30 Faces- Done

I completely and suddenly lost steam with 30 Faces in 30 Days after Will Weston.

But I wanted to see it through, so I did. Even if I am a day late. I just didn't have the energy last night, between the dishwasher and battling a stuffy-cold.

It felt a lot like homework.

But it was worthwhile and good practice.

I'm glad I finished,

Now I am going to continue with Will Weston stuff.

*******
DISHWASHER UPDATE:
Someone is coming on Sunday to look at it.
I had to wash all the dishes that were in there.

I have to wait til 9am tomorrow

My
brand
new
DISHWASHER
is
not
working
the
door
will
not
close

I HAVE USED IT ONCE

I think it was not installed correctly, and that one time running it shifted things.
I can literally wiggle the damn thing around.
One of the mounting bracket sticks out, the other one looks cut and does not stick out.

It was closing properly until tonight i dont know what the fuck happened but i'm pretty pissed off mostly because it's too late and I can't tell anyone about it.

New Dishwasher

It was the cheapest one available and it is maybe a million times better than the old one.
I LOVE it.

CAT UPDATE:
Isis growled and hissed for two days after going to the vet.
She finally stopped yesterday.

Sunday Tea

There are days when the perfect thing to do is go to your fabulous wacky bestie's place and have high tea.

I had terrible bus vibes getting over there, just dreadful, so since I was late Jackie was having a slice across the street.

I kid you not, the guy running the pizza place is actually named Rocky.

He's been there for 40 years.

Then we went to the Italian bakery (everyone really ought to have one, so sad if you don't).

We know how to have tea.

Kitty did really weird things for quite a while.

                            

Afterwards I helped move the bike Jackie got for her (adult) son.

It is quite large and very white, and also (surprise!) glows in the dark.

It was indoors waiting for the new cover Jackie ordered.

Her old one was stolen and she knows who took it because he was on the security camera,

Seriously who steals a bike cover?

Cat Repair Event

Isis went to the vet.

I have not taken her to the vet- ever- she hasn't gone anywhere since I adopted her in December 2012.

She went into the carrier purring.
I thought she'd be ok.

She was TERRIBLE.
She was so bad the vet said for future appointments I have to pre-sedate her.
This is an excellent idea.

Daya came along.
She got to talk about algebra with the vet and look at Isis' nasty earwax under the microscope.

THE VERDICT
1 ear infection
2 swollen fangs
0 urine drops collected
3 blood tests
1 container antibiotics
1 tube ear ointment
1 extremely angry cat. no, not angry.  ENRAGED.

OMFG

And the estimate for dental surgery in 2 weeks:

                           

Pebbles thinks Isis deserves all of it.

***********

In order to put some meaning into my life I got on Discord with my ESO guildie Cas and we had an art date. She did (college) homework and I did a soul-numbing anatomy study from Bammes.

Anatomy studies are so boring.

                                       

Friday Night Figure Drawing

I went to figure drawing, was tired but it was ok. Much better to go.

I'm tired of the way I'm working in graphite, might switch to charcoal to change things up.
One pose all evening.  I easily reach the end of my knowledge to take the drawing further, anatomy is my issue.

We talked a lot about observing first, then light under-drawing and getting the bulk of forms in space.
It's good for me to slow down.

Face detail. I actually got a good likeness.

The lighting was really weird.

Simon always has book recommendations, and I usually get them.
I asked if I need Artistic Anatomy if I already have Bammes and he said yes.
So I got it.

Overwhelmed

I have been so overwhelmed this week, I can't find my center, or rather I can't keep it..... I feel stressed.

Honestly my blog has been stressing me out because I'm so behind, and that Will Weston post is why.
Now it's done.

Work is INSANELY busy.

I helped a LaGuardia parent with a Facebook problem and as a result of helping her the person who was in charge of doing all the Facebook stuff (not the mom I helped) offloaded the entire role of LaG PA Facebook Person onto me going forward. I did not intend or ask for that- but she was really dying to stop so took any opportunity-- Well- I don't actually mind so I agreed, if it was something I could not do I would have said no.  But I'm ok with it.  I don't know what to do yet, but I'm not sure that matters very much to be honest.

My dishwasher is scheduled for installation on Tuesday, yay!
The kitchen is getting a small re-vamp.  Both Daya and I are unhappy with it, and that is stressing me out too.  I can't do much but everything in here is so old it just all needs touch up.

And we need a kitchen table, and just to re-organize things a bit.

To be honest a lot of it I haven't been able to do because I either don't know how or I need help, or both. Oh, and also because I think painting is more important.

Daya is being really helpful and without her help it likely wouldn't get done.

I'm also behind in 30 faces in 30 days- to be honest Will Weston just blew it away completely.
It's so basic and elementary compared to his information, which I'm slightly obsessed with at the moment.  But I'm going to finish the 30 faces on time.

Who Am I?

I have been at my job for almost 14 years.

14 years.

14.

years.

Today I got an email from HR saying they need me to fill out the I-9 and verify my identity and right to work in the United States.  I have to bring identity documents so they can look at them in person.

Also, my REAL ID Enhanced Driver's License which proves my citizenship (I paid extra for that) is NOT ENOUGH ID....... so I have to dig out my birth certificate to show them, even though I had to show my birth certificate in order to get he license in the first place.....................

14 years people.

My Paper Angel

Look at what Tammy sent me....
This is incredible.... a bunch of my beloved and discontinued Richeson paper AND a gorgeous painting!

Thank you Tammy you really put a massive bright spot in my day/week/month/heart.

Monday AMNH

Monday was a day off so Daya and I went to the museum of natural history.
I'm glad she actually agreed to go; Daya doesn't like to hang out with me so much these days.

We have always had such nice times together at the museum, but she wasn't really into it. 
I felt really sad.

We saw the new space show and got astronaut ice cream.

FYI the new volcano movie is really boring; they should just bring back the cool fish movie I wanted Daya to see but it's over.

Will Weston Workshop

I did a 2 day very intense workshop with Will Weston, who is a wizard.

There aren't really words for it, so here are a bunch of pictures with a TON of info in them, a massive information dump which is very fitting for the lecture.

If you are interested in Mr. Weston's materials, head on over to Drawing America, where you can get his lectures and some classes online.  It is extremely worthwhile.  I need to work with these materials for a while- he says it takes 4-6 weeks. It's overwhelming so I need to slow it down and just do a lot of homework.

ALL THESE DRAWINGS WERE DONE BY WILL WESTON.

















********
My work from the workshop was pretty crappy for the most part.
That's ok, workshops are meant to be learning environments and change the way you work.  They are not meant to produce finished results. To be able to draw well requires that you draw and draw and draw and draw and draw and I don't do enough and my anatomy is seriously rusty.

Musicians are not precious about practice scales, or most of their practice as finished- drawing is exactly the same.

These are my drawings.  Most were 5 minute poses, a few 10s and the arms/hands and faces were 2 min poses.  The multi-figure poses were composition exercises with storytelling, each was a 5 min pose we had to arrange.  I think I forgot to photograph the arms/hands page and I'm too tired to go back and do it.