EDM 100 - Landscape (3)

EDM 100 - Landscape (3)
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Jacques Brel (album: Master Series (1992)

(...)
Avec un ciel si bas qu'un canal s'est perdu
Avec un ciel si bas qu'il fait l'humilité
Avec un ciel si gris qu'un canal s'est pendu
Avec un ciel si gris qu'il faut lui pardonner
Avec le vent du nord qui vient s'écarteler
Avec le vent du nord écoutez le craquer
Le plat pays qui est le mien
(...)

EDM 100 - Landscape (2)

EDM 100 - Landscape (2)
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

How I learn...I have an I idea. I jumpstart on it and try. I encounter some problems, I am not quite satisfied and then..only then I open a book. And I have this wonderful 'Rendering in pen and ink'. Should have looked at it first.

So I tried again... this one isn't so dramatic. It's softer. And I'm happy with some of the results. At the end I got realy tried, the pen cramped in my hand...and you can see it.
Need to look up how others manage to do the long strokes in one line.

This one is done with chinese ink and a small pen. Need to find out how to work with different pressure with my Safari pen. I believe it will be more confortable to work on all these details.

IF - Buzz

IF - Buzz
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

I hate it when I have to wait for a call. With a mobile I don't have to wait at home nearby the phone, but still...

EDM 100 - Landscape

EDM 100 - Landscape
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Speaking of a challenge...
First EDM challenge of the year is landscape. I live in a city and it's cold and rainy here...When I've made my resolutions I reserved january for learning to work with pen & ink.

This is the result. I'm not quite happy...but it's my first one...and there are plenty of days in january to learn more.

I looked up some reference photo's and worked partly from memory. Belgium is a 'flat land' - 'Les pays bas' like Jacques Brel used to sing. This is a canal - and as child I was always amazed how these trees bend by years and years of wind.

IF - Phoenix

IF - Phoenix
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Just posted my resolutions...and I want to make a good start of the year.
Quick watercolor I did yesterday, in between the preparations for New Year's eve. I loved the symbolic meaning of this topic.

Resolutions 2007

I'm still working on my drawing 'Resolutions' for the last EDM challenge 2006. I have a rather complex idea, so this will take time...and it's OK for me when it will be finished before the 8th of January, the end of my vacation.

I've got quite a lot of ideas and goals for next year, and I'm a little bit worried I overload my schedule (with plans for work, for my activities in a non-profit organisation, with reading & writing, taking care of the kids,...AND DRAWING).

I started this year with drawing, bought a lot of materials and a lot of books.

So, my first overall goal will be to actually use the different materials and do the excercises in the book. The most inspiring at this moment for me are 'Draw like Da Vinci' (sounds very ambitious) and 'Rendering in pen & ink' (a birthday gift).

Then I will commit to do the weekly challenges of EDM and IF , and also try to catch up with the previous EDM challenges, which should be done by the end of 2007.

I do not dare to commit to drawing every day...it doesn't sound realistic when I see my schedule, but with all these challenges I come quite close.

Inspired by Laura (Lauralines) I've also made a monthly list...and somehow I will try to combine this list with the EDM challenges. I don't know how yet, but I feel this list could be a usefull guide for next year. We'll see.

Januari:experimenting with pen & ink /washes and work on Kate's drawing lessons
February: play with the artist’s dummy - try water color pencils
March: everyday objects around the house
April: Vacation/ Spring
May: Self portraits
June: Exteriors, Plants, flowers
July:Water
August:animals
September:everyday objects around the house
October: Food, fruits, vegetables
November: Interiors
December: holliday cards

Well, that's it.
Most of all I commit to drawing next year, and as a beginner I'm motivated by seeing the big improvements as a result of daily work. Thanks Laura, Karen, Teri, Lin and others whose name I don't recall at the moment...for showing the daily work.