The Artistic misAdventures of a Spitfire Clam

FREE Board Games!!

2012-02-12T09:50:00.001-06:00

The other day I was looking around on board game geek and I found some FREE board games. I haven't actually tried any of them out yet. But I'm itching too. They might turn out to be duds but I'm willing to chance it. They are called print and play games. You print out the cards, game board, rules, etc. Assemble it. And you are good to go. Here are some of the games I'm thinking about trying (Click on the links and scroll down the the "file" section of the page to download the games):

Zombie in My Pocket

I Heart Board Games

2012-02-12T08:35:00.001-06:00

I don't know if you know this or not but I am a gamer. No, I'm not talking about video games (I can barely play duck hunt and the original Super Mario Brothers). I mean old school, unplugged, board games. I really like one player or two player games. Although, I enjoy some group games as well. I like cooperation games, dice games, set collection, memory games, deduction games, and light strategy games. For me it is more important to have fun playing, than actually winning. Not that I want to lose all the time but I'm alright if I don't always win. Does that make sense?
When I was a kid, I loved it when the electricity would go out because I knew we would pull out the kerosene lamps and flashlights and play board games. I was always disappointed when the lights came back on. Good times.
Games I liked as a kid:

Aggravation * Battleship * Trouble * Backgammon * Guess Who * Connect Four * Clue * Pizza Party* Memory * Boggle * Dungeon Dice * Checkers * Chinese Checkers * Pogs * Candy Land * Snakes and Ladders * Hi Oh Cherry-O * Uno * Old Maid * War * Rummy * Sorry * I Doubt It * Hide and Go Seek * Hop Scotch * Tag * The Game of Life * Go Fish * Perfection * Mouse Trap * Marbles * Hotdog (A "game" my younger brothers and I made up.) * Yahtzee * Pick Up Sticks* Tiddly Winks * Scattergories * Monopoly * Hangman I still play some of these games (with the exception of Hotdog...I'm not playing that with my brothers ever again! I'd end up in the hospital if we tried it now!) There was a long period of time where I thought I didn't like playing games. Mainly, because I never won. I now know my brothers were cheating. I wasn't going to cheat so it never occurred to me that other people might cheat me. Particularly when we would play Battleship, my brothers would move their ships around. Not that I'm still bitter about it or anything. It makes me a little hesitant to play with them now.

So for a long time I thought I didn't like games. However, my friends, the Millers, changed my mind. They introduced me to a whole new world of games. Eurogames. What is Eurogames you may ask? Well, I am just learning about them myself but from what I have seen so far they are awesome. Okay so here is my limited knowledge of Eurogames (also called "Designer Games" or "German Style Games):

-They are board games that have adults as the target audience (Hang on aren't board games just for kids? I think not. There is a whole underworld of gamers out there...and no they aren't all weirdos living in their parent's basement...oh, wait! That's me.)

-They are usually beautiful games that are well made with high quality components.

-Most Eurogames come with lots of different expansions so you have a many options of how to play.

- Playing times usually pretty short. It doesn't take 3-5 hours to play like Monopoly or Risk.

-You probably won't find these games at Walmart. You'll have to actually go to a Game Store or order them online.

-They don't have player elimination (which is something I really dislike about alot of American games. You get kicked out of the game really early on and then sit there feeling stupid while everyone else keeps playing). In these games, all the players are in the game until the very end. And in some games, during the game no one knows who is winning until it is over.

-They generally have simple rules.

-These games usually have lots of player interaction without overt conflict, which can mean less hurt feelings.

-Unlike most mainstream games, these games usually require more strategy than luck.

-They can be kind of expensive (This is a downside but these are games that I will want to play over and over again so I like to think of it as an investment.)

-Most of the games come from Germany. Germany is like the King of Board Games. They publishes hundreds of amazing games each year.

-There is a Spiel des Jahres Award for the German Game of the Year.

-The Designers and Artists' names are are on the box. These people are famous in Germany.

I'm not sure I will want to play some of the hard core strategy Eurogames but I am finding lots of fantastic lighter games as well. Here are some of the ones I've enjoyed so far (these games are also known as "gateway" games and are often used to introduce people to Eurogames...they certainly made a good impression on me...and if anyone wants to buy these games for me, you'd make me one happy duck):

Ticket to Ride: Europe

A video about how to play Ticket to Ride

Alhambra

A video about how to play Alhambra

Settlers of Catan (aka Catan): Cities and Knights Expansion

A video about how to play the original version of Catan.

A video about the Cities and Knights Expansion of Catan.

There are a few games I can't stand:

-Don't make me play Taboo. I hate Taboo. I can't think fast and I'm not articulate, even when I have time to think. On top of that, I'm always on a team with someone who is way more competitive than I am and I don't find the pressure fun.
-I hate the Farming Game . Period. I'm sorry but I don't find being in debt fun. Just thinking about this game makes me shudder.
-Also, don't ask me to play Trivial Pursuit. What are you trying to do, prove just how stupid I am?! No thank you. In the words of Mark Twain: "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

Here are some other games I like:

Sherlock. It is like an advanced version of memory. When cards are removed from the game, new cards are added in their place. Players have to remember what cards have changed and what cards are still the same. I still haven't won a game but I like playing in spite of that, it is a nice challenge.

Blink This is a fast paced game about pattern recognition. I probably like this game because I'm good at it.

Scotland Yard One player is the criminal who moves secretly across the board. All the other players are scotland yard trying to catch the criminal. Lots of fun.

Slamwich It is kinda like a sandwich version of slapjack.

Castle Panic This is a great cooperative game where you are trying to defend your castle from monsters. I like that either you all win or the board game wins. It also makes a good solitaire game.

Mystery Rummy: Jekyll and Hyde It is a two player advanced version of rummy with a fun theme.

Now if I can only convince my family to play these "strange" games.

Gallery Show

2012-01-31T05:52:00.002-06:00

Hey, all my friends in England, be sure to check out my class' illustration exhibition.

It will be at:

The Gallery at Foyles Bookstore
113-119 Charing Cross Road,
London, WC2H 0EB

8th -15th February (Mon - Sat 9.30am - 5pm, Sun 11.30am - 6pm)

* Please be aware that the Foyles Gallery will be closed at the following time:
Saturday 11th February 4pm - 5pm

It will also be showing in Cambridge:

Ruskin Gallery
Anglia Ruskin University
East Road,
Cambridge, CB1 1PT
29 February - 15 March 2012
(Monday to Friday, 9.00-17.00)

(You should know though that the Cambridge show may not have all the art that is exhibited at the London show.)

Once Upon a Wedding....

2012-01-29T14:30:00.004-06:00

http://loveandrespectnow.com/wedding-story/

What I Learned From School

2012-01-28T10:38:00.004-06:00

I can barely remember life before school, I have spent 21 years in school. School has been my life. I've been thinking what have I learned from this experience? What have I learned through all of those lectures, textbooks, papers, and tests? ....Well...Umm.....Uh....I can't think of anything. Zip. Nada. My mind is a blank! How can this be? I can't remember what I was suppose to have "learned" in school. Ok, so if I didn't learn much in school (in spite of passing most of my classes with decent grades), what have I learned? To my surprise, I've realized that anything I have learned that has any value to me I have learned outside of the classroom in real life situations....

