A Facelift and a New Challenge

My time away in France has found me returned, refreshed and with a renewed outlook on life :) I'm in the mood for a new look and some different creative challenges.

As you can see, I've already given my blog a bit of a facelift. My creativity ebbs and flows in all sorts of different and varied directions. I tingle for newness and go off seeking change constantly. I'm forever itching to learn something or improve a skill. Right now, it's drawing and sketching that have the strongest pull. I'm drooling over journals, pencils, inks, and pens. I'm dusting off my brushes and filling my waterpots to the brim.

So with all this running through my mind, it was fortuitous that when, as I was cleaning my inbox out, I saw that Danny Gregory had begun to take up a new challenge. He's the author of one of my favourite books, The Creative License and he's taken up the Every Day Matters drawing prompts.

I'd already decided that I was going to dive into a new course and post the results on my blog. I've signed myself up for numerous online courses and bought a bundle of books over the years. All are waiting for me to learn something from them. This morning I made a list of them all before placing a tick against two that I'll begin with. I figure it's best to limit myself to begin with rather than attempt them all in one go.

I'll let you know my other choice in a future post. For now, I have set my lunchtime aside, taken out my sketchbook and pencils, pens and paints and quickly set about tackling EDM 1...

...to draw a shoe.

I love the quick, sketchy style of drawing that Danny incorporates into his journals. Suits me just fine. I don't have to worry so much about whether I go over the lines or make a mistake. It's more important to make a mark and capture something of the subject in front of you. I'm not so taken with the scribbly journalling I've added though. Practise and more experimentation is needed methinks.

Still, I'm pleased to have started.

Hope you like the new look :) Now I'm off to go and sit in the garden whilst we still enjoy a rare bout of decent weather. I'll finish my work later, hopefully when it's a little cooler and not so muggy. Ahh the benefits of self-employment (remind me tonight that I said that when I fall face-first, drooling, onto my keyboard, sleep finally catching up with me).

Pxx