Feet Sketches: Fourth, Forth

I have now tied my record for consecutive days of sketching. Nine.

I started to lose patience after the folded over fabric. The second foot is not right. I was not able to get the fabric and my feet to be the same for the photo as it was for the sketch, but you get the idea.

The shadow of the pen about to touch the paper is something I plan to continue to use in future attempts.

Onward.

O Christmas Tree

Had to do this before the tree comes down.

I still like doing the feet sketches, and I have some that have not been posted.

I'm trying to figure out what is important about the feet sketches.

I think it is the folds of fabric, and trying to represent form.

Since it is technical skills that seem to interest me, I'm going to continue to sketch for awhile and not start a big painting yet. 

Am I just trying to talk myself out of starting a big painting? Probably.

Feet Sketches: third

This is me relaxing at my Dad's house.

Amber was just on the other side of that doorway making a quiche.

Dad was probably checking on the chickens.

I like how we visit for awhile, and then do our own thing for awhile.

Yes, that is a guitar case. Lots of options for music here.

And now, a Banjo

I'm at my Dad's house and there is this banjo sitting in front of me.

I never noticed before how the frets get closer together at the base of the neck.

My pen ran out as I was doing the shadow.

Feet Sketches: second

 The words of the Dr. Suess book keep going through my head, "You have a brain in your head and feet in your shoes and you can go wherever you choose." Currently, however, my shoes are empty of feet.

 I have had time to put my feet up and relax these last couple weeks, and it has been wonderful. 

Feet Sketches: the first ones

 I have not painted lately. There is not a burning need to communicate any particular idea, but I do feel lost when I go a long time without creating. Knitting is relaxing and results in the creation of a thing so that is what I do when I have small amounts of down time. Drawing and painting require all of my brain to be focused. I make a plan and then use skills to follow the plan while at the same time being open to adjustments that will make it better. At some points in the process I get lost in the repetiton of dots or hash marks and I like that. People who have never experienced that probably have no idea what I mean, but that's ok.

 I'm starting each day with a short sketch time. For many days it was hard to get started because I could not decide what to sketch. Many of my students often have the same problem. I told myself the same thing I tell them, "There are many correct answers, but a blank paper is not one of them". I looked around and decided to draw my feet.

 The next day, I drew my feet again.

 And again. So it would appear I am interested in feet as a theme. Not sure where this is going, and I think I will continue to draw feet.

Tree Pen Drawings

Lately I can't seem to make time to paint.

These are some pen drawings I made when I was in New Mexico.

When I was there, we each did our own projects in the morning and then after lunch we went out to do something together. It was a nice routine. Too bad I have to go back to work later this week. Since I got back I've been doing things like going to the dentist and cleaning and running errands. A little work in the garden. More time in the garden would be good for me. I need a routine that I can maintain and feels good. I waste a lot of time thinking I need a break. When it gets to be the end of the day I feel terrible that I wasted the gift of time. Next day, same thing. Many people have told me they experience similar frustrations with themselves.

I listened to a talk on the radio yesterday from the Aspen Idea Festival. It was about happiness. Most people think that many choices and less work will make us happy. These days we have many choices for little effort but we are not happy because we have many choices for little effort. We often feel loss over the choice we decided not to take. I forget the guy's name, but what he said made an impression on me.

I just spent half an hour on a post I was intending to just do quick. Guess I'm not going to paint or exercize this morning, either. Time to get ready for today's appointments.