-I learned about fractions while Dad was teaching me how to cook.
-I learned a whole bunch reading on my own, hanging out at the library, and reading books suggested to me by Mom or Grandma.
-My older brother showed me constellations in the night sky (it never made any sense in textbooks...it seems like the celestial equivalent of snipe hunting).
-I learned all kinds of things about history from talking with my grandparents...the great depression, what the world was like before color tv, world war two, the first man to land on the moon, the Lewis and Clark expedition, Native American history....
-I learned about grammar from my Mom and Grandma.
-My parents and grandparents showed me how to garden and through that I learned about plant life cyles.
-I learned how to draw by doing it constatly (thankgoodness I had an unlimited supply of paper...thanks Mom and Dad).
-My grandma would take me to the theater to actually experience plays (instead of just reading plays, like you have to do in school)
-My brothers and I would try to memorize movies (in school teachers could hardly get me to memorize one sentence) at one point I had memorized all of the Princess Bride (that's nothing, my brother memorized at least five or six movies).
-My grandpa showed me how to identify trees, plants, flowers, and animal tracks
-I learned how to compare prices, use cupons, pick fresh produce, etc... while grocery shopping with my Dad
It goes on and on...

I learned all this stuff outside school. I am ticked off that I have wasted so much of my life in classrooms!!! I like learning and I thought that is where a person goes to learn. But noooo....I am finding that there is a very big difference between school and education. I am increasingly becoming a supporter of homeschooling.

Suggested Reading:

Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto

Stupid in America by John Stossel

How To Recover From Traditional Schooling

Prepare To Be Horrified! Muwhahaha!!!

2012-01-27T17:19:00.003-06:00

After months of painting cute fluffy kittens and puppies, the crazed artist finally snapped.

This is a remake of another painting I did (if you can't come up with a new idea...recycle one). Although, friends and family where shocked by the original painting, I always felt it wasn't quite gruesome enough. The funny thing is I don't enjoy scary stuff like horror movies. But occassionally I get an urge to do a painting about something gross...I blame it on the influence of growing up surrounded by three brothers and seven boy cousins.

In the first painting I did, the bear's foot was trapped in one of those wind-up fake teeth. I kinda wish I had used it again in this painting, I think it may have made it even more funny. Oh well.

I have scientist friends here in Cambridge who always seem to be trying to analyze me through my art work. I think this will comfirm their suspicions that I am actually crazy (That is after they proceed to tell me that the blood splatter isn't scientifically acurate).

I am giggling with anticipation, I know this painting will make my Mom shudder. I know my sweet teddy is horrified that he was used as a model for such an appalling painting. I do think he gave a shudder when I showed him the finished piece, I had to cover his eyes, poor thing.

Now, where did I put that thinking cap?

2012-01-27T16:46:00.003-06:00

My last landscape turned out so well, I decided to do another one. The previous painting is where I go when I want to feel inspired. This one is a painting of where I go when I want to think....or go sledding when it snows.

You're STILL single?

2012-01-22T18:41:00.003-06:00

The hardest part about being single are the "helpful" questions from curious people who seem uncomfortable with my singleness (and there are things I would like to say in response but unfortunately I can't think fast enough to come up with snappy comebacks on the spot. In the words of Calvin: "Well, remember what you said, because in a day or two, I'll have a witty and blistering retort! You'll be devastated THEN!!"):

-"Have you tried internet dating?"(Do I look desperate? I don't need to go on-line, I can find enough crazy people right here.)

-"You are going to England? Be sure to bring back a British boyfriend." (Oh sure. Would you like any thing else? A snapshot of me and the Queen, perhaps? Good grief.)

-"Are you still single?" (Didn't I tell you? No? Oh, well then I guess it isn't any of your business.)

-"You need a boyfriend." (Why? Am I somehow inadequate as a person?)
-"You joined a new church? You must be looking for a boyfriend." (Seriously?! That's not why I go to church.)

-"How's your dating life?" (How's your marriage?)

-"You're next." (Don't say this to me unless you have the gift of prophecy.)

-"So I guess you chose education and a career over having a family?"(Since when is it one or the other?)
-"Could you babysit for us? We would invite you to join us but it is a couples-only event." (Sure. I have no life and I love being left behind.)
-"It is your own fault if you are still single, you must be doing something wrong. You're not trying hard enough. You are choosing to be single." (You're a doo-doo-head!)

-"So you had a good time at the party? You met your future husband there, didn't you?" (According to the U.S. Census Bureau, single women are reported to be happier than their married counterparts.)

-"I bet you're never going to get married, you're well past marring age. Yup, you're a permanent spinster." (It may be that in Arkansas the marriage age is 18, but I'll have you know the rest of the world usually gets married much later in life...Ha! looks like I'm not a freak after all. Oh and by the way, single people are adults too.)
-"You're too picky." (The word "picky" implies I am actively rejecting men, when in fact there are no men in my life to reject.)

-"I can't believe a great person like you is still single. After all,even so and so is already married." (Thank you for bringing up such a painful subject, while you're at it why don't you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it.)

-"I bet men are lining up to date a pretty little thing like you." (Um, thank you. That is flattering but not very helpful. Evidently, the men don't know they are suppose to be lining up.)

(In reality, I usually don't say any of these things, as it would probably hurt the feelings of well meaning folks.)

Other thoughts about being single:

-Almost everyone I know is married, the upside of this is I don't have to go to very many weddings now. When I do go to a wedding, I make it a point never to catch the wedding bouquet, it would only encourage people to bug me about getting married. One time, a bouquet was flying straight at my face and I still didn't catch it.

-I've been apart of Youth With a Mission, John Brown University and New Life Ranch (all these organizations have reputations for producing couples) and I am still single, I think that is quite a feat.

-One of my single friends and I are competing to see who can go the longest without going out on a date. I am happy to say I am losing.

-The best pick up line a guy has ever used on me was when I worked in food service. I asked the man how his iced tea was, he said it would be better if I would stick my finger in it and sweeten it up a bit.

-My Dad once tried to arrange a marriage for me by offering a man a dowry of a goat and a rick of wood. The offer was rejected, the man said he needed at least five goats and a rick of wood. Dad thought the price was too steep and the deal was off.

-I have decided I have a superpower. I am invisible...but only to available men.

-When I worked in food service, a man "proposed" to me in an effort to bribe me into giving him an extra bread stick.
-If our relationship with God is suppose to be the most important relationship we will ever have, I can't understand why people are constantly worried and asking about my dating life (or lack there of) but never question how I am doing spiritually.

-Once I had a boss who tried to set me up with every man who walked in the building. In fact, she had most of my co-workers trying to set me up as well. At one point, my boss lined up all the single men in front of me and she asked me point blank if I would date any of them.

-A co-worker once said to me, "You don't drink. You don't party. You rarely wear make up. You don't have a boyfriend. What are you, a cave woman?" I replied, "Well, I do enjoy caving."

