365 days of drawing ~ day fifty-eight ~ Trees and Tents with Leigh

The last pencil stroke has been made.  I am so glad to share with you this portrait.  The abundance of love and pure joy radiates from this photo of two beautiful souls.  This marks the beginning of more portraits on the way that you can read about here .  When I repeatedly witnessed the love and light my friend Angela holds for her sister Leigh, I was touched.  Touched because I have a brother and we are not close as I would like.  But I know just how much pain, anguish and sorrow I would feel if he passed before his time.  So that led me to begin this portrait that started on day seven that you can read about here.  It was an amazing trip filled with so much healing, love, light, sadness, remembrance, friendship, and resulted in a masterpiece.  

I wanted Angela to have the last word and tell you about her sister.....

Trees and Tents with Houd

Arriving at Camp Korb, we were always greeted by Houd willing and able to help us setup our tent or camper no matter if it was light or dark outside.  The photo above was taken by my husband accidentally one night while we were helping Houd setup his tent after dark.  We were all fumbling around with tent poles and clips and my husband had this grand idea to use his cell phone as a flashlight.  He accidentally pressed the camera button and took this picture, having a good laugh about it when finding it among our photos, it is now treasured.  The hardest thing for me is traveling to the mountains to see our chosen family and knowing Houd won't be there to greet us, help us setup our camper and spend time with.  Mind you, there is plenty of our loving friends ready to greet us and give us a hand - no shortage there.  Just isn't the same without him.

365 days of drawing ~ day fifty-six

Feeling accomplished.  Nothing but good energy, love and happiness put into this work of art.  I refused to work on it while under any negative influences.  This is the part where I stare at the drawing and compare it to the photo compulsively.  I am ecstatic, very pleased with this result.  I will stare intently, scrutinize all angles before I add my signature and date.  I will also say a prayer over it once completed.  Over the next two days you can expect to see the completed portrait with a story, call to action and original photograph.  Then I will be taking a little break over the weekend to spend some much needed time away with other mamas from my MOPS group.  I will return refreshed, full of giggles and ready to tackle my next masterpiece.....Houd, my dear friend.  I have been thinking of you and missing you.

365 days of drawing ~ day fifty-five

Nearly wrapped up.  Finished off the rest of the background except for one small, tiny area.  In the next few days I will let my OCD take over to fix all the minor imperfections.  The portrait is just a few short steps away from completion. 

365 days of drawing ~ day fifty-four

No drawings today.  Sad day.

Missing Houd

Missing my friend today.  Remembered a CD he made for us, listened again. 

365 days of drawing ~ day fifty-three

Still finishing up shading and details, not finished yet - but soon.  Almost ready.  Almost ready to reveal the photo, reveal the story - soon.

365 days of drawing ~ day fifty-two

Background, shading.....almost complete.  Pushing for my end of February deadline.  I am sure the owner is getting excited now.  Been working on the drawing turned 180 degrees clockwise lately, definitely helping to correct a lot of small things!  Very pleased up to this point.  Before I know it, I will be making prints and handing the original masterpiece off to the rightful owner, where I know it will be treasured and featured lovingly.

Getting anxious about my next big adventure!  This year is going to be filled with portraits full of love.

365 days of drawing ~ day fifty-one

As I near the end of the portrait, filling in the last of the background, adjusting the shading and fixing minor details, I am reminded of how short and precious life is.  Here today, gone tomorrow.  Sometimes it is of our own doing, sometimes it is our health, maybe an accident or the wrong doing of others or just our time to go.  We can give our love, light and strength to those who need it, but not so much that we enable them to take all we have.  At times we need to protect ourselves from the darkness, negativity and despair created by others so we too do not get caught in the downward spiral.  How will you be remembered?  To what did you pour forth all your heart and soul?  Did you love?  Did you forgive?  Were you happy?  Follow your heart, follow your soul, love all you can, give all you can, be yourself, love yourself, be someone to somebody, let your words heal and not hurt.  You are beautiful, you are loved, you are important, you are forgiven. 

365 days of drawing ~ day fifty

 It's all in the details.  And shading.  More shading. 

Portrait number four to be in the works for the future!

Only a few days into my 365 day drawing challenge I decided to draw a portrait for a friend.  I was so overwhelmed by her love for her sister, the grief and sadness that accompanies loss.  I felt a strong desire to provide her with a special gift straight from my heart to hers.  You can read about the beginning of her portrait here and read about the completed masterpiece with the story here. It's been an emotional journey for both her and I.  I have many loved ones in heaven and the portrait has reminded me of them.  I knew that I would be drawing portraits of my loved ones as well, but thought it fitting to start out with a gift for someone else first.  I love being able to bring love and light to others.

