Memory journal

Green grocer

Favourite foods

Favourite old bags

I go to a music appreciation class and while the lecturer plays pieces of music I do sketches in my memory journal. I am doing things like my favourite bags, favourite foods, my local green grocer, and other things that spring to mind. Next to the sketches I write about the memories as well. I am loving doing it. It interests me how the memory alters things and is often not very accurate.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

DOTRSOTB

Some more drawings from "Drawing on the right side of the brain". I am really pleased with my progress and I am enjoying the various exercises. I don't do as much drawing as I would like as I have lots of other commitments but I enjoy what I do.
There was an Everyday matters challenge of drawing something in the shade but I don't have the skills for it yet. i hope to do it in the future.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Bird bath

This is another attempt at doing some watercolor that isn't precise detail. I enjoy doing this sort of painting but still need to learn how much to put in and how much to leave out.
The bird bath is in my very small courtyard. It was surrounded by pumpkins and zucchinis and petunias. It makes for some nice memories. i love seeing the birds having their baths. When I moved here from my old house where hundreds of birds visited over the years no birds came. Over the months birds finally discovered the bird bath and I am thrilled about it. i have planted some ranunculas around the bird bath so I have the flowers to look forward to.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 121 - coins

I am really pleased the way I am keeping up with the challenges. I don't draw everyday but love taking on the challenge each week as it leads me to doing things that I normally wouldn't do. When I saw the coins which are Australian currency I thought they would be too detailed to draw but i loved doing them. I loved the intricacy.
I still remember when the new decimal currency came out when I was a child. it was really exciting having new money. The 1 and 2 dollar coins were new in recent years. The 50 cent peice used to be round but now has corners. We used to have 1 and 2 cent pieces but they have been made redundant as prices have gone up. The smallest coin is 5 cents and there isn't a way of buying something for less. A sign of our more expensive times. I remember going to Italy and they had lollies as change which I thought was extraordinary.
I thought I'd do a bigger picture so the detail is better. I don't know how to delete the smaller image.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 120 - torch

I only have one torch that is constantly being charged in the laundry. I have only used it a few times. There hasn't been a blackout at night in years but I still like to have the torch. I've never thought to have a torch by my bed or in the car as some EDMers do.
Karen suggested sharing the best memories of using a torch. Girl guide camps would have been the best fun. Often we would use lanterns but we also had our torches. We often snuck out of our tents and raided the cooking tent for yummy food at night.
When I did the drawing I didn't know how to show that there was a handle and you could see through it. I shaded it in and then made it black. I need to find a better way of showing that.
Enjoy the journey.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Rock challenge

I pass this rock everyday on my walks at the beach. I used to come swimming here as a child and my playmates used to challenge each other to swim out to the rock. Great memories of childhood at the beach. I love it as much now. This is the only rock along the foreshore.
I haven't managed to get a feeling of depth. The rock is rather flat. Does anyone know how I could improve on it?
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Glass challenge

As I normally do outlines and watercolor inside when i came to the glass I realised I needed some shading. I don't know how to shade. Hopefully I will learn how to do it as part of the course I am doing with Drawing on the right side of the brain.
The glass is one of a collection of glasses that were full of honey. I love the way the glasses are recycled and enjoy using them. I need to get some nice new glasses for when visitors come as the honey glasses are getting a bit used.
I drink a lot of water during the day and love using my glasses.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Here's me

I'm trying to add my photo to my blog profile. Wish me luck. Couldn't do it. I think some changes are happening with blogger as directions are different each time.
The drawing with my photo is one I did 17 years ago when my dad died. I was in a state of grief and copied this drawing from a plate design. I doubt I could draw like this now. How strange that grief heightened my abilities.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Been tagged

I usually put my collages on my other blog....susanhosken.blogspot.com but I have been tagged by my new friend martin from EDM and I don't have time to scan in a new drawing.
This is the second time I've been tagged. I find it fun but some people find it childish.
So what are 7 random facts / habits about myself..
1. I used to smoke roll your own Drum cigarettes
2. When I was at college I wanted to do Librarianship and drama and the co ordinator said no because I'd have to be schizophrenic to want to do both and they were incompatible subjects!!! A few of us library students argued hard and long and we got it approved. I am one of the first students to have passed both subjects in fourth year. It turned out I did have schizoaffective disorder after all. I am so glad I did both subjects and paved the way for other students.
3. I love fresh home grown siverbeet with egg cooked in the microwave topped later with green tomato chutney. I just made my latest batch of chutney and am looking forward to my next meal.
4. I have a friend in Queensland that I phone most Saturday nights and we talk for hours and hours. It's like being a teenager.
5. I used to call my brother Prune and still do sometimes. My mother used to say what lovely skin my brother had and I got jealous and called him prune face. I called him that for years and only recently stopped. My brother is 48!!!
6. I used to have a budgerigar called Tiger that used to fly around the hous. Nowadays I can't stand the thought of a bird not being able to fly free.
7. I am amazed I am doing drawings of simple things in life for Everydaymatters. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine such a happening.

