After a busy enough weekend, I’m trying to establish a productive but easy schedule for the week ahead. I did manage to post over on my Reading Blog yesterday — it’s been a long while, and I wanted to keep that going. . . and if you’re at all interested in how an avid reader culls her overloaded bookshelves, you can read that post here. (The culling was preparation for transforming a closet into my new workspace — but more on that later.)
Today’s to-do list, though, includes writing a short post here on this blog; it also includes getting my pastels/charcoal and the big newsprint pad out and operational again — so this post is a Two Birds, One Stone proposition (that’s such an unattractive analogy these days, isn’t it?! Anyone suggest an equally pithy alternative?)
I had an individual sketching lesson recently, and my very encouraging teacher suggested I might try these materials as a way of loosening up and of playing with scale. At least in my hands, the possibility for precision is limited by the broader, blunter surfaces of the drawing tools, but the low price of the newsprint means I have fewer concerns about “waste,” about “getting it right.”
Above, a quick sketch of a favourite vase filled with the generous fall bouquet of grasses and foliage brought by a sweet dinner guest Saturday night (if you’re interested in our dinner menu, see my journal sketch here). As you can see from the photograph below, the sketch is an interpretation rather than an attempt at a realistic representation. . . .
And that’s it for Monday morning.
I’m working on a few ideas for the blog as I sort out the directions that interest me most and that I hope will engage you as well. A reader sent me an intriguing suggestion, and once I’ve thought through some of its implications and considered the front-end workload, I’ll be asking you for some feedback. Curious? Check back here to watch this unfold over the next week or two.
Meanwhile, as always, Comments open for your feedback and participation. . . .
xo,
f
I'll definitely look at your book cull post, as I fear we will have to do some culling. The book contents of two houses are not going to fit in to one here.
Love how you have made the vase and contents your own representation. I especially love the two leaf stems on the left – both relate to the 'real' items but you have transformed them with what I would call integrity, in that they represent your artistic 'voice'.
I researched “killing two birds with one stone”. It dates back to the 1600’s. Someone proposed “killings two flys with one slap” but that didn’t catch on. I wonder why?!!! Another suggestion I read was “solving two problems with one deed”. I like that!
What a lovely bouquet, both in the sketch and in real life. We are gearing up for our Balkans trip next week. And looking so forward to it. The trip not necessarily the gearing up, although I love that bit too. But I'm also looking forward to late fall when we will settle into a home routine for a few months. I love that retirement can be a balance of moving around, travelling, seeing new things, and then settling back into a routine at home while we plan our next adventure.
I'm loving your sketches, Frances, especially with the swathes of colour.
I love your bouquet and your sketch as well, especially with the colors and the mix of soft and hard, getting at the essence of something, a feeling even, more than just the physical thing itself. Somehow this post seems like such a promising start to the week….
The sketch, like your journal illustrations is very you. I understand your reserve with more expensive papers, but whether the freedom of newsprint or the larger scale – it’s a lovely drawing.
Linda B: Thanks for the generous and thoughtful words re my sketch. It's a process 😉
Kathy: That works, but I can see why "Two birds/one stone" is still around — it's so visual (the flies and the slap is somewhere between comic and icky, right?
Sue B: Thanks! More encouragement , much appreciated. And your fall! It's going to be full and exciting! Can't wait to hear what you think of Croatia and see what you get to that we've so far missed.
Mardel: You're so kind and if I managed a fraction of what you see in the sketch, I'm very happy. Thank you!
Marob: Again, thank you! It's fun to make the bigger, looser marks and with such simple materials, the limited palette.
I love that drawing. Such a sense of movement and optimism.