GIVING THANKS

My cover art/ Ladybug mag.

Giving thanks for my loving caring funny 
family and friends.

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.
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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.