These two go together

Day Seven

Two antlers. 

I have just finished Day 8 (below) and as always, I get into my head thinking about stuff like;

why did I do this?

how did I feel while sketching?

why did I feel relaxed, rushed, in the zone, antsy, frustrated or even agitated?

Just stuff like that and a whole bunch more that I don't need to share. 

Day Eight

I put her on a pedestal to get the perspective that I wanted to sketch.

First of all, I enjoy both of these subjects. 

Now, I'm struck with how neither had many lines to follow other than the outline. Also, while the antlers had a small amount of color tone difference, the doll head color was the same all over.

So, to find the lines with both of them I first had to use the shadows to smudge in pencil. 

It's all about values.

I guess that's no different than any other day: however, yesterday and today it seemed different. 

-----------

So when I figure out how to do it these two go together.

Clues to the Buggy Project

Day Five

After putting off this challenge a couple of days, I went for it.

I tried to photograph the buggy from my sketching perspective.

I tried is all I can say.

RE:  The Buggy Project

In my head, I'm always way ahead of real time. 

Sometimes, "in my head" is a real problem too.

I'm not sure when I'll get around to the Buggy Project but My Little Dog approves so far.

Or maybe he is thinking, "what's the big deal?"

I know I made a mistake of letting him think I needed up close and personal help from him. 

could be a clue to The Buggy Project

A Couple of days before I started my morning sketching and in the comfort of the late night chair zone, I sketched the buggy from the one "in my head".

The one in my head sure was a lot easier than the one in real life.

Day Six

I walked around the Garden Palace looking for sketching inspiration. 

That I had a hard time finding something says more than you know. 

So I chose a pine cone from the basket.

I must get the One Hundred Faces on the wall because they are a huge distraction on the desk. 

After this pine cone affair, I think my truth is being reaffirmed. 

Have you any idea what it is?

Day two three and four

Morning Art Practice

Day 2

Day 3

I continue to read The Zen of Seeing.

But.....

..... today I was extremely distracted by No 66....

...and this guy.

His name is Stupid Kitty but sometimes I call him My Little Dog.

In other words my mind was in the wandering mode.

Day 4

Today

Today was day four and I finished reading The Zen of Seeing. 

I enjoyed some parts more than others. 

If nothing else, Franck's illustration drawings are wonderful.

So far, I have been mostly using pencils.

However, soon I will switch to a dip pen and ink and I can not stop thinking about color on the page so I'm sure watercolor will find its way too. 

The thing is, at the moment neither ink, pen, nor watercolors are available at the Garden Palace.

If I don't take it over there then I can be tempted.

The Plate Wall

Sometimes the plate wall changes on a whim.

As a matter of fact the shelf above the wash stand does too. 

This plate hanger is my own wire creation because 

I'm still playing with wire.

I have a Pinterest board for Wire Creations that I confess inspires me.

Today I added the large fruit and melon platter.

There is not much planning, I'm just kinda haphazardly adding them. 

Here you can see the latest version of the shelf.

Just in case you are wondering, the blue glass vase holds the dried stalks from this years daylily crop. 

I've done a little staging on top of the jelly cabinet.

Until now I used the top as a holding place for stuff. 

I like this much better.

Now it is a holding place for arranged stuff.

Day One

I did it.

Day One of my new morning art practice. 

I'm reading The Zen of Seeing and then trying to relax to sketch something or anything.

I'm doing this over at the Garden Palace.

A Set of Three

The Chair

I found this antique office chair at a local thrift store. 

My good luck!

Even though it was a "project", it was exactly what I wanted for the attic studio. 

I replaced broken dowels and glued it all back together.

I also had to replace the worn casters and found exact replacements at House of Antique Hardware.

The Desk

I planned for a long time to use the extra antique table top to make two art desk. 

One for the Attic Studio and one for the Rose Garden Parlor. 

This one is for the Rose Garden Parlor and I cut eight inches off the backside so it would fit the parlor.

Way back when, I found antique table legs for the front and I used ripped 2 x 4's for the back legs.

Here you can see I painted, distressed and waxed the chair.

I also made a thin pad for the chair. 

It's all ready for art making.

The next day, I went over to sit.

It felt like the sit and stare stage that I enjoy after finishing a painting. 

I needed to go sit and stare at my new art desk and chair.

I love the chair so much in the parlor that I'm on the lookout for another for the Attic Studio.

The Footstool

The next day I took the little foot stool over. 

I painted the legs, that yellow and replaced the nasty fabric on the sides with the beautiful floral linen.

I didn't replace the naugahyde vinyl on the top. 

I thought it looked gently used and fit right in.

A Set of Three 

Desk and Chair and Footstool

three projects

I am so ecstatic about reaching this point in my daydream.

I will be hanging the One Hundred Faces over the desk just as soon as I put a hanger on it.

I'm also making a shelf with the eight inch piece of the table that I cut off. 

Yes, I will show. 

Today at the Rose Garden Parlor desk

...I started reading this.

The Zen of Seeing by Frederick Franck.

It is about drawing and sketching and I plan to go over each morning to read and perhaps do a little sketching. 

If you know me and my art practice, you will probably know that I don't particularly enjoy the sketching stage. 

I know. I know. 

But I think in the past when I felt pressed for time, I just skipped that step whenever I could.

And that became my practice.

I do know it is important and my mission now is to enjoy and be inspired by this book to start a new art practice.

You know I will be sharing.

The Easel Project

This was a "project" because I fully intended to paint the easel that yellow. 

That yellow the I'm head over hills about.

That yellow right there in the floor cloth.

After the yellow on the door porch post fiasco, I got shy about it. 

And decided to keep this antique just as it is.

I just needed to repair the back where a screw was missing and the holes were wallowed out. 

Easy fix. 

The real project was designing a wire hanger for the easel. 

While I do plan to use the easel, I wanted to hang it as wall art in the meantime. 

Another sweet project checked off the list.