A Day at Home Art Making, Remembering I am lucky.....

Greetings, Blogger world...

I spent the morning and afternoon of this Rememberance Day at home, drawing.  I observed a moment of silence, along with the radio announcer on the program I was listening to (I think it was In Concert on CBC Radio 2), and then went back to drawing.  Whatever it is I'm doing at any given time, chances are I have the veterans of past wars to thank for the freedom to do so.  Not all wars are justified, but the ones that allow us to live in freedom and peace are worth fighting.  When I was little, all the veterans I ever saw were elderly, and wars were something that happened in other places.  Hard to believe there was any span of time at all when I child could think that.  Hopefully there will be more of them as the decades and centuries pass.  

Here is the work I finished today.  I wasn't thinking of Rememberance Day when I drew it, but it ended up being kind of appropriate....

Title:  Shade XII

My First Youtube Upload! Also, Recent Work.

Good day, blogger world!

I just finished uploading a short video to youtube - finally, after years of having an account, I have actually uploaded some content. It's not much - mostly a test, but it features one of my current projects. 




Usually I don't go quite this largescale, but I've had the idea in my head for a while, and I wanted to try it. 

Life is interesting.  I am still in 2 jobs, and the problem with the latest one has become not so much the job itself, but rather the co-worker element.  Specifically working with the same co-worker who answers every question with annoyance and or frustration and deals with her stress by browbeating me each time I make a mistake.  Asking her to explain things yields precious little, as she is low on patience and clearly unimpressed with the fact that I was not borning knowing how this particular workplace works.  Every gaffe on my part is a source of grief, and I've come to think of this job, or rather this job situation, as a form of torture.  Fortunately I don't do full-time hours there yet.  Unfortunately, my earnings between both jobs are only just covering my mortgage payments and condo fees.  So the job search continues.  On the plus side, I have been making a little more money making art lately.  I've had a couple of commissions, and some sales in my Cafepress.  Not much, but it's not nothing. 

To wrap this up, I'd like to show you one more piece of my latest work.  The inspiration was a beautiful performance by Anya Nesvitaylo of the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada, dancing the part of Carmen in a short pas-de-deux during theABTC's  "Intense" Gala. 

 

 

Anya is one of the principle dancers of the ABTC, and her roles have included Christine in Phantom of the Opera and Lady X in Don Juan.  The ABTC has had some really good work out these past few years, pushing boundaries with established storylines, and more recently addressing serious issues, as in the production "Ghosts of Violence". 

 

I have to wrap this up now.  Thanks for stopping by, Blogger world, and I'll see you next time!  :)



Rainy Day Updates

Good day, blogger world!

Not such a good day weather wise.  No wind, but plenty of rain.  Glad not to have to be anywhere today.

I've got some new pics of the ink work I've been doing lately.  A was feeling a lot of uncertainty in the process of these.  The Sirens and Raven were actually works in progress, but looking at them now I might leave them finished as they are.  I often find that my unfinished work will give my finished work a run for its money.  It's less a matter of finishing than a matter of knowing when to stop.  Similarly, I often find that my sketch work is at least as good as my finished work.  Spontaneity is ever my friend, if an elusive one :/.


Ink Tiger Lillies by ~Eseopia on deviantART


Ink Tiger Lillies 2 by ~Eseopia on deviantART


Sirens by ~Eseopia on deviantART


Raven by ~Eseopia on deviantART

In other news, I've started a new blog.  It is significantly more craft focussed than this one - in fact its major function will be as a place to post my craft book reviews.  I've decided I have enough craft books that I ought to put them to good use, and this might just be the way to do it.  Here's hoping, at least.  That's all for now - until next time, bloggers!

PS - Here's a link if you're interested.  :)  The Art Rat Craft Book Review

About Ink

Hello again, Blogger world!

I've been painting. Or drawing. Rendering with ink, brush, and occasionally water. Drawing continues to be my strength, and ink my material of choice. Most often because it's portable, but in this case I'm enjoying the effects of it when applied in different ways. Seems like it could lead to watercolour. We'll see.

Maple Leaf Ink Drawing by ~Eseopia on deviantART This was done just with pen, ink, and brush. I love working with the brush strokes. It started out as a still-life sketch just with pen as I was out and about one day. Then I finished it when I got home. Dragon Ink Panting by ~Eseopia on deviantART This is an example of me working with ink with brush and water, plus pen. I'm enjoying that a lot. I feel I've only scratched the surface of what I can do with it.

Ink is surprisingly versatile. It seems like it wouldn't be because it's so permanent, unlike pencil or chalk pastel. It's true that there isn't much going back once you've put the ink down, but there's so much to be done with it! I love having pens around to work with because I'm not constantly having to sharpen them or clean up eraser bits, spray noxious fixative on the finished work so it won't smudge. I still use pencil quite a lot in the under sketches, but in a pinch I can make do with just a pen. I've noticed some similarities with silk paint, which I've been exploring, and watercolour too. I like when different parts of my art practice can inform each other.

That is all for now. Until next time, Bloggerverse!