisted of my own work - fine hand embroidery, quilting etc., that I've long been interested in.
In its latter stages, I recognised that I was running out of ideas. I had, for want of a better term, dried up, lost interest.
Since I had a lot health issues going on at the time, I couldn't afford to let this get to me, so I shelved the situation until I felt ready to address it.
Well, that time has come.
I've realised that this 'hiatus' coincided with a major shift in my interests, energies and focus. This, in no way whatsoever, comes from arrogance, but I'd reached the place where I felt I'd learned as much as I wanted to about the crafts I'd chosen. That's certainly not to say that there was nothing left for me to learn; definitely not the case. More precisely, I'd come to the point whereby there was nothing more I wanted to spend my time on in that particular craft. And, of course, I know enough by now to realise that that sentiment could change in any instant. So my life is still open to those kinds of changes - I consider that healthy.
No; I wanted to broaden my skills. I had become increasingly interested in art, colour theory, drawing, sketching, art journalling etc. So I abandoned the blog, rather than convey the sense of fracture, uncertainty and vulnerability that came along with this transition.
After all, I had enough years under my belt to have been able to build a fair level of confidence in my work. That's not to say I considered myself an expert, by any means, but I was comfortable enough with the quality of my work and my ability to teach others.
The move towards art, then, wiped all that away in a flash: I felt like a kid moving up from elementary to junior school. So much to learn; all the others in the place who knew much more than I did. I would never be able to make the leap across that chasm.
So it's been that, for the past year or so, I've immersed myself in all things 'artsy'. Of course, I've made the classic mistake of surrounding myself with so many of the contemporary supplies (because that would help me become a good artist, right?) that I am totally ashamed. It's obscene. I could. however, partially justify my madness by determining that I would MAKE as many stencils and stamps as I possibly could (and I have to say that I'm incredibly proud of them.) I've enrolled in several online art courses and spent a ridiculous fortune on books. Please don't get me wrong: while I was doing this, the conscious part of my brain KNEW that this was ridiculous, but it didn't stop me.
Now, however, burrowed within my nest of 'stuff', I really think I'm beginning to process what has been going on in my addled brain. I've, more or less, stopped buying and vowed that if I can't make something myself, then I'm going to do without it.
Also - another element to this - I heard recently someone reference the difference between 'craft' and 'art'. That the former always has a functional value and the latter an aesthetic. I still have some thinking to do about this, but I hope, eventually, I'm going to come to my own resolution between the two that I can incorporate into my projects and with which I'm comfortable.
It's probably fair to say that this venture is going to be both exciting and traumatic for me - in equal measure. I'm not at all used to sharing my 'art', yet I know it must always be healthy and useful to engage in ventures which promise lessons in humility. So, we'll see. I honestly don't think I have any preconceptions, which makes this an adventure in its own right...something probably unusual for my age and state of health. But I'm more than up for it.
I want to end this by truly opening and baring my soul here. I would so much welcome words of encouragement - and by that, I mean, specifically, constructive criticism and encouragement. This feels as if I'm pegging my heart out on a washing line and just waiting to see what happens during the drying process.
I would also very much like to make new friends via this blog. One thing I've learned during the past year or so, is that there is a wondrous community of like-minded spirits out there - all around the world. I'd love to get to know more of you.
So, posts/photos to come, periodically. For some of you who have already come into contact with me during this process, please bear with me, while I catch up with new stuff.
Much to learn, and high hopes.
Blessings, all
Elaine x
In its latter stages, I recognised that I was running out of ideas. I had, for want of a better term, dried up, lost interest.
Since I had a lot health issues going on at the time, I couldn't afford to let this get to me, so I shelved the situation until I felt ready to address it.
Well, that time has come.
I've realised that this 'hiatus' coincided with a major shift in my interests, energies and focus. This, in no way whatsoever, comes from arrogance, but I'd reached the place where I felt I'd learned as much as I wanted to about the crafts I'd chosen. That's certainly not to say that there was nothing left for me to learn; definitely not the case. More precisely, I'd come to the point whereby there was nothing more I wanted to spend my time on in that particular craft. And, of course, I know enough by now to realise that that sentiment could change in any instant. So my life is still open to those kinds of changes - I consider that healthy.
No; I wanted to broaden my skills. I had become increasingly interested in art, colour theory, drawing, sketching, art journalling etc. So I abandoned the blog, rather than convey the sense of fracture, uncertainty and vulnerability that came along with this transition.
After all, I had enough years under my belt to have been able to build a fair level of confidence in my work. That's not to say I considered myself an expert, by any means, but I was comfortable enough with the quality of my work and my ability to teach others.
The move towards art, then, wiped all that away in a flash: I felt like a kid moving up from elementary to junior school. So much to learn; all the others in the place who knew much more than I did. I would never be able to make the leap across that chasm.
So it's been that, for the past year or so, I've immersed myself in all things 'artsy'. Of course, I've made the classic mistake of surrounding myself with so many of the contemporary supplies (because that would help me become a good artist, right?) that I am totally ashamed. It's obscene. I could. however, partially justify my madness by determining that I would MAKE as many stencils and stamps as I possibly could (and I have to say that I'm incredibly proud of them.) I've enrolled in several online art courses and spent a ridiculous fortune on books. Please don't get me wrong: while I was doing this, the conscious part of my brain KNEW that this was ridiculous, but it didn't stop me.
Now, however, burrowed within my nest of 'stuff', I really think I'm beginning to process what has been going on in my addled brain. I've, more or less, stopped buying and vowed that if I can't make something myself, then I'm going to do without it.
Also - another element to this - I heard recently someone reference the difference between 'craft' and 'art'. That the former always has a functional value and the latter an aesthetic. I still have some thinking to do about this, but I hope, eventually, I'm going to come to my own resolution between the two that I can incorporate into my projects and with which I'm comfortable.
It's probably fair to say that this venture is going to be both exciting and traumatic for me - in equal measure. I'm not at all used to sharing my 'art', yet I know it must always be healthy and useful to engage in ventures which promise lessons in humility. So, we'll see. I honestly don't think I have any preconceptions, which makes this an adventure in its own right...something probably unusual for my age and state of health. But I'm more than up for it.
I want to end this by truly opening and baring my soul here. I would so much welcome words of encouragement - and by that, I mean, specifically, constructive criticism and encouragement. This feels as if I'm pegging my heart out on a washing line and just waiting to see what happens during the drying process.
I would also very much like to make new friends via this blog. One thing I've learned during the past year or so, is that there is a wondrous community of like-minded spirits out there - all around the world. I'd love to get to know more of you.
So, posts/photos to come, periodically. For some of you who have already come into contact with me during this process, please bear with me, while I catch up with new stuff.
Much to learn, and high hopes.
Blessings, all
Elaine x
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