Courage

2012-01-22T18:17:00.003-06:00

"Courage child, we are all between the paws of the true Aslan." -C.S. Lewis

The Three Little Kittens

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Three little kittens they lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear
Our mittens we have lost.
What! lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
No, you shall have no pie.

The three little kittens they found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,
Our mittens we have found!
Put on your mittens, you silly kittens,
And you shall have some pie.
Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r,
Oh, let us have some pie.

The three little kittens put on their mittens,
And soon ate up the pie;
Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear
Our mittens we have soiled.

What! soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then they began to sigh,
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens they washed their mittens,
And hung them out to dry;
Oh! mother dear, do you not hear,
Our mittens we have washed!
What! washed your mittens, then you’re good kittens,
But I smell a rat close by.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
We smell a rat close by

Old Mother Hubbard

2012-01-10T10:32:00.001-06:00

More paintings from my final project:

Old Mother Hubbard

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone:
When she came there,
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor pecker had none.

She went to the baker's
To buy him some bread;
When she came back
The dog was dead!

She went to the undertaker's
To buy him a coffin;
When she came back
The dog was laughing.

She took a clean dish
to get him some tripe;
When she came back
He was smoking his pipe.

She went to the alehouse
To get him some beer;
When she came back
The dog sat in a chair.

She went to the tavern
For white wine and red;
When she came back
The dog stood on his head.

She went to the fruiterer's
To buy him some fruit;
When she came back
He was playing the flute.

She went to the tailor's
To buy him a coat;
When she came back
He was riding a goat.

She went to the hatter's
To buy him a hat;
When she came back
He was feeding her cat.

She went to the barber's
To buy him a wig
When she came back
He was dancing a jig.

She went to the cobbler's
To buy him some shoes;
When she came back
He was reading the news.

She went to the sempstress
To buy him some linen;
When she came back
The dog was spinning.

She went to the hosier's
To buy him some hose;
When she came back
He was dressed in his clothes.

The Dame made a curtsy,
The dog made a bow;
The Dame said, Your servant;
The dog said, Bow-wow.

Tres Tristes Tigres

2012-01-03T16:15:00.006-06:00

My previous post got me started thinking about Mexico and that led to thinking about the Spanish language classes I took while I lived there. And like when you find treasure stuffed in boxes in the attic, I vaguely remembered a favorite tongue twister I learned in class:

Tres tristes tigres

Tragaban trigo

En tres tristes trastos

Sentados tras un trigal.

Sentados tras un trigal,

En tres tristes trastos

Tragaban trigo

Tres tristes tigres.

I am not totally sure about this but I think this is what it means in English:

Three sad tigers

Swallowed wheat

In three sad dishes

Seated behind a wheat field.

Seated behind a wheat field

In three sad dishes

Swallowed wheat

Three sad tigers.

I think it loses some of its charm when translated. It is so much more fun to say in Spanish. I couldn't resist illustrating it. I feel sorry for those poor tigers. I would be sad too if I had to eat wheat; when, in fact, they are probably craving a nice juicy steak, I know I am.

Can't Get This Song Out of My Head

2011-12-28T19:08:00.008-06:00

Eres TodoPoderoso by Rojo

La única razón de mi adoración
Eres Tú mi Jesús
Mi único motivo para vivir
Eres Tú mi Señor
Mi única verdad esta en Ti
Eres mi luz y mi salvación
Mi único amor eres Tú Señor
Y por siempre te alabare

Eres todopoderoso
Eres grande y majestuoso
Eres fuerte invencible
Y no hay nadie como Tú

La única razón de mi adoración
Eres Tú mi Jesús
Mi único motivo para vivir
Eres Tú mi Señor
Mi única verdad esta en Ti
Eres mi luz y mi salvación
Mi único amor eres Tú Señor
Y por siempre te alabare

When I lived in Mexico, I saw Rojo preform when the band was just getting started. If I remember correctly, there were only a couple dozen people at the concert. It was held in a Sonic parking lot, at night and in the rain. I remember being mesmerized by the rain drops bouncing off the drums. I don't know if Rojo preformed "Eres Todo Poderoso" that night, but I did learn this song while I was in the country. It has been stuck in my head for ten years. Of course, since I have been gone from Mexico for so long I have forgotten most of my Spanish. I probably am butchering the pronunciation and I can't remember what all the words mean but I still enjoy the song.

I put the song through one of those on line translators and (if it is accurate) here are the lyrics in English:

You're my only reason for my worship Jesus
You're my only reason to live Lord
My only truth is you
You are my light and my salvation
You're My only love Lord
And forever I'll praise you....

You're all powerful
You are great and majestic
Strong you're invincible
And there's no one like you....

You're my only reason for my worship Jesus
You're my only reason to live Lord
My only truth is you
You are my light and my salvation
You're my only love Lord
And that is why I praise you

You're all powerful
You are great and majestic
Strong you're invincible
And there's no one like you....

I also really like Jesse Cook's Havana
For some reason, it reminds me more of Mexico than Cuba.

I close my eyes and it feels like I am there again. It makes me crave homemade tamales...mmm, yum....I've got to learn how to make those.

What If Shakespeare Had Written The Three Little Pigs?

2011-12-05T14:20:00.003-06:00

The Three Little Pigs told by comedian John Branyan

This is hilarious (it might seem even more funny because I am doped up on cold medicine), I have watched it over and over.

Wow!

2011-12-05T14:09:00.001-06:00

Check this out, a typewriter that paints!

http://gizmodo.com/5865041/this-typewriter-for-oil-painters-turns-hemingways-into-picassos

This is a synesthete's dream come true. I so want this typewriter. This is going on the top of my Christmas wish list. To be able to type using my synesthesia...that would totally rock!

I also like this watch from Mod Cloth.

Homesick

2011-12-01T07:44:00.002-06:00

The Sea Monster's Complaint

2011-12-01T07:42:00.004-06:00

The Sea Monster's Complaint

By Kenn Nesbitt

My breakfast never varies;

it's the same thing everyday.

And lunch and dinner likewise

make me yawn and turn away.

I'm craving something different.
I'm in need of something new.

Some pickles, some lasagna,

or a chocolate cake or two.

I'd like a dozen pizzas

and some carry-out Chinese,

a turkey, ham and pot roast

with potatoes, pies and peas.

I want a bag of burgers,
and a barrel full of rice.
I'll wash it down with twenty quarts

of soda pop on ice.

My taste buds need variety

to pass between my lips.

No more of just the same old thing!

I'm sick of fish and ships.

This started out as a doodle. I couldn't get the image out of my head so I decided to go ahead and make a "proper" painting. I didn't find this poem until after I completed the painting.

The Attack of the Semicolon!!

2011-11-22T08:51:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but there are a few gaps in my education. Among other things, the semicolon has been a confusing concept to me for years now. I found this helpful:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon

Bring On The Party And The Cake!

2011-11-17T07:34:00.001-06:00

This is a few of the paintings I have done over the past month or so...

Bed In Summer

By Robert Louis Stevenson

In winter I get up at night

And dress by yellow candle-light.

