29 Faces In September

If you read my last post, you know that I'm working on a fun new project.  Well, the project I'm working on requires the creation of lots of "faces"... And, it just so happens that Ayala is having another faces challenge in September!  Hooray!  This should be the perfect way to keep me on track.  My goal is to create 29 underpaintings (of "faces") in 30 days!

I love serendipity!

(To find out how you can join in the fun, click here.)

(She Has A Wild Side)

This is an underpainting (in dioxazine purple) for a fun new project I'm working on.  

And, because of her studious (but sassy!) look, I think she is perfect for Illustration Friday's Teacher theme!

If You're Not Careful...

A gurn-tastic combination of a quick one liner and contour drawing

...Your face might freeze that way!

This week I've been warming up with some 
wonderfully wacky one liners.
And, in my internet travels I learned a new word:

gurn: a distorted facial expression
(Click here to learn more about it.)

Spread Joy...

(Playing with a fun new technique!)

...Wherever you go!

A Few Thoughts About Dreaming (And Being Brave)

A couple of months ago, I watched (in person) as Nik Wallenda walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope.  It was truly magical to witness his childhood dream coming true.

That was a great big dream that took extreme bravery, a lot of hard work, and a lot of help from a lot of people.  Not all dreams are that grandiose, but what I have come to discover is that most dreams (big, small, and in-between), require bravery, hard work, and very often the help of other people...


Which leads me to the wish of beautiful dreamer, Jenny Lee Wentworth:

image courtesy of Jenny Lee Wentworth

"A DREAM TO PAINT...

Painting is my passion. The magical Misty Mawn is teaching a class in Italy at the end of September and I have been dreaming about going for a long time. I tucked the dream away thinking that is just wasn't possible on my salary. It was always there in the back of my mind prodding at me. I decided I didn't want my dream to dwindle away so I'm asking for your help to make it a reality. The class must be paid in full by the end of August."

-Jenny Lee Wentworth

I think that Jenny is very brave to ask for the help she needs.  (How often do we let the fear of asking for help stand in our way?)


In addition, she has been working hard and painting her heart out trying to get ready for an ebay auction to raise money for her trip.  Now all Jenny needs to make her dream a reality is some help...


If you would like to help Jenny, you can make a donation on her blog,
or you can bid on one of her paintings here.

image courtesy of Jenny Lee Wentworth

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream.  
A dream you dream together is reality."
-John Lennon

61 Cards, 61 Days

Index Cards 1 through 61!

Well, I did it... I completed Daisy Yellow's Index Card Challenge... Wheee!  It was certainly fun, but toward the end I may have been getting a little punch drunk, which is why the following cards are definitely...

ICAD #54: July 24th, 2012

"Corny"

Corny!!!

(Proceed with caution, and consider yourself warned.)

ICAD #55:  July 25th, 2012

"Creativi Tea"

ICAD #56:  July 26th, 2012

"Liber Tea"

ICAD #57:  July 27th, 2012

"Dir Tea"

ICAD #58:  July 28th, 2012

"Par Tea"

ICAD #59:  July 29th, 2012

"Hoo Tea"

ICAD #60: July 30th, 2012

"Royal Tea"

It turns out that my friend, Tracey, is not the only one who has succumbed to tea induced madness!  I could keep going... But, for my final card, I decided to carve a stamp instead:

ICAD #61 (Sort of!): July 31st, 2012

"Thank Ewe"

This is what my final card was supposed to look like.

And, this is what it actually looks like:

Well, all I can say is that my heart was in the right place... Unfortunately, my head was not!

This was meant to be a thank you card for Tammy at Daisy Yellow for hosting such an inspiring challenge.  While the sentiment remains the same, it has also become a cautionary illustration...

Think before you carve!

(In case you missed any of my previous cards, you can find them all here.)