IF-Rescue

This week's Illustration Friday word is Rescue. So I was trying to think of when I last felt "rescued." And I think I feel rescued when ever I am in my own little world, drawing, crocheting, reading, and doing all the little things I enjoy doing. And I got to pay homage to Danny Gregory and his book An Illustrated Life, which rescued me from the lack of inspiration. I really don't think I'd still feel so inspired to draw so consistently if I hadn't come across this book. Plus... it lead me to Illustration Friday!

IF-Subterranean

This is my interpretation of the word Subterranean for
Illustration Friday.

IF-Brave

My Illustration Friday drawing for this week's word: Brave. I can remember the first time I jumped off the high dive like it was yesterday. I have no idea how old I was. Maybe eight? I stood up there for awhile. Too scared to jump, too proud to climb back down that ladder. When I finally jumped and came to the surface, I remember swimming toward my mom who was waiting for me by the side of the pool. I was laughing. I did it! When I climbed out, she hugged me and I burst out crying. It wasn't because it hurt when I hit the water, or because it scared the crap out of me. It was just so emotional!

IF-Perspective

This is my Illustration Friday entry for the word Perspective. I missed the posting. Oh well. I couldn't get the good ol' technical version of a perspective drawing out of my head.

IF-Propagate

This is my second Illustration Friday entry! The word of the week is Propagate. These are three plants I have on a shelf in our house. The first was from a cutting from my sister's plant and the next one is from a farm fair. The one in the vase is currently growing its roots and is from another plant in my house - which was originally taken from a plant that lived at the copy center I worked at on campus in college!

IF-Adrift

This is my first Illustration Friday entry! The word of the week is Adrift, and this is my interpretation.

I drew this one morning at Panera Bread. This is the first time I've drawn in public since college - and that was usually with a group of people in a park or something. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be.

Breaking in my new Prismacolor colored pencils. Lots of color amid a mostly black and white sketchbook.

Too much snow this past week in Baltimore.

My go-to move. When feeling uninspired, make up a plant.

Another plant from my imagination. I guess it kind of looks like a ficus though.

I actually drew this one day when I was home sick from work. Trying to make myself feel better. Who doesn't like getting flowers when they're sick?

A lot of times, if I'm not sure what to draw, I'll make up plants. I think it would be cool to have a whole wall of them like this!

I was having a hard time motivating myself to draw one night and my husband suggested drawing one of my little, red Buddhas. It gave me a chance to use my .005, red Micron pen!

I drew this after spending a fun-filled day at the Maryland Renaissance festival. I mostly wanted to draw the cute, clay owl pendant I bought, and then decided to make up some other stuff to go along with it.

This is the view from the sofa.

This is Owen. My 24 pound cat. I don't like to call him "fat" because, well, who likes to be called "fat?" And since he can understand English (yes!), I just don't like to use that f-word.

I drew this one night while enjoying a cup of Earl Grey tea. I usually draw in pen, and don't sketch in pencil first, so that I have to deal with any mistakes (finding that they usually work themselves out.... usually). Anyway, I totally screwed up the ellipses so I went with it and made the rest of the drawing look a little "off." I think I like it that way.

I drew this last summer when I returned home from a much needed vacation. I guess I was still trying to channel that warm, blissful feeling of being at the beach. I drew it with a Sharpie pen, and cut and pasted the red star from a magazine ad.

My First Blog

I have drawn my whole life. But after graduating from college, I rarely made time to be creative.

Last summer I decided to start keeping a small sketch book. Within a few days of my Decision, I came across Danny Gregory's book, An Illustrated Life. I love when the Universe gives you what you need when you need it! (I highly recommend this book, and others that he's written, by the way.) Since then, I have more sketches in my little sketch book than I think I've done, total, in the past 10 years!

My drawings aren't much, but I think that's the awesome thing about them! Looking back, I think I avoided creating "artwork" because I felt I had to spend HOURS creating something perfect. And then... what would I do with it? Stick it in my closet?

That's what I love about my sketch book. It's easily accessible, as are pens, pencils, magazines, glue, etc. I can spend one minute or one hour on something. There is no pressure to create something "perfect." And everything is contained in a cute little book. Plus, there is this record of the time I spend doing something for ME!

So this is my new Blog. I am going to SHARE my sketchbook with... the world? Well... if the world happens to find me, I guess. I'm a little nervous about this. But I found the website Illustration Friday (also very cool, and something I came across while looking up artists in Danny Gregory's book)! And I've decided to join the fun, when I have time. But in order to do that, I had to have somewhere to store my drawings. So, here they are: my blog... my sketches...