FAKE Journal - Week 4 - Holy flying ___!

Our ocean voyage continues in my Fake Journal. What looked like an endless voyage of blue, blue and more blue has turned out to have surprising sights and events most days! (Double-clicking enlarges these pages/images and makes them easier to read!)

Day 21:

Day 22:

Day 23:

Day 24:

Day 25:

Day 26:

Day 27:

If this idea of Fake Journaling intrigues you (as it did me), please visit Roz Stendahl who created the International Fake Journal Month, this is my fourth update to my writer's journal entries. If you're interested, you can check out my Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and all the participants in IFJM. Only 3 days left to go!

Full April Pink Moon Dreaming

At the April New Moon, Jamie Ridler wrote  "As you are gathering, be conscious of the seeds you want to plant. What do you wish to bloom?", so I began thinking about seeds. Here is my next Full Moon Dream Board. 

I must spend more time flipping through magazines to try a more collaged version. I tried this month but my magazines seem inappropriate and nothing called to me. But my imagination kept saying - "Oh, oh, do this!.... 

top detail

bottom detail

Some garden inspiration and random creations

Still at it! Some days are harder than others for CED2010 and I ask myself if I am going to continue. Then an idea pops up and I continue. This week was a bit disjointed as a result.

Monday: Totally random - just decided to start with the CD circle and stopped halfway through and it turned into a sort of zen jellyfish!

Tuesday: I decided to go out to my garden for inspiration. My rock arabis are in bloom. How does one draw white on white paper? I tried some pastel pencils (chalky vs oily) and I think the flowers show up. Better if (double) clicked to enlarge.

Wednesday: My saucer magnolia bud in watercolour...

Thusday: I was going to try to draw my forget-me-nots but they called to be zen doodled instead...

Friday: One of those blank days with no ideas so I decided to try to draw the figure on my new CED2010 book - one of Rodin's sketches...

Saturday: Another blank thought when I pulled my book out. I bought an extra pastel - beige and it is so smooth - but I haven't had a reason to use it. So I was thinking - what could I do that would use that pastel? Sitting on my desk (don't ask me why, I'm not exactly sure but every time I look at him, he makes me smile) is a troll. He's that colour! So here is my pastelled troll. (Even with my meager attempt, a picture of him makes me smile too!)

Sunday: I took a few thing outside to the deck and while I was looking at the budding trees, this came together...

I got back to my exercise routine, continued work on my fake journal (still finding that an unusual and fascinating experience) and did my first attempt at a self-portrait for Sunday Sketches. And spent time looking through all your amazing work (though not commenting much - sorry). 

So that was my week. How was yours?

 I'm thinking of trying something different this week. Drawing the same thing a variety of different ways - pastel, watercolour, sketch and styles - realistic, abstract, zen doodled, etc. I debating between my saucer magnolia or the front view of my house. Which do you think I should try? Please "vote" in the comments! 

And - will you join me in this experiment? Thanks!

EVA

Sunday Sketching 25April2010 Self-Portrait attempt (with leggy friend)

I've been thinking of attempting a self-portrait. How does one do this? I didn't think sitting in front of a mirror would work for me so I decided to use a photo. This one is from a trip to Jamaica when I was holding an octopus for the first time! Not sure it actually looks like me but....it is a first attempt. The/my hair made me laugh as it was tied back and wet (just out of the water after snorkelling!) with a few quick drying wispy strays. Not sure I quite captured it but trying to was fun.

As usual my scanner is poor with pencil drawings and the paper is just a little too big - but it improves with double clicking...

I'm looking forward to seeing all your great sketches for Blue Chair Diary's Sunday Sketching. 

FAKE Journal - Week 3 Thrills!

This continues to be a very intriguing experiment! My Fake Journaling adventures continue - with me or in spite of, I'm not sure which! Inspired by Roz Stendahl who created the International Fake Journal Month, this is my third update to my writer's journal entries. If you're interested, you can check out my Week 1, Week 2 and all the participants in IFJM.  These artists are just amazing!

It was a surprisingly thrilling week at sea this week for my journal writer...

Day 14:

Day 15: 

Day 16:

Day 17:

Day 18:

Day 19: (Your wish is my command, Roz!   )

Day 20:

Eleven more days in April! I wonder what else will happen on her expedition!?

Finished First Book for CED2010!

