flowers in green box

flowers in green box
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Hoot (and others) thinks this looks like something from Madeline.

EDM 139 honey dripper w/handle

EDM 139 honey dripper w/handle
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Don't know the "proper" name for this is
but it has a handle. A drop of honey is hanging out forever at the end.

Watercolor on 140 lb. Canson Monteval
WC paper

EDM 61 group of 2 or more

EDM 61 group of 2 or more
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

There are so many things o chose from to make a grouping, but I love these pots got some reason. I was going to put them against a brick or some sunny stone wall, but they wanted contrast,

Hoot says they remind her of Winnie the Pooh. I can see it, the colors are Poohish.

Colored pencils on graphite sketch, background painted with bamboo brush and speedball ink.

peach water tower

peach tower 3
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Yep, we take our peaches seriously here in South Carolina. This water tower is in a town in the upper part of S.C., between Rock Hill and Greenville

watercolor on Arches

peach poster EDM 133

peach poster with 4
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

S.C. is peach country, after all and I come from a peachy family

I couldn't decide which version to post, so made my usual poster style thingie.
Left to right are:
prisma marker in 140 lb Cotman CP
Winsor & Newton WC on 140 lb. Arches CP
(torn into workable for me size)
Digital art using a wonderful program by Pixarra.
made for art, not photos.
Prismacolor colored pencils

summer fruit poster

summer fruit poster
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

These wee first things I painted after changing from Cotman to artist watercolors. I think I used a waterbrush.

I've yet to paint a peach, but seem to be in the poster making business recently

EDM 131 spray bottle

EDM 131 spray bottle
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

My summer 2007 fragrance of choice, It's the cheaper version of Sunflowers, and I must say I like it at least as much. It's light and cooling.

Done with Prisma markers tat I forgot I still have.

Tis is a real departure for me, a lot more like a graphic thing.. It was fun to do something different.

EDM chains (of love)

EDM chains (of love)
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I really wanted to do this challenge with one of Hoot's photos, but didn't have it! Wound up using Google images and adding what I wanted.

We went over to TGI Friday's for lunch, then to Barnes and Noble. I broke down and bought a Moleskeine sketchbook. It's nice paper., so now I have three things I enjoy painting on- the Moleskeine, regular WX paper and some Bristol. Motly with the Bristol, I've been dividing it up into varying sizes by tearing it.,

to solarium EDM 128

to solarium
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Gassaway Mansion was once a private home, then an art museum and art lessons were given there. I spent a lot of time there, in various capacities.

EDM 129 People Doing Things

EDM 129 People Doing Things
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

1. I always loved this kind of sandbox, colorfullll, nice lid and shade, seats all around and NO plastic! Saw this one in a Lillian Vernon catalogue.

2. Bunkbeds and trio (Harry, Ron, Hermione) doing the tent thing. Hermione's turn to watch.

3. I have no idea what prompted this, it was one of those, "someone else's hand jumped in and took over mine. Maybe that's why I like it so much. Especially the dock.

to Casey

to Casey
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Happy Birthday, Casey. Hope it is or was a wonderful one!

~Ashleigh

mermaid

mermaid
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Again for sentimental reasons, it's one of those brazen ysst mermaids from the prefects bathroom

rainbow dragon baby

rainbow dragon baby
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Because it's the end of an era, sort of, a dragon for Hagrid

tea with sponge

tea with sponge
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

A hunk of sea sponge that's been used for a bunch of projects, sitting on top of a big can of istant iced tea fom Aldi. It's good to have for emergencies

watercolor crayon on small Moleskeine WC notebook

tents

tents
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I was looking at tents in google images for one to put in a painting. I wound up liking this more. I am so weird.

done with a calligraphy pen I grabbed from the desk, on lain old cpy paper, W&N watercolor added later

tidepool

tidepool 2
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

under the sea, under the sea

well, slightly

blue crab

blue crab
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I've left the birds and returned to my natural habitat things related to sea and shore.

EDM 125

EDM 125
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

The challenge was to draw a bird. It's abundantly clear that I cannot really draw anything that looks like a real bird, so I did some birds I like.

The firstbird at the top, of course is a peacock. Certainly not the nicest bird in the world,and there's the thing about their feathers bringing bad luck. I've been around a lot of them though and they are beautiful, and probably have a lot to do with my loving blue..

Then there's an eastern bluebird, a pretty little thing. Beside her is a little owl that I wil say is Pigwidgeon, the little owl Sirius gave Ron in POA. My favorite HP book, ever..

The last one is a mountain bluebird,, someplace in the western part of the country.

revamping paintboxes

There have been a few things that I feel better about, as far as the quality of my painting. While this was the year I got determined to spend enough time on something I love to see results, and I know skill and practice are huge, materials are too. Discovering the Moleskine watercolor notebooks was one thing. The paper isn't the best quality, and I prefer Canson Monteval, there's something about a Moleskine that makes me want to paint and to be more free to create.
Switching from Cottman to artist quality paints has been another thing. I've currently limited myself to twelve pans, instead of the multitude of Cottman tubes I have. This has forced me to become more adept at mixing. Besides, I love playing with color.

Finally, after using the top of an old metal paintbox from years ago, it seems there reallly is a difference between metal and plastic for color mixing. Maybe it's my imagination, but the blend seems smoother. I looked at some empty metal paintboxes at various online dealers, but they were usually 23 half pan size. So, I made my own. The large metal one is a Cretacolor opaque box, I just pried the paint out and added my own from tubes. I LOVE it! I know it looks sort of messy, but it works!

The other box I found in a retro candy display at Michael's. The pans are ones from a Cottman pocket set. I had changed the paint in it to artist quality. It's a little deep, but I also have room in the box for water, in a plastic bottle that once held diabetic test strips. very tight fitting top. Also my small travel brush and a paper towel for etc. All of this fits in a small cosmetic case, along with a pocket Moleskine watercolor notebook, a #2b pencil , kneaded eraser and Pitt Artist's pen.

I'm pretty happy with this basic set up, and feel good about using what I had. The Cretacolor box is very sturdy and heavier but not terribly so, than plastic ones. I also have a nice set of opague paint to use with my niece who's 2 and my nephew, who's seven. Katie walked in this morning and immediately demanded to paint. She was slow talking, but what a change, even knows a lot of colors. O'nge is a favorite, so is pupoople.

The little one makes me grin, just to look at it. Fun stuff!

EDM 33 and a waiting room

I've had the eye ready to post for some time, but forget.

We spent some unexpected time in the hospital emergency room from 2 AM till around 7AM Monday. It all turned out well and the people there were super nice. Still, it felt good to sleep.

EDM 124 something yellow

Here are my something yellows. I have rarely drawn a car before, but my nephew will be glad I started. The rest of te post is below the images.

I'm not much of a person for yellow and didn't want to draw fruit or flowers. So, on the new bridge from downtown Charleston to Sullivan's, I saw a yellow thing I like, with the top up. Another one was spotted in the riverview area by the Ashley River, top down. Love to have one, but have a feeling they are like ovens on a sunny day.

Somewhere

Somewhere
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I'm going to the beach tomorrow! I will aain be an island girl. And go to the Market, and hopefuly bring back a ton of shwimp.

patient and proper

patient and proper
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

This is my version of a still shot from another movie. can't remeber the name though. The female lead was Naoi Watts, I beleve. My people don't bear much resemblance to the others, except they're under umbrellas.

She looks suitably aloof, possibly she disapproves of her fellow waiting person's posture.despite his proper clothing, he looks not quite the totally British businessman.

I can't pinpoint it, but I do like this one. Now that I consider it, drawing and letting your own drawing be the inspiration for writing makes a lot of sense.

Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

done from a photo in Vogue about the movie of her life. I think I would like to see it. The still shots were great.

One especially interesting thing is that she had such a good head for business. She started putting her animal characters on notecards, and I'm not sure what else. It sounded as if she would approve of all (or maybe some) of the merchandising that's gone on over the years.

Since B and H have been such frequent doctor and holspital visits recently I have seen way more magazines than normaly I would.

EDM 44 an animaal-bunaroo

EDM 44 an animaal-bunaroo
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I've done far better animals than this one, but I like im. He has some personality..Nothing like being a cross bred animal. He looks pleased with himself though, so who am I to question?

EDM 4-my mug

EDM 4-my mug
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Here is a not very good drawing of the mug I almost always use. I used to have a huge one, cabalt blue with the Hogwarts crest. After a few years, it broke. The handle just separated from the cup. Fortunately not while it was in use.

I found this one at a Dollar Tree, it has actually lasted longer than the HP one. Weird.

EDM 64 one of my sinks

EDM 64 one of my sinks
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

A little bit of the hall bath, mostly oceany stuff in there. The shower once had a lighthouse curtain,that Hoot picked out, but has since been replaced by a filmy ocean blue one. Nothig with a decorater look, just personal things. Once we had the characters from Disney's Little Mermaid in there.

The sink has a rim of little shells and clear turqoise and cobalt glass "stones". The ligh house is a model of one at Montauk, Long Island, near where my Aunt Stella lived, in Southampton. She once was an opera singer and a painter. She married a man in the record business and they had an apartment in Manhatten part time and out on Long Island the rest.

After he died, she sold the apartment and stayed mostly at the house. I loved visiting her there, and meeting her friends, who were quite an assortment. One was a former "big game" hunter and his home was full of the results. Great storyteller. How much of it was real, I don't know.

I didn't plan to write all that. Summer Rambles. My summers- Myrtle Beach, Long Island and Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts..

EDM 77 & 94 snow cone and spoon

EDM 77 & 94 snow cone and spoon
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Not the greatest sppon, I could have gone with something more intricate. Zesto has brought some good memeories into my book though, good times, tired times, all sorts.

