Taking a Break

We don’t really have Halloween here in NZ, but it is slowly creeping in. I have already had a little Dracula toddler at the door.  Totally forgot and had to raid my chocolate stash!  Drat!  But he was so sweet and his Mum was a supper vampire (?).

I have been absent from the blogging scene for a bit and will continue to be for a while as there are things going on in my life that take up all my physical and emotional energy.

 However, I have managed to do some art this afternoon.  Below is a painting of a statue I saw on Flickr a while ago, I loved it because it looked so creepy, suitable for today!  It is Halloween isn't it?

I will try and get around fellow PPF people over the weekend.  But please excuse me if I don’t. 

Hope to see you all again in the near future.

Hugs Sharon.

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Owls, a Fairy and a Pear

I have been deep in the forest this week painting owls for Art Journal Journey’s October theme.  These two are having a great old gossip about the naive little fairy that noisily woke them up from their slumber.  They were very indignant when she screamed out as a spider jumped on her wings.  What was she doing there anyway, they asked each other.

Well, Miranda was being brave, very brave in fact.  The big fairies told her that deep in the forest there was a wonderful treasure chest by the old oak tree.  In it there was a lot of special fairy dust.  Now this fairy dust was wonderful - beautiful iridescent blues and greens with gold and silver highlights.  Miranda thought that if she could get some and made a wish she would become beautiful and slender like the big fairies. 

The spider terrified Miranda and when the owls hooted with laughter, she decided that she didn't like the darkness of the forest and perhaps it would be better if she went home and ate the pear her Mum was painting for lunch.  Pears would make her skinny!!!!  Also her Mum’s kitchen was full of light and warmth and love. 

The owls were done in ink, pencil and watercolour.  Miranda was done in pencil, watercolour and gouache. 

The still life was done in acrylic, it is also being linked to Mix it Monthly hosted by Conny, where the theme in October is still life with the colours red, blue and yellow.

Have a wonderful creative week and thanks for visiting.

Linked to

Paint PartyFriday hosted by Eva and Kirstin

Art JournalJourney hosted by Susi

Mix ItMonthly hosted by Conny

People Watching

I have always watched people, their emotions, attitudes and body language.

These days I take my A5 size sketchbook with me wherever I go and try to sketch at least two people per outing. Often it is only an outline and if so I finish it at home.  The first one was an outline, as I didn't want to make it obvious I was drawing her.  I find it works as if I tried to sketch the full portrait I get bogged down in trying to get an likeness and often it ends up a mess.  The one on the opposite page only took about 5 minutes.

The other bit of sketching I do is when watching TV.  I sit on the sofa with my coloured pencils and doodle draw.  This is how I get my quirky faces, as I am not looking at the drawing so am not fussed about detail.

Are you a people watcher?

Linking to Sunday Sketches hosted by Alexandra of Blue Diary 

Illustrations.

Have a great creative week.

Paint Party Friday and Art Journal Journey

This week I completed the 29 Faces for Ayala Art’s 29 Faces in September.  If you want to know the stories behind the last 4 faces go here.  I actually do have a plan for some of them, but more about that later.  Here is a compilation of the faces I did last month (some of them are cropped because some of my dimensions were different.

If you want to see them all in full go here.

I had planned to have a break from art this week and get into the garden.  But the weather hasn’t been suitable, you k now what spring weather is like very changeable to say the least!  But all was not wasted as when I saw the theme for October at Art Journal Journey set by Sheila from Orange Esmeralda I was delighted.  It is:  Deep in the Forest!

For ages I have had this box, years ago I use to paint these boxes for gifts and inside there was stuff particular to the person concerned.  So here was this box littering up the place, I had a brain wave I would paint inside of it.  So out came the acrylics and I got started….

I love our native bush her in New Zealand, It is often very dark and mysterious and you can imagine another world of creatures living there.  Often little creeks trickle through the trees creating a sparkling light.  What I love the most are the small waterfalls, they are such a surprise to come across.  Our bush is like this box from a distance the dull olive green of the canopy hides a world of treasures and surprises.

Tah dah!

I so enjoyed doing this that I think I will have to get some more boxes made to paint!!!

My inspiration.  The falls are about 50 km north from here and the bush scene is about 10 km in the Tararuas.

Hope you all have a wonderful week.

 

(I have not forgotten the methods I use for my journal page.  Hopefully I will organised enough to have some for next week.) 

Linking to 

Paint Party Friday

 and

 Art Journal Journey.