Wrapping up November.

I may not have been able to post every day, but I did try to create, something, everyday.
Sometimes even the smallest doodle can be a great accomplishment.

My husband has only once asked me to draw something for him.
He asked for a butterfly design.
I'm pretty proud of this one....he likes it a lot too.
Next, I'll play with some colors for it, but I really like it as it is.
(This took me a couple of days to complete.)

This Doodle was done in three parts, over three days.
I can tell exactly where one day started and another began.
The moods definitely change from one segment to another, and it has little cohesion.

Some of these things I'm surprised I'm showing,
 but even silly little critter sketches can help me feel better on days when it's difficult to even move my head.

Thinking about headaches, and surgery coming up tomorrow.
This was a very therapeutic sketch.

I just drew a shape, and it became this Silly Goose.
I love the cute little expression he has about getting a gift.

Another sketch from a shape I drew.
I can't decide if she's in pain, singing, depressed....or perhaps she just slipped and bonked her head. 

Barbershop Quartet Singer.
Another drawing that started a just a little shape, and turned into this funny man.

Starting to think about Christmas.

Happy Holidays!

With this, and the next couple of sketches, I was experimenting a little with some portraiture.
I must say, it's nearly impossible for me to get proportions right when I'm lying down.
(see how the eyes are straight)

I

This was still in progress,
She would end up with a cool design cloth draped over her head, but the eyes are too far apart, I may never get back to her.

I don't even know why I'm sharing this one with you.
She is so out of proportion.
I admit the angle is a bit odd, but there are so many corrections needed for this piece,
I think it'll probably be time to just start over.

 There were a few more sketches, and a couple of things that are still in progress that I've been working on a little.  My ladies - Nature, Freedom, and the Mystery lady - have all hit points where I'm not sure what to do next.  I keep trying things on the computer to see if I'll like it before working on the original drawing, and nothing is working like I want it to so far.  But I have been working on them....I'm sure they'll show me who they want to become soon.

Tomorrow is surgery day.  (I guess technically today, I didn't notice it was so late!)
I have to be at the hospital at 11:30am.  Surgery is at 2pm.  Not sure how much art I'll be getting done for the first few days.  Hopefully, at least a silly little sketch or two!
But I need to remember to

You may remember this drawing I posted earlier in it's black and white version.
I think the color adds a lot!

For those of you who don't know, and are somewhat interested.  The surgery I'm having tomorrow is on my left ear, and will hopefully help control the vertigo I've been having.  I had this same surgery on my right ear nearly 2 years ago, we think it helped control the vertigo being caused by that ear, if it works for this ear, I could be looking at more days up right!!

The surgery is called Endolymphatic Sac Enhancement Surgery.  The endolymphatic sac is located right under and too the back side of your ear.  For people with Meniere's this sac fills with too much fluid and that creates havoc with the delicate "balance" of things.  (pun intended)
You can go here http://www.pehni.com/patient_ed/endolymphaticsac.htm  to read a little more about the surgery.  It's very hard to find exact information about it on the internet.  I think that is because different doctors do this surgery in different ways.  Some decompress the sac, some add a shunt, some simply remove the bone and create a larger area for the endolymphatic sac so it can expand without leaking.  This is what my doctor does.

Looking forward to creating more as I heal.

A Beautiful Day!

Today I had a really good day.  Minimal headache, minimal pain, minimal balance issues...a really good day.

I took my lunch out on our back porch and enjoyed the nice weather (70's F, with a breeze).  Hubby was getting the last few things that our garden produced.  Some catnip for Max the cat, some hot peppers, and one last tiny leak.  There's still a little bit of arugula, but not enough to do anything with.  Perhaps if I buy some salad greens I'll mix it in.  Unfortunately, our garden didn't do much this year.  Shortly after we planted, and things started growing, I got sicker.  So it didn't get watered, or taken care of much at all.  We did get a number of tomatoes, a bunch of potatoes and shallots....but that's about it.  (other than herbs, the herbs did well.  Now it's drying time.)

While I was sitting out enjoying the great weather, there was a gust of wind and a whirlwind of leaves came blowing off the trees, it was beautiful.  They were dancing through the sky, their last waltz.  I had a giggle.

I came in and created this.  A little sketch on Photoshop.  It really doesn't do the scene justice, but it makes me feel good inside from the memories.

The Last Dance.
Leaves blowing in the wind.

AEDM - Catching up. Days 6 - 13

I really have been doing some kind of art work every day, but I haven't been well enough to scan it and post about it.  Today, I'll be catching you up on what I've been doing

November 6th
Started Coloring this Hope design, afraid the word is getting lost.
I think this may just be too busy. 

Design Nov. 6th

Design Nov. 7th
Exploring Paisley.

2nd Design Nov. 7th
A bit different from my normal designs.
I like part of it, but not all of it.
However, I do like the more simplistic elements of this design.

Design Nov. 8th
Discovering Blue Ink.
Colored inks seem to look better on this off white paper.

Design Nov. 9th
Not crazy about how this turned out.  I like it better before I colored in the circular area.

