Treasury Thursday: Dove Grey

'Dove Grey' by cursiveart

too far far away vlad $112.00	Grey Dove Cabochon Ring... ElektraLoadedD... $10.00	Organ 8x10 Print of Ori... virginiakralje... $30.00
Sterling Silver Eerie B... MarKhed $72.00	The Blue Teacup Forest ... myfolklover $25.00	Bird Stuffe Animal Tuft... bubbletime $14.00
Hello Cat Card blackoutwell $2.00	Moonlit Shadow Dove Gre... Indigofawn $30.00	Vintage Swan Flower Fro... bellalulu $72.00
Light grey heather 2x2... JewelKnits $50.00	Ratatouille the metal d... BrownDogWeldin... $45.00	The Bikes 018 6x6 Origi... aptrick $25.00
Magnolia Porcelain Micr... elementclaystu... $95.00	Grey Dove 5x7 Print BlackCottageHa... $12.00	handmade felted wool bo... hold $36.00
White Feather Dove stam... TheLonelyHeart $4.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

The Christmas Season Is Upon Us...

...wait.  What?

Yes, I know it seems early.  It's still ten days out from Halloween.  For those of us trying to sell Christmas goods, though, we realize it helps to get started early.  And probably, you should, too.  Perhaps you want to get your mom a hand-drawn portrait of her favorite cat this year.   Maybe you want to get your knitting-crazed grandma a yarn bowl.  Well, these things take time to make, and your favorite craftsman will be more than happy to do it for you.  And if you think about it, we're only a few weeks out from Thanksgiving.  Next thing you know, it's time to send out Christmas cards....

And speaking of Christmas cards, not only do I have some new ones available in my shop this year (and plan to pull out a few new designs in the coming weeks), but I am always available to custom design and print cards for you.   So keep that in mind, if you want to send out cards this year that will make your family and friends jealous of their awesomess....

But, back to the cat drawing.

I think with all of my block-printyness (that is so totally a word), I think people sometimes forget I am also capable of drawing actual things.  Yes, all sorts of things.  Yup, I can draw that.  And that, too.  I know what you're thinking and I can draw that as well, but am not going to.

Point being, the time is now to start thinking about awesome art as Christmas presents.  And all I'm saying is, keep me in mind.  I'm probably more affordable than you think.

Have a question? Shoot it my way  right here.

30DDC: Days 8 and 9

Day 8


This challenge was to draw my favorite animated character.  I am not a big cartoon watcher, so decide to go with my favorite graphic novel character, one of the Endless, from Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" comics?  Which Endless? The Sandman himself, of course.  Good ol' Morpheus.
Drawing time: 4 minutes (two to sketch, two to ink it in with a paintbrush).

Day 8


On the eighth, I was to illustrate my favorite TV show.  Once upon a time, that would have been a grumpy and sarcastic doctor with a cane, but I think that show has gone downhill in the last couple season (House MD, if you don't know to what I'm referring).   I am now in favor of a much older, but much younger-looking doctor.  The Doctor.

And in case you didn't know, I take all my photos in my iPhone and email them to myself, because I am too lazy to do it any other way.  So please excuse the somewhat mediocre lighting.

30DDC: Days 5, 6 and 7

Day 5 


The day five challenge was to draw my best friend. Sadly I could not find a great picture of her, so after several frustrating attempts, you're stuck with this.  She has lovely eyes, kind and always laughing.
Drawing time: Minus failed attempts, three minutes.

Day 6


Day six's challenge was to draw my favorite book character.  I found this a challenge as (a) I love a lot of books and have no one favorite character, let alone a single favorite book and (b) most of the characters I do love have already been rendered somehow.  So I opted for Yvaine from Neil Gaiman's "Stardust."  Obviously, this is my version and not Claire Danes.
Drawing time: 10 minutes

Day 7


Yesterday's illustration was to draw my favorite word.  Funnily enough, I already have the word, "serendipity" tattooed on my leg.  I took the challenge to literally mean design typography rather than draw the meaning of the word.  I really enjoyed this one and thought my little font came out quite nicely especially for not bothering to design it properly (measuring serifs and all that).
Drawing time: 15 minutes (I had to go back and redo some of the spacing before I inked it in and it's still      not perfect).

30DDC: Day 4

Yesterday's challenge was to draw my favorite place. I spent most of the day overthinking this one.  Was I to draw Copenhagen, one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, or Disneyworld, where my husband  and I spent our honeymoon?  Should I draw the beaches of Sarasota or the Carolina mountains?  Then I realized I was thinking about it all wrong and realized there are two places I love to be the most: either in bed with my husband as a pillow, the puppy at our feet, watching a movie; or in my studio, art supplies surrounding me, music drifting from my iPod.  

My husband is harder to draw than a desk so I opted for the later.  By the time I made this decision, it was nearly midnight, so this ended up being a very rough drawing.  Too much time thinking not enough time drawing.

Estimated drawing time: 5 minutes.

30DDC: Day 3

Day 3


Day three's theme is favorite food. I love sweets, but especially eclairs.  We have this amazing bakery here in Charlotte called Amelie's and every time I am nearby I have to stop in and grab one, and usually a salted caramel brownie, too.  Pastries make me very, very happy.

30DDC: Day 1 and Day 2

Day 1 


The first challenge was to do a self-portrait.  I took one of my favorite photos of from my wedding and drew from that (and, of course, took out all the 'bad' parts).  My husband referred to this sketch as the 'Disney princess' version of me.  I am totally happy with that description.
Total drawing time: about 15 minutes

Day 2


Day two's challenge was to draw my favorite animal.  I love my little black kitty and spent quite awhile trying to draw her specifically before I realized how effing hard it is to draw a black cat.  And since I would like to actually enjoy this challenge, rather than ending up hating it, I finally just did a simple stylized version of a cat.
Total drawing time:  20 minutes, if you include all the failed drawing of my cat; 3 minutes if counting just this illustration.