HOUSE - BLACK AND WHITE AND A POP COLOUR

I've managed one very simple, quick sketch which I am linking to three challenges - Opus Gluei and Art Journal Journey, and because I like black, white and red, I'm linking it as a second entry for So Artful.

Pitt Pens in black and red - Jez

NEW HOUSE FOR SALE

What would I want in a house that's new?

Some trees, a wide sky and space to roam.

But it's family, friends and a "Welcome to You"

That turns a house into a home.

                                                                                                                                                 - Jez

 Linking to Opus Gluei, Art Journal Journey, So Artful and Paper Saturdays.

ANOTHER MOMENT OF HAPPINESS, AND A STORY

A4 Watercolour Sketch - Jez
Drawn in the Clinic Waiting Room and coloured at home

In 1939 my mother, sister and I had been sent back to England, while my father stayed on duty at his naval base.  For me it was, in fact the first time in England and I found it so cold and wet, and the house seemed dark and had very little furniture.  In addition we had a new baby brother shortly after our arrival, and we would look after him while my mother tried to sort out our new lives.

My sister and I played in the almost empty front room with little brother.  I'm the little curly-headed horror in the pink dress.

We were rather mischievous children, and one day we had the idea of giving the baby roundabout rides on the wind-up gramophone that was one of the few things in the room.  My sister would wind the handle to start the turntable going (without a record on it, of course), and my job was to help him sit up as he slowly went round.  I don't know how he grew up to be so normal.

I drew this from my memory and imagination while waiting in yet another hospital clinic.  I didn't feel like sketching the people around me, and suddenly this memory jumped into my mind.  Strange how memories like this just come unbidden into the mind.

I shall send a copy to my sister, a fun memory to share and talk about on the phone - but I won't send one to 'little' brother, he probably doesn't remember it and is better off not knowing!

The finished sketch gave me a smile and made me happy to think of those times 75 years ago, so I am offering it as another entry for the Art Journal Journey challenge of Moments of Happiness this month.

Linking to Art Journal Journey, Paint Party Friday, Manon's Paper Saturdays

HAPPINESS IS LIME GREEN

A couple of Limeys - Jez
Pitt pen, coloured pencils and digital framing

The Three Muses this week asked us to create something using Turquoise and Lime Green.  I asked myself what I could paint with Lime Green, and the answer was obvious - Limes.  I even found that I had pencils labelled Lime Green and Turquoise in one of my many sets of coloured pencils, so it was meant to be.

When I was younger English people were often referred to as "Limeys", mostly by Australians and Americans.  This seems to have died out in favour of other nicknames.  The name Limeys was derived from the fact that from the 1800s the British Navy issued lime juice to their sailors to help prevent Scurvy, which is a rather nasty illness caused by lack of Vitamin C.   

Nothing like doodling - Jez
Acrylic paint

For the April challenge at Art Journal Journey the theme is Moments of Happiness.  I was stuck for a while because it can be interpreted in so many ways.  Inspiration struck when I was doodling with paint, and realised that doodling and colour - particularly yellow, orange and red - give me a lot of pleasure and many moments of happiness.  Who needs diamonds and couture clothes when we've got colour to play with!

Linking to The Three Muses, Art Journal Journey, and Manon's Paper Saturdays

"ONE OUT, ALL OUT"

"ONE OUT, ALL OUT" - by Jez
Watercolour, Pitt Artist Pen,
Wall and floor colour added digitally
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

It took me quite a while to think of a way to meet the So Artful Challenge of 'Dress Forms', then in my mind I saw a row of them standing in line and wondered what they were doing.  Well, as you can see, they are going out on strike, and I don't blame them.

It's also my Fantasy idea for the Art Journal Journey challenge this month, and I hope that at Opus Gluei they will agree with me that it fits the theme of an Alphabet Letter - the letter D for Dress forms.

Linking to So Artful Challenges, Art Journal Journey, Opus Gluei, and Paint Party Friday

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

When I read the theme for January's Art Journal Journey, I had to think hard about how I could create an artwork about an abstract concept.  Then I realised that we are only conscious of Silence as a contrast to Sound, and my inspiration came from that.

"SILENCE IS MADE ALL THE SWEETER BY THE SONG OF A BIRD
Mixed media - Jez

I drew a thrush as my songbird because I have always loved his song best, more than the blackbird or the larks I used to see and hear so often during my childhood.  When I drew the thrush, it reminded me of a poem by Robert Browning I learnt at school.  Although it is called "Home-Thoughts from Abroad" and I had lived in England from the age of three, it's evocation of the English spring made it a favourite.  Browning's lines about the thrush made me listen more carefully to its song and realise how observant the poet was:

                                   "That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
                                     Lest you should think he never could recapture
                                     The first fine careless rapture!"

