Character Sketches, Birds, and a New Sketchbook

 So far, since the last post, I've done the following sketches from online photos. I love doing the character sketches better than the perfect glamourous ones. I don't go for a likeness anyway. Again, I've worked these in between company and physical therapy, mostly during my wake up morning coffee. It's my quiet time, kind of.

Loved this lady's straw hat and chicken, and also the joy on her face! Posca paint pen and red colored pencil

I could feel this lady's pleasure and peace while standing on a beach drinking her coffee! I think I kind of captured the feeling. Zig Writer double ended marker

This lady looked like she was dealing with something heavy, and the jacket was a challenge. Posca paint pen in sketchbook

I challenged myself to sketch this parrot with a still life, then colored it in with Prismacolor pencils. The vase is actually more of a lime green than yellow. I think I did ok, considering this is only the second time I've tried a parrot.

Yesterday, after physical therapy, hubby wanted to go in Beales to see if they had any more of the jeans like he bought a few weeks ago. I went in with him, and as we went across the front of the store, this book caught my attention, and I had to have it, especially when I saw that the price was $7.99. This is the front, and

this is the back. It was too big to scan, so I had to make a picture, and the back image turned out a bit sharper than the front one. The word "Sketchbook" is in gold glitter. It's 12" x 12", and the covers are hardback. The 176 pages are very smooth, thin, and acid free. I love the cover photos!

This morning, over coffee, I tried out all the different tools that were handy to me doodling and sketching. Even though it said it's for dry media, the paper handles markers, gel pens, and light water color washes well. Even the Copic markers didn't bleed through. It feels so soft and smooth when writing or sketching. It's a little larger than I usually get, but I love it! Can't wait to try some character sketches on it, and maybe some other things!

The paper was still flat after I doodled all over it with a bit of wet media, but it was standing on an easel so I could take a picture, and it was hanging a bit loose under an overhead light. It's not wrinkled at all. 

The canvas behind it is an oil painting of our dog at the time, which I started in 1997, the year she died. I had to give up oils due to allergies, but I have worked on it periodically over the years and am currently trying to figure out how to finish her face and capture her character. Hopefully I'll finish her before I die!

Physical therapy was a little harder yesterday, and I am still tired from it, so I've rested up today to go back tomorrow for another round. I can tell it's helping me in some ways. I just hope it helps my main problem about not being able to stand or walk over a few minutes.

Anyway, that's it for now. Stay safe, stay well, and stay creative! Prayers for everyone affected by hurricane Helene. So sad, and it can happen to any of us at anytime.

Character Sketches and Neurograph Paintings

 I have managed to get a few creative sketches done between visits to physical therapy and company the last few days, and thankful to have done so. I've actually done three more, but don't have them scanned yet.

These gals fell from my imagination and out through my sanguine brush pen one morning.

I colored in some of the neurographic art that I posted previously with Kuretake watercolors. I love the tree!

She started out as a contour sketch, but morphed into a regular sketch. Black gel pen from online photo

Also started as a contour sketch from an online photo with a black gel pen.

I just stuck with a line sketch from an online photo using my Zig Writer marker.

Another sketch from an online photo using my Zig Writer marker.

Last one for this post is also from an online photo using the Zig Writer marker. I messed up on her face, so any gray areas you see are where I tried to cover the bad black marks with a white posca paint pen. Didn't quite cover it up, but I tried! 

I don't try for an exact likeness on these sketches and am just using them for practice in my sketchbooks.

I've been to physical therapy for my back/hip three times now, where they do fifteen minutes of moist heat massage, six minutes of a rowing/pedaling machine, and leg swings at a bar, before putting me through several exercises flat of my back on a table, plus I have exercises to do at home between visits. I worked up a sweat at the last visit, but it doesn't take a lot for me to do that. I suspect they will add more to each visit. I have three more sessions before I go back to see the bone doctor.

The steroid shot is still holding the pain at bay so far, and I'm getting around better, but I stood long enough to iron one tee shirt before I had to sit down. I'm praying that I will get to where I can do some house cleaning, because Lord knows it needs it. I haven't been able to do much in a long time, and it's really bothering me. Plus, I am getting desperate to do some painting!

Prayers for all of you in the wake of hurricane Helene. I hope you are, or stay, safe. Thanks for visiting! You keep me inspired to keep doodling! :)

A Few Sketches From the Past Few Days

 So, I managed to get some creativity in amidst all the other stuff going on since the last post!

This is an enlargement of the first of two neurographic art drawings on the page below and is my favorite of all the ones I've done so far! It did what it was meant to do!