In summer, quite the other way,

I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see

The birds still hopping on the tree,

Or hear the grown-up people's feet

Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,

When all the sky is clear and blue,

And I should like so much to play,

To have to go to bed by day?

This is the way I feel about finishing my Master's Degree. Bring on the party and the cake!

The Wisdom of Calvin and Hobbes

2011-11-10T17:30:00.003-06:00

And So The Tale Begins...

2011-10-28T10:25:00.002-05:00

I am working on a series of chapter heading illustrations for the book "Beauty" by Robin McKinley. It is a retelling of beauty and the beast. This drawing is for the first chapter.

The Cow, the Bob-a-do, the Camel, and the Moon

2011-10-28T10:20:00.003-05:00

The Purple Cow

By Gelett Burgess

I never saw a purple cow.
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you anyhow
I'd rather see than be one.

Eletelephony

By Laura Elizabeth Richards

Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant—
No! no! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone—
(Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I've got it right.)
Howe'er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee—
(I fear I'd better drop the song
Of elephop and telephong!)

Sally the Camel

Sally the Camel has five humps
Sally the Camel has five humps
Sally the Camel has five humps
So ride, Sally , ride.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

Sally the Camel has four humps
Sally the Camel has four humps
Sally the Camel has four humps
So ride, Sally , ride.

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

Sally the Camel has three humps
Sally the Camel has three humps
Sally the Camel has three humps
So ride, Sally , ride.

Boom, boom, boom!

Sally the Camel has two humps
Sally the Camel has two humps
Sally the Camel has two humps
So ride, Sally , ride.

Boom, boom!

Sally the Camel has one hump
Sally the Camel has one hump
Sally the Camel has one hump
So ride, Sally , ride. Boom!

Sally the Camel has no humps
Sally the Camel has no humps
Sally the Camel has no humps
Because Sally is a horse, of course!

Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon

Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon,

You're out too soon;

The sun is still in the sky.

Go back to bed and cover up your head,

And wait till the day goes by!

Illustrated Once And For All

2011-10-15T07:21:00.013-05:00

There are some classic stories that have been so well made that I would never even consider re-illustrating them. In my mind I can't separate the stories from their pictures. I definitely recommend these books:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, Illustrated by Pauline Baynes

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, Illustrated by Garth Williams

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Illustrated by Garth Williams

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Illustrated by N. C. Wyeth

Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, Illustrated by E.H. Shepard

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carol, Illustrated by John Tenniel

The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, Illustrated by Robert Seymour

You might be an artist if....

2011-10-07T16:59:00.004-05:00

You were more concerned about the color of your car than the fuel consumption.

The highlights in your hair are from your palette and not Clairol.

You are having lunch with friends and the fragrance you wear is eau d'linseed oil.

The only piece of new furniture you have in your home is a $2000 easel.

You butter your toast with your fingers, just to feel its texture.

You think about taking a picture to a show.

You talk about going to a show where the pictures don't move.

You know what shade of green the lichen on the trees is.

You can't find a nice outfit for your date because everything has paint smears on.

Your date ends up with paint smears on her/him.

You're late for the date because you suddenly knew exactly what that detail of your
latest painting needed and just had to fix it while it was fresh in
your mind.

You chose to buy that new Russian Sable Number Six Round instead of a Big
Mac, a Large Fry, a Milkshake, Desert, and five gallons of gas.

Your favorite home repair store refuses to work with you to repaint your den,
because you rename all of their paint swatches and you get upset that
they don't carry the exact nuance of raw umber you had in mind.

You purchase a ton of books, and most are blank inside.

When viewing a sunset, you think in terms of cadmium yellow (light hue), salmon and
gold, a tinted teal mixed with gold for the water...."

You heard the phrase, “Well, you can’t make a living with art” more than
twice in your lifetime

Other girls played with “Barbie” dolls, but you made her house out of tissue
boxes, made teensy ashtrays for her out of lumps of candle wax, and
sewed her dresses out of socks. Bonus points if you altered Barbie
dramatically for an art project. Subtract points if you stripped
her to her undies and used her to chase your little brothers.

When you are getting dressed you say "I will wear my cadmium red medium hue
top and my pthalo blue skirt."

You've ever scrubbed a hole in a watercolour

You clean your fingernails with a palette knife

You choose a wine with an eye toward using the bottle in your next still-life

Your idea of losing weight is to paint a thinner self-portrait

You've ever touched up a painting with WhiteOut

You have considered framing your palette instead of the painting

You've ever painted an abstract and decided it looked better upside down

Landscapes get categorized by painting style, such as a watery Whistler nocturne or
a Monet meadow.

Strangers save your 'regular' spot at the park, perfect for observing children and
pigeons.

You nearly fall out of your chair cheering every time your website's visit
counter goes up by one page view.

There are Prussian blue fingerprints on your phone.

You stay awake late at night wondering how to render on canvas the dimly lit shapes
and the shadows in your room.

When you go out, you are always stopping and gazing at the world around you.

You tell people you buy vintage clothes because you’re hip, but you really
do because you’re poor

You have a book of quotes somewhere

Your fingers are perpetually dirty and the color under your fingernails does not
normally appear on human flesh

You've ever gotten cookie crumbs in the Titanium white

You can physically and mentally prepare yourself to survive on ramen noodles and pizza for the rest of your life.

You travel far to sketch a place of scenic beauty.

You've ever accidentally mixed oils and acrylics

You regularly wear a beret in the summer...and don't live in Russia, Northern
Canada, or Alaska.

You clean your brushes in your tea and you didn't realise it until you noticed
the taste

The paintings in your attic start looking better than the one on your easel

You've ever cleaned the toilet rather than start a new painting

You paid more in tuition every year that you worked toward your B.F.A. than your
current annual salary...but at least you can identify every painting
in the Louvre.

You have drunk the rinse water instead of tea.

You carry pencils instead of pens.

You have watercolor swatches on cardboard in your pocket.

You explain your deplorably bad housekeeping by saying, "it's a work-in-progress..."

You do judge a book by its cover.

You watch the latest kids' digital animation movies and drool over the effects as much as the story.

You bought paint instead of food!

You paint more than you talk.

You draw your letters instead of write them.

You know that art does not match your sofa.

Dust bunnies are part of your mixed media.

You buy expensive brushes, and have nothing to do your hair with.

You get a feeling of calmness from holding and stroking the bristles of your clean paintbrushes.

When going on a quick errand in your painting cloths you're finding people rave over the 'fashion statement' you didn't even realize you were making.

You know the difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.

You know more than 28 colors.

You get excited about football season because it means your significant other will finally be sitting still on the sofa long enough for you to paint him.

When others are needing to be with the in crowd, you feel lost in the crowd.

You long to be alone with your thoughts while others are lonely without much thought.

At the gym you take note of the intense facial expressions of the heavy lifters.

You never look at a person's face as a whole. You break it up into shadows and line and shapes, and think how they would look on a canvas.

The Dog Days of Summer

2011-07-28T23:32:00.013-05:00

Here is what I have been working on this summer:

This is Princess Fiona...part ogress, part princess. I have been drawing her alot lately.

