daily drawing

I haven't done this in a long while, but I decided to do a daily drawing.  Today, I began to introduce Dia de los Muerto,s or Day of the Dead, to my beginning students.  As we were watching a video about the culture, food, and ceremony, I began to image (of course!) what the Mizzles might look like, or what they might be doing for Day of the Dead.  So, here is Stargazer and Molly putting Marigolds around my grandma's tombstone. 

I think I want to add another Mizzle to the background.  I have to create a color version.

Clearprint Cross Country Collaboration

I have been following a few art supply companies(Koh-I-Noor USA, Clearprint, and AD Marker) on Facebook, which has turned out to be quite a good thing for me.   I recently won a few free art supplies just for responding to one of their questions about what city did we live it.  I have yet to play with those pigment powders, but am excited to give them a try. 

Well, Clearprint announced a Clearprint Cross Country collaborative art project.  Artists who sign up are sent a clearprint sketchbook to create an art work on one page and return to them.  In addition, they are sent a second book to keep for themselves.  I could not pass up this opportunity.  It seemed a much more do-able project for me to participate in.  I've done the sketchbook project twice.  The first time, I rushed through it to meet the deadline and the second time, I completely forgot about the project. 

I really love the Clearprint Vellum books.  I like how rapidograph ink looks on it.  Also, I love how you can play with the front and back to create depth.

My book arrived on Tuesday.  I'm the first person to draw in the book.  I feel a little pressure being the first one, but I feel inspired.  I finished the page today and will mail it out tomorrow.

This is my contribution to the front cover.  Of course, Stargazer has to be on the cover.

 

I took one of the daily drawings I did last year for my page contribution.  This is the front of the page.

This is what the back looks like.

I used a .18 rapidograph pen and prismacolor colored pencils.  I haven't worked in colored pencil in a long while.  It felt nice to work in that medium again.

A better me

The past few months have been all about living a happier life and working towards a much better me.  Living by the beach was the first step.  Life seems so much more pleasant and relaxing.  I was running and walking on the beach a lot, but I found a workout location to go to, Transformation Center in Huntington Beach.  It has been great!  I love my fitness trainer, Alex.  He is just the right mix of pushing us past our comfort zones, motivation, and support.  I'm happy to have found him. I think what I like most about him is that he explains the reasons why he has us train and eat the way we do... AND he gives examples.  Being a teacher, this seems to work for me. I do have to admit that I feel like I'm cheating on Brea Fit Body.  I thoroughly miss them, a lot!  But this is for the best.  I feel so much more healthier and stronger!  I think part of it is that I have nothing to distract me from focusing on creating a healthier and happier life for myself. 

Plus, I'v been showing my Mizzles and paintings of their adventures at the Santa Ana Art walk the past few months with Orange County Creatives Gallery.  Jason and Maggie Tockey have been so great to me... and to my best friend. I am looking forward to showing with them again in December.  And I might be showing some work in their new Laguna location!!!  I'm a little excited about that opportunity. 

I joined the Huntington Beach Art League in September and this past October meeting I submitted my first entry to be judged.  I entered Mizzles Camping in the Mixed Media category.  Whoever demonstrates an art technique at the meeting gets to judge the artwork.  To my pleasant surprise, I took 1st place! 

So, with all of this healthy living and positive feedback from showing my work, it only makes sense that I have renewed energy and determination to complete my children's story about the Mizzles.  I have to say I have a few doubts, but those are just compositional kinks that I will work out.  Other than that, I'm pretty happy with the progress I've been making. 

It seems that the specific location I moved to is filled with people who hit a "rock bottom" and are finding themselves, or finding ways to make them a better version of themselves.  We are all creative types, who enjoy living by the beach.  I can't help to think how perfectly meant to be this all has been.  I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for me!