http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summaryThu, 01 Jun 2006 19:52:02 +0000http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blogblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114912199916516750Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:30:00 +00002006-05-31T19:34:22.986-05:00I took a lot of photos on campus yesterday and thought I would share some of the ones I liked best. If you want a high-quality image for printing or photo reference purposes, just send me an email request. I like seeing nature photos on other blogs, so I thought I would share some of my own. Anonymous posted that I should leave out the flag pole in the oil painting, because it draws the http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/inspiration-from-nature-image-heavy.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114903950417872573Wed, 31 May 2006 01:35:00 +00002006-05-30T20:44:11.556-05:00Our oil painting class met outside today, so that we could paint something "with distance." I looked everywhere, but did not find any spot that looked more appealing and had a place for me to sit and paint, even though I walked so far that I blew out my sandals. I rigged a temporary portable easel out of my fold-away luggage carrier, which I use to haul my junk to and from class. If you have http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/morning-on-campus-at-millsaps.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114894994322567839Tue, 30 May 2006 00:27:00 +00002006-05-29T19:45:43.253-05:00This week's Every Day Matters challenge came at just the right time. I happened to have had a Smoothie for dinner and it was calling to me. I started drawing it in graphite, but the colors were more significant than the tonal shading, so I whipped out my Faber-Castell PITT artist pens and set about drawing it right away. It was a nice, quiet day. I was writing my morning pages and whining http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/edm-challenge-69-draw-beverage.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114886304436070367Mon, 29 May 2006 01:17:00 +00002006-05-28T20:21:12.823-05:00Well, I drew two, just not a matched pair. I have very deep set eyes, so I do tend to gravitate toward bedroom eyes. I am preparing myself to try actual faces. Facial shading really interests me and I am ready to try a portrait. Karen's watercolor was inspiring. I might start with a photo reference before I try a live model. I am actually very pleased with each of these drawings. http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/edm-challenge-33-draw-eye.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114886341636208655Mon, 29 May 2006 00:37:00 +00002006-05-28T19:43:36.386-05:00I should have used a photo reference or waited until I had a real piece of cake. It really shows that this was drawn off the cuff, instead of drawn from an actual reference. Maybe I will try again tomorrow. I started to sketch this in pencil, then switched to my art pens. I really need to get more comfortable with them. This is a combination of Fine and Brush markers.http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/illustration-friday-cake.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114876199498542052Sat, 27 May 2006 20:30:00 +00002006-05-27T15:33:15.016-05:00I got two new art technique books today, then came home to find the Blick Studio Spring Sale Catalog in the mail...which has provided excellent fodder for my day dreaming. I am such a gadget gal...I am just crazy for the tools of the trade and now that I have a new hobby, I am in acquisition mode. I bought several Kolinsky Sable paint brushes on clearance at Hobby Lobby. It was a quick and http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/no-pictures-today.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114860673078027111Fri, 26 May 2006 12:24:00 +00002006-05-26T07:32:55.810-05:00This was done in a combination of graphite, ink and watercolor pencils. The page buckle badly, because it was done in my cheap-o sketchbook. http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/illustration-friday.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114860592243148047Fri, 26 May 2006 01:08:00 +00002006-05-25T20:12:02.706-05:00 Okay, so this was not my best work. I have decided that cleaning up and going to the gym every day takes a toll on my creativity. Of course, I might just be whining because my hands are sore. And to answer Lynn's question, not I have not been stitching much. Maybe it is the sore hands deal. Maybe it is because I have been spending most of my time downstairs, trying to get my easel and http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/edm-challenge-68.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114843907609770012Wed, 24 May 2006 02:34:00 +00002006-05-23T21:51:16.120-05:00Okay, the second class went well, I am still trying to get my groove with oils. Obviously this is a still life grouping of cases on fabric. I scraped my painting at some point, probably during transport and had to fix it. It looks so anemic and undersized on my easel! Speaking of my easel, I moved it into the living room for now, I just don't want it upstairs where I can potentially ruin http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/just-another-still-life.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114825538579215872Mon, 22 May 2006 14:45:00 +00002006-05-22T09:55:14.670-05:00I started this sketch during the guild meeting at the Ag Museum and finished it on Sunday. Karin also drew it, although from a slightly different angle and in pen. I had tremendous trouble with the perspective. I almost dumped the project, but decided to finish it out as a learning experience. I also drew a pewter brass and glass candle holder that has a cool celestial theme. I was going to http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/edm-challenge-21-32.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114822426880289230Sun, 21 May 2006 14:54:00 +00002006-05-21T10:11:08.826-05:00I guess I don't have any qualms about drawing in public. I have done it a number of times and really have not had a bad experience. Yesterday after the Chimneyville Weavers and Spinners Guild Meeting, Karin and I stuck around to draw after the program on woven pins. I worked a little more on EDM 65(noses). There are several guild members noses floating around on the page with a couple of http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/edm-challenges-65-62-36-sketch-and.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114808246463697051Sat, 20 May 2006 00:25:00 +00002006-05-19T20:48:32.233-05:00Well, since I am already doing Every Day Matters, I thought I would toss in something in honor of Illustration Friday. Neither of these is the topic for the week, but it is Friday and these are illustrations. I have a Tablet PC that I adore and although I have several art programs, including Adobe Illustrator, I downloaded a trial version of Alias Sketchbook Pro. Neither of these is great, buthttp://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/illustrations-for-friday-and-edm.