Digital Drawing Day - The worries in your head

If you are a regular visitor to my blog, you will know that this topic, from Terry and Joan over at andsewitgoes (Terry will not post until sunday U.S. time) for this weeks digital drawing, is particularly apt as I am trying (vainly) to get myself organised for the Australasian Quilt Convention this week.
The biggest worry in my head, has been getting landscapes suitable for my workshop with Gloria Loughman, drawn up and ready.  Usually, in my photographs, I am looking for foreground detail, but for this course, I need lots of hills in the background!  So I have gone back through my old photos (actual prints, they are so old) and found a few that I might be able to use. I had to exaggerate the background in a lot of them, and also, I needed colour to decide me what to do with them.
I have narrowed it down to two.

This first picture was taken in the high plains of New South Wales at Cabramurra.  There were lupins growing wild all over and I took lots of photos.

As you can see, I have exaggerated the background mountains and the number of lupins, and then.

I altered where the tree was.  The tree was just a quick scribble as my hands were beginning to ache!

This was taken on the Snowy River, just inside the Victorian border, but south of Thredbo.

And this is where I got with that one.  I left out the large pile of rocks and wood at the centre right as I knew it would be too fiddly for a workshop.

I have finally got the hang of using layers.  And it did make things so much easier!  As usual, I used the pastel tool in artrage as I was in a hurry, but now I have my landscapes worked out.  I won't bore you with the line diagrams, but they are done and all I have to do is print them out!  Yes!

But of course, I still have a ton to do, including two assignments due before I leave home and only two days to go!
I will not be able to post a digital drawing next sunday, but I will try and post during the week.

Happy creating!

Trip looming

I have been absent for the last few days and at the moment my studio is all upside down.  I am preparing to go to the Australasian Quilt convention next week and trying to find all the things I have to take with me.
It has been a few years since I have been away from home for more than a night or two and I had forgotten how complicated it all is!  And of course there is a lot of things I need to do to before I attend the two workshops I am doing as well.

I have lists

and more lists

I have a pile of fabric (which is all cotton and that is sometimes hard to find in my home lol) and now have to choose the threads to take as I can't take all of it!

I have a pile of photos, from which I have to choose some likely culprits and then make enalrged line diagrams.

I also have a ton of homework to do in my two courses.  This is a sample thread painting (which will probably not be finished until I return, now) for the working in a series class.
So things are already a bit of a turmoil, and add to that we have been without a washing machine for a month and after picking one up yesterday, I have done six loads of washing today - and I'm not finished, but there is no hanging space left until it all dries.
tomorrow is  our local quilt group get together and I haven't even thought about what to take!

I feel a deep need for some ART!

Happy Creating!

Back on board - Just

I am back blogging, but only just.  Before I get back into the tutorials, I have three swaps - yes three swaps that need to be posted by the last week of April.  So this week, I will be posting a little eye candy for you.

The swaps are not large - an ATC, and two postcards, and if you are my partner in any of these swaps, hope you are not disappointed with my choices.

In my misguided efforts to get my google reader under control I found a few great posts.

I want to refer you to some lovely work by Judy Cooper, a textile artist from Canada.  Her landscape work is just beautiful.

Take a look at this page!  These fabric jewels are gorgeous and made by Artist Meg Hannan.  I realised something like this would be a perfect technique to put in my first Tangled Textiles challenge.  Maybe they look like something.....? but you'll have to wait to see the whole thing on June 15.

and last, Have a look at this great tutorial from Jane LaFazio on painting flowers.

Also this week I am starting an online class with Susan Sorrell on organic designs for embroidery, so there is more eye candy!

And I got a lovely pack of supplies from Workshop on the web as part of a prize I won, which also includes tutorials.  It also contained a piece of work from Maggie Grey - wow!  So I am inspired to get on with those tutes, now, so I need to pick up some silk roving at AQC on thursday.

Unfortunately, although I am starting back working (or else go mad without my sewing machines),  I am not posting any pictures of my studio until it is totally finished.  The move has been partly accomplished, but there is the matter of paint and flooring and design walls before I can post anything.


On that note,

All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.
Calvin Coolidge