I have limited vehicle access this summer, that combined with this 100 degree weather we have been having, has been keeping me pretty close to home when I am not working. My parent's pets are also staying very close to the AC this summer and in the process have found their way into my sketch book.

I don't want to draw this dog anymore. I want to go to the zoo or the aquarium. I want to be drawing bears, bob-a-doos, penguins, lizards, sharks, kids...anything but this dog! This is Corky, we are dog sitting him for a week or so. He is a sweet dog that is so ugly he is cute. He reminds me of Ribsy.

This is Otis. He was named after the dog on "Milo and Otis" He about as active as Fiona...which means he sleeps most of the day (when he is not dragging dead rabbits inside through the doggie door).I did attempt to draw the neighbor's horses but I am a bit of a wimp and it didn't take long for me to return to the AC.

P.S....Here are some paintings based on my sketches that I did over the summer:

When I brought them into class this fall, these were the paintings that got the most attention. I thought I must be doing something right. Also, I enjoy it, so I have been continuing to work this way.

Rainbow Pegasus

2011-07-28T23:27:00.001-05:00

This is a postcard I made for my pen pal, Elise.

Have Your Cake And Eat It too

2011-05-09T02:58:00.013-05:00

This is one of four paintings I have recently finished.

_______________________________________________

"London is of course the proper place for a young man, for seeing the manners and customs of society, and for getting a living in some of the less frequent grooves of human labor, but for a residence give me a rural or marine retreat. I sigh for some 'cool sequestered spot'; the world forgetting, by the world forgot." -Randolph Caldecott

"Dickens and Alice in Wonderland have been illustrated once and for all." Beatrix Potter

"If I were invited to a dinner party with my characters I wouldn't show up." -Dr. Seuss

When asked where he gets his ideas for books, Dr Seuss replied with sarcasm:

"This is the most asked question of any successful author. Most authors will not disclose their source for fear that other less successful authors will chisel in on their territory. However, I am willing to take a chance. I get all my ideas in Switzerland near the Forka Pass. There is a little town called Gletch, and two thousand feet up above Gltech there is a smaller hamlet called Uber Gletch. I go there on the fourth of August every summer to get my cuckoo clock repaired. While the cuckoo is in the hospital, I wander around and talk to the people, and I get my ideas from them."

Pain, Lots of Pain!!

2011-05-06T04:30:00.019-05:00

I don't really like technology to begin with and I HATE it when they update computer things!!!! I finally figure out how it works and I have it all set up the exact way I want it and then some bored geek at the computer company decides to move everything around for absolutely NO reason!! Now I don't know where anything is and I can't use the system the way I want to...grr. Did I give them permission to mess up my computer? If this is "progress," send me back to the stone age. I'm seriously thinking of hoisting those geeks up a flag pole by their underwear or stuffing them in a trash can! Or maybe a grand piano will fall from the sky and land on them. Or I'll tar and feather them. Or they get eaten by dinosaurs. Or I'll feed them to the shrieking eels. "Oh I know. I'll turn him into a flea, a harmless little flea! And then I'll put that flea in a box. And then I'll put that box inside another box and then mail that box to myself. And when it arrives...AH HA HA HA HA!!!! I'LL SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER!!! IT'S BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT I TELL YOU!!! GENIUS, I SAY!!!!...Or to save on postage, I'll just poison him..." I will make it so "your insides are out, your outsides are in, your entrails will become your extrails...pain, lots of pain!!"

Baroque

2011-04-21T06:51:00.010-05:00

I am living in the library this week and surviving on water, dry pita bread, apples and carrots. I am writing my dissertation (which is my excuse for why I don't have any new sketches to post at the moment) and am currently researching the Baroque Period. All day I've been snickering to myself:

"If it's not Baroque, don't fix it."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJMtGhqPCW0

It is better than the other day when I had "The Song That Never Ends" stuck in my head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_47KVJV8DU&feature=fvwrel

P.S.

...for being about art, these books I've been reading for my report sure don't have very many pictures.

Strange or over used English words I've encountered:

2011-04-19T06:45:00.010-05:00

Rubbish, Knackered, Dodgey, Bits and Bobs, Cat's Flap, Rather, Quite, Cheap and Cheerful, Crèche, Icing Sugar, Quid, That's Alright, Cheers, Bum Bag, Knickers, Car Park, Ladybird, Pavement (side walk), Crisps, Uni, Loo, Bogey, Fringe, Motorway, Lift, Nappy, Bugbear, Fancy Dress, Spot on, Cheerio, Zed, Posh, Chuffed, Cheeky, Draughts, Maths, Off-Licence, Proper, Holiday, Plaster, Rucksack, Mince, Fairy Lights, Fortnight, Hoover, Smart Dress, Jacket Potato

I'm sure there are other words that have made me scratch my head but these are all that come to mind at the moment.

_________________________________________

I would like to thank my English friends who, after reading this post, were able to incorporate most of these words in a conversation. One person managed to get five or six words in one sentence, it was very impressive. It only took me...what?...ten or fifteen minutes to figure out what was going on :P

James and the Giant Peach

2011-04-18T04:56:00.008-05:00

I recently entered a Penguin Publishing House student competition to redesign the cover of James and the Giant Peach. I had to re-read the book. I had only read it once before and it didn't leave that big of an impression on me. In general, I think Roald Dahl's work is over hyped. But rereading this book, I found it was more entertaining than I remember. Most of the covers I have seen for this book, show James sitting on a huge peach surrounded by large insects. There is no action or context. And I think one of the reasons I was hesitant to re-read it was because those covers look so boring (yes, I do judge a book by its cover), when in fact there is a lot of action in the story. (Although, I'm not sure how well I did in portraying action in my cover.) I decided to leave the insects off the cover for two reasons:

1. I think this story is mainly about James. It is almost as if this whole story is taking place in Jame's imagination and at the end of the story I half expect him to wake up and find himself living back with his two horrible aunts...but that wouldn't be a happy ending. Anyway, while the insects are very much apart of the story, they are more along for the ride and James is the one calling the shots.

2. The design was already crowded and I didn't want to try to squeeze in seven insects.

This project required me to work on the computer. I had to do some minor touch ups and add the text. I don't like working on the computer. I don't like how it distances me from my work. And in the end what do I have to show for the hours of labor? Nothing but a screen full of pixels. I want to have something tangible that I can hold on to. I guess I could print off my image but it would be the same. Any way, this was my submission.

Oh by the way, I would like everyone to notice that I did my research when preparing for this project. I floated a peach in a tub of water to see how it would look. And I don't think Quentin Blake did his research when he illustrated James and the Giant Peach, because he drew the peach floating on top of the water. (or maybe he did do research and then decided to reject reality). When in fact, a peach floating in water looks more like an iceberg. Anyway, I'm kinda proud about that discovery.

I was on the internet checking out blogs of my competitors and I find I'm not the only person to do the shark scene....sad day.

AH-CHOO!!!

