Draw What You Love

Current mood board, really feeling Catwoman ever since I watched Batman Returns a few weeks back. Loveloveloved Michelle Pfeiffer. On a related note, I finally saw Beetlejuice, and I was equally smitten. As a kid I saw bits of it and never understood it, but having seen it in its entirety, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Tim Burton knows how to style a movie.

The cover of my new sketch pad. Could NOT resist the pink shiny paper.

Katy Perry, Felix the Cat, Gala Darling, and leopard hearts.

Betsey inspired collage, Betsey Johnson, Eloise, Dala horse.

Dala-corn (dala horse+unicorn), bunting and Nikki Minaj.

My "theme" or idea (theme sounds too grand) behind this newest sketch pad is to Draw What I Love. I was doing the 30 Day Project and I liked doing the sketches, but at a certain point (day ten to be exact: favorite candy) I decided, I just didn't care enough about the prompts to draw them. And I was never sure how to approach them, quick sketchs or fully resolved images? Quick sketches didn't feel long enough, but full images seemed like too much for topics that I wasn't completely invested in. I know myself enough to know that I need to draw something everyday if I'm to improve. BUT I am also a terrible procrastinator and spend waaaay too much time trawling the internet. Then it dawned on me, if I'm going to fritter away time absorbing beautiful images on the internet, why not try drawing them? Turn a bad habit into a good one. And that has turned into doing portraits of women who inspire me along with other random doodles.

What do you love to draw?

Batter Witch

I've had a hankering for zucchini bread for a a long while now. Last summer, on the way back from the Cape I stopped at a farmer's market and had the BEST zucchini bread ever. The baker had used pineapple to sweeten the batter, and I remember the base being crunchy and caramelized. Oh my! I didn't attempt to find that recipe, but I did find this from an adorable blog, Smitten Kitchen.

Can I tell you how amazing the batter tasted? A perfect blend of salt and sweet; I wanted to eat it raw. I did not. The aroma upon baking was lovely, perfect for warming an airconditioned house. Once baked, I didn't notice the salt/sweet as much, and the zucchini flavor was pretty subtle (the golden raisins I added might have upstaged the zucchini) but that didn't stop me from gobbling down two, warm. Mmmm. Especially good with Bigelow's Vanilla and Caramel tea, my new obsession.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

Taking a Break

It turns out there is a downside to spending so much time with my shiny, new laptop. Specifically, my eyes have become dry, red, and irritated. Therefore I won't be posting until my eyes rehydrate. The recovery plan is to:

-Get out more (I've been inside too much. And it's summer! I should be outside!)
-Limit online browsing to an hour (A friend describes the internet as a rabbit hole, and I fall into it waaaay to easily.)
-Take eye breaks during long bouts of computer aided drawing
-Use eye drops for contacts (in four years of wearing contacts, I rarely use drops. I'm even worse at carrying my lens case around)
-Wear glasses when using the computer for long periods
-Get a paper sketch pad (I've gone almost a month without one!!!)

Sounds good to me! How do you deal with staring at a screen for hours?

30 Day Drawing Challenge- Day 9

Favorite TV show-Pushing Daisies: I actually don't watch a lot of TV, so I watched this series on DVD rather than when it frist aired. I wish they had kept it going.

PS I would totally marry Lee Pace.

30 Day Drawing Challenge- Day 8

Favorite Animated Character- Did you even have to ask?

Also, Connecticon is tomorrow! Hooray for nerds!

More Mermaids

Phew, only a few more pages and this dummy book will be complete! Next stage will be editing then creating the final images. If anyone want to leave feedback feel free to comment below.

Blogging over this last week has been really useful and motivating for me. Usually I just let afternoons pass, only thinking about how I should be drawing. But blogging makes me feel as if I've made some tangible progress; it's like being published without being published. I've been thinking a lot about art and motivation and the conclusion I keep coming back to is that, even if what I create isn't perfect, its important to at least do something. The only way to improve at anything is to make mistakes and to not be discouraged by them, but to keep going.

For more on this topic check out: Timmy and Sarah Cast, Nextness: Patti Smith.


Images are property of Amanda Anderson. Please ask for permission to use.

30 Day Drawing Challenge- Day 7

Favorite Movie- Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola <3 The movie earned a lot of criticism, but I remember feeling moved the first time I saw it. There was a quiet desperation to the film, like that thing they say about swans, looking effortless but paddling furiously to keep afloat. Trying out a style like Cucumber Quest.

30 Day Drawing Challenge- Day 6

Your Favorite Book- Ok, trying to decide this would be like asking a mother to pick her favorite child. I love all the books I own equally. But in honor of N finishing Neverwhere, I came up with this image. I heart Neil Gaiman; when he writes I can see his character's clearly in my mind and I've wanted to do character sketches for this ever since I read it. From left to right: Door, Richard, Hunter and the Marquis.

Wedding Bells

Source: greenweddingshoes.com via Miss on Pinterest

Apologies for the disappearing act, I came down with a case of hardcore daydreaming, brought on by a friend's wedding N and I attended on Sunday (Congrats A + B!!).

