The last week plus have come and gone without a lot that I really thought was worth writing about. Then I put a little more thought into and found some nice bits of things that I could share.
I might have mentioned that not only did the trip to Australia spur a need to get back to a beach, it also spurred a desire to get back to some art. I’m still working on incorporating this more into my day to day. However, I’ve made some steps. While I was out at the arts and crafts store, where I did buy a big box of colored pencils, I came across a book on Manga that got me to thinking I want to try drawing a frog, or two. Sometimes I source reference pictures off the internet and sometimes I get books. I wanted a book and so went to a local bookstore chain only to find not a single book on amphibians or frogs or lizards. They had dogs, cats, some birds, and horses I think. It was sad and pathetic and sent me to Amazon. I now have two books of some really fabulous photos so all kinds of frogs. Next up, bats. No, I haven’t started the drawing(s) yet.
I have started a sketch of another animal though. I figured that since I was having trouble really getting back into the drawing that the best thing was going to be to just start with something and see how it goes. It’s really like music in that respect. Doing it, even a little of it at a time still gives a chance to learn and improve. And build, or rebuild confidence which I suspect is some of what might be holding me back. Still, I’m moving in the right direction.
I even got to some of my digital art in this time. I have a project with the Snowman that I’m working on and I need to give him new arms. Well, I’m making a whole new Snowman. But I was having trouble getting started on the arms. I would try something and get just a little ways and then delete it. I finally figured out that I needed to sketch out a bit of reference for what I want or think the hand part should look like, since this is part of what has been giving me trouble. So I did. It’s not at all detailed. Just stick figure sort of stuff. No pun intended at all. I’m glad I did it because when I had time to pull up Blender and give it a go, it was perfect for getting me started. I actually think I know what to do to make it work now. I’m excited. Now if I could just have enough energy to work on it when I have the time.
I haven’t neglected the music and guitar. In fact I’ve been busy learning the blues scale in all five of the positions/shapes that fit in with the pentatonic scales. That’s been fun. I try to get through them at least once a night since I’m still trying to get them to stick. I’ve found one or two songs that I can make use of them so far. Which is cool. I’ve just started learning an eight bar blues song. It’s on our list of stand-bys so hopefully I’ll get to where I can play and sing that one. And I’m going back through some of the other songs I know to see what I can spice up or clean up or enhance.
The day job is still there and things that were supposed to happen with our big project have been postponed. There have been additional hiccups as well. It’s not unexpected. All the cool new and exciting stuff is still a bit off in the future. Not until January mostly. That means I’m still working to get through an initial read of the material for the next test I’m going to take. I’m struggling with that a little. It’s not the most riveting stuff to read and I’ve not been getting good rest. Though I have no idea why not.
I am still at Taekwondo. Enjoying it very much and going regularly. I don’t know if I mentioned that I’d started at a gym and signed up with a trainer. I see the trainer once a week and he has given me a set of exercises to do if I can make it to the gym a second time in the week. I’ve done this three weeks in a row now. I’m working on making that second day a regular thing. I’ve finally gotten past the routine of only going right after work. A couple of times I’ve gone much later in the evening after I’ve finished a few other errands and such and it’s been really nice. So that’s looking pretty positive.
I got a new desk. Sometime ago I realized that part of what I wasn’t liking in my art room was that the desk had no storage. Just a top and legs. That meant there was a lot of stuff all over the surface of the desk no matter how much I tried to tidy up. After looking online at the office stores and not really liking what I found there, I gave up and checked IKEA. Yeah, I know what people like to say or joke about them. Truth is, they had what I wanted and needed. And it’s got nice clean lines and I now have storage. Yay.
There is another Blues Jam coming up this weekend. I need to get some serious practice in, in the next few days. I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully we’ll have more people there, to play as well as listen. It’s really a lot better and more fun the more people that come out. I don’t have a lot of pictures to share this time but here are a few of the desk, and some of what I’ve been working on.