slide

It has been awhile since I left my house to draw. Why is that? There are SO many more things to draw outside my condo. Go figure.

I've thought of drawing the playground near my place for awhile & I walked over to it yesterday afternoon to draw the swirl slide. I even used the swing after my sketch was done! Fun!

I looked at this drawing this morning as I was scanning it in. It turned out better than I remember it yesterday.

Bennie

Bennie is my car. Bennie the Benz. I have wanted to draw him for sometime now & just haven't walked outside to do it. I did it today - for yesterday cuz I was oddly tired last night & fell asleep on the sofa by 9p. I have one more drawing to go today but I thought I'd post this first.

This drawing makes him look a wee bit squashed somehow. I started to site the car but then stopped - in some places. The front end should have been sited better. Well, it's my first attempt & it looks like a car so I'm happy!

rare

As everyone who knows me knows, I don't carry a handbag. I have 2 & for the longest time, didn't have even one. One is quite small & only holds my mobile phone, wallet, lipstick & fob for my car & it's perfect. I have another one & I think I've used it maybe two or three times since I bought it two years ago. I like to travel light. I generally only carry a handbag when I have no pockets to put things into.

This is a drawing of my small one. It is brown leather & is handmade. It really is quite nice.

This was a quick sketch again. I like doing quick sketches that turn out. I also like longer drawings but I just haven't made the time to really get 'into' something like I did with the baby portrait. I have one photo on my drafting board which I want to draw but I've been staying out of the basement when it's nice out. I am enjoying the sunshine!

typical

When I draw something with graphite, there are times when the scan reads lighter than it actually appears in the sketchbook. My scanner must not pick up on everything. Oh well.

I was engrossed in quite a few articles on gold & silver last night & as usual, hadn't drawn anything before I started reading. I didn't really know what to draw cuz I was at home and as I've mentioned before, I feel as though I've drawn everything in my place - which of course is not at all the case. I realized, I have drawn everything that interests me in my place. Since I was really searching for a subject I drew the pocket of the shorts I was wearing. I noticed it as I was brushing my teeth & thought I could draw the zipper. The zipper would have caused me to stand & draw so I chose to sit & see what I see. I saw the pocket & the decorative piece that looks like another small buttoned pocket and that's what I drew.

The viewpoint is from me looking down at my pants so the belt loop is at the bottom of the sheet & the pocket goes up from there. I originally had uploaded the lighter image & have since change the exposure in Photoshop™ so the image can be seen. The paper is not grey & the scan is not grey but at least this way the drawing is showing up.

twisted

I have this dieffenbachia plant (I had to look up how to spell that) near my window on my main floor. It used to be downstairs in my bedroom but it didn't get enough light down there so I jammed it in with the other plants in my living room near the only window. Since I moved it, the plant has grown huge leaves & the stem twisted up then around & I have a post that it leans on top of to hold it up. It's very top heavy.
Last night I was wandering around my condo after I did all my posting from the photos of the weekend. I really had no idea what to draw and I felt like scribbling! This is why this plant drawing is so sketchy. I used woodless coloured pencils in my 8.5x11 Bateman cover sketchbook. It was fun to draw without siting.

I did not use any black. The blackish tone is from the mix of different greens, red, purple, blues, etc.

pretty flowers

The second & last hike of the weekend was Lineham Ridge. I must admit it was a bit of a grind. We didn't look at the map closely when we chose it, we just saw that it was short & we did this before leaving town Sunday. Needless to say, we were all wondering what all the UP was about! We hadn't noticed the elevation gains we were to make in this very short hike (an hour straight up). The down was easy. We stopped at one of the waterfalls for a cool down. It was a hot one Sunday.

It was still gorgeous! Wild flowers everywhere! So many colours. Pretty pretty!

Crypt Lake

Our big hike was Crypt Lake. To hike it, a ferry must be taken 15 minutes to the trailhead. This hike is fantastic. The views are outstanding when you get out above the trees and the trail below feels like you're kinda in the jungle. Little white & yellow flowers everywhere. Gorgeous.
The hike itself wasn't too strenuous. There were some rolling areas where you get a break from the 'up' which is always welcome. There was a tunnel & cable to deal with near the top which is fun if you're afraid of heights (which I am not). If you are though, hold on tight!

