Paint Party Friday... How Now Brown Cow

Hellooo...

I haven't been partying with the PPF gang lately, but I thought it was time to get my act together and link up. 

I've been very busy, but I have managed to produce some art.

This highland cow has been evolving for quite some time now.

He/she has highlights, so I thought he/she should join in the Paint Party Friday too.

It's a practice piece before I start a serious commission.

I've bought new paints and been having a great time getting to know them.

I've had music blasting out and dancing whilst splashing about with a paintbrush. 

It's been very liberating! 

I've also been working away on my @Makeartthatsells assignment.

We are currently completing the final month of Bootcamp.

I will really be sorry to finish this class.

I think I'll be signing up for more, as there are lots to chose from throughout the year.

The sketch below was a personal one.

It's 'Ernest' my Great Granddad who was born in 1867.

As I sketched, I was lost in my thoughts about my family and it's history... 

a little like 'Who Do You Think You Are?'

For those who might not be familiar with that tv programme... it's where a celebrity traces their family roots back through the years.

I find it fascinating.

I also thought I'd use this sketch to practice my very weak lettering.

I fear now that I've plastered poor 'Ernest' on a 'WANTED' poster!

One fact that I did come across from my research notes, was that he was a 'Tole Dealer'

I had no idea what this might be... so after more delving, I found that it involves ornately decorated trays or chandeliers etc!

Who knew?

How strange especially after painting precisely that in last months assignment. 

Who knows, Ernest might have been a painter too!

I had many thoughts on how his life might had been back then. 

He actually married Mary, the daughter of a Scottish farmer, when they were both 31 years old.

I'm thinking that this was rather old for marriage back then.
Maybe that's why he is wearing a tartan tie... to impress Mary?

I also wonder why this photo was taken... was it for some special occasion?

I haven't done much lettering, but now I know that I've obviously got a lot more practising to do!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll join my over at the Paint Party Friday.

Eva and Kristin do an amazing job of sharing everyone's great artwork.

Have a great weekend.

Sunday Sketches... Sleepy Hedgehog

Just a really quick sketch today... 

I've got lots to do before next week, but hopefully I'll be able to tick them all off my list.
I'd love to just curl up, get cosy and snooze away, but that's not going to happen.

There's not many more weeks for Alexandra's Sunday Sketches coming from the UK, so why not hit the link below, or in my sidebar and see what's happening. 

Thanks for hosting the link once again Alexandra.

I hope you have had a great weekend and are ready for the new week ahead.

Alexandra's Sunday Sketches from England

Apologies in advance for being in such a rush with this post, but I managed to finish the owl and thought that I'd link him to Sunday Sketches

I also started drawing a rose...

I realise that these ink drawings are probably going to drive colourists crazy. 

I love to just draw in ink, but even I'm beginning to think that they need COLOUR!

Sorry to be in such a rush this week. 

If you'd like to see more work by talented artists then click on the icon below. 

It'll take you straight to Alexandra's Sunday Sketches.

It still thrills me to see my winning design on Alexandra's Blue Chair Diary Blog

Confession, Conker and Cosy Owl... PPF

I'm having to come to the party this morning with a confession. 

I failed the InkTober challenge miserably, but I'm feeling so much better now that I've decided it wasn't working for me this year.

The official prompts didn't appeal and I am aware that a challenge shouldn't be easy, but I was beginning to not enjoy the art and that's a fundamental principle of me drawing/painting or sketching.
I have to enjoy it!

So now that that's out there, I'm carrying on with the ink drawing at my own pace and creating designs that appeal to me. 

As it's autumn and all the leaves here are putting on their colourful display, I thought a conker leaf would be just right. 

I was even tempted to go back and paint this one, but I think I'll leave the painting until the end of the month. 

It's funny how our inner thoughts and feelings come out in a drawing, without any conscious thought.

Here's my design from yesterday.

It is a wise old owl.

He's not finished yet, as I want to pattern his hat and add his feathers.

My Hubby's Father has been very sick for quite some time and he was in my thoughts today.

Thank you for visiting and I hope that I can pop over to your place soon.

In the meantime, I'll be linking up with Paint Party Friday as usual.

If you'd like to see lots of fantastic artists work, then come and join me by clicking here

Have a great weekend everyone. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sadly my Hubby's Dad (Grandad) has passed away
I may not be around for a little while, as the family need to group together at this terribly sad time.
He will be greatly missed... he was a real trouper, but unfortunately two days after his 90th Birthday went quietly asleep and is now at peace.
Rest in Peace Grandad
xxxx

Lion Dog... PPF and Sunday Sketches

How on earth can it be Friday? 

I'm sure there are three Friday's in one week or at least that's what it seems.

Once again I am having a play and experimenting with my art.

I really think if only I could just settle into a certain style or meme.

(I am involved in a project that I hope to share at some stage with you all, but for now I can't post about it). 

So I decided to play yesterday and what better than to play with Muffin! 

She had been having such fun in the garden during the afternoon and had me in stitches especially when she decided to gruff and talk to me. 

Thankfully, she's never been one for barking, but on occasions she does.

The trouble was that when she started the sound echoed around our garden and she suddenly became aware of another dog barking! 

Or that's what she thought. 

But it was in fact her echo... it was hilarious!

This photo was taken a little while ago when the sun was actually shining.

We have had rain every day for over a week now. 

Heaven knows where our summer has gone.

Anyway... back to art. 

I thought I'd try once again to draw Muffin. 

I've tried before without success... so don't laugh... here yet another attempt.

I decided to use black paper and Derwent Inktense Pencils.

She is what I would normally describe as a blonde dog, but that's okay for me to say because I'm also blonde, but today she showed a rather cunning side to her character.

I've mentioned before that we have doves appear each day and on occasion she has been known to dash out of the door at full pelt and chase them. 

Never getting near, so I've never been worried about the doves welfare... but today was different.

Here's a YouTube video that my son took. 

Now I know why they are called 'Lion Dogs' 

Where did she learn to stalk! 

And lastly, I hope you don't mind if I indulge in a little parental pride and show you my daughter's latest venture. 

She has created posters and flyers for the 'Plague of Idiots' who are performing shows in this years Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

The lettering has been hand drawn.

If you are in Edinburgh and want to see a great show then nip along and see the Plague of Idiots... you'll not be disappointed! 

Once again, I'll hopefully be linking up with Kristin and Eva over at Paint Party Friday if I'm not too late. Thanks ladies for hosting such an inspirational link.
I'm also linking up for week 3 of Alexandra's Sunday Sketches from the UK. 

Alexandra has moved over from the US to England for a temporary period and she wanted her link to Sunday Sketches to reflect that it is being hosted from England.

She had a competition to design a logo to reflect the move and I'm thrilled to say she picked my design. 

Please tap on the logo in my side bar to nip across to see lots of Alexandra's brilliant illustration work, but also lots of other artists work too.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone 

Hope to see you again soon