How To Grow a Rose Faerie

Okay so maybe not actually grow a Faerie...it's my artistic license coming out and waiving itself about, so bear with me...

I have been asked how I 'come up' with ideas 'where does the inspiration come from?'...so...
I will let you into a little secret...I never come up with any ideas and I do not have any inspiration at all...naaah, that isn't true...the opposite is.
I can never ever shut off my damn brain and ideas for subjects to create are everywhere, always pulling at my clothes and nattering in my ears...they are doing it right now, telling me to move away from this evil machine and go and create something!
So, before they pull me into their dark, mysterious lair, I will share how this little lady came about...

1. Find a willing model...this is quite easy as the Fae are naturally vain and love to be sketched, if you do it quickly! If you're too slow, then forget it!
This lovely lady was sketched out on a big sheet of A3 paper with lovely black charcoal which we both enjoyed smudging and then getting covered in it.
She later washed herself in the birdbath...:o)

I then completely forgot about the sketch and went and created something else...
(I think it was either a miniature hatbox or an Art Doll...see what I mean)

I found this sketch tucked away behind the cupboards where it was covered in cobwebs, that's how long she had been forgotten...that's why she looks a little accusingly at me :o)

2. Find a pretty flower...this should be easy, there are plenty around...but not in the hay fever season oh no, because of the nasty pollen...and winter is a little too harsh for many flowers to poke their noses up...mmm...so that leaves the spring and autumn...but this is Wales, it rains most of the time...spring is always soggy and everything is droopy with rain...okay, so spring is out, that leaves autumn...nope, by then I have forgotten about wanting to paint a flower and am painting pumpkins instead...sigh...and another sigh...
So, look through your photo's and see if you can find one which will do for inspiration instead! :o)
No, stop looking at all of those other pics, you're looking for a flower, maybe a nice rose, not pictures of your children when they were little and cute...so very cute...sigh.
So, after a while you may find something which might do, if you squint at it, or use a lot of imagination...

This is Gertrude, not the most beautifully named but she smells divine :o)

So, now we have a model and a flower...what shall we do with them?

No.3 Try to fit your subjects together into a pleasing composition
Okay, sorry, that sounded like 'art speak' and we don't allow that here...
Because my charcoal sketch is big and I want to paint a small A4 picture I am going to have to get the old sketchbook out and see if the Fae will come and sit on the rose.
Easier said than done...although as the rose is so sweet smelling she eventually consented and it didn't turn out too badly. (Who needs critics when you can do it yourself?)
The sketch is now A4 and done with pencil, so that the lines are clearer-ish, (I never can stay tidy), so we are about to reach the next stage...unless some little squirrel in very shiny Armour comes by, then we will be off somewhere else with the Fae and this will become yet another forgotten painting (I should know, those armoured squirrels have sucked me into their dark wormholes many times).

 No.4 Decide which media to use... 
Although I love painting in oils best, for this picture I thought watercolours would be nice so everything in the sketch was copied onto watercolour paper and tucked away in a file to keep it nice and clean and away from cobwebs...can you see there's a pattern here?...
Then I went outside to play with the squirrel knight...

No.5 Remember the painting you started ages ago...
So, you're looking for something to do and because you don't know what you want to start, you go around tidying up your workspace...
And guess what you find?
Not just this picture but loads of other UFOs (Un-finished objects), just lying there in a box, who would have guessed there would be so many lovely things all ready for you to paint?
So, you say cheerio to Sir Squirrel de Wormhole and make a cup of tea and try to choose which one you fancy painting...
Because there is a rather pouty-looking faerie glaring from a big rose, you decide you should maybe choose her... and so the painting begins...after you have found a cookie to go with your cup of tea...

Almost finished, just a little blushing of the cheeks to do ;o)

I use old rescued plates and dishes as palettes, hence the rather fancy gold-rimmed painting equipment! he he he :o)

So, there we are, she just needs a little more eye-liner and she's good to go...I think...maybe I should add a little more shading here and there?
Maybe a little more green on the leaves or more creases on the petals?
Can you have too much paint?
Or, maybe I should just be happy that this one is finished at last...and she isn't looking too grumpy, well, not for the Fae anyway...

Do you think she has forgiven me yet?

Now I really must get my squeaky Armour oiled up...Sir Squirrel awaits...
I may be some time...:o)

Are all Elves bald and grumpy?

Well we at last have some rain!
No gardening today, which is just as well as I have banged my fingers up and can't grip anything, my hand is like a crazy claw...(I kind of like the shape but not the bruising!)
Which also means no sculpting either :o(
I have a hoard/horde of angry bald Elves looking at me to get on and finish them...and still I pretend that I can't see or hear them...now I can just wave my clawed hand at them and not feel so guilty, (that's my excuse for today) :o)
I'll try to take a picture of their mean little faces and you'll understand how bossy they are to me...
Not to mention the old bald witch and wizards...my sculpts are ganging up on me...

Serves me right I suppose...things do get put aside when the weather gets brighter.

This is a sketch I did before the lure of the outdoors, I think she would make a lovely faery...but then she would most likely moan at me because she didn't have her wings finished...you know how whiny the Fae can be!