The photo below was taken just before the tunnel. You can see the queue of people to get up the ladder.

Here's Crypt Lake. This is where the trail ends. There were a few nut jobs jumping in the glacier lake. Brr!

The flowers in the lower area. So quiet & it smelt so fresh & green! Can you smell a colour?

going to the sun

This past weekend a few of us finally went to Waterton, AB. It is truly gorgeous there. You're surrounded by mountains, how could that be bad!?

On Friday, since we couldn't leave town until noon, we couldn't hike. So we went to Going to the Sun Road in Montana, USA. It is a windy road which goes through the mountains. It's 50 miles long - we did not drive the distance due to having to meet other friends back at the hotel in Waterton plus the border crossing closes at 22:00.

There were these dead trees that were incredibly smooth. Tough to photograph!

I took this shot below to show the road plus there was wildlife on the rocks licking the salt off the wall. I was in the vehicle so the shot is not set up very well.

it's been awhile

It has been quite sometime since I did a drawing with my left hand. I generally have to be in the mood to draw with my left hand though. I think it makes my brain work harder!

Since I am constantly drawing thing in my condo, I felt like I'd already drawn this. I had not.

I have had this candle snifter for easily 10 years - actually more. I bought it when I was living in Thunder Bay so that's over 12 years ago now. Time flies...

looking at me

This drawing is from the photograph I took of a friend of mine. I really like the crop I did of the full image & still need to get him back here so I can do that image properly (without being able to see ME in his eyes).
This drawing is from Wednesday night. I was out late & chose to draw this before I headed to bed. It was easy. I have always liked drawing eyes & hands so that's likely why this was quick.

I was going to add shading to indicated where the nose starts but I really like it as it is now. I may draw it again or more of his face from the original image. Maybe I can talk him into letting me draw him from life too. That's always more interesting & certainly more challenging.

back to the drawing board

Literally.
I have my fan upstairs cuz a few weeks back I put my glass of water on my coffee table on top of a pile of something (sketchbooks, books, etc.) and there was one thing on top which I wasn't really looking at & the glass fell since I didn't place it on anything specific & spilled water all over the floor. I needed to ensure that my bamboo floor wasn't damaged with the amount of water that was spilled so I cleaned it up then set up my fan to dry it properly. It worked great & has been upstairs ever since. It is summer & Calgary does get the occasional day of HOT weather (like Monday) so it's great to have it upstairs. The lower level doesn't need it since it's cool down there.

This is an odd drawing really. For one, I ran out of room at the top of the page and the base & post (what is it called?) of the fan is in a sort of 'focus' and the actual fan part is not. I had the fan running when I drew this so the blades could not be seen anyway. It almost looks like it's moving which of course the cage of the fan is not.

cherry pit

I've had nearly a week off from drawing & focused on photography instead. I needed it after the baby portrait. The last drawing I did was quick cuz I just couldn't focus on a drawing. It was still fun to do but I felt I wasn't giving it my all.

Sunday I bought some cherries (grown in BC) & they are delicious. Last night I decided to paint one of them with watercolour. It was nice to get back at the drawing/painting. Granted, I have no idea what I will create today! It'll come to me.

I like how this turned out. The double shadow is caused by two light sources & the white spots on the cherry shows where the light sources were coming from.

practice didn't help

As I mentioned a few days ago, I practiced a photograph that a friend of mine & I discussed making together. Practicing didn't help since his skin tone is different than mine & blowing out the background for my skin tone totally works. With his, it really didn't or I was doing something wrong, which is possible too.
Either way, we're not done with the idea yet. We took quite a few & this is just one of them. The background is a bit grey at the top of the image which I notice on the computer but not on the back of the camera. I wasn't looking for it though.



It also didn't occur to me that taking my rings off would reveal a tan line! I have more colour than I realized.

from the stands

I have not been to the rodeo for years. Since my friend's parents were in from the UK, a few of us joined them for the rodeo Saturday. It was fun. I loved it when the little cow got away from the cowboy (what is that called when they rope the calf & tie their feet?). A few of us were cheering the calf on. Go go!! There were many that got away. (:

This has nothing to do with the rodeo but I like it just the same.

Stampede continued

Friday was another Stampede event called the Oxford Stomp. I have only attended the past 3 years & have always had fun. I was out LATE Friday so these images will have to do for my creative thing of the day.