I can't believe I wrote all the above. I just did it off the top of my head. Fance picking such things. I had a lot of fun and good memories came back as well.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 98 - free choice

I used to collect dolls. This is my doll Stavroula. It lives at my mothers. My mother lives in a gorgeous little white weather board house. It is like a little dolls house. My mum loves color coordinating everything. Her lounge dining area is all soft apricot and soft green with soft turqoise green highlights. It matches the outside green trims on the house and door. The doll matched the house so I sent it to mum's place!!!!!The doll didn't fit into my more chaotic colorful home. It is interesting how we all live so differently.
I still have some of my dolls out in the house. Others of them are stored in a blanket bin and I give them all a turn out in the fresh air!!!
I never intended collecting dolls. It started with my childhood doll Linda and my barbie doll. I didn't start collecting until I was an adult.
Enjoy the journey.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Beach scene from the boatshed

This is the scene from the boatshed I mentioned in my other blog...susanhosken.blogspot.com.
I am needing help with how to develop it. It is the first drawing I have done of a scene. Should I darken the pencil lines and backgrounds? Advice and criticism would be appreciated.It is supposed to be grasses, sand and the beach!!!
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 118 - hair

This drawing is a bit frightening!!! I did my self portrait as part of the exercises for "Drawing on the right side of the brain". Next time I will smile. I promise I have a friendly smile and sparkly kind eyes. Doesn't look like it with this one. I'm going to look forward to doing portraits as part of my overall growth in art. At the moment I still can only really do outlines as I find shading too challenging at the moment. I am looking forward to doing art courses that teach me how to shade.
I was awake at 4am so did my daily Everyday in May drawing then!! This won't be a regular happening.
Absolutely loving Everyday in May and the inspiration for me to do art everyday.
Most of my life I have had long hair but decided I was getting too old for it a few years ago. I got quite tired of waiting for it to dry after I washed it as I didn't like hair dryers. My grandmother used to love my hair and used to stroke it. She'd tell me stories about her long hair which she had happy memories about. When I wore my hair in a bun she called me top knot. When she became forgetful and couldn't remember me I told her I was top knot and she remembered me. Shortly after my grandmother died I cut all my hair off. I never realised at the time but I did it out of sheer grief. I have read often about people cutting there hair off in grief. After I had the hair cut off I felt strangely calmed by doing it. I could have literally cut it off with my own scissors I was so upset about grandma. I wailed when I heard of her death. I immediately started growing me hair again and had it long for quite a few years. I have always loved my hair and loved doing hairstyles with it particularly threading beads through it. I am now beginning to go gray so that will be the next journey. Hair fascinated me. i'll be interested to see how other EDMers do the challenge.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Drawing on the right side of the brain

A while ago I started the book "Drawing on the right side of the brain". I came up to an exercise I didn't want to do and instead of skipping it I stopped doing the exercises. Anybody would think I had an exam at the end of the book. Tonight I have decided to continue on doing the exercises I am interested in. I thought I would show a few of my drawings so far on my blog.
I am finding the book and the workbook really encouraging and I am learning a lot.

Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Sorting out blogs

This painting is of a piece of my mother's glass from her collection. I'm looking forward to learning how to do shading on my drawings.
I've decided to keep this blog for my drawings and painting and the challenges from Everydaymatters.
My other blog ...susanhosken.blogspot.com...I'll use for my general chatter and my other art work....collaging, photography, embroidery, knitting, etc.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Everyday in May grid

I've been doing grids for the Everyday in May challenge. I am totally energised and inspired by the challenge. Normally I've been drawing once a week now it is everyday. I hope the inspiration continues throughout the year. I never realised how creative I am being with my writing, journaling, collage, embroidery, knitting, etc.
I highly recommend grids to other people finding it hard to draw. The little sketches are such a delight to do.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 117 - round

This is a drawing of some of my neighbours childrens toys. They play ball adn cricket, etc in the driveway. They are leaving soon to move into their new home. I will miss them.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Knitting

For the Everyday in May challenge I will knit everyday. I can do this while I watch TV, with friends or at appointments.
I copied this drawing as I saw it. Now when I look at it should I "invent" the other knitting needle to make it look better. Usually I draw what I see but should I alter it to make a more realistic and/or effective drawing? Comments on this most welcome.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Everyday in May challenge

I usually only get one drawing done a week and posting it to my blog.
There is a challenge called Everyday in May where people are doing creative work everyday. I can knit everyday but I doubt I can do a drawing every day. I will try and do as many as I can and post them on my blog.
This is the first camelia of many that are budding on my neighbours bush.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 116 - something green

This little whimsical plastic toy sits on the dashboard of my car. It was a toy I had when my nephews now in their twenties were babies. I boxed all the toys up when all the kids were grown but decided to keep the little green elephant out and put him on my dashboard. He or she makes me happy when I see it.
The little drawing is one of the first I did in my first traveling sketchbook. I was so eager to start the book that when I came out of the art shop I began drawing in the car straight away. I was waiting for my mother to come back from the hairdressers. That's what I love about the traveling sketchbook it has such great memories of my travels.
I have enjoyed the green challenge with EDM as there has been so many different interpretations of the green theme.
Lots of love from Susan

Trolley challenge

I found this trolley in the street so I didn't have to draw it in the supermarket. It is a typical trolley used in Melbourne, Australia. It was a challenge to draw all the details. I didn't fit the wheels in on the page!!!
i use a trolley every week to get groceries and I have to put a dollar in a slot to get it and I get the dollar back when i return it. It gets people to return their trolleys rather than leaving them in the parking lot.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia