i have just revisited some of Degas' work and appreciate again how well an observation by Zola perfectly describes Degas' work. "There are certain days, when beyond the scents and the shimmering visions ... I glimpse the hard outlines of things as they are." I think I like to do the reverse in my work, when beyond the hard outlines of things as they are, I glimpse the scents and shimmering visions. Albeit drawn in an HB pencil.

Got a lovely new haircut by the wonderful Donovan at Lemonhed/Satori in Loughton high road. Did another figure drawing in pen and finished reading Hey Whipple, squeeze this". Which made me think again about my work, mediums I use, subject matter etc. Should be getting my piano moved in next week! and I'm picking up a free desk tonight which can only help in my organisational chaos.

Went back to the footbridge over south woodford tube again and drew the view inbetween george lane west and mulberry way. I also saw another view on george lane which i shall have a go at next. `spent another pleasant couple of hours doing some more figure work, evidence will be on flickr, address as before :)

the central line from south woodford tube with the addition of a slight watercolour wash is now on the front page. The original drawing had a 'quieter' feel to it than the others and the colour gives it nostalgia for a past era. 

went back to using pencil today to do some figure studies in george lane again. decided a bus stop is a better bet as people have to wait around longer. I put it on flickr www.flickr.com/photos/evers4 as the site is now reserved for more 'finished' work. needless to say, i wont be putting any paint on them.

i got up at 7.30 and spent 5 hours sorting out folders of crap. This was a displacement activity for sorting out boxes of crap. I also managed to clear the coffee table. The sketching trip after Sainburys didn't go so well :(

Yay! the weekend beckons, mustn't waste it though. But waste is a relative term :) Having obsessed over a watercolour of the train line of south woodford, I think, with the help of a fellow artist on flickr, I have found out that it doesn't do to put colour on a drawing which was intended to be only graphite . Funnily enough, I'm ok with colour on my pen drawings so i think that is how I shall leave it:) It really does all come down to intentions. The great thing about illustration is that no one's bothered about the 'original', for the most part, and  illustration has a job to do. It's how something ends up in print or on the screen which counts. If I hadn't tried the colour thing and asked for comments on flickr, i would have been trawling round the issue for ever and a day thinking that it was my ability with watercolour which wasn't good enough when all the time, it just wasn't supposed to be happening! Good old Flickr :))

Yes! back on, I must be really inept, I was trying to drag the wrong icon but in my defense, the instructions weren't that clear (to me :). 

23/05/12
proper blog settings still not sorted. Cleared out more old art things and have given myself even more to stuff to file away or hopefully chuck! :)

21/05/12 Just paid for a ticket to the AOI children's book illustration event in June :))

19/05/12 as the new blog posting thing isn't working, i'm having to write on an old one. very annoying. Last nights class went well, i'm happy to say that the work we did last week paid off as this weeks work was better for it. Last session at wsfg today too, it was great seeing another 10 girls totally absorbed in their work too :)

 
started reading "Hey Whipple, squeeze this" yesterday and i'm now on page 122. Brilliant read and very helpful,love it. Now i'm working out where in the market my work fits. I now recognise the  way of working which is true to my personality, and the sort of work that matters to me . I just have to place myself and my work in the right area. How difficult can it be? :)) Reading through the options in Fig Taylor's book makes this easier because i can eliminate what doesn't interest, so hopefully what is left ....

got the first gag done, hopefully the rest wont take so long as i now know what i'm aiming at.