This is a friend of mine who has 2 young boys. She bought this bag apparently before she had her boys which is fun. She was told by her 5 year old to bring more super heros so that's what's in her hands. (:

We were in the VIP tent again (thank you) and this is just one of the buckets of nuts they had for some of the tables.

I have many other images of my friends & me (self portraits) but there's no need to add them here. Was a fun night, no question. INXS was fantastic!

another subject?

A friend of mine was over Thursday to teach me about the stock market - for real. I have always invested in stocks without doing much research & that is ending now (or had ended in April - before I really knew this person).
After we went through some technical chart stuff, it was time for a break so we went for a short walk & then he asked if I would draw him. I was thinking of drawing him from life but he was thinking of something like the portrait I did of the baby. Anything is possible at this point so I took some photos. He had some ideas & I also had some ideas. I took a few different images & I will chose one to draw or take more another day.
This one is from my favourite image that I took. I have cropped it for this post cuz I'm not sure how comfortable he is having his photo up yet. We chatted about it and he knows it'll be posted once I start drawing it but for now, I like this crop.

hats & boots

Last night was the Stampede Round Up at Fort Calgary. I have gone every year since I moved here or at least I can't think of a year I missed.
I know the people who hire the talent which is great since they are kind enough to give me a VIP pass into the Sleeman's tent. I had a conversation last night stating that I didn't know if I'd attend if I had to be out in the masses (18,000+ people?). It seems like chaos but it likely really isn't. It's always fun since most of my friends are also there (in the VIP tent too) and I'm sure we have the same photos every year we go - us in our cowboy gear, just different get ups from year to year.

Yesterday I didn't have time to draw so I brought my camera to the event. In more recent years I have just used my phone but since I bought the Canon S95, I figured I'd take it along since it fits into my pocket and takes much better photographs. My photographer friend said that I may be surprised how much I use it. I know, never doubt.

The last two were enhanced & modified using Photoshop™.

money or currency?

Sunday, I finished reading the book "The Guide to Investing in Gold & Silver" by Michael Maloney. Great read & some enlightening information about the US & in some parts, the world's currency. This book defines currency as "... a medium of exchange that you can use to purchase something that has value, what we would call an asset." Money, on the other hand is defined as always currency since money has value in and of itself. In other words, the actual paper of the $100 bill is NOT as valuable as what the paper says it is. The paper currency has value only because we (globally) have agreed that it has value even though it's just paper. Real money has value - always. Gold & silver is real money (yes, it's another agreement but this fact has stood the test of time).
It's shocking to realize the fact that our money is not backed by anything anymore (once it was backed by gold) & that we (every single person) constantly creates currency almost daily. Ok, perhaps not every single person but certain anyone who has a credit card. The bank allows us a limit on our credit cards of currency we are allowed to create. Every time we sign on the dotted line (or enter our PIN), we create the currency we have just signed for. Now, if we do not pay back this currency (which is actually just a book entry) by the specified date, the bank is allowed to charge us ludicrous interest on the currency we created. Neat huh?

I bought some money today for the first time in my life. It's weird to own it actually. I/we have been trained to think that the paper I/we always carried around is the real deal. It isn't. It's so under valued, it's scary. Let's see what happens to our currency & see what happens with gold & silver. Chances are, the precious metals will be victorious. They always have. I do my best not to live in the past but in this case I am paying attention.

quite small

Last night I figured out an idea for another drawing to do but I didn't have time to start it since girlfriend came by to share in some cookies I baked. I did this in my incredibly small watercolour sketchbook. It was to be random colour & I like it aside from the bottom portion where I drew horizontally.



I haven't done the photograph I was practicing for yet. It will be soon, I just need the other hand...

practice

A friend of mine gave me an idea for a photograph & we are supposed to work on it together later today. Yesterday, I visited my photographer friend to sort out how to get the image I want. I didn't want to purchase anything & I didn't need to. I have enough 'stuff' to do what I want (except I need more AA batteries for my flashes! - time for rechargeables).

With that all being said, last night I practiced on my own - which wasn't easy! Basically, my hand was the subject & it's tough to focus on your hand when you need it to work the camera. I fiddled quite a bit & got a few images I am happy to show here. It evolved to running my hand in my hair for some reason.