Snow cones mean summer.Not that I don't love them anytime, but especially going to Myrale Beach, we would always get a snow cone and sit on the benches at the Pavilion to people watch

EDM 122 small shade

EDM 122 small shade
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

This isn't much more than a scribble, but there's something about it that I like. It was going to be a palm tree, but I got into a more doodling mode, then sort of splotched on the color. Maybe it was meant to be, because this was done orior to the shade challenge on EDM

It's a weird snshine while it thunders, while the whole state, pretty much, has a severe weather warning or watch.

Hoot and I are going over to rummage through Goodwill. Maybe I will find another bell.

Poppet on deck

Poppet on deck
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Another drawn in the dark, pretty pitififul. Since I put in those exaggerated cheekbones, I decided to give her sort of an all over sunburnt look. She wearing the coolie outfit, and unfortunately looks very meek. Which she definitely wasn't..

Sorry, Poppet.

pirate cove drawn in the dark

pirate cove
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

One of my "sketches" from watching the new Pirate's movie. The remains of the red ink are still there, and I hate those little scrubby trees. What was I thinking?

EDM 87 journal and draw lunch

6-5-07 lunch
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I was so hungry at lunch time yesterday, and so unenthusiastic about the food available. I should have grocery shooped but didn't. No, smart me, I waited until the afternoon storms hit.

This turned out to be pretty good though or maybe just hunger?) It's two slices of seeded rye bread, some hunky slices of Meunster cheese and some cherries. It all went well together.

The little green handled knife is one of a set I got from Target, to replace some great, lost ones from the Gourmet Shop. I had very low expectations of them, but they are great. Also pretty, being one each of red, blue, yellow and green. Each has a different type blade.

Since I'd been sitting on the bed, drawing, in the background you see a small paint tray and a little of Momo's big, bushy tail. .

EDM 9 organized chaos

EDM 9 organized chaos
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Last week I got Danny Gregory's Creative License, from Amazon. After Hoot's graduation, I took a nap then woke up around 11:30 and read till about 3:30. Eventually I was just dead, but also felt I _had_ to draw. This is the result. It's also the top of the chest next to my bed, so it's the first thing I see upon awakening. So many important things here.
A cap from Sunset Beach, hanging on the lamp.
a cup with a straw
a metal two hole sharpener
an empty paint tube
a strawberry lip gloss
a bottle of Winsor & Newton mask, and one of oxgall
a watermelon lip gloss
a little wooden box I painted with watercolor and sealed for keeping sharpeners and kneaded erasers
a snapshot of Graves Mountain Lodge, Virginia
a big round hatbox with classic Pooh decorations, containing true chaos
the stuffed pumpkin Yumi sent me from San Francisco
a lamb that looks like one from the Serta ads
a bottle of some sunflowery body mist
a gilt frame mirror with a shamrock printed palmetto tree and crescent moon on it
a metal Classic Pooh bucket containing pens, pencils, tweezers, emery board, etc.

in front
the most easy to read, easy to understabd Bible I've seen. I should read it more
on top is my cell phone

A _lot_ of stuff. Colorful enough?

EDM challenge 66 - keys

Derwent keys
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Well, when I added color, I lost the shadows and forgot to re add it. Getting the color to suit me was a trial.

EDM challenge 121 Draw some coins

farthing
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I'm fairly happy with these. They could have more depth, but I'm not gonna whine.

EDM 96 - something sweet

cookiedough2
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

There's nothing like cookie dough to inspire. I hadn't planned on drawing this. I had four other things out, but they got pushed away by Nestle.

EDM # 119 again

rocks hammer
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

ome look more like hunks of meat, or Easter eggs.

EDM #112

salad
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Something fresh. Quite a few things, really.

In the old wooden salad/bread bowl, several lettuces, tomatoes wedges, fresh mushroom, some cruton, boiled egg and bacon pieces. Yummy!

EDM # 24

fruit
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

A (few) piece(s) of fruit. .

Generally I don't draw fruit, but this was fun, because the colors are so a) fun or b0 obnoxiously bright.

Hoot likes it though, and she's very critical.

cold plate

cold plate text
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I've ben up all night. Maybe getting hungry for _some _ of these things.

heartpieces

heartpieces
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

is important to me, in a lot of ways.when I got the first Moleskines. This one

EDM #5

room 2
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

This is my bed.It's about as diffferent ffrom the Wyeth painting Master Bedroom as can be, yet that painting inspired me.

My high school art teacher was big on Wyeth. This may have been partly because she was "tight" as they say in Greenwood, with the people involved in bringing the Wyeth exhibit to Greenville. Holly and Arthur someone.

EDM #'s 117 and 119

catching rainwater
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Something round, siting on some rocks. A plate catching rainwater in Fool's Trifle's back garden.

EDM #119

rocks
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

Some rocks,or boulders, I suppose. Messing around with wet in wet here. Some, but not really enough, salt added to wet sky..

laundry drying

laundry drying
Originally uploaded by Ashleigh713.

I saw a photo like this on a blog from EDM. I think it was Sherie, so I hope she doesn't mind. It was one ofthose really late nights when no one slept much.