Quick Quote Friday

15 Minutes of Drawing: Backyard

Down under we are heading for summer and our backyard is the place to be. BBQ, swimming pool or just general water play. So this week a little ode to the backyard. With the exhibition and a bit of under the weather health I did not manage them all but still here are my two and there are a couple more on Instagram @renateandtheandhouse

Next week: landscape

 

15 Minutes of Drawing

Words starting with the letter A, there are plenty of them, but not all of them are easy to draw. I’m sorry I did fall back on the usual, because I try to keep to the 15 minutes.

Next week: the backyard

Finding Colour Palettes in your photos

Last week we looked at the photos we took from our neighbourhood to find shapes. This week I want to challenge you to take those same photos and find colour palettes.

What is a colour palette I hear you ask. In my opinion it is a combination of 3 or 4 colours you find in your inspiring picture that you take out and put together to use for other purposes. You can make a colour palette of all kind of things and media. I used watercolour, as I had it readily available and make the colour blocks more vivid. I found my own pictures a bit dark which I regretted, but still gave it a go. Will you do too?

 

15 Minutes of Drawing: home

sometimes you give yourself an impossible task. And I might have known that the feeling I have with the word home would be very hard to translate into a drawing, but here are some of them;

The others you can find on Instagram @renateandtheanthouse

Next week: toadstools

Fairytale Mask

Last week I talked about the idea for the fairytale play, this week is supposed to be about costumes. I didn’t manage to come up with a good story line.

The fairytale idea didn’t leave me though. And you know how thoughts just occurs to you when least expected. Well I think I might have come up with a modern fairytale. With in the lead a 15 year old girl and an injured bird. The magic object a raindrop ring, that is going to help her see that she is perfect the way she is. Al this in the setting of a beautiful Forrest where her and her family are camping.

So what costume can I make out of this. Well I was going to work on a birds mask and perhaps even some wings. But little girls and family life sometimes change these plans.

The groundwork has been laid though. A cereal box has been confiscated for the base of the mask. And a template has been drawn. Next week hopefully a how to and the end result.

Keep Playing

Last week I talked about the difference between my 2 daughters and approaching a task. How knowledge can stop this freedom of approach. I see it in myself, wanting to do it right, but what is right? 

Noticing my reservations in starting and seeing my 4-year-old just going for it has made me realise I need to keep on playing. Yes I need to focus and follow a path to make my creativity my source of income, but I do not want to stop playing so that my creativity stays fresh and fun. Hope you get to do the same and I can help you with that.

Finish the Drawing

I am facing a blank page as I sit in front of my blog deciding what to write. I guess it is pretty much the same feeling lots of people have when they see an empty page and are asked to draw something. This feeling that it needs to be perfect or at least I have to think it is beautiful.

Often that is the feeling I have when I write a blog, it has to be meaningful and useful. In my opinion it is meaningful and useful to create every day. It gives me a good feeling when I have made something even if it isn’t great. And I want you to have that feeling too. So to take away that feeling of a blank page I have made a pdf with 6 blocks and in each of these blocks is the start of a drawing. It is up to you to finish it. The wonderful thing is nobody has to see it you can keep it all to yourself, or start over again if you make a mistake, crumple up the paper and nobody has to know. Once you are happy with the result you can share. Most importantly though enjoy the process.

If you really need an excuse to start creating you are allowed to use you kids. Mine are more then willing to create with me. And especially when they are young they are a great support, easily impressed with what you draw. Be careful though, just because they are easily pleased, don’t get complacent. Try, try and try again until you yourself are happy as well.

Find your pdf here: 160712 finish the drawing

 

52 Weeks of Card Making: Ice Cream

For my friends in the Northern Hemisphere. We are hoping you are having a wonderful summertime. #52weeksofcardmaking howto video on facebook.com/renateandtheanthouse

Don’t forget the winter holiday sketchbook challenge continues for another week. Today on the menu 3 shapes with 3 the same drawings in 3 different mediums. Click here to read more about the challenge

Playing with: Magazines

Nothing makes me happier on a cold winters day then to curl up on the couch or in bed with a hot cup of tea and a magazine. I have several magazines lying around the house and after they have been read from cover to cover they make an awesome craft material.

Not everybody is willing to pay massive amounts on pretty craft paper and you don’t have to. The pictures, but also the letters can give you a great pattern for your craft.

Ideas with magazine paper as craft material:

vase & flowers ~ 2 craft and 2 create

funny faces ~ activity book for adults

birds nest ~ 2 craft and 2 create

beads ~ red ted art

collage ~ 2 craft and 2 create

Don’t forget the sketchbook challenge. Today the  hint is, pick a picture from a magazine or a stamp and try to draw it. Want to know more about the challenge click here.