Wednesday, February 14, 2007

IF- Crash

'Who's going to catch me if I fall?'
was what I was thinking when I read this challenge. Playing around with my manikin I noticed these interesting (hard) shadows.
And I needed to draw them...
A quickie...

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

EDM #104 Salt & Pepper shaker


I don't own a salt & pepper set. So, I used what I found and added a funny sugar shaker (from Alessi, an Italian designer).

For those who understand French, I have a link to an interesting site about pepper...http://www.academiedespoivres.com/

Have fun!

Sunday, February 11, 2007

EDM #105 Scissors


EDM #105 Scissors
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.
Have to catch up some challenges...
and here are my scissors.
Pen, Noodlers ink and Derwent Inktense on Moleskine Sketckbook.

Although I saw ( my kids are my critics) the next day after drawing some errors - these are not exactly the scissors, I like this drawing.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Went to Barcelona..

and came home with just a few unfinished drawings. Things weren't as supposed to be...and 'm not in the mood to finish the drawings. I just post these 'failures' as a part of the process... even bad and unfinished, the circle of drawing, scanning, posting is round.

a shop:
a bar:
very quick sketch of people dancing on the street:
quick sketch of a clown on the street (especialy difficult when another clown came at my left side imitating all I was doing) - somehow I like this one, maybe maybe it will get some color later...
and inside a church

Monday, January 29, 2007

EDM #103 Sport equipement


EDM #103 Sport equipement
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.
I asked my daughter if I could draw her equipment...
she wasn't really satisfied with the result...

Meetings...


meeting
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005
.
I could become an expert in drawing at meetings.
This time I was fascinated by the different stripes, on the speakers' shirt and his tie...

Saturday, January 20, 2007

IF - Super-hero


IF Super-hero
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.
Sitting Bull - pencil on tinted paper / from photo.

As child I was fascinated by the native indian culture...and this brought back some memories.

There is something wrong with the drawing of the left eye. The scan makes it more visible on the scan... Okay, let it be so for now.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

EDM #102 Plug


EDM #102 Plug
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.
Recharger for mobile phone.
Nice challenge. Had some fun with it.

Noodlers ink in Moleskine appears to be not as waterproof.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

EDM 101 - Soap bar


EDM 101 - Soap bar
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.
Pen & ink is my theme of the month, so experimenting with ways of rendering.

And today I learned I have to wait till the ink is fully dry (and it takes some time in the Moleskine) before I put the page on the scanner.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

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.

Friday, January 05, 2007

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.

Monday, January 01, 2007

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.

Sunday, December 31, 2006

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.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

IF- Peace


IF- Peace
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.
Two years ago I was invited to a small place up north Estonia...
in the middle of nowhere.
That night,
in the snow
was the most peaceful experience in my life.
Hardly any light,
only the sound of our shoes in the fresh snow.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

EDM #93 Egg carton




Wow...this wasn't an easy challenge.
It was much harder I thought when I started...
My children are my critics. And although they hav a quite good view on what's wrong, they hardly draw themselves... I can't seduce them to do the challenges with me...

Sunday, November 12, 2006

EDM #92 Brown bag





Click on picture for better view

The only brown bag I could find was a bag from a clothes shop...a rather expensive one. This made me think about shopping addiction, compulsive shopping. And as I like these artist's dummies...and idea was born.

Noodlers ink and Graphitint in watercolor Moleskine

Saturday, November 04, 2006

EDM #92 Apple (4)

KOI watercolors
directly on paper

Last of this series.
I'm not sure which one I like most.

I enjoyed most working with the Karisma Pencils (apple 2) and Inktense (apple 3)

EDM #92 Apple (3)

with Derwent Inktense...
amazed how intense these colors...
have to learn to be very careful with these

EDM #92 Apple (2)

with Karisma color pencils

EDM #92 Apple (1)

I combined this week challenge with the first assigment of Kate's drawing class. So, this became apple drawing on friday evening and apple drawing on saturday ...
This is the first one...and the scanner makes it much harder/darker than the actual drawing.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

EDM #88 Breezy


EDM #88 Breezy
Originally uploaded by Sparks2005.
sunset
beach
grasses

no more words needed

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

IF- Trouble




I hope I didn't miss an important message.
I'm I in trouble now?

Another grid





Well, I'm behind with the challenges...
Want to know why?
This grid will give some answers...

Spider in web





First I took a picture ( a lot of these in our garden now) and then the drawing on black paper.

I didn't manage to get in on time for the IF-challenge Fear. Anyway, I wanted to post this.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

GRID - a meeting

I had to attend a meeting on monday. This seemed to be a good place to try this grid drawing.
I added the colors later when I came home. I had to be carefull, I didn't find any waterproof ink for fountain pens yet. Noodlers ink is not available over here.

This way of drawing is fun. There will be more of these...

Sunday, September 17, 2006

IF-Change


Change please

Change for dreams...
dreams of change.


Still working on last week's challenge (took more time than I thouht it would to make the idea work). So, this week is a quickie.

EDM #84



Why Toast/ Bread Falls Butter Side Down...

Saturday, September 09, 2006

EDM #83 Body of water




Memories from summer.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

EDM #82 Workspace / artspace


EDM #82, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

This is mine...I try to declutter regulary. My desk is empty when I'm not busy with a project. Bookshelves, and there are a lot ( I should also draw the other side of the room), are more messy...books, magazines, materials,...
Hope you like it...
for me, this could also be an entry for the 'safe'-challenge.

IF-Safe


IF-Safe, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Are you feeling safe enough to...