I used my favourite poetry book to check that I had the words exactly right, a Christmas present from my dear mother almost 59 years ago.  It has a blue cover in soft leather, and it has been used so often that the back cover has broken off.  Fortunately it slides into a blue card case that holds it together.  I looked back at the inside cover for my mother's dedication, and the years rolled back:

She wrote: "To be new born when thou art old"

SUNDAY POSTCARD ART

For Sunday Postcard Art we were asked to create a postcard (6" x 4") in monochrome, and I have made two postcards on the theme.

A little while ago Dev and I went on a one-day workshop with a talented and individual local artist called Pam Potter  to learn some of her techniques, and the two watercolour paintings below are the result of recent experiments at home with one of those techniques.

Blue Mountains

Brown Hills

To create these simple landscapes I followed Pam's method - applying watercolour paint directly from the tube onto the paper and then using a piece of old credit card to spread the paint down the page.  It certainly produces unexpected effects, and from time to time I try to improve my skill with the technique.

TAKE A WORD

Next,  the theme of "MOON" has been chosen by the Take a Word team this week.  I wanted to do something a little different and out of the ordinary to challenge myself.  It has been a while since I have made a collage from my stock of unwanted photographs so I went hunting through the box of old discarded photos.

The snaps I used to create this imaginary 'planetary collision' were so old that they had been developed and printed from photographic film in a high street photo shop years ago, and it made quite a change to go back to this type of collage.  Each element has been cut out with scissors and stuck down with PVA glue.  It looks fairly complex, but it comes together quite quickly.

"THE DAY THE RED MOON FELL ONTO THE PLANET ZOGG

This picture records that terrible night when, in the Ziluvian Galaxy, the red moon suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed on the planet Zogg, creating havoc and leaving only one home standing.  As the Ziluvian sun rose the next dawn, the magnitude of the disaster was visible to the surviving Zoggonians, and a great deal of sniffing and snuffling ensued (Zoggonians can't weep and wail!).

Full details and loads of video footage will be available on Zogg Sky News later this evening and repeated for the next two weeks on every single hourly bulletin.  Bet you're glad you don't live on Zogg.


Linking to Art Journal Journey, Sunday Postcard Art, Take a Word, Artists Play Room

LAUGH, HEARTS, TREES AND DOORS

Jenn at Artists Play Room has asked us for an interpretation of  'Laugh' as her theme this week.  I decided to go for the personal approach, and this is a photograph my daughter took of me last year.  I hate having my photograph taken, and I was amazed that she could capture this shot of me laughing.  Hope this suits the theme Jenn.

With the topic of 'Hearts' at Take a Word the difficulty was to think of something a little different, and for this challenge I kept to the personal approach.  When I thought of 'Hearts' my mind said 'Where does my heart lie?' - and there is only one answer to that.  So this image contains photos of our wedding day and one taken by my daughter of ourselves as we were last year.  I chose this photo because it's one I really do like and gives the feeling of our closeness.

You may notice that in the wedding day photo Dev is wearing a medal - my mother added a medal ribbon to a chocolate medal and gave it to him saying 'You deserve a medal for marrying our Jez'!  Even after all this time he still has the medal.

At So Artful Challenges the theme is 'Trees'.  This is a photograph I took with a pinhole camera some years ago, cropped to a circle on Photoshop and with a frame added.  I like the unusual angle and the mysterious effect the pinhole camera achieved.

Over at Art Journal Journey the challenge is 'Doors'.  Whenever we are out and about I love taking photographs of doors and windows, and because the doors are invariably closed I can't help wondering what lies behind them.

Linking with Artists Play Room, Art Journal Journey, So Artful Challenges, and Take a Word,

THREE SILLY LADIES AND THINK PINK

Three quick sketches today of silly ladies, with a little touch of doggerel added.  Sketching quickly like this without a preconceived idea of what I am going to draw is always fun, and I hope you enjoy them.

'MIRANDA'
Digital drawing on 'Brushes' App - Jez

Click on the image to enlarge

JILLY-JO
Pen and Inktense Pencils - Jez

SUKEY TROTTER
Pen and Inktense Pencils - Jez

I think Miranda is my favourite, she really knows how to enjoy herself.

INSPIRATION AVENUE reminds us that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  My niece died very young from breast cancer, and as life has gone on some of my friends have also died.  I am so glad that since those days of many years past, the treatment for breast cancer has improved tremendously and can now save women's lives.  My entry for the challenge is very simple, but I hope it is a reminder to 'Think Pink' and take action early.

"THINK PINK" - Jez

I had a lovely surprise last week.  I had won the September prize on Try it on Tuesday with my 'Dotty Man' -

He was one of the faces I had drawn for the 29 Faces challenge in September.  I had experimented to see if I could create a face using only dots, and when I saw the TIOT challenge was 'Dots' he seemed just right.

I don't know what the prize is yet, but just winning the challenge is enough of a pleasure.  Thank you Try it on Tuesday.

Linking with Inspiration Avenue, Art Journal Journal 'She Art', Paint Party Friday and Manon's Paper Saturdays .