2011-04-07T04:43:00.006-05:00

In the third grade, my school had story time. It was my favorite part of school (well besides playing marbles at recess). I remember we read "The 100 Dresses" and "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh". But I also remember Mrs. Joy showing us a wordless story. It was black and white illustrations on separate pieces of paper that had been laminated. I remember it was a story about an elephant who got sent to jail for some reason. The elephant sneezed and the jail fell apart. The elephant walked away holding an umbrella over a lady friend (another elephant?). Mrs. Joy talked about how you don't have to use words to tell a story. The whole thing fascinated me. I think it was the first time I realized I could tell stories using only pictures. I have spent years wondering about that wordless story. I haven't seen it since. Because it wasn't bound, I wasn't sure if it was even a book. Today, I decided to google it... I searched "elephant in jail wordless story" And I found it!!!!

Latest Sketches

2011-04-05T11:23:00.002-05:00

Sketches, a set on Flickr.

Here are photos of some of the sketches from my current sketchbook.

_____________________________________________________

"Omne ignotum pro magnifico."

"Everything unknown is taken as grand. The unknown tends to be exaggerated in importance or difficulty."

There and Back Again: An Artist's Tale

2011-04-04T03:20:00.002-05:00

Lacy Snarr's photostream on Flickr.

I spent last week at the 2011 Bologna Children's Book Fair. It was a long trip to get there. I had to take five trains, the subway, an air plane, and a taxi all in one day. Thankfully, I made it there safely. The fair was great. I was in hog heaven surrounded by so many children's books. I spent most of the time looking around and reading books. It was very inspiring. The trip back to England was a little crazy because there was a train strike in Italy. Thankfully I managed to get on the few trains that were actually running.

Books I Remember From Childhood

2011-03-26T10:42:00.069-05:00

I don't know if anyone else will care about this, but I think it is interesting. I have put together a list of some of the books I remember from my childhoold. What I read was strongly influenced by recomendations from my Mom, the librarian, and Reading Rainbow.

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub was my all time favorite book when I was a kid

Meet Addy was the first book I read that made me cry.

I really liked 20,000 Baseball Cards Under The Sea. I awlays looked for it at the library.

I hate Magic Eye books. I have never been able to see the image, not once. It seems like the visual equivalent of snipe hunting.

Still More Sketches

2011-03-10T11:43:00.000-06:00

Sketching Away.

2011-02-01T04:07:00.011-06:00

King's College

Cambridge rooftops.... every thing is so cramped

together, I feel

rather claustrophobic. I miss the countryside.

This lady wasn't too happy that I was drawing her.

I drew her twice.

I think I like working this way, I enjoy the process. However, I got cold and ended up abandoning the drawing.

"Yes, I may live in a card board box, but what a fancy box it is! I knew those art degrees would come in handy."

Inside my church, Holy Trinity.

Sequential Exercise

2010-11-23T05:01:00.003-06:00

A week or two ago in class we were given 50 minutes to create a sequential image based on a list of opposites we could choose from...for example: red to green, up to down, square to round, small to big, etc. I chose to do a sequence from small to big. I think I spent 40 minutes thinking and thumb nailing and only 5 or 10 minutes actually drawing. Here is what I came up with:

The first page

The second and third pages.

A close up of the second page.

A close up of the third page.

Ta Daaa!!

The end.

Lots and Lots of sketches.

2010-11-19T11:39:00.007-06:00

Hi Blog World.

Yes, I'm still alive.

If I have been silent,

it is because I am working...

This is just a sample of what I've been doing.

Cambridge!!

2010-10-11T07:45:00.002-05:00

I finally made it!

My Mother Killed My Father!

2010-09-20T17:27:00.003-05:00

"My mother killed my father."

"Falling off my bike."

"Is this a library or a free internet cafe?"

Ahhhhhhhhh!!

2010-07-20T11:46:00.002-05:00

me hyperventilating.

The Bathroom is Occupied

2010-07-20T07:12:00.003-05:00

I have always thought that at night the reflection of this window looks a lot like a monster.

P.S. The reason why my reflection isn't in the mirror is because I am short
and I was sitting down at the time :)

An Injured Owl

2010-07-14T15:16:00.003-05:00

Girl's Day Out

2010-05-28T10:03:00.003-05:00

As an honorary member of the Miller family, I was invited to join a girl's day in Eureka Springs. I sketched while everyone else shopped. (OK so I did a little shopping too...I bought a reproduction of an antique children's book and a set of juggling balls. Oh and I bought some candy for Elise. And some homemade ice cream...it was really good until I found the beard hair in the bottom of the bowl!)
I wanted to really do some watercolor sketching but we didn't really stay in any one place for very long so all I could manage was a quick pencil sketch and then later when I got home I went back over in ink.

Hello Earthling

2010-05-20T12:56:00.001-05:00

"The Invaders...aliens

Hello earthling. We come in peace."

Recent Doodles

2010-05-13T08:28:00.002-05:00

"Bee trees....The dogs are coming! We'll have to swim! Throw them off our scent."

"Boa Constrictor"

Farmer

2010-04-14T14:11:00.000-05:00

Muffin Mania

2010-04-10T14:38:00.003-05:00

Blueberry Muffins
1. Preheat oven 375 degrees F
2. In a medium size bowl blend: 1 1/2 cup flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sugar.
3. In a small bowl beat: 1 large egg, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup butter (melted and cooled).
4. Add egg mixture to flour mixture.
5. Fold in 1 cup fresh blueberries.
6. drop batter into 12 buttered muffin pan cups, filling about 2/3 full.
7. Combine 2 TBS sugar with 1 tsp lemon zest. Sprinkle over muffins.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes.
9. Loosen and remove. Serve at once.

Very Yummy!

P.S.
This is one of my favorite recipes.

P.S.S.
Sketching food....I am detecting a pattern here.

Brownies

2010-04-09T09:24:00.011-05:00

:P Chocolate...YUCK!! ...I think ALL brownies are gross...BUT my family likes them...my family said they tasted great...And this recipe was fun to make...and easy...except I didn't cook them long enough...very doughy...I'll do better next time.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Melt in double boiler: 1/2 cup butter, 4oz (1/2 cup) unsweetened chocolate

3. COOL this mixture (if you don't the brownies will be heavy and dry)

4. Beat until light in color and foamy: 4 eggs at 70 degrees F, 1/4 tsp salt

5. Add gradually and continue beating until well creamed: 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp vanilla

6. Combine cooled chocolate mixture and eggs and sugar....Do by HAND...not electric mixer

7. Before mixture becomes uniformly colored fold in by hand: 1 cup all purpose flour

9. Bake in a greased 9x13" pan(chewy brownies) or 9x9" pan (cakey brownies) Bake about 25 min.

Cut when cool.

P.S.

Recipe from the Joy of Cooking.

P.S.S.
Blooper: I drew the milk jar and then realized there isn't any milk in the recipe.

Hamburger Flashlight

2010-04-07T14:31:00.006-05:00

"I dreamed I had a hamburger shaped flashlight."

In my dream, I was walking at dusk down Main Street with my Mom. Sitting in the gutter was a plastic flashlight shaped like a hamburger. I picked it up and turned it on. Mom thought the flashlight was stupid. I bet it belongs to the Hamburglar.

