Friday Fun: Draw Like a Monkey

Episode 2. Blanca García, Blancucha from Draw Like A Monkey on Vimeo.

Given the recent story of the horrible chimp attack here in Connecticut, it's hard for me not to cringe at the title of this site. (Or make a bad joke...) But check it out. There's some nice work, and it's quite relaxing to watch people draw.

(Link via Drawn!)

Young Creativity

Yesterday afternoon my son stormed out of the room in a fit of teenage frustration over who-knows-what. (Most likely his sister was bugging him.) After about a half an hour he returned in a sunny mood, with this drawing:



















He'd been looking at trees outside the window, trying to do homework, when he picked up a pen and started drawing on the back of a school paper. I love the composition and the graphic quality, and told him so. He was very proud.

"Here's my chance," said my Mom-brain.

I asked if he had ever thought about keeping a sketch journal, just for himself. His eyes lit up and he said, "Okay." Being a laid back kid, believe me, this qualified as totally excited. Then he asked, "Can you get me more of these pens?" My good ones that always mysteriously disappear. "You bet!" I told him.

He's always been a creative kid in a 3-D sort of way-- brilliant with legos from a young age and fascinated with everything mechanical. He loves his drafting class and talks about wanting to study architecture. This past semester he'd taken Drawing 1 as a back-up class, since his first choice was full. I think he was surprised by how much he liked it.

I hope he discovers the joy and sense of wholeness that comes from putting pictures and ideas on paper. I hope he sticks with it.

Wednesday Noir et Blanc: Sisters

This piece was done on bristol board instead of the paper I had been using. I loved the way the pencil handled on paper, but the watercolor-- not so much. And pencil on watercolor paper felt too rough. The bristol seems a nice compromise.

Random Quotes

You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.
– Mark Twain

Monday Map: Sparta, North Carolina

Friday Fun: Ode to February

Okay, enough of the February funk. Spring is near! It's time to celebrate this short... oh... so... cold... windy... icy... (stop it, stop it now!) month. Enjoy.

In the Works

A character from a new project. I don't want to say too much-- just that I'm having fun with her!

Wednesday Noir et Blanc: Small Gifts

Sometimes I wonder if I get too finicky with the cross-hatching, although I love that kind of detail in other people's work. Maybe it's time to experiment. I'm thinking watercolor pencils. And brush and ink. Playtime!

New Crop O' Books!

Publisher's Weekly Children's Books for Spring 2009:
A-C
D-G
H
I-O
P
R
S
T-Z

Monday Map: Garden Plan

I love how the quality of light changes at this time of year. It has a warm feeling, even though the early morning thermometer reads 20 degrees. There's hope... spring is coming...

Friday Fun: Telly on Tuba and Itzhak on Strings

Some more classic Sesame Street. And a fun article about the stories behind some of the muppet characters.

Painting Pigs & Early Spring

I'm hoping for an early spring. It sure felt that way yesterday!

This is for a promotional piece for an illustrators group that I belong to. The only requirement was that it be "green," however that might be interpreted.

Wednesday Noir et Blanc: Spotted Dog

I'm off to my writing group today and ran out of time to finish a new piece of art. My dog is filling in. She's quite graphically pleasing, I think!













This is her in black, white and pink:

Painting Pigs

I think I might have some sort of an obsession with pigs that paint. (I'll post the finish when it's done.)

Monday Map: San Francisco to Napa

Friday Fun: Yo-Yo and the Honkers

I love Yo-Yo Ma-- he plays with such passion, and clearly loves what he is doing.* And in every interview I've ever heard with him he seems really, really nice. I like nice people.

*(Especially at the Inauguration, even though it was pre-recorded. But as Yo-Yo said later, the weather was far too cold for the instruments-- they would have been completely out of tune. )

Jennifer is...

... wishing she could stay in a hot shower until summer arrives.

Wednesday Noir et Blanc: Attic Treasures

My friends and I used to love to play dress-up with the costumes my Mom kept in the attic.

My Grandmother saved old clothing, too. I wore her long, silver, silk-lamé dress with a sweet little cape from the 1920's to my High School prom. (It was a great contrast with my funky-punky hair!)

Thank You, Alicia!

Last week my talented friend Alicia passed along this award. A lovely surprise, that lifted my spirits!

I'm supposed to list 7 things that I love. These are completely random:

1. Ebony Design pencils. Absolutely the best.
2. Seeing what form my children's creativity takes. Fascinating!
3. Getting lost in my sketchbook and finding an idea.
4. The smell of a wood stove and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, together.
5. The internet! Without it, how would I ever have crossed paths with an illustrator in Venezuela, a painter in Mexico, an artist in Pennsylvania... and so many, many others? I love this side of technology!

Now, to pass it on... Julie, Kelly, Christine, Elizabeth, Tara, and Phyllis... whose work and thoughts I find inspiring, and who have all probably gotten this one already!

Monday Map: She Sha's Looks Like Fun!