Happy 4th Birthday PPF!

So hard to believe that is now 4 years since Kristin and I leapt with our idea of creating a weekly painting check-in, Paint Party Friday. It has been such a pleasure to see such astounding art and meet such wonderful artists as you. Thanks so much for partying with us! 

I did get some painting done this week in my journal, including a self portrait to show you "me"! Not sure it was needed as Kristin did such a fun one of both of us with our party hats on! (I was intending to do one of her for this week but as too often happens lately, my week got out of control...) Sorry Kristin. Thank you so much for being such an awesome partner as we get PPF ready to go live each week!

I am so looking forward to seeing what self-portraits and other art everyone did for the party - especially to see what you look like if you did choose to do a selfie! I'd created a few others over the year and was excited to try again. This time I wanted to try this "smear and circle style" I've been experimenting with lately - mostly with birds. (I guess I've only shown one before but I've done more.) This is the first time I've tried it for a person. Almost looks like I have a neck brace on instead of being the shadows ... oh well!

EVA by EVA - smear and circle style

Other journal pages pages done since last post - most of which I plan to write on later with a quote or thoughts are:

Valentine Tree

Birches

Winter

WHO?

This weekend promises to be way too busy again but I plan to visit as many of you as possible. Happy Birthday PPF!

Self Portrait on New April Art Journal

I am starting a new art journal for April. (For at least April - it only has 30 pages but it might take me longer to fill depending on my time available, inspiration and whether I use both sides of the pages!) I looked at it and decided I wanted to paint the cover (or most of it) immediately. Maybe I should try to incorporate Inspiration Avenue's weekly challenge of "Self Portrait"? 

It does look like a slimmer, younger version of me out walking in my golf shirt and skort! I have been thinking about restarting Julia Cameron's book Walking in this World: The Practical Art of Creativity and wanting to walk more, now that the weather is more conducive - thus the my journal's title. I am really liking these Strathmore books and am keeping the picture as it reflects my "Word of the Year" so well!

(Original Cover)

There are several other challenges that I am loosely participating in with this journal that maybe you haven't seen and might be interested in? Julie Balzer at Balzer Design has an Art Journal Every Day "challenge" running on Flickr. Kristin Donovan of Journaling Saves is doing a "creative expedition" based on the Julia Cameron book - which is what gave me this idea. Also there is the ongoing Sketchbook Challenge. Check them out if you like to journal!

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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.