Angelic

but she looks a little sad don't you think.  I am really liking the effect of plain graphite with colour and this time I've tried to add more interest to my sketch and challenged myself to draw her with a body this time.  Still not very confident with hands... so she has none...lol Blimey there's such a lot to learn with this drawing lark!!

The obligatory close-up :D

She doesn't look as sad at this angle... maybe just thoughtful eh.
hugs
Chris xx

The Sketchbook challenge-February-Opposites

The pencils just WON'T stay in their box...lol  So it's just as well that it's time for February's Sketchbook Challenge.  I had lots of ideas for this theme but I couldn't resist doing another face.  I wanted to experiment with coloured pencil and graphite in a combined sketch.  It was quite difficult because my eye kept being drawn to the coloured part when I was trying to draw the grayscale bits.  I really enjoyed the challenge though and was quite happy with the result.

When I had finished I couldn't resist a little play in photoshop so that I could change the placement of each side and I think I like this even better :D

Have a great weekend all
hugs
Chris xx

Let's face it...

I'm a face-a- holic...I just love faces...lol   Big ones... small ones... cute ones... pretty ones... and sometimes not so pretty ones too. 

I am also my own worst critic when I'm drawing them... sometimes the lips are too big... the noses too long...the eyes too far apart or too close together... but they are all emerging from deep within my noggin so to me they are all wonderful... it's a learning curve and the curve is getting shorter day by day.  I have no problem with that.. I am enjoying the journey.  Each sketch has me so involved that I end up in an almost hypnotic place... calm and serene... that can only be a good thing right :D
hugs
Chris xx

More Milliande journal pages

This one is 'striped dragonflies'   it's a bit weird... but I like weird...lol My imagination is so wacky at times :D

This page is about 'vertical journalling' which I would NEVER have thought of doing but could become addicted to now.

See the link to come play on the right if you'd like to come play.
hugs
Chris xx

Milliande's journalling challenge days 5,6 and 7

I've been continuing with the Milliande journalling challenge but there aren't enough days in the week to share everything I've been doing with you.... oooooh super productive I've been.  It's amazing how quickly you can work with a journal, a few pens, oil pastels and watercolours.  I don't spend half the time looking for stuff like I do when I'm crafting (when I'm crafting I usually find that what I want to use is right at the back of a cupboard in the 'might need it later box'...lol)

Ok journalling.... Day 7 was create a zebra by drawing round your hand.

 Day 6 ... Millipede me... did I catch the likeness...lol... the bottom half of me looks pretty familiar... all those Christmas goodies lying on my hips ;-)

Lastly day 7... Create a window in the page.  I was a bit unsure of this one when I started but I love it now it's finished.

Hope you are enjoying the weekend
hugs
Chris xx

Patience pays off....

well it has in my case anyway.  It took me AGES to draw this but I was over the moon with the result.  I guess the more I practice the quicker I will become which can only be a good thing.  This sketch is a bit surreal in places but I just felt the need to experiment.

 I am growing towards working from reality instead of from what's in my head but I need more practice before I start drawing portraits of REAL people.

 I'm also experimenting with coloured pencils which produces such different results but is so pretty.  I am soooo happy with myself for starting to sketch again.... I guess the talent was always there but sooooo well hidden I'd forgotten about it...lol

Have a great weekend all :-)

hugs

Chris xx

Okay this is the one.

My most favourite of all my sketches.... why.... well not only cos I love her sweet face... but I also managed

to draw plaits...whoooohooo.  I'm well chuffed with meself and I think this is the best of the hairstyles I've drawn too. My sketching isn't stopping here but I have to make room to blog more goodies so this is it for now.

Hope you enjoyed sharing with me :D
Back tomorrow with some DT stuff.
hugs
Chris xx

Sketch journal page10

Only one more sketch to share after this one...then we have to have a change of scenery so to speak...lots to share over the coming weeks cos my mojo is in overdrive (never thought I'd hear myself say that...lol).

Anyway still been changing hairstyles on my girlies (though my favourite one of all is the one I will share tomorrow... I know... I'm a rotten tease ha ha ha).

Hope you like her :D

hugs

Chris xx

Sketch journal page8

Check out the hair....rofl... bet you've never seen anyone with hair like this :D  My mind works in mysterious ways.    Maybe I was trying to draw feathers cos she looks a bit birdish don't ya think. 

 Anyway she may have a bit of a strange barnett.... but I love her green eyes.  It's still a surprise to me how my sketches turn out and every one has a special place in my heart.  Love Love Love drawing....can you tell :-)

Only a few more to share this week as I have some DT stuff that I want to share too.... thanks for indulging me on my little journey.
hugs
Chris xx

Sketch journal page7

When I was a little girl I always had dreams of being a ballerina... I wanted to wear those gorgeous dresses in Swan Lake.... but I never got to take dance lessons... being the eldest of seven there were never enough funds available.   So I drew my own little ballerina in waiting....