Isn't she so cute!!

2010-03-14T13:05:00.003-05:00

Dear Megan and Doug,

Last night I dreamed I pushed Meg. She caught herself before she actually fell. But your baby didn't like being jostled around, and she was feeling cramped inside mommy's tummy, so she angerly poked her head out of Meg's belly button to find out what was happening. That is one little princess I'm going to keep my distance from! Don't worry, all newborns are ugly. She will grow out of it. I think she looks like Doug. Sorry I pushed you Meg.

Love,

Lacy

Shhh! Don't Wake Grandpa.

2010-03-03T23:40:00.004-06:00

My grandpa is in the hospital recovering from surgery. I went to visit him today. He was feeling a little better and started telling me all these stories about his life. He told about how when he was 13 years old, he and his best friend would write notes for each other to give to the teachers and they would cut class. They would go caddy at the golf course to earn money so they could go to the movies. Grandpa also talked about growing up during the depression and eating anything they could find...raccoon, rabbit, turtles, etc. He talked about the german shepherd he own when he was a boy. I love Grandpa's stories. All that talking wore Grandpa out and he fell asleep mid sentence. I took the opportunity to sketch him. ;)

Cramming for the Big Test!

2010-02-12T16:54:00.001-06:00

This lady was so worried about an upcoming test, she didn't even notice me sketching her.

The Anti Coloring Book

2010-01-05T12:26:00.005-06:00

I was completely out of ideas today. I decided to use The Anti Coloring Book to help jump start my brain. The anti coloring book is amazing! It gives you part of a drawing and you have to complete it, so much better then normal coloring books:

"This clown has learned how to become invisible. We can see only this circle. What part of the clown do you think the circle is?"

"What do you think the tooth fairy looks like?"

Party Animal!

2010-01-01T20:06:00.004-06:00

"Wild Turkey"

I found this doodle today. I can't remember when I drew it. It is rather fun.

Italy

2009-12-16T09:43:00.000-06:00

Tractor in the Pond

2009-10-03T22:03:00.001-05:00

"Little Joel accidentally drove the tractor into the pond....
The fish didn't like the oil and packed up and moved away."

First Day of School

2009-10-03T21:46:00.004-05:00

Yet another illustration for the Wibbly Wobbly Woods. We were suppose to do an illustration based on going back to school. I remember for me, on the first day of school it was very important to pick a good seat. I went to a one room school and the "Little Kids" (K-8th grade) sat in small desks while the "Big Kids" (9th-12th grade) had larger desks (although our desks were very odd and looked nothing like the nostalgic, stereotypical desks in the drawing). Because our school was so small sometimes there would be an empty big kid desk and the oldest little kid would get to move up early....it was a very big deal and we took it as a good omen. That happened to me one year, I got a big kid desk before 9th grade. It didn't really help though, people still thought of me as a little kid. Any way, the little mouse is very happy to be sitting back with the big kids instead of sitting with the "babies" in the front row.

Prince Albert Hotel

2009-09-10T15:01:00.001-05:00

"Prince Albert Hotel...The hotel was quiet and aristocratic."

Together Again....

2009-09-08T09:25:00.001-05:00

Here is the way the illustration should have looked...it could still use some color alteration, but it looks much better. Thanks so much to Doug who pasted it back together for me. :o)

The Three Bears

2009-09-07T13:20:00.000-05:00

(I drew this on a long narrow piece of illustration board and it was too big for my scanner so I had to scan it in two sections so just pretend it is in one long piece. )

Hello!!

2009-09-02T10:34:00.001-05:00

Pondering

2009-09-02T09:36:00.005-05:00

"I sat on the window seat."

Unicorn

2009-08-27T09:37:00.002-05:00

"Marla was off in her own fantasy."
She didn't even notice she was holding up the lunch line.

A Day of Sketching

2009-08-23T10:54:00.005-05:00

A quaint little alleyway I found. The owner, a Mr. Thomas, was very nice. He stopped to chat about his garden and art.

"This drawing will have to wait. I can't think on an empty stomach...Plus I'm going to get a sun burn if I sit out here. MUST HAVE FOOD!! There was a father and son wearing kilts. Pirate Flag :) Slug Bug No Tag Backs!" There are more pencil lines in this picture but there are hard to see because this isn't a very good scan.

This little girl sure moved around a lot for someone who was sitting down. It was fun to try to capture all that movement.

ZAP!!

2009-08-17T13:26:00.002-05:00

A "scrawny" little mouse was scrounging around for food when he found a battery. He took a bite and got zapped and turned into mighty mouse.

The other day, I was using a friend's lap top and they asked if I would like to use a mouse and I said "No thanks, mice tend to eat batteries." What a interesting idea, mice eating batteries...

Elizabeth Webster

2009-08-13T09:58:00.000-05:00

A Lesson in Anatomy

2009-08-11T12:31:00.004-05:00

Another gem by Jakkson. This is a portrait of me. I love his version of anatomy. It turns out I actually have two brains that have eyes! Who knew?!

I'm working on a project right now but I'm not going to show it to you yet :-P

Do Turtles Have Bones?

2009-08-08T14:24:00.002-05:00

Seeking to answer the age old question:

'Do turtles have bones?'

"People are laughing at us. But they don't know what we know."

I was playing with some kids and I had a great conversation with a 5 year old named Jakkson:

Jakkson: "The bones in my feet are tired because they aren't moving."

Lacy: "Do you have bones in your whole body?"

Jakkson:"Yup."

Lacy: Do turtles have bones?"

Jakkson: "I don't know!"

Lacy: "How would you find out if turtles have bones?"

Jakkson: "Stick your head inside a turtle" (he was a little annoyed with me...as if everyone should know to stick their head inside a turtle)

Jakkson: "Miss Wacy do you want to hear some crazy talk?"

Lacy: "Sure"

(Jakkson proceeds to talk gibberish)

Lacy: "Yes that was crazy talk. I didn't understand a word of it. Did you understand it?"

Jakkson: "Yup"

Lacy: "Does that mean you are crazy?"

Jakkson: "Yup but you'll have to ask the bones in my feet."

Happy Dance...

2009-08-08T08:48:00.005-05:00

Happy Dance...Happy Dance... I have an award. Much thanks to Cheryl Lynn for giving me this award and thanks for stopping by my blog so often and leaving such lovely comments...I hope my work makes you laugh or at the very least giggle. I am at the beginning of my art career and it is nice to know that I have people supporting me. This blog (along with the wibbly wobbly woods) has been (and is) very helpful to me to try to hash out exactly which direction I want to go with my work.
I'm passing this award on to some really terrific blogs that make me smile.
And the award goes too...
Wibbly Wobbly Woods
Doug Riddle
Rich Barry
Dennis Jones
Marcus Cutler
Sab Illustration
Cassia Thomas
Marina Marcadent
Matt Hamill
The Leaky Inkwell (who can pick up their award if they ever create a blog)

Would you like to buy some cookies?

2009-08-05T09:38:00.001-05:00

"Saluted my grandmother"

Priceless Treasure

2009-08-03T19:45:00.000-05:00

The Letter

2009-08-01T12:33:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my synesthesia I see letters as having colors and personalities. It is lots of fun.