Design Nov. 10th
Another exploration with Paisley.

Design Nov. 11th
Originally this was going to say "Respect", I made the letters too big for the paper.
I haven't been sleeping well lately, so I thought Rest would be a good reminder for me.

2nd Design Nov. 11th
This is a bit different for me, just plain and straight forward.
However, the red makes it look a bit angry, that wasn't what I was going for.
I'll try again for a better Strength design.

Design Nov. 12th
Just started doodling, and this came out.
I like this one, reminds me of a Sepia Toned print.
Reminiscent of the Art Deco period.

Today, Nov. 13th, I had a horrible migraine,
and the tinnitus coming from my left ear was so very loud.
I drew how I was feeling.
Not a pretty picture, but it made me feel better to get it out.

.

http://creativeeveryday.com/art-every-day-month

This post is part of Art Every Day Month.

AEDM 5 - Letting go of the Inner Critic

My friend Judith Westerfield has a wonderful blog called Creativity to the Max.

Judy is a licensed Marriage, Family Therapist, Certified Clinical Hypnosis and Guided Imagery Therapist.

She teaches workshops in Creative Therapeutic Expression.  (I wish I lived close enough to attend them!)

Luckily for us she has a page on her blog for Tutorials.  I love going to her Tutorials page and letting myself go.

Last night I worked on Funsson Lesson #1.

Getting Rid my INNERTIC (Inner + Critic = Innertic) - 

For detailed instructions please see Judith's Tutorial page....plus you'll find lot's of other creative endeavors you can work on.

First she gives you instructions on how to create your INNERTIC, then comes the therapeutic part....

This is my INNERTIC:

My Innertic, "Mr. Notgoodenuf"
With messages I have for him written all around.

When you finish drawing out your Innertic, you finish it off.  First tell it off!  Write words and phrases that you want to tell your inner critic...hurt his feelings - make him leave you alone.

Next you destroy him!  That's right, scribble all over him, tear him up, heck...feed him to a goat!  (not one of Judith's suggestions, but if I had a goat that's what I'd do.)  

Get rid of your Innertic.

If he starts coming around again...repeat this exercise.

Free yourself from your inner critic!

This post is part of Art Every Day Month and NaBloPoMo..

Mystery Lady continues. AEDM #4

I had a very bad day yesterday physically, so I didn't get to do much art work.

I've added a little to the Mystery Lady....

Background created in Photoshop

Mystery Lady Sketch added to Background.

This post is part of NaBloPoMo and Art Every Day Month.

Art Every Day #3 Mystery Lady Begins

I've begun a drawing of a Mystery Lady.  I still need to color her, and clean her up.

Here she is so far:

sketch and outline of Mystery Lady

This Post is part of NaBloPoMo and Art Every Day Month. 

Art Every Day #2 - Doodles

Today is day 2 of Art Every Day Month, and NaBloPoMo...plus many other challenges for the month...
Whew! November is a busy month.

Shells Doodle
Learning to draw in Photoshop on my Wacom Bamboo tablet.

Repeating Circles...just for fun


This post is part of NaBloPoMo and Art Every Day Month Challenge

Hearts Card Design - Art Every Day #1

On November 5th, my father-in-law is getting married.  We are thrilled for him and his bride.
I find it so heart warming that these two found each other.  Both are in their 70's, both lost their spouses about 7 years ago.  Here's to you, John and Margaret!!

I won't bore you with the many, many designs I went through trying to create the perfect card.  Of course, I still don't feel like it's perfect, but the wedding is soon, and hubby likes it, so it's a go!

I created the same card in color and in Black and White, we both liked the colored version, but it didn't print well, (I colored it with Photoshop, and we need to get some ink for our printer.), and we thought the Black and White was classier so we went with that.  Here's both:

Two Hearts - Black and White

Two Hearts - Color

Feedback is always encouraged and appreciated.

Thanks.

This post is part of NaBloPoMo and the Art Every Day Challenge. 

Happy Halloween!

Today is Halloween, my favorite holiday!  Unfortunately, this year we haven't been able to celebrate or decorate like we normally do.

So I did a couple of silly little drawings to celebrate the occassion:

The Trick or Trick Monster

Scaredy Cat
This was drawn on paper with ink, colored in Photoshop.

I hope everyone is having a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Tomorrow starts NaBloPoMo month.  (National Blog Post Month)
I've decided to try and post every day in November.
This challenge is on BlogHer starting this year.  You can win prizes if you post every day, and you can enter as late as November 5th, but you must have post every day for the month of November.
If you'd like to join, go to: http://nablopomo.blogher.com/

I'm also participating in Art Every Day for the Month of November, hosted by Creative Every Day.
This is a much more laid back challenge.  You are not required to post every day, or even create something every single day, it is a challenge to at least work on something every day.  However, if you can't keep that up, it's alright, this challenge is simply to encourage people to create more!

You may get very tired of me this month, but I hope not.

Tomorrow I will be posting the final design of the card for my Father-In-Law and his future bride.