We woke up this morning to snow and ice making a light blanket over the whole world.  That rarely happens in Oklahoma this late.  Several times today I felt like gearing up and trudging out to sketch.  I find that when it is cold outside, it is easy for me to resist those urges.  Tonight’s EDM challenge was to draw some flowers.  I did a quick thumbnail sketch so that I could complete the challenge later, but I couldn’t resist the colors of the grape hyacinths.  So I ran back out into the 4o°F afternoon, with Girl1 in tow, to paint the little lovelies in with the new mini sketch kit.  I’m not sure how much longer I can continue to call it new, but I know I’m still having fun with it.

I’m especially glad that I went back out into the cold to paint them because all I did with the EDM sketch outside was draw a few basic shapes to lock in the placement of the flowers.  We loaded up for a family outing (go see Monsters VS Aliens!) and when we returned it was too dark to get any more details outside.  So, I used my watercolor sketch as a reference to fill in the blanks.  Usually when I a work from a photo reference, I get the basic shapes and then I have to remove the photo.  I don’t like to spend as much time in realism as I do in interpretation.

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EDM 76: Draw some flowers

I peeked at yesterday’s EDM challenge the night before.  The challenge was to draw clouds.  Yesterday, my day started at 4:30 a.m.  We were on the road to the presentation by 6.  We finished up around 4:00 p.m. and began the long drive home.  All day and all the way home I watched beautiful clouds roll in and out until the whole sky finally became one gray mass only to fade to blackness as the darkness took over.  Today, an ice storm has rolled in.  So, I used an internet photo reference from Wet Canvas to find some clouds.

Tonight’s challenge was to draw the ingredients of my favorite food.  My favorite food only has two ingredients:  one can of Campbell’s New England Style Clam Chowder, and one can of milk.

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EDM 74: Draw clouds
EDM 75: Draw the ingredients of your favorite food

Out again on another business trip.  I kind of enjoy going out of town on business.  New places and new people can be exciting and fun.  It is tiring, though, to be “on” that long.  I require a bit more down time than is available when traveling.  After the long drive all day, and after we ate dinner and rehearsed our presentation, I grabbed my artist paraphernalia and headed off to the lobby.  It was dark and cold outside so I didn’t get to do any sight seeing.  I drew the EDM challenge first then decided to play with my mini sketch kit.  OK, the truth is I had been looking forward to playing with the watercolor kit all day.  So I dashed out this rendition of the fireplace mantle in the hotel lobby.

The EDM challenge was to draw a mailbox.  Being that I was in a hotel, there were not a whole lot of mailboxes handy.  I asked the clerk where I might find the closest one.  She assumed that I wanted to mail a letter and directed me to the outgoing mail basket.  Well, there’s something a little different.

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EDM 73: Draw a mailbox

Have you ever noticed how all of the great men and women of the past were habitual walkers?  Moses, The Buddha, Jesus, Muhamad,  Ghandi and his peaceful disobedience, Dr. Martin Luther King and his march on Washington, all seemed to use walking as a means of finding and “fighting” for truths.  I have recently taken up walking.  I was looking for a low impact way of moving my body for a minimum of 3o minutes every day.  One day, it was pointed out to me that all great men walked.  We laughed about how walking is what lead to the greatness.  As I have been walking I have been noticing the world around me more.  It’s like personal meditation with a change of scenery.  Tonight’s EDM challenge was to draw somewhere new.  The family decided to walk to China Moon, one of our favorite haunts just under two miles away.  While there, I sketched up this little guy, a fellow walker.  We wore Girl2 out completely, and we’re pretty spent too.  With all the walking I have been doing (along with smaller portions and cutting back on sweets) I have lost over 40 pounds.  I guess walking the path does lead to enLIGHTENment.  (boo!)

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EDM 72: Draw somewhere new