Wow!

2009-07-31T09:32:00.002-05:00

"Emma"

By Chuck Close &
Yasu Shibata
http://www.chuckclose.coe.uh.edu/index.html

This is a 120 color woodcut print!!
That is so stinking amazing...I don't have word to discribe how amazing that is!

Bear Trap

2009-07-30T11:19:00.002-05:00

"The steel jaws clashed together with a snap."

I blame my brothers for contributing to the corruption of my warped brain.

General Lee

2009-07-29T21:53:00.001-05:00

Two legends of the South

Don't Kiss My Blue Suede Shoes!!

2009-07-29T19:35:00.001-05:00

"We kiss the soles of your shoes."

The King appears to be getting a little too much love from his adoring fans.

The Robber Stirkes Again!!

2009-07-29T10:28:00.002-05:00

Oh Doug...looks like the robber hit your bank today!! Yesterday, the big boss sent him to rob the Gravette Bank but there was a mix up. You can't blame the poor guy he has problems reading. The guy read Gentry Bank and he recognized the "G" and thought it must be the right place. The big boss was spit fire mad and made the guy go back and do the job right.

The Great Gentry Bank Robbery

2009-07-28T10:50:00.003-05:00

It was a quiet morning at the local bank when all of the sudden a buckaroo stormed through the front door waving a gun and demanding cold hard cash! My brother works at another bank down the road and I was worried about his safety. Thankfully, the robber only hit up the Gentry Bank. What is the world coming to? This is the reason why I hide all my money under my bed.

So Much Hair

2009-07-22T09:29:00.001-05:00

A modern day Rapunzel

Keep Your Feet

2009-07-17T23:01:00.004-05:00

"It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to." -Bilbo

I needed a day to myself ("I've got to get away from these confounded relative hanging on the bell all day, never giving me a moment's peace!"-Bilbo) and for a while now I've been wanting to sketch at the zoo, plus my nephew's art is being displayed at the Gilcrease Museum so I thought I would make a day of it. I set off but not keeping my feet I pleasantly ended up in unexpected places. As usual, I got lost. I don't plan to get lost but I know it will happen, it always does, now I just look at it as being an adventure...cue the Indiana Jonas music while I plop on a pith helmet and whip out my handy binoculars. I couldn't find the zoo or Gilcrease, so I just started following signs and ended up at the Philbrook Museum instead. When I entered the museum the first thing I saw was a huge sign announcing a Michelangelo display. I almost missed the drawings they were only a few inches big. Not what i had been expecting...I had been thinking about all the Michelangelo art I saw in Italy...there was no comparison. In spite of all that, I really enjoyed the museum. I enjoyed seeing a rough draft sketch of Mary Cassatt's Woman in Black at the Opera and I enjoyed the impressionism section. I sketched in the gardens. All in all it was a good day. I got lost again on the way home but that is to be expected and is half the fun, right? I am fairly certain that city is set up so that roads completely disappear with out warning and before you know it you are on the wrong road...so you see it really isn't my fault...I can't be blamed for getting lost if the roads keep running off without me and hiding in other locations. I found you take one wrong turn and it can turn into a long trip going in the wrong direction taking many more wrong turns before you can finally end up back on the right road, funny how it works that way...but if you have to be lost, it's good to be lost on Route 66 (it seems lots of lost people have found themselves on that road )I tend to eavesdrop while I'm sketching. I heard a gardener give this generous offer: "I'll give you my volunteer wages."

Mermaid Valentine

2009-07-10T17:18:00.001-05:00

"Found your note."

Fishtastic

2009-07-10T15:54:00.003-05:00

"Game Show"
Welcome to Fishtastic the game show that matches fish wit for wit! I am your host Bob O. Cue! The team that wins today's competition will receive a brand new sea shell condo and the loosing team will have their choice of attending a fish fry or taking a luxurious float trip down the porcelain throne! May the best team win!

He Got His Wish

2009-07-09T17:19:00.004-05:00

"Trough"
This is a continuation of another doodle I did earlier this year.

I Don't Sell Tobacco To Miners

2009-07-07T16:39:00.002-05:00

"selling mining equipment."

The Nose Picker

2009-07-06T21:04:00.006-05:00

I was sketching at the library again. This cute blue-eyed kid was playing on a computer. He was very zoned out and having a great time picking his nose. He kept picking and picking...I can't believe there were that many boogers in such a small nose. It is great how honest kids are...now we adults on the other hand lie about picking our nose and if we catch someone else picking their nose we make fun of them because we are really glad that they got caught and we didn't. It is like my friend Liza says, "There are two kinds of people in the world: those that admit to picking their nose and those that don't admit to it."

Snow White

2009-07-05T22:30:00.003-05:00

Here is an illustration for a section of Roald Dahl's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"She shouted at him, 'Listen Buddy!'
'You drag that filthy girl outside,
and see that you take her for a ride!
Thereafter slit her ribs apart
And Bring me back her bleeding heart!'"

Quick Doodles

2009-06-23T13:32:00.003-05:00

The Huntsman

The Queen

Here are some quick doodles for another project I'm working on for the Wibbly Wobbly Woods. I'm pretty content with the huntsman and I may continue to develop the character. He is based on a man I saw in the library one day. As soon as I saw this guy I knew i would be using him as inspiration for some character one day. The man did not like me sketching him...I had to work fast :o)
I'm not as keen on the queen doodle, it reminds me too much of disney's queen of hearts:
Any advice you guys can offer would be great.

What, you mean WORK?!!!

2009-06-22T11:14:00.003-05:00

Sadly, I broke down and got a job...NOT a design job.

Your big ears balance out your big nose :o)

2009-06-20T14:26:00.003-05:00

Here is another attempt at caricature. I forced my dear friend Lizzie to sit for me. It took me about 60 times longer than it should have taken, but I had a lot of fun. Someone actually recognized the person in the sketch...many more people had no idea who it is. Still in the long run I think it turned out well.

On the Tip-Top of the Tip of the Stick

2009-06-08T21:26:00.001-05:00

"I believe you're on the pointy end of a long stick."
"I am. But I put myself there."

Tetris Detox

2009-06-06T10:18:00.002-05:00

What is it about tetris that makes it so addictive?
I'm making myself cut back.

Vivid Colors

2009-06-04T14:23:00.000-05:00

Spaced Out

2009-06-02T23:14:00.001-05:00

"She's off in her own world."

A Hundred Feet

2009-06-01T10:07:00.001-05:00

shopping trip and an afternoon tea

2009-05-19T10:37:00.002-05:00

All I can say is I need to learn how to use illustrator....and quick.

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?!

2009-05-18T22:15:00.001-05:00

"Don't touch that jar. Thy mother wouldn't like it."

A Bit of Doodling

2009-05-16T13:20:00.002-05:00

"But this tree was a forest in itself. Originally from India to be planted here."

Diva

2009-05-15T12:32:00.002-05:00

"Bathtub Bertha"

I absolutely love traditional arts but sometimes I wish there was an undo button.