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114798505995208192Thu, 18 May 2006 21:31:00 +00002006-05-18T16:34:21.940-05:00I did my morning pages and busied myself around the house. Then I went to Hobby Lobby to browse with my 40% off coupon in hand. They are reorganizing the art department, so it was hard to really find everything. Finally, I bought some India Ink art pens that looked interesting. Although, I think I am too unsure of myself to try drawing in permanent ink yet. That said, I want to get to that http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/another-great-day.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114791536641086150Thu, 18 May 2006 00:58:00 +00002006-05-17T21:52:09.126-05:00I found the perfect shoe to start challenge number 1, but I saw that a new challenge had been posted. I decided to take on challenge 67 (draw something mom) first and save the shoe for tomorrow. When it comes to my mom, there are a lot of things that remind me of her, but I see the ring every day. She wore it for more than thirty years after her divorce from my father, so I saw it on her for http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/edm-challenge-67.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114781358585079056Tue, 16 May 2006 21:03:00 +00002006-05-16T16:06:25.883-05:00I did the entryway to my home yesterday. After doing the hydrant, I set up my chair in my own front yard and drew the part of my front door starting with the roof and going down to the where the bushes obscure the view. It is very linear...the board and baton exterior only amplifies the tall narrow windows, door with a transom window, plus thin narrowly spaced columns. There are dragons on http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/edm-challenges-50-24-62.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114773167675159284Mon, 15 May 2006 22:14:00 +00002006-05-15T18:45:59.123-05:00On my first real day of retirement, I started to sketch assignments from Every Day Matters (EDM). I also went to the gym so I could swim. I can not believe how out of shape I have gotten in the last five years. It is just crazy. I was completely worn out by time I got home. After another shower, I cleaned up for a little while, then decided to head down the street to draw a fire hydranthttp://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/every-day-matters-challenge-66.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114763310605281903Sun, 14 May 2006 18:14:00 +00002006-05-14T15:18:23.873-05:00I managed to finish an autograph type block for a friend. I am basically on time, but I think the deadline was May 15. I will get it into the mail for her tomorrow. The beaded dragonfly is done on copper wire with irridescent seed beads and crystals, with one matte bead in the middle. The letter R is done in shadow work. I stuck a faux pearl spider in the middle of the silk ribbon rose http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/weekends-were-made-for-friends.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114747977149113181Sat, 13 May 2006 00:20:00 +00002006-05-12T19:22:51.533-05:00I am officially unemployed! Let the cleaning and stitching commence.http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/free-at-last-free-at-last.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114740196304961581Fri, 12 May 2006 02:29:00 +00002006-05-11T21:48:26.913-05:00On Monday, I was surprised when I came home and found that the back yard had already been completely cleared of the last of the Hurricane Katrina debris. It has been nine months...nine long months...I was just so excited that I went out back to snap a photograph. Except for a distinct lack of grass and other ground cover, it looks pretty good considering. Of course, then I took a trip down http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/one-more-day.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114685754674926344Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:21:00 +00002006-05-06T18:44:03.746-05:00Just some photos from our trip to the alpaca farm. The herd had just been sheared, but the woman at the store could not sell any, she did not know the prices. Gawd...that tells you what kind of week I have been having. Alpacas..not llamas. At least I got the camelid family.http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/04/forgotten-post-from-day-at-alpaca-farm.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114685586978700948Fri, 05 May 2006 19:02:00 +00002006-05-05T14:04:29.860-05:00These are two of my paintings from waterclor class. We had to go outside on campus and draw landscapes to paint. I drew two sketches and worked on the painting in the classroom, because it was hot and the mosquitoes were out in force. I was not done when I left, so I worked on it a little more at home. I still have some work to do, but I am fairly happy with them, especially the big one with http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/05/fuzzy-headed-but-here.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114627353560892316Sat, 29 Apr 2006 00:39:01 +00002006-04-28T20:49:49.060-05:00I made a purchase from someone who has a web store and advertises on multiple fiber lists on a regular basis. It was a big Super Bowl Sunday sale and I splurged. The purchase was over $150 and I paid with American Express via PayPal. Well, here it is almost two months later, and I have gotten is a lot of excuses (after I initiated contact with the seller first) and no merchandise. I am so http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/04/very-unhappy-camper.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114609619062790237Wed, 26 Apr 2006 23:45:00 +00002006-04-26T19:03:10.756-05:00Okay, it is ready to mail to the coordinator ahead of schedule...and here I thought I needed an extension. I can only lace up two sides, so the instructor can look inside and at the back of my work. So one of the tassels is attached with a safety pin and so is the thread for completing the lacing. I did not like the work I did in watercolor class last night. So I did a small watercolor of ahttp://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/04/casalguidi-group-correspondence-course.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114597967004385212Tue, 25 Apr 2006 15:33:00 +00002006-04-25T10:41:10.096-05:00I finished my Casalguidi doodle cloth and finished it as an ATC. I did have to roll over another row of hemstitching to make it fit into a trading card sleeve, but it worked out just fine. So it went from this: To this: I also finished all of the surface embroidery on my Casalguidi and Lavender Group Correspondence Course, and even finished all of the hemstitching on the back of the http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/04/casalguidi-artist-trading-card.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)http://www.blogger.com/feeds/13669567/posts/summary/114589137073353656Mon, 24 Apr 2006 15:01:00 +00002006-04-24T12:12:24.450-05:00The Spring Issue of CQMagOnline is posted! Now, I can get back to stitching. It was a lot of work, but it really was worth it. It is always a labor of love. I get a little nuts sometimes, because it seems like so much work for so little reward. I think it will be better when I don't have a regular day job, so I don't have to give up so many nights and weekends to get it ready for publication.http://prettyimpressivestuff.com/blog/2006/04/latest-issue-of-cqmagonline-is-live.htmlblog@prettyimpressivestuff.com (Rissa)