 Complete with her own pink hairband, bun...wispy curls and crossover cardigan :-D

She's probably going to grow up to be a Prima Ballerina and dance in the Nutcracker.
hugs
Chris xx

Sketch journal page5

I forgot to take a photo of this sketch before I coloured it... sorry :D  I find it really peculiar that once I start to sketch... whatever face I'm doing at the time... that the whole drawing just seems to evolve on it's own.

I had no intention at all of this ending up as a Nun but it did anyway...weird or what.

I wonder if it's something in my subconscious mind that leads me to draw what I do especially as I have no particular project in mind when I begin.

Whatever it is I'm not complaining :D
hugs
Chris xx

Sketch journal page4

Now that I am getting used to the way the pencil works on the paper in my sketch pad I have started to become a bit more adventurous and finding out new things along the way.  I have discovered that by using tissue instead of my fingers I can blend the pencil on the paper better.

The tissue will also remove some of the heavier graphite (I do tend to be a bit heavy handed).  I have tried hard not to use an eraser while I've been sketching because then I have to be a bit more focused about what I'm doing.  Some of the mistakes in the original sketch and the hair style have been changed simply with the coloured pencil and tissue.... tis so clever how this works. 

Using the tissue to blend also gives a more delicate look to the finished sketch  and I am loving doing the faces this way.

Hope you like and thank you for following my sketching journey :D

hugs

Chris xx

Sketch journal page2

One of the fun parts of trying out sketching different  faces is that they always end up looking so completely unlike what I imagine they will.  I am not working from reference photos yet... I guess that I will do this at a later date... I quite like the surprise at the end of my sketching so for now I am just going with the flow :D

It would be really freaky if I came across anyone in real life who actually looks similar to one of my drawings...ooooer.  I think I liked this one better before I added colour ... I used normal coloured pencils this time... liked them better than the pastel pencils.

I am getting better every day... though it may not look like it to you...lol 

You will see as the days go on.  It is definitely right that the more you do something... the better you become and the easier it gets.  I am trying to leave the mistakes I've made just so I can look back myself and see what I have achieved in future weeks.  Sometimes I just don't see that something isn't right until I look at the finished sketch and then it's too late to erase it anyway.

No matter.... I am learning to love my art... warts and all :D

Thanks for looking

hugs

Chris xx

Sketch journal page1

This week I am going to share with you the pages from my ongoing sketch journal... page by page... so you can see what I've been doing :D  I've been trying different techniques and it amazes me how each day my sketches have taken on a life of their own and how I've progressed with them.  I haven't been happy with EVERY one BUT it's been a learning curve :-) 

I started just doing practice graphite sketches BUT couldn't just leave them uncoloured... even though that is what I had planned in the beginning.  So I tried out pastel pencils on this page... I found them really hard to work with so stuck with only a few colours. Definitely need to practice more with different mediums and it is fun to play so I will keep trying.

I need to discover some blending tips so I can use more colours... the paper is pretty smooth so didn't give a really good key for the pastels to cling to so maybe I will try them on a more textured paper at a later date.

Now I will be postdating the rest of the weeks posts because I will be taking part in  this Free class by Jessica Sprague.  If you fancy joining me you still have time and it's for every crafter whatever your latest crafty addiction is.  I for one can't wait!!  Hope to see you there ;-)

Hugs
Chris xx

Pretty in Pink

Okey dokey I promised to share more of my painting that I've been doing over the last weeks and although there has been lots of trial and error and lots of paintings that I am not over impressed with .... this is my favouritest one of all.  

I am not one to blow my own trumpet BUT I can't beeeeelieve that I drew and painted this.... each time I look at it it makes me feel all warm inside (and to be honest I get a bit choked up  too cos I feel like I am finally realizing something inside me that I thought just wasn't there).

I think that no matter what I draw and paint in future... my pretty little girl will ALWAYS be my favourite...  she created a moment of awakening and I love her for it :D

Thanks for looking

hugs

Chris xx

Face-journal pages

Ohhhhh I AM a happy bunny.... I've been having soooo much fun doing Tam's...  Art, Heart and Healing free course.  I have learned so much in just one short week and found a new passion.  I've always wanted to be able to paint faces properly (you may remember some of my first attempts from previous blog posts weren't anything to write home about though lol)

This is my first attempt at painting one...with instructions from the course... and using watercolour crayons (which I think are amazing).  The pages aren't complete... I have stamping and words to add but I ended up continuing to paint more faces so got a bit sidetracked. (I will share the others with you later).

The face is supposed to be me... well I know I look older ha ha ha.... but hey I feel this young inside so I guess it is me in a sense :D
I've just come home after a couple of lovely weeks with friends so will catch up with you all as soon as I can :D
hugs
Chris xx