Sep
2
2010
Last week my new worm-bin arrived. Even though you can easily make them yourself, I decided to go for a prepared bin because I don't have that much excess energy.
I set it up according to the instructions and held a few of the worms. They haven't grown to their full size yet, I think, measuring only 5-8cm roughly (2 to 3 inches). They wriggle a lot and I fed them some cabbage and teabags.
I've only had them for a week so I don't know how it will go. I do like them though, always wanted a worm-bin as a kid. I remember this time my mother and I got up really early to look for them and to dig them up. She let me do crazy things like that ;)
I made a page about the worms with some freehand drawings and the actual bin. The bin drawing ended up a bit wonky due to the tendinitis in my neck and me shifting position. Close enough though.
Aug
27
2010
I recently read somewhere to get good at drawing you need to draw something you love.
Well, I love marmite—on ricecakes with cheese, in soup, in sauces—and I love maggi sauce—in soups, in sauces, with canned artichokes (yes, I have weird eating habbits)—I've drawn them both.
Mmm, marmite and maggi sauce. What would I do without them!
I can't tolerate wheat completely, and they make maggi sauce from wheat. Luckily for me, I can tolerate that, woohoo!
Aug
24
2010
I've never drawn my scar before.
It feels quite intimate.
I had to draw it from a photo because I don't have a large mirror in my flat.
I did it quickly, hasted even.
And now, I celebrate.
The writing says:
Scars
They show our power to heal and overcome adversities.
Don't hide them or feel ashamed.
Celebrate.
Aug
22
2010
I bought some new watercolour paints and have played with them these past few days.
I came up with a few handy tips that have helped me to better understand and work with these colours:
- Think CYMK (not RGB)
RGB works for light, not paint. Also forget about that red yellow blue colourwheel you got taught in school. It has its flaws.
Try making a colourwheel with cyan, yellow and magenta.
- Nothing wrong with black and white
Some people claim that you should make your colours lighter or darker by mixing the correct pigments or amount of water. If you can do those, great! But no shame in using a black or white paint in your palette.
Also, do remember that shadows generally don't look that black. You can make shadows look more natural by using a darker version of the colour you used for the rest of the object.
- Paint dries up lighter
Watercolour paint will dry up lighter than you mixed it, usually by 15-30%
Experiment with this!
- Try out your paints when you get new colours or paper
Make a new grid with all your colours, mix them up or just splash them around. I got into the habbit of using the last page of new sketchbook to paint little blobs of each of my paints with their name and numbers listed next to it. This gives you a good insight of how the colour will look once the paint dries. Different papers give different results.
And so do different brands of paint.
- Have fun!
You should never ever forget to have fun with this. Even if things go wrong, you can learn something from it.
Experiment, have fun and enjoy yourself!
I made Raah! in freestyle watercolour, without first drawing the outlines.
I did use my pen to draw the eyes and mouth though, I couldn't get it to work with paint.
Aug
12
2010
Yesterday I went to the Efteling, a Dutch amusement-park that I've visited often as a child. It started out with the fairy-tale forest and grew larger, with rollercoasters and fun rides. We did go into those too, and before we went I decided I wanted to draw the dragon in the fairy-tale forest. As a child, I loved and feared it.
In the afternoon, when others went into the rollercoasters I went to the forest and drew the dragon, a musical mushroom and one of the mushroom-houses. These mushroom-houses have doors through which kids can enter and look around. Some have moving parts; the one I drew had a door that opened and a little fellow looking out to see who rang the doorbell.
The dragon has a treasure chest in front of him, and if you try to take the crown, it'll growl, move his head and flap his wings. He also has smoke coming out of his nostrils and his mouth opens while he dives at you.
It moved a lot while I sat there drawing. Some people watched me draw, an entirely new experience for me since I usually try to hide and draw.
I had a great time!
Aug
10
2010
These photos of my latest drawings don't look too great. I took them with my phone; they look a bit dark and skewed. They'll have to do though, for now, until I have the energy to scan them or make better photos.
They do all look like happy little drawings, and I feel very pleased with how they turned out. I tried out a few new things, and liked it. Now that the kitchen-stress has started to subside a bit, I feel like drawing.
I did two sessions today, about half an hour each, and came up with all of this.
After I did the balloon I wanted to keep on drawing, so I ripped out the page from my pocket Moleskine watercolor with the help of the perforated edge. Before, I couldn't do it, it felt like sacrilege. This time however, I just wanted to continue drawing and the page got in the way.
I tore it out, put it aside to dry and continued drawing.
Very refreshing.
Aug
9
2010
Having the kitchen redone eats up a lot of energy, because it requires me to sort through all my stuff and get rid of what I don't need (or want) anymore.
I say require on purpose. Putting everything back without sorting will only eat up my energy more in the long run. Having stuff in the way that I don't want, don't need or can't use gets annoying. So I slowly go through it all and put the things I want and / or need in the cabinets.
It works pretty well.
Today I made two drawings of hot air balloons. I used to live somewhere where they let them up several times per year. Sometimes I'd go to the field and watch it.
Nowadays I live near the airport and have lots of planes flying over.
Jul
17
2010
Today I rummaged through my rucksack looking for a bottle of vitamins I thought I bought and didn't find it—I still don't know if I actually bought it. Went I dug into one of its pockets I felt an unfamiliar cold shape and took it out.
Surprise! My leatherman micra, lost for years. I bought it at the start at my eurotrip, thinking it would come in handy. It has a pair of scissors that did proof useful for opening food packages and such. After returning home, I misplaced it for a little while and then found it shortly after I moved.
And then I misplaced it again.
Its empty cardboard box lay on my nightstand, for years, as a reminder of it. At times I googled the type, thinking of purchasing another one, but never did.
And today, I found it.
I think I'll put it on my keyring.
Jul
11
2010
I made ice-lollies. I quit sugar last sunday (meaning, refined sugar, not the kind found naturally in fruit, veg, honey and such). The heat wave decided to test me or something.
I used my fancy ladybug shaped vegetable peeler to peel two pears, and added a banana. I blended until somewhat smooth—ooh chunks of fruit in ice-cream!—and then poured the mixture in the ice-lollie-shapes I had. With one left, I added some lemonade, because that always works.
And I made drawings of it.
I stepped out of my comfort zone for this, quite literally. I stood in my kitchen drawing this and found that I prefer sitting down for my drawing. Standing cramps up my other arm, the one holding the book.
But still, here you have it. Instructions on how to make fruity ice-lollies. I did add a bit of maple-syrup though I wonder if I really needed too.
And I love my new vegetable peeler! It slips right onto my fingers and I can use my whole hand to peel.
Jul
1
2010
I drew my hair clip today. I think it qualifies as the worst drawing I made this year.
Understandable, since I drew it with my non-dominant hand.
And the writing looks awful ;)
1 Comment 