I've not done much sketching lately, I'm such a lazy artist! 

I feel ashamed...a little...hey, actually not really that much :o)

I have to get as much done outside as I can before the dreaded pollen attacks.

What is it with the world these days...grumpy bald Elves, mean witches, nasty pollen...?

I may have to hide under my table...maybe not, that's where I hide my disaster drawings...they just look at me and tell me how rubbish I am.

I have a feeling that I'm sounding a little pathetic now...oh no...they really are out to get me!

I hope it isn't catching ;o)

Gentleman's Relish and Art

Hi everyone :o)
The sun has been gracing us with his presence for a week now!
North Wales actually had the most sunshine for the UK.
We are normally known for the highest rain fall, so this is really odd for us...
No rain coats or umbrellas!
I feel positively naked!
Which brings me swiftly on to my new mini...see you couldn't even see the join it was so seamless he he he

http://www.etsy.com/listing/95936368/gentlemans-relish?ref=v1_other_2

 I was sorting through some of my collection of nudes, which I have been collecting for decades now and which my Troll refers to as my 'porn stash'! Humph!


It makes no difference how many times I repeat the fact that this is an aid to my arty stuff, he just recons I'm weird...well no shock there eh?

I started to laugh at some of the old Victorian pictures as they were so odd back then, and this made me think of all of the funny 'Gentlemen' who would have purchased these pictures...which made me want to add some to my miniature world...which then led to editing bits out and shrinking...etc...and this was the result :o)

I have no idea who would want them (apart from me) but I thought I would make them any way...just because...
So tell me honestly...I won't be angry...if you had a miniature Gentleman (or lady!)...do you think it would be indecent to let them have their own Gentleman's Relish...or am I truly that weird?
And...do you think me collecting these images in the first place makes me weird? (Remember I am an 'Artist')
Also...is it a 'porn stash'? (please don't give my Troll any ammunition) ;o)
Cee...signing off from another bright and sunny day...it won't last...:o)

Who says you have to be 'Skin and Bone and Misery?'

Happy New Year! :o)
I bet you're all so sick of hearing that by now aren't you?
Well...you will all no-doubt hear it on every blog until the novelty wears off he he he

So...did you all have a fab time? Hope so!
I will not say about mine as it will get very boring if everyone on their blogs rattles on about how they ate too much and now feel guilty...blah blah blah...

Last year...(was it that long ago?) I found a fantastic 'plump' model and have been doing lots of sketches of her...it has always been difficult finding a larger model, for obvious reasons, so when you find one believe me, you treasure them!
Just think, if you have a 'perfect' figure and are very aware of it, then you would have no problem at all being an art model (and we would all hate you forever!!!! he he he)
But if society made you believe that you were too fat and so, therefore, must be 'unattractive' then how brave you must be to become an artist's model and let all of the world see your so-called flaws!
So thank you my 'plump' model, thank you for giving me the opportunity to challenge the misconceptions which society has imposed on us, that only thin or perfect can be beautiful!
Thank you for giving me the chance to draw something different from the 'beautiful' (and they are) perfect (they are) models...although I do also thank them for allowing me to draw from their lovely bodies...it means so much more to me, being able to draw your 'not-so-perfect' body...

And I think that's about it...
As you can see...I have started the New Year as I mean to go on!
Run for the hills folks he he he

The Return of The Greek God!

And as promised...
Here he is from the back ;o)
He has such a broad back that I couldn't fit him on my 'puter...(scanner)
So I'll just leave you to imagine the rest ;o)
Also, he does have feet but they wouldn't fit on either...although they were quite small for such a big lad!
Now...from the amount of feedback he has been receiving here and on The Hive and Facebook...I have come to the conclusion that, although we live in a modern society...with mod-cons and very feminist attitudes...
We all still seem to hanker after a good old fashioned Greek God...
Can't think why ;o)

Now go fan yourselves with a wet cloth and I'll see you all next time...with maybe a girl?
Or...maybe I'll do a Standing Greek God?
He he he he he

Smudgy Fae...(could be a song title)

Hello folks...as you can see I've done a female this time :o)
And she's all smudgy and charcoaly just as they always are...can't do 'clean' when you use the lovely black sticks...good thing my sofa's aren't white!
I think this one wants me turn her into a Fae...she looks that type...what do you think?
She's a little squashed on the screen as I sketch in A3 and my scanner is A4 so I have to squish them in to fit...(saves stitching them, hate doing that)

Hey, get me...two blog posts with a 'smallish' gap between them...wonders will never cease!

Also while I'm here (having been given a lovely bug from my adorable sprogs!)...I see that I have some new followers...'Hello and welcome to the wood...mind your heads on the falling branches :o)'...Well...now that's made me feel even more guilty for being so neglectful on this blog...(If you ever read any of my other blogs you would see that this is a common occurrence with me...I take on far too much and just can't carry it all...so something always falls out of my arms...I promise that I'll try to be good from now on (crossing fingers behind my back) and do more here...
Did anyone really believe that?
Didn't think so...
Can you believe that it's now March?
The birds are all frisky outside...little sweeties...they're all so glad to be alive...funny how you don't hear about depression in the wild critters isn't it...mmm