Let the good times roll!

I’d forgotten how much fun it is to go dancing!  We had a really good time dancing away Saturday night.

Let’s make some Vitamin D!

I had a doctor’s check up the other day and it turns out that I’m low in vitamin D.  My doctor suggested that I start taking vitamins, but I HATE taking pills.  So instead of taking her advice I’ve decided that I will start drinking vitamin fortified soy milk and spend more time in the sun.  Apparently the body makes enough of its own vitamin D if I stay outside for 15 minutes in the mid day sun (but this only works during the summer in Canada). Unfortunately the weather hasn’t been cooperating so I haven’t been out much…yet.

Augh! Get them away!

I made my first attempt at gardening this spring.  I bought some tomato plants (which I later found out were way overpriced) and planted them in the backyard.  I go out there every few days to look at them and dream about how marvelous the tomatoes will be. 

Today I was horrified to find hundreds of tiny white bugs that look like flecks of dust ALL OVER all 4 tomato plants.  Well there just isn’t enough tomato plant for all of us so they’re just going to have to go!

Think Tank

Here’s the final painting!  I did a first pass in watercolour but it looked washed out, so I went out to the store and bought myself a whole set of gouache.  It turns out that I LOVE gouache!!

While I was at the store, I also bought myself an Incredible Nib to apply the masking fluid.  Previous to the Nib, I was using a toothpick to apply masking fluid because I didn’t want to ruin my brushes. 
Toothpicks suck.  The Incredible Nib, however, is totally amazing!  I even used it to paint the straight lines with a ruler.

You can click on the picture for a closer view. 

Fly problem

We’ve been experiencing a bit of a fly problem for the past few weeks.  I think it comes from leaving the front door open all day to let the work crew walk in and out.

It gives me great satisfaction when I am able to whack them right out of the air!  I get quite a bit of practice because there’s just so many of them.

Under the weather

I try to post something every other day, but I haven’t been feeling great lately.  I slept half the day away yesterday so today I’m feeling much better.

Bathroom decor

After I posted the picture of the houses, I was commissioned to make a similar painting to decorate the wall of a powder room. This time the theme is toilets!

I often find it difficult to choose a colour scheme, and this one is especially difficult because I have to match the colours that are already in the room. So I made a quick sketch in Illustrator to plan it out.

Here's my first crack at it:

I didn't like it, so I created 7 more. She liked the one below because of the strong red floor.

I played with it some more until I liked the colours...

But I found it was still too plain, so I added more details and more colours. Now if she approves the design, I’ll start painting!

How I love figure drawing!

I just started attending life drawing at a new place and I enjoyed myself a lot.  The model stayed soooooooo still and for so long that it boggled my mind.  This painting took me about 45 minutes and she didn’t want to take even one break.  Even the artists were getting up and stretching more often than she did.

Windy day

Any day could be a lucky day.  Today is looking pretty good so far…

My effort at Less is More

I’m trying to learn from Ben Tour and his loose way with paint.  I like the way he splashes things around and makes it look so easy.  I’m still a long way off as you can see, but at least (I think) I can see progress!

The BIG renovation

My parents are doing renovations.

Andrew’s new iPhone

Andrew is obsessed with his new little toy.  He pulls it out every two seconds to play with it and he likes to give me regular updates on what he’s discovered every hour or two.  But it’s ok because I think it’s kind of endearing. 

Cottaging Doodle

I don’t know where this came from.  Really I think I was just stuck inside the cottage for too long and this is the result of it.  I think the dog has a strong Chinese influence to it though.  The dog is the part I like – the guy didn’t turn out so great.  Normally I don’t do anything in pencil & pencil crayon but I forgot my palette at home.  Duh.

Bored

  Have you ever felt zombie-bored?