Working on Sketches

I have been really wanting to make a nativity scene for Christmas. But I missed my opportunity, since I started this after Christmas. So I'm hoping I'll get this done before next Christmas. 

I'm getting it done, very slowly. The above is the inked study on white paper. I'm eliminating a bunch of the ornamentation and the column, and will be adding new things. I hope to transfer this design onto some very nice cotton 300 lb paper. And then, perhaps, I'll try to paint it.

That's terrifying, because whenever I add color or paint, somehow a great drawing becomes an awful painting.

Shelves

Hey there, I made some shelves. 

These were inspired by this bookshelf from Target. 

I had really wanted to have my books in my room. Rather than hidden in my office. But, alas, no bookshelves. So, on to Pinterest I go and I find an easy DIY Method.

I found this tutorial on Adventures of a DIY Mom.

It's a great step by step process. 

I didn't use her measurements, I wanted a larger size. But the rest of the instructions are very clear. I bought (8) 1"x12"x6' top choice pine board. At Lowes.

My final dimensions for this project was 4' tall, x 12" deep x 20" wide. I only had enough room for 20" so I wouldn't crowd the space, or knock my shoulders on them. 

I had gotten a better quality top board pine for this project. It has less knots and holes, and is less warped. I mean, it's still warped some. So you have to check out each board carefully to see how straight they are. I was sanding a lot to get a smoother surface. I had cut all the pieces and was starting to assemble them, but while a circular saw is great for rip cuts. It wasn't that great for precision. So everything would come out a/ 1/8" off. Even with a straight edge clamp!!! I had already screwed them all together and then pulled them apart after I realized so wobbly they were.  So, I begged my brother for the use of his mitre saw.

Ah yes. It's glorious. Reminds me of making canvas frames in College. Ah, that weird day where our Professor Wally Connelly taught us how to buy wood, (check for straightness) how to use a miter saw, and how to staple your canvas and then use Gesso. 

I also used a kreg jig to get pocket holes. That way the screws aren't visible.

I used some old bead-board for the backing. The picture above shows

how off balance my shelves were. 

So, I re-sawed all the wood to measure as exact as I could. I had to re-drill

a few pocket holes. But in the end, it worked out.

Yay!!!!

I had wanted a pop of color. So I chose an washed aqua stain.

Now, it came out much more intense than I expected. You can 

barely see the wood grain. So, I should have done only one coat. Or mixed it with paint thinner. But when I had done a test coat, the one coat wasn't enough. 

So, after doing two coats on the shelves, I noticed, wow, that is not at all like my test strips. Even after wiping the stain between coats. Go figure.  I followed up

with a coat of clear poly in satin finish.

Before my shelves. 

Yay, Book Shelves.

With actual books!!!!

It came out to $120 for materials. (not included the borrowed miter saw, and my kreg jig) The original was $118 a shelf. I made mine for $60 a shelf. Granted, I'm not including my labor. But that's the fun of DIY right? 

Till next time, Ruth

Inktober 2016 10/6/2016

So, I started InkTober on October 4. A whole 4 days past the start. It takes awhile to get up motivation sometimes.

I tried to go back and do prompt's 1-3.

Prompt 1: Fast

#InkTober 2016, Fast

Prompt 2: Noisy

#InkTober 2016, Noisy

Prompt 3: Collect

#InkTober 2016, Collect

Prompt 4: Hungry

#InkTober 2016, Hungry

Of course, I'm still behind because it's October 6th. And I haven't started on 5. Sad or Prompt 6: Hidden.

Maybe I'll just start from Prompt 7. Since I finished three today. I mean, so I have less than 31 drawings. Meh. It's ok with me.

,Rudy

InkTober

InkTober is a creation of an artist named Jake Parker.

He started his own initiative to draw an ink drawing a day for the month of October. 31 drawings for 31 days. It became a worldwide trend with thousands of artists challenging themselves to draw more.

Here's his website detailing the project.

MrJakeParker.com

Now, I've known about InkTober for awhile. But never really tried it. I'm not saying I'll finish or even start 31 drawings for October. Well, it's the fourth so I'm three days behind anyway. But while my Goose is asleep (still) I thought I'd try a little bit. Today's prompt was "Hungry".

I had been craving chocolate cake and after buying some, and then beginning to eat it (quietly and behind their backs so they wouldn't see). My kids spied me and promptly asked me and what I was eating and if they could have some.

There is never secret cake. 

This inspired my Ink-Tober "Hungry" Ink Drawing.

My finished InkTober Drawing

I'll show a bit of the progression:

 I forgot to take a picture of the pencil sketch. They usually look better to me.

 Pen and Pencil drawing

 I tried to outline with a brush pen. It didn't look right.

 I traced over all my pen marks with a thicker marker.

 I realized I hated the little outline I did around Hungry.

 I tried to cover it up.

#Inkober, #Inktober2016

And here we are.
InkTober 2016.
Day 4.
Hungry.

It has been so long since I've drawn much. I do maybe sketch one a month. They are just sketches. Sometimes for projects, sometimes because I must draw something. But the mood doesn't happen as often as it should.

The thing about art is that you can't wait for the mood. You have to do it whether you feel like it or not. It's sort of like laundry or dishes.

Here are some links to the fantastic artists to who also contribute to InkTober

Pinterest InkTober Gallery

Till Next Time,

Rudy