Both of these were inspired by Sara Wener's Youtube videos on neurographic art, which I love. I'm going to re-watch both of these, take some notes on symbolism, and color in the second one. She explains everything so well, and I love the look of these lines much better than the ones I have been doing, but I enjoyed doing those as well, and they, too, took my mind off my health problems, although they are kind of hard on my eyes if I do them for long at a time. These were both done with a Zig Writer marker and colored pencils on the first one, because they were handy.

I think I posted these in a previous post, but I have since added color to them. All were drawn with a brush pen with India ink and a Zig Writer marker, then colored in with Prismacolor pencils, Tombow markers plus water, Kuretake watercolors, and the top right one started out drawn in with a Pitt Sanguine pen, but I didn't like it, so went over it with the India ink pen, then it has multiple layers of Posca pens, colored pencils, and a white Signa gel pen. I still don't like it, so it may get another layer at some point!

These four were also inspired by Sara Werner's videos, particularly the tree of life. I used the Zig Writer marker to draw them and fill in the corners. I used Tombow markers to color the one in, then it looked so bright that I sprayed a bit of water on it and laid a paper towel on it to soak up some of the color, leaving the texture of the towel on it. I do plan on coloring the others in.

An enlargement of the tree of life from above. Actual size of these four to the page drawings is about 3 1/4" x 4 3/4". Can't wait to color this one in!

This one is a whole page drawing (7" x 10"), also with the Zig Writer marker, and I used a roll of tape to draw the circles. Some people draw them freehand, and I like it, so I think from now on, I will draw them freehand also. These drawings are supposed to resemble the neurons in our brains, and I think these circles are too perfect.

Just a bit of idle doodling. I took the damp paper towel that I used to blot up the color on the previous colored sketch with and stamped it on the paper the same day and went on doing another sketch. A couple of days later I sketched this imaginary girl with a black gel pen over it. I love squiggly lines! Then a few days later I quick sketched the other lady, also imaginary, with a water brush pen and Kuretake watercolors. I think they both have character.

Yesterday morning I was feeling a bit down and sketched this imaginary girl with the black eye with the Zig Writers bold marker end, then used Prismacolor pencils, a white pastel pencil, and a white gel pen for color. I think she also has character. Is there a story here?

This is a sketch I did for a friend, who is painting a beach scene mural on her daughter's retaining wall by her pool, which has a dock/pier included in it, but I don't think she used it. Oh, well, I tried!

Anyway, that's it creatively for now. I'm just thankful I got this much in, considering, what the last few days have been like.

If you've read the previous blog posts you know I had tests because walking/standing were becoming really painful for me. I found out I have osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease (bad) in my lower back, and the left hip pain is coming from my back and sciatic nerve, inherited. I have also had polio, which affects my right leg, making things a little harder.

They gave me a once a week pill, Alendronate Sodium tablets, for osteoporosis, which a I had a very bad allergic reaction to and had to stop immediately, while I was waiting for the bone doctor appointment. I thought I was going to die for a little while, the joint and muscle pain was so bad. 

I was still getting over the pill when I saw the bone/joint doctor last week, and he gave me a steroid shot in the hip and ordered physical therapy and ultrasound heat twice a week for four weeks to see if that will help. I start that tomorrow and go back to see the doctor Oct 10.

The steroid shot helped my hip a lot, but the day after I saw the bone doctor my right rotator cuff started acting up again, after several years with no pain, so that may affect the therapy for my back. The doctor that treated my shoulder before is no longer there, so hopefully this bone doctor will do something for it when I go back. Just having to be careful with it and my hip/back for now. Also, my eyes are acting up, so there's that. 😏

Just thankful it's not worse and I'm still mobile for now. The reaction to the pill made me well aware just how much worse it can get. Still feeling the effects of the pill and the shot.

The PA that is my regular doctor wanted me to come in last Monday to discuss the pill and what I could take instead. We left it that for now I'll take calcium pills and vitamin D3.

We'll see how it goes after the therapy tomorrow. Hopefully, it will help, and I'm hoping I can do it at home! Also praying that I'll get able to help hubby do some of the things that he took over when it got too painful for me. He is not without pain himself, and we are both up in our seventies.

That's where I am for now. Maybe now I can do some art standing up!

Thanks for visiting! Do something you love every day. It's good for you!

In Color Neuro Art

 I went back and colored a couple of neuro art pieces that I previously posted.

Posca marker lines colored in with beeswax crayons, with a layer of colored pencils over them...

Zig Writers double ended marker lines colored in with Kuretake watercolors...