Then, I decided to have a quick little contest on my facebook page just for friends and family.  I knew that the changes I made to the portrait that day were so slight that it would be impossible to pick them out with the eye.  (Naughty of me, I know)  So I proposed that if somebody could pick out the three body parts I made changes to and on which person in the portrait, I would draw them a portrait of a photo of their choosing.  What came next was AMAZING!  My dear, departed, friends mother guessed right!  Now, I was already going to draw a portrait of my friend and have prints made for his mother and our friends, but to have her guess correctly?  Well there is only one explanation, my friend whispered the answer to her.  It is the only possible way she could have guessed correctly, I can't even see the changes...so that portrait is next and it is going to be an emotional ride.  You can read about the story here.  The first day of Houd's portrait begins here and the completed masterpiece ends here.

After that portrait is complete, I am SURE that the next portrait will be of my Nan and Pap.  Both already gone from this earth and missed dearly.  This one is for me and me alone.  I will be keeping the original of this one.

I figure each portrait will take about a month or so, give or take depending on the amount of time each day I am afforded by my family and energy levels.  Each drawing has tremendous amounts of energy, love and time put into them and I am certain that I wouldn't have it any other way.  I like having goals and something to work towards.  I am excited about each and every portrait I am working on and have planned for the future.

That brings me to my next portrait gift that happened around 9pm last night.  Last year I happened upon a blog owned by a local mother Still Playing School, she home schools and features activities and fun ideas for kids.  One day I saw a heartbreaking post about the loss of her infant daughter.  I was very touched by her love and sadness for this tiny soul.  I myself have not experienced the loss of a child and have been following her journey filled with love, grief and remembrance.  This strong woman has also raised money for a non-profit organization called Sustaining Grace that provides non-medical ultrasounds for families of babies that have received a fatal diagnosis and has also donated a box of embossing supplies to the hospital where Violet spent her short, precious time on earth so that other families will have a special way to preserve their infants hand and footprints forever.   Her daughter passed away after 2.5 days of precious life due to a heart defect related to being diagnosed with a chromosome abnormality called Trisomy 13, you can read more about Violet here.  Yesterday I happened upon her blog post Grief Stops You In Your Tracks and was hit with tremendous sadness.  I have these little occurrences myself related to my own loved ones in heaven and her post was so powerful, I KNEW that I was going to do a portrait for her.  So it is to be my fourth portrait in waiting.

Meet Violet 

{ A tiny heart in heaven }

November 2, 2011 - November 4, 2011

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-nine

Worked on the background today and from all angles.  When I am drawing and find a particular spot difficult, I turn the drawing upside down or at a different angle.  It forces my eye to ignore what my mind thinks it should look like.  Now its all about the light to dark, dark to light and details, details, details.

Beach Life Series ~ Chapter II: A day in the life

 

Martin.....party of four, Martin....party of four.  Radcliff....party of two, Radcliff....party of two.  Then suddenly a window flies open and a string of obscenities is shouted from the bedroom next door.  Every day....every day.  Every day starting at 7am the pancake house across the street would start calling the wait list.....then our roommate would take matters into his own hands.  At no point did I ever wake up without the loud speaker or our roommate yelling out the window....eh, the sound of waves crashing makes me have to use the bathroom.  Speaking of sounds, the sounds at the beach are amazing, like in the way that you have never heard them all together before.  Motorcycles rumbling, array of music blasting from car windows, cars honking, laughing and merry making of pedestrians, crying children, squawking seagulls, clickty-clanking of park rides, crashing waves, buzzers and bells sounding off at the games and amusements and the occasional trumpet being played or guitar being strummed on the boardwalk.  And the smells!  Pizza, french fries, salty breezes, kettle popcorn, exhaust, hot dogs, seafood, fudge, sweat (bleh!)....every day.  I lived in Ocean City for two consecutive summers, both were equally fun and very different experiences at the same time.  For now we will discuss my first year, it was the most memorable.

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-eight

Only a few more areas in the background to fill in, then I can concentrate on the gray scale and work on light to dark.  I accomplished almost two hours of drawing today, while the end is now visible, there are still lots of details to wrap up.

