AEDM 2009 day 30: it's over already?

Once again the last day of Art Every Day Month snuck up on me. I'm not ready for it to end!

I especially like how AEDM has helped me make so much progress on my Sketchbook Project monsters sketchbook. Pretty much every page has something on it, and after a little more work on the cover and a few of the pages, it will be ready to go. Well, I also need to document it before I send it off. Which means it's time for me to finally get out and buy a tripod.

As I mentioned before, I'm going to keep up with the daily art and blog posting for at least the first couple weeks of December. I have a couple of projects that I need to finish up soon, so hopefully this commitment will help move me quickly towards my creative goals.

Many, many thanks to Leah for being such an inspiration during AEDM. Can't wait for next year!

AEDM 2009 day 29: the Procrastinator

OK, so art it isn't, but I wanted to show you my little chicken in a basket drawing anyway. This is a page from a notebook I have called the Procrastinator. Each page has spaces for little drawings and other quick, time-wasting activities. Something about the sense of humor of the authors really tickles me.

AEDM 2009 day 28: hand monster

One of my goals for the coming week is to finish the monster notebook, document it, and send it off.

For missing two days of AEDM, I think I'll do two more weeks of it (including blog posts) in December. Maybe I can convince my friend Kim to do it with me. :)

Slacker

OK, so I've totally missed the last two days of Art Every Day Month. But I have a boatload of excuses:

• We had friends visiting from London.


• I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for 20 people.


• The Christmas markets opened yesterday.


• Someone who looks a lot like me was busy taking part in an illegal flash mob.

But today I'm back on the wagon. AEDM post to come soon.

AEDM 2009 day 25: even more monsters

Another one those pages that doesn't seem quite done, but on the other hand, it's just a sketchbook. Who says each page has to be done?

AEDM 2009 day 24: seaweed monster

I thought this one looked like a blob of seaweed. Or maybe coral.

Is it Sesame Street's fault that all my monsters have googly eyes?

AEDM 2009 day 23: last pages!

See this? It's the last blank 2-page spread in my whole monster notebook. I'm almost done!

There are many pages that are only kind of half-done, but still it will be a relief to have at least something on each and every page. Keeping in mind that this is only a sketchbook, not every page has to be a masterpiece before I hand it in. Here are some of the pages I'll probably work on some more:

AEDM 2009 day 22: that other project

This is what I was making the other day when I couldn't tell you what I was making: a life-sized man drawing for a bachelorette party game. Kind of a variation of 'pin the tail on the donkey'.

AEDM 2009 day 21: sparkly plant monster

If you can't use magic markers and glitter in a monster sketchbook, when can you use them?

I'm so happy there are only a couple blank pages left, plus the cover. Can't wait to finish with the monsters!

AEDM 2009 day 20: starry-eyed monster

In the background there's sort of a monster hiding in a sock drawer for Leah. :)

I spent most of today working on a bigger project, but I can't show it to you (yet). It's a surprise.

AEDM 2009 day 19: pencil monsters

I had so little time for art today. For these pages I just grabbed a pencil and doodled in my monster sketchbook. The pencil itself was kind of interesting: a standard American number-2 dark blue pencil with "1990 FBLA DISTRICT II SKILLS' CONFERENCE" stamped in gold on it. I wondered where it came from, and how it found its way into my pencil holder. I was happy to learn that it was my husband, and not I, who was hoarding 19-year-old pencils and moving them from country to country with us. Not that I haven't been schlepping 19-year-old items through four countries myself. I'm sure there are plenty to be found.

This week has turned out to be so busy with things that are not art. Not that I can complain, since most of the things are very very fun things, but still it's frustrating that I can't give art the attention it deserves during Art Every Day Month. Hopefully tomorrow I will steal more time for art, and have something more interesting to share with you.

AEDM 2009 day 18: London goauche

Last seen here, this little postcard-sized goauche painting of London is done.

I am still getting the hang of gouache. My tendency is to use it very watered down so that it behaves almost like watercolor, but that seems silly given that I'm not particularly good with watercolors. I want to keep playing to see if I can find a style that works for me.

AEDM 2009 day 17: there is a monster lurking in the darkness

Luckily I have some good suggestions for future monsters from the comments of yesterday's post. And then there was my trainer at bootcamp today...

Hopefully I'll be done with this notebook by the end of the month.

AEDM 2009 day 16: monsters dressed up like ghosts

Eh, you try filling a whole sketchbook with monsters. Not easy.

The view from my studio window

Yesterday's monster was inspired by the Art House Coop's Weekly Project. This week the project was to take a photo out your favorite window. This is mine; you can see the other submissions (and sign up to participate in future Weekly Projects yourself) here.

AEDM 2009 day 5: Tate Modern Monsters

Sometimes it's hard to fit in art when I'm traveling. Currently I'm in London, and I packed really light so I wouldn't have to check a bag. The only art supplies I have with me are my monsters sketchbook and a couple pens and pencils. So today I sketched some monsters from paintings at the Tate Modern.

AEDM 2009 day 4: Ahhh! Monster!

As I mentioned yesterday, I am participating in the Sketchbook Project, for which I was assigned a topic. The topic I received couldn't have been further from what I usually depict. The topic label simply reads: Ahhh! Monster!



It's ridiculous how hard of a time I'm having trying to fill a sketchbook with monsters. I keep hoping I'll loosen up a bit and find my monster groove, but so far that hasn't happened. At least I'm having some fun with it.

You'll be seeing a lot of my attempts at monsters this month. I hope they don't scare you.

AEDM 2009 day 3: Sketchbook Project

I am participating in Art House Co-op's Sketchbook Project, and AEDM has come along at just the right time to help nudge me to finish the project and send it off by the end of the month. Art House Co-op is putting together a library of small sketchbooks from artists from all over the world. When you sign up you receive a sketchbook and a topic. Can you guess what my topic is?

AEDM 2009 day 2: Tallinn in pigment and sand

This was a canvas (40x30cm) I had prepped with black gesso mixed with sand. Today I got out a few pigments, mixed them with acrylic medium, and created this scene of Tallinn, Estonia (based on photos from our trip there earlier this year). I'll probably tweak a couple little things, but it's mostly done.

AEDM 2009 day 1: thank-you card

Art Every Day Month is underway. I'm starting with a small project, a thank-you note for friends who hosted us in Toulouse last week. I could have worked on this little gouache scene for hours more, but I forced myself to declare it done and move on.