 

I decided I preferred it to be horizontal, but it still looked too bright and opaque,

so I sprayed the whole thing with what I thought was plain water. It wasn't. It was water mixed with white vinegar that I had used to rust some paper. I let it set for a couple of seconds, then laid a paper towel over it and lightly pressed down and lifted, which made it more transparent and also gave it some texture. I still prefer it to be horizontal, but forgot to rotate it. I think I like it better!

I've also colored in a few more of the smaller pieces and drew a few more in a different type of lines in between other things going on this week.

It's been a busy week. Had company last Sunday and Tuesday, had to go to the local clinic for some blood work before going to a neighboring town to get a new prescription, groceries, etc., and ate out, rested Thursday. Finally heard from my mammogram Friday. It came back good, as did my blood work, thank the Lord. 

Our air conditioning went out again yesterday, but thankfully, hubby was able to fix it again. Way too hot to be without it! 

Today, Saturday, a friend came and brought materials for me to help her on a portion of a very large mural project on a retaining wall for her daughter's pool. Hubby and I both took a nap and ate grilled cheese sandwiches and fries for supper and called it a day, except for watching TV and me typing up this post.

That's how our holiday weekend is going, so far! Hope all of you who celebrate are having a safe and happy long weekend with family and friends doing whatever makes you happy! 

Fragments From This Past Week

This whole week has been somewhat fragmented, as well as my focus on art, but here is what I have produced so far. We had company two days, had to drive twenty-five miles to the next town to pick up a prescription (our 4th trip before we got all of our medicines) another day, then had to drive twenty miles in the other direction to another town for me to have three tests done at their medical center on a different day, after which, we drove another twelve miles to the Dragonfly Emporium just for one slice of their strawberry cheesecake, which we shared, and a cup of coffee. This was a special treat for us. We are both diabetic, so we don't do it often. It is soooo good though! We also got some cinnamon coated pecans, which are also good. Love that place! All kinds of goodies inside. The art has come in between...

I'm still watching youtube videos from different teachers with different techniques for the neuro or neurographic art and learning and experimenting with the lines and mindfulness. I love the heart one on the right! Very calming and soothing...

I did a bit of asemic writing and journaling after I got home from the tests, using my sanguine brush pen. Part of it is actual journaling and part is just mark making that resembles writing. Another great way to get feelings out.

Two squiggly girls with a dotted background. They look like they're about to have words, don't they? I was not in a good mood that day! 😊

This page is asemic writing using actual words in a stream of consciousness way after I got the test results for two of the three tests I had done. I unloaded my feelings (really upset), but didn't want anyone else to read it, so I filled the page, then added some mark making in places on top, then I drew a squiggle girl with her cat over that, all with a brush pen and India ink. Asemic writing is used a lot in mixed media, and there are many youtube videos out there if you're interested.

These four are all on the same page and were each completed in one sitting. I added color to the heart one, but not happy with it. I can always go back and change it. I did change the colors with coloered pencils. Still don't like it, but I like it better than before.

It's funny that I wanted a little bigger sketchbook this time than I had been using, but on some pages I've divided the page into two or four small drawings. These four are works in progress, using a technique that I learned from a different teacher's video than the one I have been using. I like the thinner, more squiggly, lines, plus I'm learning more about the practice that goes with the lines to heal and change things. That's a life tree in the top corner, and there's a whole explanation for it.

 This one is a whole page of squiggly lines with circles on top, and I didn't intentionally do the olympic rings. I also learned from one teacher that you're not supposed to use a template (I used the inside of a tape roll) to make the circles. It's better and more connected if you draw them freehand.

I couldn't sleep and got up early this morning and watched a couple of videos from Sara Wener on youtube, and I really liked them. For one, they were fairly short and easy to follow, so after I watched them, hubby was up, and I sketched from memory what I could remember. I'm going to re-watch them though and take notes about the symbolism, etc. These are also works in progress.

You are actually supposed to write down whatever you want to work on, a problem you're having, or something you want to change, and you're supposed to finish each one in one sitting, as you meditate on what you want to change. Adding color is also part of the process, which I haven't done much of yet. I'm still learning and trying to find my way to heal from some things that I need to change. There are some great youtube videos that explain the whole process if you want to give it a try.

I got the results back from two of the three tests that I took Thursday yesterday, and I knew one of them wasn't going to be good, but the other one surprised me. I have been using a cane for a while, because my hip and lower back has been getting worse when I stand or walk very far. The PA ordered a bone density test anyway, so I asked for hip/back x-rays. The results came back that I have osteoporosis and multi-level degenerative arthritis in my lumbar disc (lower back) bad and also in my hip. It is also beginning to affect my right hip, plus I have diabetes and am a polio survivor, so it's a little scary for me. So I'm getting meds for the osteoporosis and an appointment with a bone/joint doctor. Who knows what that will turn in to? I also had a mammogram, because I've been having some breast pain, but I haven't heard from it yet. Praying it comes back ok. Besides that, I need some dental work done...

