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.

BLACK AND WHITE FOR T.A.W., AND SO ARTFUL

One design to fit two challenges today:

Shapes in Black and White - Jez

The challenge from So Artful for June is 'Black and White', and this celebrates the time Dev and I went to see Stevie Wonder in the Birmingham NEC Arena - I think it was in 1984.  I have been reminiscing lately on great musical memories, and one of the highlights for us was seeing and hearing Stevie sing for a whole evening.

For Take a Word the theme is 'Shapes', and there are plenty of different shapes in this piece.

I have not been able to visit and comment as I normally love to 

because I am out of action and asleep much of the time.  

I do apologise, and will get back to see you and comment as soon as I can. 

Linking to Take a Word  and  So Artful Challenges

THREE CHALLENGES

For Inspiration Avenue the challenge is Creativity and Cats, and I've created Dezzy:

Dezzy - by Jez

DEZZY THE MOVIE ACTOR

Dezzy is an actor, and he thinks that's cool,

He learnt his acting skills at the Feline Drama School.

Just now he's in a movie with a wonderful part,

Being ugly and scary, with a very black heart.

So he looks very fierce, but when all's said and done,

He's not wicked at all - he's just having fun.

I hope that the So Artful Challenge team will not mind me submitting a second entry for their theme of Friendly Monsters, but it's such a fun theme that I wanted another go:

Rose - by Jez

ROSE, THE CAMEPHANT

She's a Camephant and her name is Rose,

Four Humps, twisty tail and an oversized nose.

Rose lives in the desert, as everyone knows,

Where the land is dry and nothing grows.

And she wears her boots wherever she goes -

She can't bear getting sand in between her toes!

Finally, Collage Obsession has an Open Theme this week, so I am showing a page from my sketchbook of my art mannikin Mervynn:

MIX IT WITH INSPIRATION TO GET A FRIENDLY MONSTER

COFFEE

A trio of challenges today, starting with Mix it Monthly, where the challenge is 'Coffee, using a certain colour range', and this is my entry along with a couple of verses to make the coffee taste even better:

I LOVE COFFEE

I love coffee, I love tea,

I love the Java Jive and it loves me.

Coffee and me, makes me happy you see -

A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup of coffee.

I love coffee, I love tea,

I love the coffee shops and they love me.

Coffee and me, and the Barista makes three,

We really love a cup or mug of coffee!

(Words from Milton Drake's lyrics, very much adapted by me - with apologies to Milton)

Anyone around my age will probably remember the catchy tune that this song was sung to)

WATER

Over at Inspiration Avenue the challenge subject is 'Water', a nice theme that can be interpreted in many ways:

My entry is Dashing Darren Duck in his smart red cap and turquoise tie,  dressed in his best and ready to meet the ladies.

THE FRIENDLIEST MONSTER IN TOWN

Ladderlegs is my sketch for the So Artful challenge of Friendly Monsters.  He was never happy about his unusual legs until he visited the park one day and found everyone wanted to be his friend.  He's so happy that he's made the park his permanent home.

Linking to Mix it Monthly, Inspiration Avenue, So Artful Challenges,
                 Paint Party Friday, 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

EVEN A LITTLE HOUSE IS A HOME

'CHOOSHOE HOUSE'
Coloured Pencils and Pitt Artist Pen - Jez

At So Artful there's an intriguing challenge which appealed to me instantly - "A Little House with Something a Little Bit Different".  Various ideas whizzed round my head including the kind of 'Crazy House' that you see at funfairs, and 'The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe', but that has been illustrated zillions of times.

Then I thought that perhaps a young woman today might like to live in a shoe house with elegant 4" high heels.  I would have liked to create the house from a shoe with 6" high stiletto heels, but this would have meant that the stairs to the upper floor would be too steep even for a young person.

Co-incidentally, over at Take a Word the theme this week is "Home" with the note that 'any home will do'.  Well, even an odd little house can be a home, so Chooshoe House is my entry for the challenge.

When houses in the UK are advertised for sale by developers or house agents they are never referred to as 'houses', they are always 'homes'.  You have to admit, there is a subtle difference in the feeling you get from 'house' and 'home' ……… and 'home' wins hands down with its warm and welcoming feel.

So 'Chooshoe House' is now being marketed as a unique and individual 'home'.   It's new on the market, so if you fancy viewing it and making an offer, put in your bid soon before the celebrity rush starts (I hear Victoria is showing interest).

Linking with So Artful Challenges, Take a Word, Paint Party Friday, and Paper Saturdays.

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,