Cool Books From My Library

I have a lot of books.

There are many people with a lot more living space who have larger libraries than mine, but I still have a lot of books. Easily in the thousands.

I do have a very excellent art book collection.

These days my fiction-reading is all on kindle (I had to go electronic to save space, no regrets) but I get all my art books in physical copy.  (Cookbooks too.)

Here are five cool art books.

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Herbs for the Medieval Household
I got this book back when I worked at the Met in college.  it came with a companion book about medieval households, which is also on my shelf, right next to this one.

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The Art of Alice: Madness Returns

This is an art book of a game. 

I FREAKING LOVE THIS GAME.

The art is just awesome.

I happen to love concept art, and I tend to pick up art books for games, films, etc if I like the art style.

This one is one of my favorites.

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The Practice and Science of Drawing

Harold Speed.

Classic.

Enough said.

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Framed Ink

This is a book which deals with visual storytelling through composition.

It.
Is.
Awesome.

I have yet to see another book which deals with non-verbal communication through two-dimensional composition as in-depth as this one does.

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Dinosaurs!

I had this book when I was in elementary school.  It was one of my first drawing books. The copy in my library is not the same copy I had-- but I found it a few years ago, happily!

I LOVED this book (still do) and spent many hours with it as a child.

The dimetrodon was always my favorite.

Pebbles Says...

Afternoons are made for napping.

MAC Cosmetics Resumed Animal Testing

Ok, so I just found out that MAC cosmetics has resumed testing on animals.

Because of China.
I am so angry.
Principles melt away in the face of $$$$$$$$.
Greed.

In order for these atrocities to change, they must not be supported.

I'm sorry MAC, I liked you (Though I love Urban Decay more) but I am done with you.
Animals are more important than my makeup.

Urban Decay made the decision to not sell in China because of animal testing.  They stood by their beliefs when the time came to prove it.

ALL animal testing MUST stop.

You can check your products here (2016).

A comparison graphic here (2016).

I found some surprises and I'm pretty mad about it.
Boscia, Origins, Fresh.......excellent products I really love. CRAP.

I am going to use what I have because it is here already but I will NOT repurchase until these companies change.

Many brands that did NOT test on animals 

quietly started again.

And it is all because of Chinese laws and $$$$$$$$$$.

untitled

If I could say the words

Everything would be broken still

                                        -Amy Lee

We Gel Well

I am SO into gel mediums for oils these days.
Why?

Simply put, it doesn't change the consistency of the paint.
That means I can add dryer/ extend the paint without a change in consistency, which I prefer to control with solvent. This is really important when you are laying wet paint over wet paint.

Essentially, it is clear oil paint. And it is extremely useful.

It started with Oleogel (Rublev).
I was smitten.

Then it progressed to galkyd gel. (Gamblin)
And THEN I needed Gamblin Tack Reducer (for printmaking but fine for oils too), which is just like oleogel but in a bigger tube. In the stores, it used to be hidden in the printmaking section but now it is also with the oil paint.

And they also have solvent-free gel which is also alkyd so I had to get that, too.

And THEN Carey said she likes Liquin impasto.

Let's pause here for a moment and discuss Liquin.
It is an alkyd dryer.  A standard.  Winsor Newton. It comes in a bottle.
It stinks but will dry your paint really fast, like 24 hours, making it an illustrator's bff.
So I had to get Liquin Impasto.
And THEN i noticed WN has another gel too... Liquin Oleopasto.
So I had to get that as well.

I'm not compulsive or anything.

1. Rublev Oleogel.  Linseed oil, fumed silica and wax.  I LOVE OLEOGEL.  Does not contain dryers.  Soooo silky and smooth! No smell.

2. Gamblin Tack Reducer- also linseed oil and fumed silica. No dryers. Pretty much the same thing as Oleogel but in a bigger tube. No smell. I like it. There are many times I don't want any dryers in the paint.

3. Gamblin Solvent-free gel- has a dryer. Dries the paint moderately fast. Silky and wonderful. No smell. Great stuff.

4. Gamblin Galkyd Gel. Gel with dryer. I LOVE GALKYD GEL. Handles the same as Oleogel and the other Gamblins. No smell/not much smell.

5. Liquin Impasto.  Dries the paint the fastest.  Smells kinda bad. Dries faster than Galkyd gel. It's silky. I'll use it but after this tube I won't buy more. Partially because I prefer to support Gamblin with my purchase decisions. It's thick Liquin. Better than the stuff in the jar.

6. Liquin Oleopasto- funny thing about this, I couldn't find it in the stores.  It was always out of stock. And I went around looking until I finally just got it on Amazon. It is THICK.  Really, really THICK. This is not something I would normally use. I'm glad I have it around because one day in the future I'll likely need it...it's always good to have options.  Oleopasto REALLY STINKS. Did i mention it is super-thick?


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GEEK NOTE: proper use of dryer vs drier.

Mad!! Under the Sea

Once a long, long time ago there was a large salty sea. 

Over the ages, the sea dried up, leaving barrenness behind, 

and a few salty puddles.

All this land used to be under the sea, but now it's not. 

The salt and residual minerals cause a foggy iridescence.

5x7 mixed media.
oil pastel then an acrylic iridescent coat, then finished off with oil pastels. Matte and iridescent.
This is something I started earlier this year and I'm really trying to finish stuff before starting new stuff.

