Dragons and faeries and books…Oh my!

Ok…so I haven’t received any pictures of the panels I painted with the layout yet. But from what I understand, he’s not finished building the layout yet. So…I guess the final results are on hold until that gets done in the next couple of months. Not a big deal.

However, I was able to get another piece done. As mentioned before, I went up to my parents’ house over Easter weekend to spend time with my family. While I have my mother and sisters calling our five member group a FOO (Family of Origin)…I still simply call them my family. Difference between them and me? I’m not married with a family of my own to raise and support. So I got to see how one sister and her husband acted around each other during the evenings, and listen to my other sister go on about her husband and kids…and then listen to them both makes plans about family gatherings and such…only for them to look back at me and say something encouraging to include me on in the conversation. And I love my sisters for it, because I know they love and care about me as well; but it does remind me of how much of a third wheel I can be. A spectator, which seems to be my eternal roll in the scheme of life; which I’ve been happy to embrace for the most part.

I miss going out for walks.

So, while I had one project done, I had another that I needed to completely on a deadline; giving myself about two weeks to complete it. And while I had tried to draw during the previous time when I wasn’t painting, my inspiration and skills were working against me when I felt that nothing was looking right, and I couldn’t figure out a way to fix it. But this time around, I couldn’t let it get me down. While on the train ride up, I tried to sketch out an idea with the criteria of the image having a 2 theme to it. Even numbers…I was always taught that even numbers were a no no to an artist, but I wouldn’t make much of a fuss over it. I would make it work. It was based off of another picture I drew for him, though I have to say, this one is looking ten times better than the previous one.

Right…so…on the train I did a very basic…rough…really no detailed framework sketch of what needed to be in the picture; two dragons, books, faeries, and trees. When I even attempted to give it more detail, I think boredom from the long train ride (which was four hours late in getting into my destination due to some idiot in Alexandria who thought it would be a good idea to fortify himself in the apartment he was suppose to be evicted from) stopped me from pursuing the drawing even further. Well…at least until I got a decent night’s rest. The next day I got to spend with my sister, helping her clean the dance studio she learns and practices her Irish Step Dancing in, to which she then took me out for sushi for lunch, and then watch her practice. I enjoyed the music and the show, but it didn’t stop me from working on the drawing. By then, I had decided to simply go straight into inking it without the refined detailed pencil work. Straight from basic framework to inking. And I had decided that I was going to fill in as much space as possible…something I’ve rarely done when creating darks and lights with a ball point pen.

And I’m a firm believer that the ball point pen is not given enough credit in the art world. Seriously…you’ve got all these companies that make brush pens and microns and refillable technical pens, and teachers that show you how to use the pro-quill pens and ink dipping and sumi brushes and such…but a ball point pen? I think the one teacher I had that came close to using an alternative source than the ‘professional’ materials for inking was a ‘Hello Kitty’ fanatic who pulled out a Sharpie marker. And I know I didn’t appreciate his style of teaching much back then, but a part of me wishes I had taken him for my second inking class instead of the newly appointed head of the department at the time. As much as he was the guru when it comes to inking during my time there, I really hated his guts. I don’t know how I managed to pass his class, but I was happy when he openly considered me disturbed.

Anyways, I was happy to show my family what I was working on while it was still all in the works. I like to think it made my dad happy to see the work in progress, since it’s not very often anymore he gets to see what I’m doing. So, whenever there was a pause between Doctor Who episodes Dad and us girls were watching with him, I’d hold up my sketch pad and point out…”SEE!” for the three of them to admire while I bask in their brief compliments. The usual “Looks good”…but when I was finished with it, my oldest sister’s “I can’t wait to see what it looks like colored” gave me a great sense of excitement, because I too was actually eager to color it…but couldn’t during my stay because my laptop lacks the photoshop I use. I guess I could try installing it on there now that I’ve got a hardcopy of it…but with as slow as that thing is compared to my desktop…I don’t think I could tolerate it for long. Besides, my mother’s laptop is made for that kind of fun, with her touch screen that she rarely uses.




THAT LAPTOP IS SO MINE WHEN SHE GETS A NEW ONE! I’VE STAKED MY CLAIM ON IT! Commence battle scene between Kermit and myself, and input Dad’s insistence that if I were to ever get into a fight I would be deemed victorious, much to my sisters’ disbelief. Why? Though everyone seems to agree that they can’t see me getting into such a fight, he believes that I could most assuredly hold my own and my opponent would be regretting it. I don’t know…maybe it’s all the Xena/Hercules shows I used to watch…and the swordplay in the LARPs I used to play in. Go figure.



And of course, I digress. Nothing new there. What’s really nice about the ball point pen work is that I can scan it in as a grey scale image, change the format to color specific, and then change the tones and blacks to another color, which to me creates a nice unified coloration that is shared amongst all the other colors that are later introduced to the picture. Basically, it brings the picture together as a whole without anything standing out too much. And then using the right airbrush/paintbrush tools, adjusting their opacity to the way I like it, and I’ve got a nice watercolor-esque effect that I’ve found looks best with the way I inked the picture. Over all, I’m a happy camper, my friend is a happy camper…all is right with the world for the time being!



