Sketchbook Beginnings to Draw & Feel

I started a new venture this week... Sketchbook Skool! It's my goal to complete all three courses (kourses) this year. I started out with "Beginnings." The artist teacher for this week is Danny Gregory. Oh. My. It is so inspiring to watch him draw, peek inside his art journals, and just plain listen to him talk about art. I am so happy I decided to add this to the things I want to accomplish this year. (I definitely have an art filled year planned between Zentangle®, Sketchbook Skool, and continuing work on my calligraphy!) 

One of the assignments this week was called "Draw & Feel." You were to find something that had meaning for you and sketch it. You were encouraged to try the technique that Danny shared. This was to begin with a watercolor wash, then "eyeball" the shape of your item and use gouache to create the shape of it (basically painting it before drawing it), and THEN you would use pen to outline draw over the shape you painted and add in the details. The rule for this exercise was no pencil sketching allowed! Just start drawing with the pen. There was a time when this would have paralyzed me... What?! NO PENCIL??? But that was before I started creating Zentangle art. It's made me comfortable to just pick up a pen and draw. I knew any "mistake" would just be an opportunity to be creative.

It took me a couple of days (okay... I did have other things going on!) to figure out what I would draw... I was stuck, I wanted to choose something that had meaning to me. Then one day I was speaking to Cami in her room, I looked at her walls, and I knew! Worn out pointe shoes line the top of her walls... It was perfect! I borrowed a pair. I was set... and then... I had to get over that freezing of putting the first mark in my new Sketchbook Skool sketchbook. Why is this so hard?! I took a deep breath and went for it! 

One of Cami's MANY pairs of worn out pointe shoes!

I decided to try the technique that Danny demonstrated. I began with the watercolor wash, realized I didn't have any gouache so I subbed acrylic paint. A couple of coats gave me the opaqueness I was looking for. I really like this technique! It was fascinating! After giving my page plenty of time to dry I picked up my trusty micron and began drawing the outline of the pointe shoe. I was very surprised by how closely my "eyeballed" shape ended up matching the drawn shape. I filled in the details of the shoes and then used watercolor to shade. 

Beginnings... Watercolor wash and a quick acrylic paint shape study.

Working on watercolor shading...

I decided I wanted to have my journaling "dance" across the page. I used a piece of scratch paper to test out what I wanted to write and how I could make it flow to fit all the prose and the sketch. 

Complete! Cami's Pointe Shoes : Determination

I am so excited about keeping an ongoing sketchbook for the very first time (one that actually documents my life, the important and not-so-important things, an art journal sketchbook)! Danny... thank you for taking me on this journey. The whole process, as well as the finished art stirred up lots of emotions. I am so grateful.

Although it took me a long time to finish this assignment... I enjoyed every. single. moment. 

I so appreciate all who stop by and visit... I LOVE when you leave me a comment! Thanks so much!

Day 112 : 04-21-12

Day 112 : 04-21-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Wardrobe and rehearsal...

Day 109 : 04-18-12

Day 109 : 04-18-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

In the spotlight...

Day 86 : 03-26-12

Day 86 : 03-26-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Ready and waiting to perform...

I sewed the ribbons and elastic on to a new pair of pointe shoes for Cami today... They looked so pretty and fresh... I had to take a picture!

Day 31 : 01-31-12

Day 31 : 01-31-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

The bird watches over paradise... 

It's truly amazing how many things are blooming! Today when I walked Clark I probably took over 25 pictures of pretty flowers along the way... I had to choose the stunning bird of paradise as my photo today, it's lines are just fascinating.

Cami had her first rehearsal for Noah's Ark. She is very excited to be in this production. It's pretty special, it's an original ballet with original music. This is the encore performance of the first time it was presented in 2010. This year there is "interest" in it by other production companies and it may be purchased. This meant that they reduced the cast... Cami was so happy that she was cast in it! I went and bought tickets today also so that we would be up front and center! You can check out the promo for this ballet here!

Day 14 : 01-14-12

Day 14 : 01-14-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Cami takes a private with one of her teachers today at the studio. She's preparing for another audition tomorrow. She worked very hard and did a fabulous job. I know she'll do well!

I loved the concentration on her face as she listened to her teacher.

Day 8 : 01-08-12

Day 8 : 01-08-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Summer intensive auditions begins! Today was the first of auditions for various companies that will last all month long. 

After the audition I helped Cami with her Honors Biology. I had fun relearning Punnett squares and a little genetics. It was so nice to spend a couple hours together figuring it out. She doesn't ask me for help very often anymore. I love that sometimes she still needs me... I'm so proud! She's such a great student! 

UPDATE 01-23-12: Cami was accepted to Joffey Ballet School in New York City!

Day 3 : 01-03-12

I took pictures of Cami at the studio today. She needs an arabesque photo for upcoming auditions. (I have a much better one I'll have to post later from a photo shoot we did in late November.)

