Illustration Friday - POWER

The topic at Illustration Friday this week is POWER.  As an avid reader I can testify to the power of the written word.  When a book or character stays alive within you once the story is finished you've experienced the power of a well-spun tale. 

I've always been a great admirer of authors - their imaginations, the ability to create and populate entire worlds and to make it believable to the reader - believable to the point that we cry at the demise or misfortune that a favorite character encounters.

Do you find literature powerful?? 

Linking to Sunday Sketches, 

Creative Every Day,

Illustration Friday - POWER, and

Artsyville's Glue It Tuesday

The Housewife. . .

This gal with the slightly crazed and glazed look about her eyes reminds me of those stereotypical 1950s housewives - the ones who were the cook, the maid, the loyal wife - all while impeccably dressed and made up - any time of the day or night.

I will admit that I have a few tendencies in that direction - There is never a day that the bed isn't made.  I get dressed down to my shoes with hair/makeup even if I'm not leaving the house and I sweep/dust most every day.  

One way that I am NOT even close to the stereotypical housewife is in the cooking department - I am not a fan of cooking although I have a great affinity for eating.  I love watching cooking shows, especially the competitive ones.  The issue I have with cooking is all the time and preparation that is involved for something that gets eaten within a few minutes and then I get to clean up - sigh. . . Do you love to cook?

Linking to Paint Party Friday,

Art Journal Every Day,

Paper Saturday

Illustration Friday - FRESH

"It will probably be a long time before men can make anything that is quite as good for you as real sunshine and fresh air."

- The Healthy Life Series, 1940

This week's prompt at Illustration Friday is FRESH.  Thought I'd veer away from the girls for a little something different.

I've started a new art journal in an old book - Kim is a huge fan of ephemera and old things and started me on my own love of crusty items that could use some more love.

It is easy to turn an old book into an art journal by simply gluing several pages together with a glue stick and then coating with gesso.  Now that it is back to school time you can pick up gobs of gluesticks at bargain prices. 

This book can sit on the shelf and no one is the wiser as to its true contents unless I want to share with them.  Despite the fact that I share on this blog I am actually very reticent to show my stuff to the people in my everyday life (except for my immediate family) and very few people even know that I dabble in paint regularly. 

Linking to 

Paper Saturdays,

Creative Every Day, and

Artists in Blogland

A visit to the dentist. . .

Despite the kind words from her D.M.D. she was still grateful that the visit was over.

How about some fun dentistry facts:

1)  The natural bristles of early toothbrushes were taken from the necks and shoulder of swine, especially pigs living in colder climates like Siberia and China.

2)  The first nylon bristles were introduced in 1939 and soon replaced natural swine bristles.

3) The electric toothbrush was first introduced in 1939.

Wanted to try something different with this girl - added lots of paint colors at one time - not sure if I like it or not - I think I may have liked the sketch better before it was colored. 

Linking to Paint Party Friday,

Art Journal Every Day, and

Paper Saturday

LAPIN the Rabbit Girl

It was useless trying to resist.  Lapin simply had to hop up and take a nibble each time she passed a salad bar.

The topic at Illustration Friday this week is HYBRID.  Hence, we have on display for your viewing today a strange girl/lop rabbit combo.   

In retrospect I should have moved her nose/mouth further down on her face. 

It's not every day that I attempt to paint a weird animal/human creature.

She kinda looks more like a dog than a rabbit. . .

Linking to Sunday Sketches,

Illustration Friday - HYBRID,

Creative Every Day, and

Glue It Tuesday

The bookworm attends a party. . .

She knew it was going to be a long night when what she was looking forward to was snuggling in bed with her book. . .

Do you love to read?  I do - I've been a big reader ever since I was a little girl.  I used to walk to the library when I was around 9 with my best friend and come home with so many books. A super exciting day for me would be when my newest Nancy Drew book club selection would arrive in the mail - whoo hoo!

One of the best gifts I ever received was a bound set of Louisa May Alcott books from my grandmother - I read those books so many times when I was young.

I don't have as much time to read as I used to and I rarely read "paper" books any more.  Digital books checked out from the library fill my phone now.  That way I can read in the middle of the night without waking my husband if I need to.  

He calls me "Ninja Reader" because there are mornings that he thinks that I am asleep because I am so still and quiet but really I am in another world because I am reading. 

Linking to Art Journal Every Day,

Paint Party Friday, 

Artists in Blogland, and

Paper Saturday

Worried girl. . .

She was striving to keep her unnecessary worrying under control.

Today I decided to give myself a challenge - use ONLY Stabilo pencils on a girl.

This makes for a limited palette since they only come in gray, black, red, orange, blue, brown, yellow and green.  I use these pencils a lot since they are water soluble and great for little tweaks on my pictures.

Yellow may not make for an ideal skin tone but once the water and more layers were added she turned out  better than I had anticipated.  Although it was a big temptation to add some highlights with a white pen, I kept only to the 7 pencils and 2 paintbrushes. 

Finished up by collaging her with some old ephemera on a book page.

Linking to Sunday Sketches,

Creative Every Day, and

Mandarin Orange Monday