Drawing classes

Where we have moved is some what more remote then where we lived in the NT. I'm at least lucky in that I know a few local people and they have given me the heads up on a local art studio/gallery that does lessons!. It's called DAB or Douglas Arts Base and its in Mossman just down the mountain range from us.We had a fair bit of rain up here and the mosquitoes were hammering me every time I tried to do jewellery making in the garage so I joined DAB and now I am doing an introduction class to drawing and painting for five weeks on a Saturday. I'm once again finding that when I draw some things look OK and at other times its terrible LOL. It's perspective I have the most trouble with.

We at first did freeing up exercises like drawing continuously while looking up at subject not at the page and not lifting the pencil up....that I could do OK. Then we tried drawing with the image upside down. I was given a sketch of a man sitting on a chair drawn cartoon like but he was upside down...now this was intriguing....I had read about this before but never tried it myself. So I gave it ago and started at the bottom of my page (with the upside down head) and drew upwards. When I was done I turned it right way up and too my shock the features actually looked quite realistically to the original BUT as I drew what I drew got bigger so he had a small head and long large body. I had concentrated so much on shapes that I forgot perspective!

At the end of class the teacher spied an old drawing of mine in the back of my sketch book so she handed me a vintage image of a lady in black and white and told me to sketch that for my home work! OMG it scared me just looking at it as it had lots of shaded areas as she had her head draped in a cloth. I took it home on Saturday and every day I looked at the image several times just too scared to even try to draw it. By Thursday I still hadn't started but I just thought "go for it....if it doesn't work out tear the page out". I did a light out line at first and then drew the face....My attempt is at left and the real thing at right....

I spent hours just getting that part done. Then I worked on it for hours each day till Saturday came around again and I had to take it to class and show the teacher. I went from one area to another working my way around the face. At the end I was quite astonished as this was one of the times I actually drew with a good end result! I just wish every time I drew I could get this sort of result. The teacher was impressed and in fact at first didn't believe I had drawn it *grin* 

Today I spied the drawing in my art room and again thought I had seen this on one of my rubber stamps so I had a look and sure enough I had the stamp :). It was a Judikins ?angel stamp...how funny

As I can't get much jewellery making done I did do some paper crafting stuff. I've almost put together a craft holder lazy Susan thing from Kaiser that I'll show you another day plus this card made of Opals embossing enamel tiles, fantasy and Angelina film, stamps and charms.

This Saturday in class we are going to try simple landscape paintings....feeling nervous about that one and I do suspect mine will be an abstract landscape in the end LOL. I'm enjoying being creative again indeed regardless of whether it ends up good bad or ugly.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Steampunk Puffy Heart and a Propeller Ring

Here is my new steampunk puffy heart necklace and a little propeller ring to match...

The arrow on the dangle can spin still and I really like the "On and Off" thing

The propeller and cog can still spin on the ring. The ring is adjustable to fit all sizes. Hubby is home for his off time stint but I hope to steal a few hours here and there to get a brass steampunk puffy heart under way. Oh thanks to all the bloglanders whom have sent me hello again notes too...you made me smile!
hugs
Annette In Oz

Steam Punk Puffy Hearts-WIP.The Creating Has Begun!

I've finally unpacked the last box of my stash and have it all stored away. Some storage I shall need to change at a later date. I've had to use allot of cheap flat pack stuff that really will collapse at some stage but we don't own a ute (YET) to buy furniture to bring home and allot of places wont deliver up here in Julatten. My messy unpacking and boxes everywhere has gone at last. Here is all my storage for paper crafts...from polymer clay to stencils and card stock etc plus some art on top to keep me inspired. I'm going to change the two rows at right to the same containers at left eventually.

This is the storage cubes that are inside the built in...again just cheap storage but at least its all put away. The other side has shelves for my stamps, sewing stuff and blank canvas

Sprays, glues, paints, pencils and pens are here

Books, my large how too folder, Opals embossing enamels, embossing powders etc

My desk with some items that need repair after they got broken in the move and more art work behind on the window shelf

I really need to get that Kaiser lazy Susan thingy covered and fully made

Art to go on the wall when hubby is home again

BUT here in the garage is where I am most excited about at the moment...all set up except I need to move the large kiln to another bench as it takes up too much room...its too heavy for me to move though. I sat in here all afternoon yesterday and late into the night and boy was I happy as LOL.

By 10pm I had two puffy hearts on the go...this is them just after coming out of the pickle and me trying various things on them

I've started putting the etched copper puffy heart together first...I can't decide if I like the light bulb or the cogs/arrow dangle yet for the bottom. I'm not going to put a cog over the tin type photo as it covers up the "On and Off" and I like that bit.

Today I have done the house work and I shall spend the rest of the afternoon soldering it all at the back, soldering on a base and attaching the wings. Creating again is awesome!! It's peaceful, inspiring and beautiful here in the mountains and now I have art to do as well...very content indeed :o)
hugs
Annette In Oz