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I'm really curious to see what was under Carey's sea, because the painting-start she showed me earlier ... well, I'd like to see what was under her sea.

Much Matcha

Matcha is a kind of Japanese green tea powder, traditionally used in tea ceremony.  It is also used to flavor sweet things and it is WONDERFUL. I wish I could find matcha kit-kats here.  Even the Japanese groceries don't have them.

Matcha has become trendy here, but I have been seriously into it for over 10 years. It is very healthy for you, too. Fine grade matcha is very expensive. It is prized for its gorgeous emerald color, its health benefits, and its taste.

When I get it in the local Japanese grocery, I pay about $7 an ounce which is pretty good.  As a tea, there are certain ways to prepare it- it is not like regular tea steeped in boiling water.  Anyhow.

Matcha.
Makeup.
They go together.

Melissa from Kiss & Make-Up and I were talking about matcha, and our love of things green, and her trip to Japan (I am insanely jealous). So we decided to do a matcha beauty inspired blog post together.

So here are my matcha-inspired favorites and a matcha-inspired makeup look.

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Elizabeth Arden Green Tea and Green Tea Lavender fragrances
Green Tea has been my favorite Spring/Summer fragrance for several years.  It is lovely.  I think it is also discontinued...but the lavender green tea (I just got this last week) is pretty close.

Most people who know me are aware that I have a really stupid amount of Urban Decay.

It is ridiculous.

I LOVE Urban Decay.

My UD matcha colors:

Kush                    Lounge

I would be terribly remiss if I did not put OIL PAINT in my products list.  Gamblin's pthalo emerald (PG 36) is a great warm-leaning green, for those times when you are not mixing your own. PG 36 is non-toxic and is likely in your green eyeshadow formula.

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I chose Kush for my matcha makeup look. Kush is part of their permanent collection and it is a great color.

I used Kush with these colors from UD Naked Smoky.
1. crease
2. top highlight
3. outer corner
4. inner corner

ALSO USED:
UD 24/7 pencil in Lucky (lower lash line) - discontinued unfortunately
Kat von D tattoo liner (the black one) upper lash line
UD Perversion mascara
Lippie is UD 1993


I don't know how Melissa does this selfie thing all the time.  It's hard.

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My pet rat Q-Tip wanted to be in the matcha blog post because he can rock green like nobody's business.

....and then.....
My cat Isis came over, kissed the rat, and gave me the stink-eye until I told her she could be in the blog post too.  Because she is a cat and that's what they do.

kitty-rattie kiss

matcha stink-eye

Homage to Magritte

Supercute

We got through another week
I am so wiped out from this week.
It's been so strange. I definitely need a weekend.

Here are some supercute ratlets Branwen has been fostering and socializing.

Even if you don't like supercute ratlets....remember we are all God's creatures.

Because we all want to know.....

....other peoples' bank account balances.

Daya and I went to Mitsuwa with Branwen last weekend.
There is an ATM there.
It gives receipts.
People leave them.

Me myself personally, I always choose to never get a receipt.
But I had fun looking at others' bank balances.

Here, you can look at them, too.

I felt encouraged that most of them were less than my pitiful balance.

Except THIS ONE!  WOW! If this was my account I would get a receipt too.

Whoa!!!

There is a Difference

There is a big difference between not being able to go any further, and not wanting to anymore.

And each day gets just a little bit harder until the cumulative effect is too heavy.
But there is nothing to do about it, because you have already tried everything.

It's difficult enough when the people who are, in theory at least, supposed to care definitely do not.
It's ok to not be liked by everyone too. I sure don't like everyone, and not everyone has to like me.

But what is really difficult is when people who DO like you- a lot- by their own words- still have no interest. And that's even worse somehow. It's the same story over and over. A bunch of nothing.

I have such a deep and strong sense that I have no place.
Too often I am seriously wondering "What the hell am I doing here?"
It's nothing new- a lot of it has to do with a complete lack of basic foundational relationships.  I have no idea what having those is like. But these years, it is more than that because I am older. It is the total lack of "sticky" factor in relationships in general..

Especially when people who say outright they really like me don't have interest in sticking around.
What to do with that??

I have no roots. I have tried to root myself but it didn't work.

I'm not afraid to get hurt, I'm just tired of it.
There is a big difference between being afraid and being tired.

Just because you leave the proverbial door open doesn't mean whatever you are inviting will actually show up. And this is not something that can be controlled.
Just because something *can* happen does not mean it *will*, or that it *does*.

I'm exhausted and completely disheartened.
And it's not that I can't anymore, I just really don't want to.

I can, but I don't want to.

My Cat Lucky

This is Lucky and he is my cat.
He lives with Branwen, but he is still my cat.
He has a thyroid problem, and no teeth.

Apparently he is a finicky eater but he sure eats everything *I* give him.  I even shared my matcha cream puff with him.

Anyhow he is my cat and I don't care what anyone else has to say about it.

Mad: Finished

This week I thought I would be smart and choose "Finished" as the theme so i could finish my lobster and maybe even that cloud landscape from forever ago.

Because I didn't want to start something new.

I haven't been doing all that great lately, and that makes painting really difficult.

So I did not finish the lobster or the clouds, but I have this misty lake little aceo oil pastel.

Because I could not post something unfinished for a finished theme.

Carey finished something here.