I can't believe where I started....365 days of drawing ~ day seven

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-seven

Been trying to squeeze other art projects into my schedule AND testing the waters by putting both my girls in one room for nap and bedtime.  Crazy, I know.  So I have been sewing a new pair of patchwork jeans for myself, doing some crafts with my mini-me, new blog posts, amongst regular house-wifey duties.  I had plenty of time to work on the portrait today, about an hour and forty-five minutes.  Spent today filling in love bugs pants, making fixes to her nose and darkening shadows on Aunt E's face, neck and fiddling around with her shirt.  Keep on keepin' on

Beach Life Series ~ Chapter I: Renting for the summer

Growing up my Nan and Pap owned a house at the beach, bayside near Rehobeth, Delaware.  I have so many fond memories, crabbing off the pier, playing cards in the evening, sitting on the front porch after dusk listening to the ocean, smelling the salty breezes.  I spent a good amount of my childhood at the beach house, during the summer and family vacations.  So when a boyfriend after high school graduation suggested we move to the beach, Ocean City, Md for the summer, I was game.

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-six

Annnnnd, taking another fiesta....

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-five

Valentines day was a busy day, whiny children, grouchy husband, annoying kitty cats....but, I still made time for these two Valentines!  I only had about 15 minutes to spare, I managed to fix Aunt E's shirt and work on little love bugs upper lip, I can't seem to nail that one down.  One day it will just look "right" and I know I won't have to touch it again.  I added some shading to the landscape in the background.  And that is it for now.  Hoping to get more done Saturday!!  Seems like I have more time to myself when it's just me and the kids (probably because I don't have a little voice reminding me of all the things I have to do around the house).  Glad to have him home, I missed my love.

Bacon wrapped chicken deliciousness

Is there anything more heavenly than bacon??  I made my Valentine bacon wrapped chicken over spaghetti Alfredo for dinner.  Super easy and double super delicious.

My little Valentine making art

I let my little Valentine create some art today!  She had so much fun stamping hearts on canvas, gluing tissue paper hearts, pom poms and I sprinkled some purple glitter for her (I'm not ready to let her blow glitter around yet) to make it even prettier.

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-four

I got nothing. 

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-three

Worked late into the night, sometimes I just can't take my hands off it.  The energy surrounding this portrait is amazing.  I think I must have been drawing for at least two or more hours.  I am still anxious to get back at it now that I am viewing my progress.  I see lots of details to fix and some that need to be added. 

We are all works in progress, every day comes with its own challenges. 

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-two

Still working throughout the portrait, not concentrating on one particular area, just letting things flow through me.  Each day I study my progress and work in whatever area seems to need my attention.  It may seem as though the portrait is almost complete, however there is lots of shading, darkening and lightening to accomplish.  The end is in sight, but still a ways off.  I only had about 30 minutes to spare today, some days I have more and some days less.  I see lots of obsessing over small details in my near future....

I will have to say, there is nothing more fulfilling than giving your time, talent, love and light to a deserving soul.  And aren't we all deserving of those things...

365 days of drawing ~ day forty-one

Deepening and darkening shadows, filling in the background as I go along.  Making small fixes here and there...I realize it is never going to look EXACTLY like the photo, but I can get it pretty close I think.  I have not been using a grid for a very long time, I might get it back out to touch up some areas.  Detail is everything.  I see lots of areas that need to be lightened or darkened.  I am becoming very grateful to have to take photos everyday for the blog.  I don't have to physically stand back and scrutinize my drawing like the good ole' days.  I can compare the photo and drawing right here on my computer.  I feel fancy.

365 days of drawing ~ day forty *bonus

To take my mind off the new Walking Dead mid-season premier that I can't watch on TV, I decided to continue making progress.  I did know earlier today that I would be working on the portrait again later.

365 days of drawing ~ day forty

..........I've got to admit it's getting better, a little better all the time.

Evolution of a drawing PART II

Approximately 32 hours completed to this point.  What a journey!

Music: Tori Amos "Pretty good year"



Read about how it all started 365 days of drawing - day seven

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-nine

 

Seeing the finish line in the distant future.....  Love, love, love drawing.  On the most difficult, stressed out days, just feeling the paper and hearing the pencil strokes.....is relief.  

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-eight

Blowing it up today! Blam-o!  My babies both rested at nap time and afforded me some much needed peace and quiet......ahhhhhh.  I could get used to this sort of thing.

