Two More Normal Days Later

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put a damper on your New Year and projects and resolutions and plans. Not one bit. I don't know anyone who relishes the thought of a first page in a diary or sketchbook more than I, but I have been stuck trying to finish last year, found it hard to catch up in the heatwave, (although we had cooler days,) and kept my "head down and bum up" until now. I felt more compelled to do this than any other year I can recall; something to do with the impending Big Six-O?

At around 2PM today I finished the faces sketchbook; this year I drew 678 faces. I had a super quick look over everything and saw changes in focus and style, but also a lot of going back and forth. To my surprise, there were a few pages I wouldn't mind sticking on a wall.

Earlier on I worked in in A4; these were outlines while looking at the Matisse figures but not the sketchbook, but not exactly blind contours.

Probably same method as above, probably Matisse; I drew in a whole lot more details when I worked in A4.

I do love colors and I used a bronze gel pen on multicolor background. Blind lines based on Picasso figures - I didn't think I'd be interested in Picasso, ever, but I so was!

Blind lines/contours, lifting the pen as little as possible, with non-dominant (left) hand. Van Gogh, of course.

Blind contour with left hand, Matisse. I like the amount of details, which disappeared when I switched  to A3.

Blind lines/contours, left hand, Picasso. I couldn't get enough of Picasso.

One of the last ones, blind contour, dominant (right) hand, based on a photograph, I think.

I switched from A4 to A3 because I couldn't get enough details in A4, but looking back I skimped on details when I had more room on the page. I can't explain why, except I liked big paper when in class, standing up in front of an easel, while these were done sitting down at the coffee table, in the evenings and very close up.

The more I understood how to do blind contours, I probably paid more attention to the technique; these couple of weeks, I was finally able to slow down a bit, (something stressed over and over when in the old class, but I couldn't manage then,) and I even caught myself looking more carefully at the details of paintings. But the end results appear simpler and light on the character/quirkiness. I think if I kept drawing faces from time to time, I might eventually find a happy place where the lines are as interesting as the details. Or vice versa.

I drew the most looking at Matisse and Modigliani, some van Gogh, Chagall, possibly a couple of Cezanne, (I found him extremely difficult,) German expressionists, (their sculptures are fascinating,) Fauvists, and Picasso. I drew a few folks in the news, mostly US politicians. But I still am not that person who picks up a pencil and draw casually, or easily, for her own entertainment. I expected after a year of faces, I might feel more light-hearted, but darn. On good days, I kept working on the same painting, managing a dozen or so doodles, and I found results I liked often from these sittings.

Yesterday, Jan 1, I didn't start my 2018 project, but I made up for it this morning. I'm just going to park this pic here to remember where I started. Again I have no idea where I'm going with this but as long as I have more than 365 abstracty bits by the year's end, I'll have done what I set out to do. On my mind are: 1) size: I'm making thumbnail, or palm-sized, in A4, as they are easier and manageable, but too quick and not considered enough? I was disappointed to see as I moved on to bigger paper,my faces became less interesting. Solution: do as I please on the day but also remember to work bigger and deeper later if so inspired, make the project a starting point if it works out that way; and 2) solid color planes match the pictures in my head better, so use paints, collage, etc. when I can.

Yesterday, I also threaded the brown warp to the right end, then took out the first 123 ends on the left and started editing. I had to quit not because I got tired or it was late but the Internet connection was so bad I had to refresh my podcast connection every 6 or 8 ends! I'm going downstairs to finish that now.

So what about this new year? Rethinking distribution/outlet and reorganizing the non-weaving part of my weaving; submitting to exhibition if I can; using up all the premade warps, including the option to abort impractical/ugly projects; a few handmade postcard jolliness, the abstract every-day-ish project; reading printed books, (also audiobooks or electronic, but I do get pleasure from printed books and I don't do it enough;) robust/proactive winter gardening, and better cooking. And not wishing/hoping but making things happen myself. What about you?

If you blog, please leave your URL in the comment section; I changed my blog reader program a few times, and the last time I switched there was no automatic transfer of URLs, so I lost a few. I've amended by googling and looking into other weavers' blogs, but it'd be nice to have a bigger list as there are too few weaving blog updates in my reader. (I'm currently using bloglovn' but I'm not in love with it; what do you use?) Ditto if if you don't weave but make things and blog. Thank you.