The Crow and the Pitcher

 The bird is off to a good start

(Although, any true bird lover will know I didn't put very much research into this drawing)

 

 

 

  Right now, the pitcher looks like bad clip art.

And what kind of border do I want around the whole thing?

 

 I don't actually know what I am going to do next, so I walk away for a while.

 

 I have a possible idea but it just seems crazy...I walk away again.

(Also, does that bird look bald?)

 The next morning (while I am still slightly groggy), I think "Oh what the heck! Let's see if this will actually work. Although, this kinda feels more like doodling than 'drawing,' I only do 'crazy' stuff like this when I am doodling." (Hindsight, this is my favorite part of the drawing.)

 Hey what do ya know, it looks great! Maybe it wasn't such a crazy idea after all.

Hmm...Now what?

 

 Did I just totally mess up this whole thing? Walk away...maybe it won't look so bad later.

 

 Nope, it still looks bad, let's see if I can salvage this... I think I am just making it worse.

 

 Maybe I'll try that crazy idea I had yesterday.

 

 

 

 The bird looks good, now what? I hope I don't ruin this.

 

 Looking back, maybe I should have stopped here.

Those crazy ideas turned out awesome.

 I need to allow myself to trust my instincts more often.

 

 Maybe the border was a bad idea.

I can't draw a straight line to save my life.

 

 Well, it isn't as horrible as I thought it would be

 but it isn't quite what I was envisioning in my head and that really bothers me.

 



Hmm maybe I should have left the border off, maybe I will edit it out.

 

 

The crow looks the way I want it to, but as for the rest of the drawing, I am unsatisfied with it. Maybe I should do the drawing again. Maybe I should just walk away and chalk it up as experience. I have very little experience drawing using ink and a dip pen. It has been years since I even attempted it. So in light of that, maybe the drawing isn't that bad. Nope, it is still unsatisfying.  Maybe I should have been working smaller? No, I don't think I could have gotten that much detail if I worked smaller. This drawing feels like it has potential but it isn't fully developed. Most of my drawing feel that way. Like there are one or two spots that are great but the rest kinda stinks, like I ran out of confidence somewhere in the process. And it is blatantly clear, I need a better camera. Or I need photography lessons or something. No what I really need is a good scanner. I have to keep repeating to myself, "The crow looks good, forget about the rest of it."

 

In the Depths of the Darkness

I feel like I could have done more with this drawing but I wasn't sure exactly what, so I decided to stop while it still looks good. As Leonardo da Vinci said, "Art is never finished, only abandoned."

I love exploring caves. It is probably one of the darkest places on earth (with the exception of the ocean floor). It is so dark, if you shut off your flash light, you can't see your hand in front of your face. Yet, in this darkness there is such beauty and life that so few people get to see. I find it serene and inspiring...and yet at the same time really challenging. There are times when I am faced with some dangerous, intimidating obstacle. And I freak out and think this is too hard, too scary, I'm gonna die or get hurt really bad, there is no way I can do this. But I know I have reached a point of no return. I can't turn back. We have burned our bridges behind us, so to speak. My only option is to deal with the situation head on. I calm myself down, I ignore my fears, and I move forward. When I exit the cave, I am so proud of myself. And the next time I go caving, I believe in myself and my teammates more than I did the time before.

A Message from the President

Thanks for the pep talk Mr. President.

Doodle Day

 

Go Go Juice

 

My nephew just had his first birthday. To celebrate, he went from crawling to running (which makes him even harder to draw). It is like the boy has been drinking go go juice or something. He loves the outdoors and all things mechanical (the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree...he is a lot like his daddy). He is always hanging around the front door, hoping someone will open it for him. He tries to open it himself, but thankfully he is still too short. (He is so short he is about the size of a six month old but he walks like he is a two year old.) When he does go outside he runs straight for the car or the power tools in the shop and he is already itching to drive the truck...or anything with a loud engine. He doesn't talk much (other than making grunting and growling noises with his daddy), but the other day I distinctly heard him say "tractor". He spends a lot of time playing with balls, toy cars, trains...anything that rolls. I had no idea that gender differences could be so prominent at such a young age.

 

Sketching Children is Like Trying to Nail Jello to the Wall

I have been babysitting my nieces and nephews. I took the opportunity to draw them. Kids sure are squirmy. I only a have a few seconds to draw before they are moving somewhere else...especially now that the baby learned how to crawl.  

I finally figured out how to get my nephew to hold still long enough for me to have time to sketch.

 My niece was not happy about taking a nap.

Commencement Speech

Sadly, I won't be able to attend my graduation but thanks to youtube I can find plenty of speeches.

     

Neil Gaiman, Commencement Speech at the University of the Arts 2012 

Amanda Palmer, Commencement Speech to NEIA's Class of 2011 

Rick Baker, Commencement Speech to Academy of Art University Class of 2008

 Doug Tennapel, Commencement Speech to the Art Institute Inland Empire Class of 2010 -Part 1

Doug Tennapel, Commencement Speech to the Art Institute Inland Empire Class of 2010 -Part 2