January is a busy month... It's national audition tour time for ballet/dance summer intensives. There are four companies/schools that she wants to audition for this year. She loves the auditions, loves the master class that she takes at each audition. She LOVED attending American Ballet Theater over the summer. It will be interesting to see if she chooses to go away this summer... She really wants to take summer school so that she'll be ahead for next school year. If she does that she will take the wonderful local summer intensive. We'll have to wait and see what happens!

a ballet-rific weekend

WOW! I definitely have a little ballerina!!! :)

This weekend she performed Saturday and Sunday in "Sea to Shining Sea," a dance recital for her dance school. Saturday's performance was in the costume shown above. Her teacher choreographed an adorable number that was so entertaining. It was one of the crowd favorites for the night! Cameron was AMAZING! ...OK .... I knew she was good, (I'm her mom after all!) but seeing her on a big stage, and the confidence, ACTING and dance... WOW! Just thinking about it now makes tears come to my eyes. She had the time of her life AND you could see it! Just look at the photo above... this was taken BEFORE the show... she's not nervous... she's calm and just anticipating the show. Oh... how I wish that my parent's lived closer. I know they would have loved watching her perform.

The photo below was taken after Sunday's performance. Leila was able to come home to celebrate Father's Day and attend this night. (I sure have gorgeous girls! ...proud mama talkin' again...) It was ANOTHER outstanding performance by Cameron... in fact, I heard people behind us in the theater comment on her grace and elegance during her dance. She really stood out! I'm so proud! I guess I'm going to have to buy both DVDs of the performances! (Of course they wouldn't put all the performances together... You must buy separate DVDs for each night! $40 each, adds up! They also prohibited any recording in the theater... so you're pretty much stuck! Oh well... I know she'll love being able to have all her relatives watch it!)
It was definitely a ballet-rific weekend! I don't know if my husband's first choice for Father's Day weekend would be to spend over 5 hours watching ballet for the weekend.... but he was definitely the proud papa! Happy Father's Day honey... our kids are lucky to have such a wonderful, funny, generous, video game playing, silly, scary movie watching (and torturing), BBQ-ing master, hard working, thoughtful, supportive dad.... I love you!

ballet, tomato, chocolate!

Cami's BIG ballet recital is this weekend. Yesterday she had dress rehearsal at the civic arts plaza. She'll be performing on stage in front of 1,800 people! WOW! She is sooo excited! I'm upset because camera's aren't allowed, however, I was able to "sneak" in a couple of shots at the dress rehearsal yesterday! Look at her form! I am definitely the proud mama! :)

This morning I picked the first tomato from my garden. It had to have an official photo shoot... (I'll have one for the first yellow crookneck squash, cantaloupe, etc.) I felt such satisfaction holding that perfectly red, delicious and fresh smelling tomato in my hand. I'm planning on eating it up tomorrow. I haven't decided yet whether I'll eat it in a salad or just slice it and season it with a little salt... mmmm... yummy!

I listed "I ♥ Hugs" chocolate truffle pincushion today. I finally took the time to get the photos ready and list it. I now have a variety of the chocolate pincushions in my shop. I did start the embroidery for a new set of the chocolate candy magnets. Those sets have been sold out for a few weeks so it's time to add another set within the next couple of weeks.

I'm really glad I'm keeping track of things I need to do on my weekly "project list." I feel like I'm accomplishing something even when it is only a small thing. I may actually get through all the things on my MASTER list one day... (OK.. so I'm dreaming... I know I add more ideas for projects faster than I do them... That's what makes art so exciting!) :)

banner & avatar

Ahhhh... I felt MUCH better today. I still had some mild nausea, but nothing compared to the last couple of days! I started on the medication the doctor gave me to reduce the acid in my stomach so this may be what helped as well.

I've been working on Gigi's banner and avatar today. I've really enjoyed the challenge of coming up with a design that represents her shop. I'm looking forward to finishing it up in the next day or so once I make any adjustments or changes she'd like. It was fun to see the elements come together. I love how you start working on one part and soon you're working on the next section and then before long you realize you have a cohesive design! That's the best! That trial and error thing really works! :) I am definitely NOT an expert with photoshop yet... but I'm really enjoying learning a little more each time I work on a new project. It's a whole new art dimension for me! :)

Cami's last regular ballet class was today. The class was dress rehearsal for their BIG performance on Saturday. (Her other ballet class performance is on Sunday... busy ballet weekend!) I took some photos of her all dressed up in her costume. Doesn't she look so cute!?! I'll have to take pictures of her in her costume for the other performance. It's a totally different style. (She prefers this one because she thinks the other one is too "little girlish.") I also finalized her summer dance classes. She wanted to take 2 ballet classes and 1 jazz class... so she'll have 3 dance classes a week for a six week period during the summer. She sure does love her dance! Of course... we'll also make sure she has some good volleyball during the summer ! ;)

Leila is in the midst of finals this week. Poor thing... I sent her a goody box last week to help her through the all-nighter's. She'll come home Sunday for Father's Day and then head back after Cami's performance that night. She'll be back for her birthday next Wednesday.... SHE'S TURNING 21!!!! WOW! (my goodness... I guess this means I'm getting older.)