In January when I started CED2010, I decided to do my little daily creations in a lovely blank book I bought after viewing a Tiffany special exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. It had been sitting on my desk, too pretty to use, for over two and a half years. I started. Everyday I have done something in it except for 4 entries done on paper from a sketch book last week while traveling. Those sit in it now and this week I finished it! I'm shocked and amazed at this. And delighted! So this week also marks the start of Book 2.  

Monday: Before completing the book, I wanted to try imitating the cover. I chose pastels. Not the same as Tiffany, but I like how it turned out!

Tuesday: Singing in my backyard...

Wednesday:  Growing in my backyard...

Thursday: Today I started my second blank book for CED2010!!! This is it. Not quite as pretty as the first one but it has it's own charm. I love Rodin and Tiffany so book covers with their art are inspirational. After creating a "cover page", I started it with a variation on the zen doodles I've been enjoying creating. This one has only one , maybe two, patterns instead of the many some have had.

Friday: Seeing how the new book likes pastels...

Saturday: Daffodil from my garden...

Sunday: A volunteer pansy from my garden.. I love the happy faces of pansies!

So this was my week. Otherwise it was mixed. I think I caught something on the plane back Sunday and was under the weather much of it. I only exercised 3 times this week instead of the 5 times I have been averaging . I did create another Daffodil piece for Sunday Sketching, kept up my Fake Journal for IFJM (such a bizarre but fascinating thing to do) and both tried a new recipe and created one (Yam and Carrot Soup with Thyme and Coriander) with the extra ingredients bought.

What about yours? I finally caught up looking at all your amazing work on Saturday and look forward to starting again! Have a great week!

EVA

Sunday Sketching "Daffodils"

I was traveling last weekend so while I did a zen doodle on the flight between Houston and Newark, it was more for CED2010 than Sunday Sketching. Today I'm back to participate and I decided to cut a few of my now blooming daffodils and try to draw them. I first did a pencil sketch:

But it smudged, and scanned very poorly. After several attempts, I had to make a number of lines heavier just to see them! So I decided to keep working and add some watercolours to it:

I like it better with colour but it still didn't seem to scan well.

I look forward to seeing your sketches!

FAKE Journal - Week 2 Stormy Seas

My adventures in Fake Journaling continue. Inspired by Roz Stendahl who created the International Fake Journal Month, this is my next update as to what my writer has been writing, drawing and painting in her journal. If you're interested, you can check out my initial update and all the participants in this very intriguing experiment. What an wonderful assortment of fake journals (and some amazing artists, as opposed to the amateur - yours truly)! 

The writer of my Fake Journal had a mixed week this week:

Day 7:

Day 8:

Day 9:

Day 10:

Day 11:

Day 12:

Day 13:

It's interesting, like real life, some days there isn't much to write. So far she is keeping it up though, telling us (me) at least a few highlights of her days at sea. 

5 Senses and Travelling Zen Doodles

This week was rather chaotic - Easter Monday, two days at the office and then I left Thursday for a jam-packed conference and arrived back very late Sunday night. I still managed to do something creative each day - though not all were in my CED2010 book. The first few days I tried to focus on this month's theme - the five senses. The rest of the week all I brought with me were some pens and a few sheets of sketching paper, so zen doodling was the activity of plane rides and multitasking during a few breaks and sessions.

Monday: I was thinking about things that involved all senses and popcorn came to mind - Sound as it pops; Smell - oh my! If ever anyone zaps popping corn in the microwave at the office, everyone immediately wonders who has the popcorn! Taste - yummy and crunchy; Sight - the little fluffy kernels and the touch - soft in places, hard in others. Even my pussycat (next image) likes popcorn! So here is my attempt at pastelled popcorn.

Tuesday: Yuri (pastel version below) always brings out most of my five senses. Touch - such soft fur; Sight - such a beautiful guy; Sound - meowing for treats or to be let out or inside; Smell - especially when wet or just after eating his food! and Taste - well hmm that's the only stretch - he has very picky taste buds and only really likes his treats, food, water and of all things, popcorn - especially cheese popcorn! Go figure?!

Wednesday: Combining the Five Senses into a Zen Doodle...

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

So this was my week. I'm still on track for CED2010. I didn't do as good a job at exercising though. I did laps in the hotel pool one morning. Since it has been a long time since my last set of laps in the Fall, I was very pleased that I completed my usual routine and in a larger pool! Otherwise between travel and sessions, I walked more than usual but didn't exercise as much. Travelling is quite disruptive to "routines" but has so many benefits in terms of new things to observe and learn, new people to meet, etc that imho it outweighs any disruption.

How was your week? I look forward to reading all about them!