 My mind has been all over the place, but I'm in a better place mentally than I was yesterday. I'm processing it and trying to leave it in God's hands. I've had a hard time praying the last few days, but I know He hears my heart and will work it out one way or another.

Anyway, that's it for this post, if you're still with me! Take care, keep making beautiful things and trying new things, and thanks for visiting!

Sketches of Girls, Bees, n Things

 So, I was all over the place mind wise the past few days. The following is a hodge podge of random sketches in different media, all came out the end of my pen/markers with no reference photos, except for the bee butts. They were inspired by some photos on Pinterest.

My squiggle girls escaped from my Uni Pilot gel pen...

The tree grew out of my Zig Writers double ended marker...

This landscape came out of my black brush pen...

Also out of my black brush pen...

The bee butts are mixed media, including Ebony pencil, Zig, Tombow, and Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils, and a black Uni Pilot gel pen. A challenge, for sure, but fun to try! Bee butts are so cute!

She is also a mixed media experiment, using Copic, Tombow, and Zig markers, a Sanguine Pitt brush pen, and a black Uni Pilot gel pen. She is a character, for sure!

This a neurographic sketch with a Sanguine Pitt pen, filled in with Tombow markers, titled "Angel". I accidentally deleted the sketch before I colored it with the markers.

UPDATE:  The sanguine colored lines weren't showing up very well after I added color, so I went over them with a black Zig Writers Pen. I like it better!

This is a neurographic sketch that I did with a Zig marker a couple of weeks ago, and I went back and colored it in with Tombow and Posca markers today, after I colored the sketch above in. I'm thinking about adding some detail markings to both of them, but not brave enough yet...

That is my artistic production for the last few days, and I'm thankful to have had some creativity of any kind going on. I had not used the Tombow markers for years and figured they would be dried up, but they weren't. I am not fond of the brush pens, but I seem to have accumulated a lot of them from different sources.

I have not used a lot of my paints and mediums for a long time. I won't be surprised if I have to throw away and replace many of them when I do need to use them. Where does the time go? I'm retired, but the days seem to fly by, and I don't get near the creative stuff done that I want to. Blessed to be able to do what I do though, and I'm thankful!

I may not get anything created tomorrow. I have to be at the hospital in the next town, about twenty-five miles away, at 7:30 a.m. for a complete abdominal/liver scan. I don't dread the test, because I've had it before a couple of times. I do dread having to get up and out so early, and I pray they don't find anything wrong. My PA has also ordered a mammogram and bone density/hip and back x-rays. I was hoping they could schedule all three for the same day, but no such luck. 

I have been having a lot of trouble with my lower back and hip for years, but it's gotten worse lately. I also had some pains in my breasts for a few days. I don't know when I'll have those tests yet. Pray that all the tests come back ok! I'm nervous about them.

Anyway, that's it for now! Hope you are doing well and that your creative juices are flowing abundantly! Thanks for visiting! :)

Neurographic Art n Other Sketches

 I decided to try some smaller sketches. The others have been in my 7x10 inch sketchbook using the full page. I divided this page in two with painters tape, so they are about 7 x 4 1/2 inches each. The first one is with my Zig Writers Marker's large nib, and the other is with the small nib. My vision was getting so blurry it was hard for me to see what I was doing, so I stopped here for now.

I used my photo editing program to crop the photo above to see what they look like separated. Black Zig Writers double ended bullet marker.

I used mechanical pencils to sketch these two character studies from online photos.

I sketched these four on the same page with a black Uni Pilot gel pen from my imagination just for fun.

The first one is with a black gel pen and a brush marker. The second one is with two Prismacolor colored pencils. I thought I had found my Sanguine pencil (I love Sanguine), but it turned out to be sienna brown, so I just went with it and added a little yellow ochre to break up the brown. Both from imagination.

Both 7x10" Neuropathic art with a black Posca paint pen. I may add some color at some point.

UPDATE: I did a little more work on this one, because it looked kind of like an automobile gasket before. Better!

All I've done since the last post. Nothing yet this week, as we've had company two days and we both have doctors appointments and groceries tomorrow, which will wipe us out for the day. Hopefully, we'll get back on track after that.

I have a lot weighing on my mind, so these doodles help get my mind off worrisome things and calm my nerves. I miss doing them when I don't get to them every day. Good for my nerves and my soul!