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November 26, 2014

GIVING THANKS


My cover art/ Ladybug mag.




















Giving thanks for my loving caring funny 
family and friends.


November 19, 2014

NEW TRICKS, OLD CAT


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This might look like just another 
picture of a lady holding a cat. But to me 
it is a long leap in learning to "draw and paint" 
on my trusty IMac and IPod with a stylus and software. 
My biggest problem? 
It doesn't take many written directions to make my 
eyes cross and my brain stall out. 
Video tutorials are better, but they seldom to 
never cover that moment's difficulty. 
Now you know why I never considered
Law School or (heaven forbid) Medical School. 
I learn best when I have a problem
to solve. Here I wanted to build a scene with
more than a figure and with textures.
Couldn't rely on rulers and templates for straight
lines and smooth shapes. (Yes, Virginia, real 
artists often draw straight lines WITH a ruler).


This unfinished garden is a beginning try at some
computer "magic". I created only one of each flowering
plant then copied it across to repeat the plant.
I could also flip the art for more variation and
changed colors as well. Good fun for Illustrators.

I find my old way of working, preparing a strong 
sketch to work from by layering new
sheets of tracing paper over the old sketch
and re-drawing, refining, altering is too
cumbersome with stylus and screen. 
So I now start with big scribbled shapes
of color and wittle away, add and subtract,
duplicate and continue on, much easier.
I'm concentrating on shapes of color
rather than outlining shapes. Still shapes,
because that's what I see, shapes, color and 
pattern. Apologies if this is more than you
want to know and YOUR eyes are beginning 
to cross.

Learning more each day. Good mental and
creative exercise. And the BEST part?
No mess to clean up and no dirty paint water 
for Cats to steal a (yuck) drink.

Wrote this a while back...just before life took 
some unexpected turns including a new hip.
Picking up where I left off…and moving on.
CC

















November 17, 2014

GET WELL SOON, TIZZYBEAN



Sweet Tizzy is in hospital.
Skinny. Lost 4 lbs.
Receiving treatment for hyperthyroidism.
Will be better and home again Thursday.
Sorry I couldn't explain any of this to him.