Much to the dismay of my creative counterparts, ever since May 1, 2011 I have digging weddings like a mole digs earth (that is to say nearly all the time). I've created wedding Pinboards; I've registered at Wedding Wire and The Knot; I've watched a bevy of wedding movies; I've dvr'ed (that a verb now, right?) all of My Fair Wedding; I devour magazines like and blogs like so much nuptial cake.

Growing up I was not the girl who was obsessed by wedding plans. Unconsciously I recognized that there was no point in daydreaming about something that far off, especially when there was so much else to do in life: read, write, create. Then in the dregs of winter 2010, slogging through an internship and night classes, I came down with my first case of wedding influenza. The previously mentioned A was in the planning stages of her wedding and I was introduced to a world of pastels and cupcakes, chiffon and stationary. Out of the doldrums of student life here was a realm of feminine fantasy. I started to wonder, what would my wedding look like? N and I had been together for three years at that point and committed to a life together. So what was the harm in sketching out some ideas? It beat studying for the Praxis. So I doodled and took notes, etc. As spring/summer approached I was showing signs of recovery. All wedding dreams got put on the back burner.

Flash forward to this year. Ever since he popped the question, I have had questions of my own: When? Where? Who? And I will admit with no guilt that it is fun to daydream. Perhaps debilitating to my productive life, but as far as a vehicle for escapism, it ranks high on my list.

Currently, we (and I do mean we; he has been pretty insistent on certain aspects of the wedding) are planning a Cape Cod wedding. The only memory I have a wedding planning as teen was the time I told my sister that I wanted to get married on the Cape, have blue decorations and a live jazz band, which she promptly tore down ("Do you even listen to jazz??"). But now that I can seriously consider these options, here are a few of my top choices:

Wychmere Harbor Club, Hyannis

Source: longwoodevents.com via Miss on Pinterest

Clean lines, ocean views and a stylish planning team. This is my ultimate dream (read: when I win the lotto). Found this place through The Knot, and aesthetically it is everything I want in a wedding. One of my priorities in planning this event is to be in beautiful surroundings and to me nowhere is more beautiful than the Cape. With huge French windows overlooking the water, I want my guests to get a taste of the place N and I "grew up" on every summer. And if you visit the website, check out the food options. Hello, delicious!

Ocean Edge Resort, Brewster

Source: oceanedge.com via Miss on Pinterest

Driving down route 6A through Brewster, you are guaranteed to pass this grand estate. Growing up I always wanted to go in it, but was never quite sure what it was. A millionaire's vacation spot? A castle? A nunnery? Turns out it is a golf club, resort, and wedding venue! Getting married here would mean a lot to me, because I summered in Brewster and it is near the beach where N asked me to marry him. The patio over looking the ocean looks stellar; modern and chic.

The Beach, Anywhere Cape Cod

Source: fromportlandtopeonies.blogspot.com via Miss on Pinterest

Of course the most natural option would be to get married on the beach. I'm not sure what the logistics are of a beach wedding (permits, etc.) but it would be a blast. Would we wear bathing suits and jump in the water after our vows? Have a classic Cape clam bake? Roast marshmallows over a beach bonfire (dressed in Cuffy's no doubt)? One thing is for sure, it would be an occasion to remember!

Clearly, I'm still in the early-everything-is-possibile stage of wedding planning. But hey, it doesn't cost a dime to dream!

30 Day Drawing Challenge- Day 5

Your best friend- I'm sure she'll have a pretty good critique for this image and admittedly I didn't spend as long on this as I should have, but L. is hands down my bff. Lately, I've met more and more sisters who don't get along well and it makes me realize how blessed I am to have someone as funny, articulate, and caring as she is. In another world we could have been strangers under one roof, instead I was born with a bestie. Even though she is on another coast, she is never far from my thoughts. <3

Am I turning into a maple tree? 'Cuz this post is sappy.

Edit (7/6/11) I couldn't stand the image I had up before; it was such a rush job. Do over. Words can't express how silly the glasses are L is wearing.

Eden of the East

It could just be that I'm getting old, but I find it very hard lately to care about anime. The general consensus among my friends and myself is that "They just don't make 'em like they used to". So when a show piques my interest I feel it is worth noting and sharing. Such was the case with Eden of the East (not to be confused East of Eden).

It took me about two days to watch the eleven episode series. There are two movies as well but Netflix only offers the first. I plan on watching it soon.

The form: The animation is good; it looks consistent (as someone who grew up with the erratic animation from Sailor Moon, this is an important quality), has its own style (didn't look like a carbon copy of other series I've seen), and the colors palette is great (purples, oranges, golds). Another note, American voice acting has much improved since my formative years.

As for the content, I like how "of the moment" the series feels, which probably means it won't stand the test of time, but there is sense of dislocation and detachment that is immediate and relatable. The show doesn't consist of young girls mooning over demon boys; it's about 20 somethings trying to find their place in an aging, unstable economy. And one of them happens to be an amnesiac with a magic phone. The series felt real...

Yeah, that non-sequitur took me out of the show a bit, but overall it is worth watching. If you like Jason Bourne-esque mystery and social commentary, this show might be for you.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go yell at those damn kids for walking on my lawn.

30 Day Drawing Challenge- Day 4

Your favorite place-Without a doubt my favorite place is Cape Cod. I've vacationed there every summer and it is where N asked me to marry him <3<3<3 I've always thought it looked like a particularly beefy arm.