Beginner

I was wondering what I could put together for "Beginner". I chose to represent the stages of child development beginning to draw.
1st stage - manipulative - experimenting
2nd stage - symbolic - only to child
3rd stage - recogniseable - recognised by the adult.

Under three year olds have little concept of base line - draw and float in mid air. The early stages of art, gaining control of what it does.

The Mandala - symbolic circle with bits coming out from it. The child gradually moves to this stage of development as it explores from the environment and experiments with shape and line. Scribble continues to be an important part of the process and the learning. There is so much interesting information and theory surrounding our creative development and beginnings. I have given a very brief intro to the extraordinary skill we all begin with.

My playful image (the first one) is my instant expression of the thoughts I had thinking about "beginning''. These two other colourful pictures I added have come from a collection of drawings I kept of my now adult children. Who incidentally are successful in the world of creativity.

Bicycle

I started with the above drawing in pencil as part of a design for a birthday card. The following images were where I scanned the pencil drawing into photoshop and played around with the effects. I finally put some text across the finished piece and created a card.

ongoing piece

This piece is still not finished. I posted a black and white version last year that I had drawn on A4 sheet. I took the image to a large canvas. At the end of last year while studying visual arts I gave oil paints a go. The above painting is in oils. It is a working progress. My medium of preference is acrylics. I hope I will feel motivated to finish this. However at the moment I am resting from the oils and have commenced some new works.

Duet

Two girls singing a duet. Until now and posting this I hadn't even considered what they may be singing. I have been very aware that time is passing in 2011 and my endeavours to blog regularly are not being met. My journey in life continues to be one of varied directions that even I cannot keep up with. Last night I was determined to doodle, sketch a duet. I always believe in a "don't think mind" approach to creating an image of a theme, a thought or an emotion. So much comes from the unconscious if you just let the pen happen. So it is only now this morning when I post my duet I look at what I created. I ask myself who they are? what they might be singing? one looks a little sad too, or thoughtful. What do you think they could be singing? I am going to have a think about this, maybe anyone passing by would like to suggest what they think.

DUSTY

I love looking at the theme for ''Illustration Friday''. Sometimes I am not inspired to make an image, sometimes the week has been too busy. It is a challenge to come up with something in between the hustle and bustle of daily life. That made me think about how dusty the house gets this time of year. All the pollen from the summer weather, the grass and dust coming through open windows. Then at the end of a week finding time to get cleaning and keep all that dust at bay. I used pastel to conjure up a dusty atmosphere, it is very dusty in this picture. Maybe I am feeling guilty that this weekend I didn't do any dusting.

Chicken

I loved the theme of Chicken - I thought for this IF submission I would do something completely different. So here goes with digital medium. I love the colours if I do say so myself. This Bantam chicken now lives all alone. Has mothered many baby chicks over time and is 7 years old. She is quite a character and part of our family. After losing her friends to foxes or cats we take great care of this one.

DEJA VU

It is the New Year - & Blogging again for 2011

With as always at the beginning of each year a change to my blogging page design - cos I can and its fun. BUT if you are having Deja Vu, even seeing double that's because you are & seeing again "lil ole me" who is the same lil ole me".
My self portrait as posted ages ago the one you see every time I post a blog and you come and visit me or the image you see when I come and visit you when we all share images for ''Illustration Friday''.

NOW there's a Deja Vu "ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY''
havn't I been here & there before???

RESOLUTIONS

Oil Painting - Not finished - My resolution has to be to finish this painting.

As part of my studying a visual arts course during 2010 this is one of 8 oil paintings for assessment. Fortunately it was taken to 6. I had not used oil paints before. I loved using them but found they didn't really love me and made me feel quite sick, even using odourless solvents. This piece I didn't finish although I did submit for final assessment. I now have to push myself to finish this before I commence with something new. Albeit the paintings will not be in oils. hence a dilemma in getting this finished or not... I felt the person sitting looking out across the fields reflected my resolve. Gazing across to the horizon wondering what 2011 will bring. I know I have a jam packed full year ahead again. I will try so hard to keep my creative blog/blogs going. So to all the fellow bloggers. Happy New Year. all the best for 2011 as we try to juggle our creativity, health and well being along side working hard.