La Bocca della Verità (English, The Mouth of Truth) is a famous sculpted image of a human face in Rome, Italy. The sculpture is thought to be part of an ancient Roman fountain or perhaps a "manhole" cover, portraying a river god.
The most famous characteristic of the Mouth, however, is its capability of act as lie detector. Starting from the Middle Ages, it was believed that if one told a lie with his hand in the mouth of the sculpture then it would be bitten off.
(from Wikipedia)


You can also have a look at the real one. And yes, I did put my hand in it's mouth !

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

IF-Run


IF-Run, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Run from paper
Run away
Run away from shadow
Running out of time...

Monday, August 28, 2006

EDM #81 Streetlights


EDM #81, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

This was a rather fascinating challenge. First I saw only boring, plain grey lights in a row. Not very inviting to draw, later on I saw each town as a different style of lights, a kind of identty...I like the one on the left.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Learning curve 2


Hof ter Duinen kleur, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

I wanted to add some color to the drawing (see previous post) - experimenting with watercolor pencils. Messed it up. I will have to wait for another chance to draw her sleeping.
Meanwhile I got some experience on how this WC pencils behave...

Learning curve


Hof ter Duinen, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Quck sketch in almost dark hotelroom. DD sleeping.

Monday, August 21, 2006

IF-match(2)


IF-match concept, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

About matching and mismatching
About being right and about having more options...


An other idea for this challenge is posted here:

http://if-kunya.blogspot.com/2006/08/if-match.html

IF-match


IF-match, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

A sketchy tribute to the famous Belgian tennis players

Thursday, August 17, 2006

EDM #80 - Draw something you love

Lots of things to draw...for this challenge I choose these colorful ducks. The small one, the keyring, was a gift from my DD. The bigger one, who is actually one-eyed and and somehow formless, I've got by mail from a participant in one of my workshops (Thanks Linda!)
Th duckstory started some years ago, in my rebelious teenage years. When I saw a lot of people in my environment collecting things, I shouted: I will collect ducks! Since then I got wooden decoration ducks a a present. And last year someone bought me a small 'talking' duck, which made noises when you pushed a button. I used it in a workshop to give a sign there was too much talking (or the participants could use it if the leaders were talking too much :-)) The last day the duck got lost (stolen?) and some days after I received this surprise in my mailbox.... And now it's watching all my creative efforts...

Monday, August 14, 2006

IF-Play

I can not remember ever learing to play chess. And I do not think I will ever learn it, I'm too impatient for this game. While I was a kid I used the pieces for setting up whole imaginary scenes...I remember playing for hours on rainy days...

First I wanted to make this drawing for the 'capture'-theme. But I started something else, which is not finished yet. The idea fits nicely into this week's challenge. I wanted to make a quick drawing, didn't realise how much time it would take. When I came to the black one, I was tired...and you can see it ;-).

Friday, August 11, 2006

More EDM 79 - Ears


"I believe we can change the world if we start listening to one another again. Simple, honest, human conversation. Not mediation, negotiation, problem solving, debate, or public meetings. Simple, truthful conversation where we each feel heard, and we each listen well. This is how great changes begin, when people begin talking to each other about their experiences, hopes, and fears.
Margaret J. Wheatley - Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future

I wasn't quite happy with the result of the challenge...so, I tried again keepingin mind the suggestions I've got from someone in the EDM Yahoo-group (Thanks!!!) .I'm not totaly satisfied...but, by working on it I thougt about the quote and a very interesting poem (Dutch) about listening. I added the texts in the journal, so they will come more alive...

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

EDM 79 - EAR


EDM 79 - EAR, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Would someone recognise this if the challenge hadn't a title?
Looks like a map from undiscovered territory.
And maybe it is...
how much more can we learn if we listen better!

EDM Challenge 78 - Souvenir




Last year I was invited to a conference in Iran. I have a lot of memories from this 'out of ordinary' trip. At the end I received a nice gift: this presse-papier is still on my desk. It's based on Archimedes' quote:
"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."

This is a very inspiring quote. I was not quite happy with the drawing, so I did another quick sketch to get the perspective more likely. (The money is just added in my Moleskine as a part of the memory, I didn't draw this) Now I consider it done and I will work on the new challenges...it's already wednesday and I have to finish my IF-challenge, which is more time consuming than planned, but I'm having fun!

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Don't think pink


Don't think pink, originally uploaded by Sparks2005.

Sometimes it's hard not to think of...

I had the same ideas coming back again and again. It made me think of prompt ' do not think of pink elephants' ...and there they were ;-)

journal entry in Moleskine with Derwent Graphitint & waterbrush

Monday, July 31, 2006

IF-Clean


Sometimes I dream of my mister Magic...
When will he appear in my home?
And when he's here, how should I call him? MrClean? MrProper?
I'm sure I will say 'thank you' ;-)

Watercolor with iridescent medium, so it looks realy sparkling.
I enjoyed working with the masking fluid and the medium.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Icebear & ice cream


More ice cream...
and wish I could be on the Northpole

Lyrics from a German song
"Ich möchte ein eisbär sein im kalten polar..."

inspiration for a refreshing page in my Moleskine.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Button box


While reading some blogs I saw 'not being the brightest of the button box'. I didn't know this expression. It inspired me to make this journal entry.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

EDM #77 Draw something cold



Nice challenge.
I think I'm going to draw some more...if the weather stays as hot as it is now.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

IF- Opposites


It's a thin line between love and hate


Just playing with cheap watercolors and cheap paper...