Ok, up to date

It's a beautiful day out, too nice to work.  So, I got out the journal and worked.

We get a delightful catalog - Dr.s Foster and Smith - for everything pertaining to pets.  And they have the best photos.  So, I periodically go thru and cut out the ones I like and paste in my journal at random.  Today happened to be on the lab puppies page.  :D

Hope you enjoy 'em!

Day 2 AND 3

Ok, so it took me more than one day to finish.  Not sure if it counts, but oh well.

We went to see "Avatar 3-D" in the theatre, and was blown away.  It was SPECTACULAR!  So, when it became available on BluRay, we had to get it.  On the smaller screen, it was easier to follow the story and take in the entire thing, and it was just as cool.

So of course, I had to draw Neytiri.  :)  My poor little journal's pages started to reject the amount of graphite.  Oh well, hope you like her!

Ok, NOW I've done it!

I've gone and committed to a few things. 

1) Flying up to help Mom clean out the family room and have the "Mother of all Garage Sales". Should be "interesting". She even said (albeit jokingly) that she might even buy a computer with the money she makes off the garage sale. Hmm.. should I hold her to that?? :D

2) Every year the Yahoo group to which I subscribe does an "Everyday in May" drawing challenge. I did it last year, and I enjoyed it. So, here I go, once again!! 

3) Since discovering I have lupus, I've been watching the national lupus site, and found they are throwing a big walk next October. So I've signed up. Actually sounds like fun... 3 mile walk around Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on October 24. If you're interested, you can support me and learn more at my walk website..http://donate.lupus.org/site/TR?px=2022409&fr_id=1370&pg=personal or click on the image

New Molys!

Finally got 2 Molys in the mail. For those folks who don't know, that's short for Moleskine, the wonderful little sketchbook so many folks use.

I received the 2 from Albina, and here's my first... For Sherrie Roberts. :D
(Many apologies to Frankie Valli)



Of course, as usual, the scan is horrid. Ah well, technology.

I have Sara's to do next, so hopefully I'll have another post in a day or so, and be able to send these babies out to the next person.

My Summer Shoes

I've seen some really cool cotton tennies that folks have "Zentangled" on, and I figured I could do that!! So, I found some that were pretty inexpensive (read: "Walmart") figuring if I really messed up, it was no big loss.

But they turned out pretty good. I'll probably go back over them with black pen again just to make it a little darker, but all in all, not too bad.

What do you think??

Creative Suite FIVE!!?!??

Seems like I just bought Photoshop CS4. Now I'm getting hit with all the email hoopla over Adobe's next big release.

I admit it, I'm a technology geek. Every new release I GOTTA have. Especially Photoshop. I'm a little behind on Dreamweaver, just because my little HomeSite so much well fills the bill. And more.

So here I sit, pondering the eternal question. Do I REALLY NEED the next, latest and greatest release of the Creative Suite? Well, on one level (financially) I most certainly DO NOT! At a hefty $2600 for the Creative Suite 5, I think I'll pass. And just the stand-alone version of Photoshop is $699. Oy.

But it typically comes down to not whether I NEED it, but that I WANT it. 'sigh'... the spoiled three year old surfaces her feisy noggin and decrees that THIS version will be better, increase workflow, do jaw-dropping things NO ONE has ever seen before, and make her more money. (Make her thinner, improve skin elasticity, solve global warming, and bring about world peace. No, these are claims by Adobe, just my inner spoiled child trying to rationalize.)

This time around, however, I don't feel quite so compelled to jump on the bandwagon and save every penny 'till I can afford the upgrade. Not even the full version, mind you. A few reasons for this.

One. I haven't explored all the new features in Photoshop CS4 yet.
Two. I don't use Photoshop as often as I used to, down from 6+ hours a day to about 6 hours a week. I like to think I'm getting faster, but I doubt it.
Three. Why? The Photoshop I have now is MORE than enough for my work.

I've come to the conclusion that the day I outgrow Photoshop and NEED to upgrade, I'll think about it then.

Until then, I'll spend my money on painting supplies!!!!!!!!!

An Illustrator and a Painter in One: Gary Kelley's Story

I've always wanted to learn illustration. Illustrators must have a fantastic eye in order to see AND distort/caricature the human form.

A recent article in Art Bistro on Gary Kelley (read the entire article here) highlights an artist/illustrator. I love the below quote.

"Although his skills are still in demand, the artist said the landscape for illustration has changed with the ascension of computer graphics and the decline of printed books. There are simply less spaces that require illustration, and some jobs are filled by computer-aided illustration, much to a purist like Kelley’s chagrin.

“It drives me up the wall when people tell me that they have computer programs that can create the same effects as my painting,” he said. “Why would you want to do that? The end takes over and justifies the means, and I like it the other way round. I enjoy the smell of this paint; I enjoy what it feels like to scrub and wear a brush down on canvas, and if you can’t feel that, you’re never going to get it.”"