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-seven

Still plugging away, defining background, little love bugs arm and hand.  I also made more changes to her teeth and lips.  I was thinking a lot about my friend who passed last March, how much I miss him and think of him.  Nearly every day.  Yesterday I ran a contest (you can read about it here) and my friends mother won.  In short, I made changes to this portrait that were time consuming, but one was barely visible to the eye.  In fact, I reviewed it today and there is no way it was visible.  My friend whispered the answer to his mother....no question.  I was planning to do a portrait of him soon anyway, but now his mother will own a piece of me and of him as he works through me.  It was very emotional looking through pictures of him and is going to be even more so as I work on his portrait.  By creating these portraits for others, I am healing them as well as myself.  I know what it is like to miss loved ones...

Hug them tight, let your words heal and not harm, nobody knows what tomorrow holds.

Another portrait to be in the works for the future!

Maybe you heard, maybe you didn't hear.....I had a little contest with the progress of my last two drawing days.  I made very minor changes on day thirty-six from day thirty-five.  So minor that I was SURE no one would be able to tell.  I made changes to little love bugs right (my right) eye and her mouth, lips and teeth specifically, also changes to Aunt E's mouth - lips and teeth.  They were the changes I spent the most time working on today.

Those were the exact changes I had in mind when I proposed that if someone could tell me the changes I made on the body parts and which person, I would do a portrait of the winners choice.  I did also make slight changes to Aunt E's left eyebrow and slight changes to little love bugs chin.  So I figured that if somebody guessed those I would accept them, but they were not the changes I had in mind.

Lo and behold, my dear friends mother won.  Guessed the EXACT three changes correctly.  I was planning to draw a portrait of my dear departed friend for myself anyway and give a print to his mother.  But now she will get to choose a photo and get the original drawing.  I have plenty of time left in my 365 days of drawing to gift another portrait, very fitting it should go to Houd's mother.  I know he whispered the answers to her (that little sneak).

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-six

Made minor fixes to these beautiful faces that were bothering me.  You see, when I am not working on the portrait, I am still looking at it, comparing it to the photograph, figuring out where I need to make changes.  I spent my whole hour today working on those tiny fixes.  I notice as I deepen the shadows on the background that the shadows will need to be deepened on the faces again.  I still see lots of work in my future.... also I am not happy with the quality of today's photo, it is cloudy and dark out today.

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-five

Started filling in the right side of the playground equipment, still not finished with the left side, but I needed new scenery.  And all of you following along, are making me BLUSH!  Like, everyday with all your kind comments.  I never felt that I was a real artist, because I thought I didn't have my own style.  But thanks to a friend who posted about hyperrealism art, I no longer feel that way about my talent.  I finally feel I can call myself an artist.

I knew that attempting to draw something every day for 365 days would awaken something inside.  I couldn't have guessed it would have brought so many things to me in such a short time.   I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store for me!  Certainly more portraits, I am sure the next portrait will be of my dear friend Houd, then my Nan and Pap.  Who knows what else??  The best is yet to come.  Thank you all for following along, sharing your kindness and love.

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-four

I felt a little slow this morning, but I picked myself up after a few cups of coffee.  I knew that I would be working on my drawing again today after a long weekend without it.  Nothing too exciting happening, I worked on deepening the background to the proper shade.  I am anxious to get back at it and have a renewed sense of love for drawing, life, dreams, and my family.  I can't wait to show you all the finished piece.  I apologize I can only afford an hour to two hours of progress.  Normally I would be able to work at a faster pace, but with interruptions and two little ones running around, plus cats and a husband to feed....well, I am kinda busy.  So, stay patient while I finish this beautiful portrait that will bring the owner love and light.  Feel free to share my posts with whom ever and where ever, I am not ashamed of my talent.  Thanks for following along with me on my journey.

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-three

Feeling drained today, probably from all the amazingness yesterday.  I needed to rest, taking the weekend off.  I know tomorrow will be better.  And I know she was alright with me resting this weekend,  I haven't felt the pull to work on the drawing.

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-two

Today was the most amazing day, renewing and a bit emotional as well.  I have lots of work to do, a purpose, skills that need to be honed.  I won't probably be working on my drawing tonight again, I need to take another day of rest so I may be refreshed for tomorrow.  This morning was full of messages, goals, family and purpose.  I know what needs doing, where I am going, who I am and how to get it done.  So tonight I rest, preparing to go out into the world and do what I was born to do.  I have everything I need, God will provide all the details and it is all up to me.  I am going to reach down deep and pour forth pure energy and soul.  Get ready world, here I come.

365 days of drawing ~ day thirty-one

I did not get any work done on my drawing today, my energy levels have been low and I am hoping for renewed strength soon.  I knew when I initially made my 365 day challenge, I knew that it would not be possible to uphold every single day.  Having two mini me's at home and a husband keeps you busy, never mind the normal flow of life.