And as for payment? This time I am charging in with a tradeoff of my friend (who will be visiting me in the next few days) taking me out for sushi one of the nights he’s in town! HAHA!

Side Panels.

I would say that compliments give me confidence, but I have many friends who have told me how wonderful things look…only for them to find that I still doubt myself…basically not believing them. It isn’t until I get a compliment from whom it matters, such as the guy I’m painting these panels for, that my confidence is boosted. Why? Because I know from experience that when something doesn’t turn out the way one hopes…it shows. And that expression…intended or not…makes me feel like I’ve failed. And I have more than enough failures in my life that cause me to doubt myself a hundred times over.

But for right now, I’m pushing those aside. He likes the back panels, now that I know how to make it look, now that I’ve got the system down…now that I know that I’ve done something right…the side panels will go by more smoothly. Not to mention that their size is a lot small in comparison to the 6ft long background. I’m starting with the one side that doesn’t involve any background scenery at all. Just clouds and the foreground mountain expansion. How I loved painting the clouds earlier! I’m so excited to paint them again. I know you can’t see any of the detail in the previous pictures…but they’re a bunch of little squiggly lines! It’s so neat how they bring out the fluffy texture in them!




The one thing you’ve got to understand about me is…well…that I love the line. Not the straight line, from point A to point B in the shortest amount of distance. Apparently, according to an ex-co-worker of mine, I’m incapable of drawing a straight line, even with all the rulers and related tools because I’m left handed. And here I thought it was because I was just inertly a messy person, and such straighten and clean lines go against my nature. Boy how I’m ALWAYS wrong! Well, at least to him until I was proven right that Kokomo was performed by the Beach Boys and NOT by Jimmy Buffet! HA! Take that ‘Mr. Know-it-All’! …hey…I take my wins when I can…

No no no…I like my lines messy…thick and thin, squiggly and curvy. They reflect that natural flow of the earth, wind, water, and fire…none of which are EVER straight and to the point. Free flowing. That’s how they should be, especially when capturing and replicating bits and pieces of nature such as in this painting. I smile…and I feel at peace for the moment. Ah…enjoy it while it lasts…

The second panel, made for the left hand side of the layout, is still a bit. There are flat spots from the layout…which yes, with the back layout I had to deal with that, but in a whole separate way. Here, there are two flat spots…and blending them into the mountain is the challenge. I think it’s just a matter of making it look like it’s been cut off by the mountain. Hence…why the track wasn’t built to go any further. Yes. That’s what I’ll do. Commence affirmative nodding.




And now…I’m done. Next Sunday…hopefully…I’ll have pictures up of the panels with their layout! Before and after shots! Let’s see how it all turned out!





"They look great. And I love the clouds. I can't wait to get my hands on them." Oh yes...there shall be more ear splitting squealing.

A Sister and a Mother.

A friend of mind laughed at me last Sunday when I saw that Kermit had posted. He’s the eldest of two, if I remember correctly, so I don’t really expect him to understand how excited I tend to get when she writes, calls, or even just comments. There’s just a special bond between my sister and I that…well…I can’t really put into words, other than the fact that as much as I’ve learned not to idolize people…she has always been my first idol, and I can never stop seeing her in that limelight.

It’s her birthday again, and I’ve typed this up ahead of time because at this very moment, I should be on a train up to visit her, along with our sister and parents for the week. Our father had a heart attack recently, and we decided that we’d get together for Easter to spend some time with him. And before you ask, he’s home and his surgery went well. I’m under the assumption that he’s on bed rest or house arrest for the next week or two…to make sure he’s good and recuperated after…well…what was a terrifying ordeal for us.

As I’ve mentioned before, Kermit has a way of doubting herself when it comes to parenting. I remember when we were up for our grandmother’s funeral; she was talking on her phone to her husband about how differently our cousin’s wife treated their one daughter, as opposed to how my sister handles her four kids. You can already see the major differences in the comparison. I think what she got upset with the most was how patient our cousin-in-law was…and though I feel that children are infuriating and run my patience dry, I know that Kermit has plenty to give towards her children; or…at least more than I do.

And I love her for it. Whether she sees it or not, she’s done a wonderful job at being a mother, I think more so because she’s got such a wonderful husband by her side, to help her when she needs it. She’s not alone in being a parent…and I honestly believe she needs to stop dwelling on herself in that matter when it comes to her kids. She’s not alone. She’s raising them with Fozzie, raising them together…and she should be able to see how each child reflects on their parents’ personalities in their own individual way. Anyways…it’s a joint effort on both their parts.

Kermit, you’ve embarked on a journey that is one that I will never want to pursue. But…you’ve got the strength to see it through. We all have our doubts, and in your blog and from listening in on your phone conversations…because what else am I going to listen to until you turn on the wave sounds in your phone…your primary concern is how your children see you. Judging by the smiles on their faces, and the antics you post about…I’d say they see nothing but love for you and Fozzie. I know…I don’t see you guys enough, but I know deep down inside you’re doing a great job!

I love you, and I’ll be seeing you in just a few hours! Happy birthday, sis!