Each image has been enhanced with Photoshop™. I really wanted the background blown out so I upped the exposure. The images with my hair, I softened the hair so the ring stood out as well as upping the exposure slightly.

I realized today that the days I post images & do post production in Photoshop™, I am being creative. Just another observation so show me that I am creative more than I really notice.

braids

Last year I started putting my hair in braids for Stampede functions just for something different. My hair is quite long so it totally works. They end up as two 'pigtail' braids instead of one single braid down my back. Looks cuter anyway.

I decided to draw one of my braids. The drawing was decent until I put my face into it. Silly. Next time leave it blank. All I wanted to draw was the braid anyway. My face looks like it's flat - not very 3D! Plus the eyes are not even level. Jeesh.

It almost looks like the face is sliding off the side of the paper.

I used the sepia light lead on cartridge paper. The sheet isn't larger than 8x10.

giddyup

Calgary Stampede officially started yesterday but really starts earlier & earlier every year it seems. There is always 'sneak a peek' at the grounds Thursday night but the parade & the official start is always the first Friday of the first full week of July (providing that Canada Day does not fall within the first weekend or lands on the first Friday of July).

In any case, I have taken my Stampede gear out & was going to wear my Smithbilt cowboy hat yesterday but in the end chose my cheap straw hat since it doesn't cause me pain. I need to have the Smithbilt hat adjusted so I should do that this week.

Since I had my Smithbilt hat out, I drew it. When a cowboy hat is stored, it is stored upside down (on the crown) as to not damage the brim. I always keep them that when when I take them off so the Smithbilt hat was in that position when I noticed the lighting & decided to draw it. Turned out pretty well. I used the sepia light leads since the hat is brown. Seemed fitting - more dated looking using the sepia light leads.

film

As mentioned I have been at a lose as to what to draw since the baby portrait was complete. I saw my roll of film sitting on my counter (which needs to be developed) and chose to do a quick drawing of the film canister. The perspective is slightly off but I'm okay with it since I really did not site it.

in the air

As I mentioned in the previous posting, there's lots of crap in the air. That being pollen plus cotton from the poplar trees. It's as though it's snowing cotton. There's seriously accumulation & everything.

I have been behind on my posts & creative stuff once I finished the baby picture. I should have counted it for a few days longer rather than what I did. So here it is, I officially extend it plus I am adding these few images to cover a few days missed which then gives me permission (in my head) to carry on from here. Ha! My rules.

These are images of the crap in the air that has accumulated between the spindles of the stairs leading up to my deck. One friend said it looked like a spiderweb with the crap caught in it (he saw it when it was quite dark outside) but I checked it again yesterday & it looks to me as though it is just the fluff from the trees.

tissue?

For some reason my eyes have been really bugging me in the last couple days. Everyone who sees me says it's allergies. Allergies? I've never had allergies so forget it, I'm not buying it. Ok, it's clearly something. My eyes were totally bloodshot last night as well as this morning. It will pass as all things do.

For some reason, I keep seeing the Kleenex™ box on my toilet & have thought of drawing it. I decided to last night since it looked easy & I really don't know what to work on next for a drawing project. I am a day behind right now which is not the first time & likely not the last. My eyes were so sore last night I'm surprised I drew at all.

now what?

After so much time working on the baby portrait, I felt a little like 'now what do I draw'? I have no idea even now.

On Friday we hiked Mount Indefatigable. Friday was Canada Day & we went up with the sole purpose to toboggan down part of the mountain since we did that very same thing last June (except we didn't plan to slide down last year). Since there is still so much snow in the mountains we figured that the tobagganing should still work July 1 and it did. There was less snow than last time and the run we slid down was shorter but it was still a giggle, no question. I used my trail seat made by Thermarest™ to slide down. Seriously fun. A friend who was the initial instigator of this fun said that we should be making a beer commercial (Canadian of course)!

Mount Indefatigable is a decommissioned trail (as you can see from the above sign). We actually initially missed the trailhead last year since they didn't have this monster sign. Now you can't miss it. We ran across absolutely no bears either time we have hiked this trail. The only wildlife we saw were birds (and mosquitos).

Here is one image of a friend sliding down the mountain. Woot woot!

Everyone aside from me is at the bottom cheering.