The three strange keys

Once upon a time in the imagination of Enid Blyton lived a Princess held captive by a wicked witch in a tower. The story went that she could only be set free by three strange keys...

A Key to give the witch a fright

A Key to scale the wall

A Key to carry a burden light

Right over the palace wall

The keys turned out in fact to be a red turKEY and brown monKEY and a grey donKEY.

I loved this story and over the years have read it countless times. It was in an old collection of short stories that belonged to my Mum when she was a little girl, and now I read them to my son.

When the Three Muses shared their creative challenge for the week as any type of key... well, naturally one of these three strange keys sprang immediately to mind - I like to think outside the box!

~So, I settled down with a box of pencils and pulled up some pictures of fine red turkeys. I looked at quite a few. The thing with turkeys is that... well, actually they are not at all bootiful. In fact, they are rather ugly what with their wobbling wattle thing and beady eyes. They all seemed to be giving them the evils for eating them on festive occasions and I started to feel most guilty and considering vegetarianism.

No turkey was clearly going to either drawn or eaten in this house last night. I turned instead to the next hero of the tale - the monkey. Staring at this cheeky face for a couple of hours was really no hardship. He's just too cute! I loved drawing him too - watching him take shape on the page; his eyes peering up at me looking all interested in what I was doing.

Thank you my little mon-key. You did a grand job.

Well red

I love spotting art in unlikely places and sometimes being a messy chick can really turn out to your advantage. There I was snipping up some red card to make fancy backing for love poetry - I ran the Cupid Love Desk at work (she writes that like it's a perfectly normal work-a-day occurrence!). I had little bits of red card all over the carpet and balled them up ready to take outside to the recycling bin (we are trying to be green in this house, even with our red).

The cat found the ball and chased it round the carpet, unravelling it somewhat in the process. Was I cross? Did I see red? Nah, I saw abstract art!



Fun in PhotoShop later and we have some sizzling red hot metal for The Three Muses challenge. I just love how the images and colours blended - don't touch... they're hot!

A guardian Angel always near...

There are so many beautiful angel quotes to be found, but I guess we shouldn't be surprised for are they not creatures that radiate love and inspire great things?

This angel wasn't keen on being sketched - I think she had more important caring business to attend to and couldn't stop long enough for me to really capture her compassion and serenity. In fact, after I'd attempted to draw her features for about the 10th time I wouldn't have been surprised to see the rare sight of angel foot-tapping impatience!

Still, she did her job, which was to allow soothing sketching and brush strokes to caress away the strains of the day and freshen a tired mind. She doesn't care that her face and neck are a bit long, that her eye is wonky and her hair a wild, untamed beast! And, she assures me that although her one visible wing is a bit wispy, it serves its purpose well.
She is art journal homework for my art course and my entry to the Three Muses' Quotation challenge.

Play is black and white

Play in photoshop with some of my art and photography. Lots of black and white layering infused with a touch of red. Needed more soothing....

For the Three Muses Black & White challenge. OK, so there's not actually that much black and white left, but believe me the layers were there - I hit 'convert to black and white' more times than Charlie Chaplin made a film, I promise!!

Abstract is what's calling me next I think, although the Muse is a little scared by the whole idea of blobs and stuff. We'll see...Maybe I'll feel more comfortable combining with Photoshop - opens up a whole host of new possibilities :)

Fashioning something

This piece represents season after season of changing fashion that eventually blends into one. It's a real mixed media creation we've got here darlings. I snipped out a 'dress pattern' from the latest copy of Elle - using all the latest trends - from oriental, to romance and long, floaty skirts. Don't they make the most perfect skirt? She sits in my sketchbook looking rather lonely with no catwalk or magazine page to grace, so I had to keep on creating. I stuck her in a limo and we drove over to Photoshop.

Lots of words from the gabbling fashion journalists were grabbed and scanned to make a layer in Photoshop, a random page from Elle joined the mix, then the whole thing was given a fabric then a grungy photographic texture.

You need to enlarge her to get the full effect.

Credits - various pages from Elle fashion supplement, Kim Klassen texture. It was great fun - snipping out all those ladies was most therapeutic.

A rejuvenating soak

"Don't be an art critic. Paint. There lies salvation."

Paul Cezanne

I seem to have a voracious appetite for learning these days and will devour anything to teach and inspire me in my art and writing. Another course started this week - though I doubt I'll have time to do anything with it before the weekend [pouty sulk]. It's Tam's course on Magical Mythical Makings over at her Willowing ning site.

I'm also absorbed with books, magazines, online pages. I just want to learn. It's never a chore - isn't that wonderful! When we really and truly want something with all our heart, then you follow that dream without thinking. Learning is suddenly relaxation - who would have thought that when they were cramming for exams as a 16-year-old! Of course, now I'm teaching myself only what I want to learn which I guess makes all the difference.

The last couple of evenings I've rested my weary mind in the pages of my sketchbook, transported into the world of the Impressionists. The wonderful Three Muses came up with the perfect challenge - to be influenced by a famous painting. It was a little hard to know where to start, but I knew I wanted a lesson from a Master. So, I grabbed some books and looked for something that spoke to me (the particular words I was after were something like "I shouldn't be too difficult to try and copy"). Of course, who can trust a painting to be so one dimensional?

Well, I picked Cezanne's bathers because I figured I could get away with 'sketching' rather than an in-depth painting. I loved how the lines around my figures were free and uninhibited by the desire for complete accuracy - this was impressionism after all. Staring deep into the painting takes you into the world of the artist - you almost get to feel that touch of brush on canvas. It was a fun exercise.

Top picture was my sketch - mixed media, mainly neocolour crayons, plus some watercolour and inktense pencils; next was the original by the master himself - as if you needed telling! (Interestingly, the version I copied from my book had colours closer to my own - I wonder which printed reproduction was closest to the original?); final two, I couldn't resist a little play in Photoshop (the bottom one benefits from enlarging).

Hares, ravens and perpetual tea

Sometimes I think I might be mad as a March Hare. Certainly this week I've been charging around like a lunatic - but then what's new? I saw a hare on Saturday - it pelted across a steep hillside, ears pricked and safe in the knowledge that nothing could catch it - a wonderful sight.

This rather scruffy, half-hearted drawing was antidote to the stresses of the day - a dabble of light relief after taxing my brain and driving for hours. I nearly gave up on the poor fellow on numerous occasions but then how would he ever get his tea? I persevered and moved from coloured pencil to watercolour and ink but I fear he may regret my haste. His fur looks a little mangy and that tea looks barely brewed.

Still a fitting end to a day of mayhem and hopefully perfect for The Three Muses 'creatures of nature' challenge (at least I'm sure that's what it was - I might have a shock in a minute when I discover it's winged things or something decidedly non-floppy-eared! As I was painting, I rather smugly realised its perfection for Illustration Friday too - 'deja-vu'. For after all, what could be more deja-vu then being stuck in a perpetual 6 o'clock tea party answering impossible riddles? Even a Mad March Hare might start thinking things looked a bit familiar!

I was just going to post last week's entry as deja vu, but that was really a bit of a poor effort (if rather funny!). Incidentally, my son is going to take in a piece of blank drawing paper for 'Show and Tell' tomorrow at school. He will announce it is a picture of Harry Potter.... wearing his invisibility cloak! Like mother like son. (I'll probably get hauled in front of the Headmaster for irresponsible parenting).

I seem to be slowly working my way through the Wonderland cast with the Hatter, the Red Queen and Alice all falling under my brush in the last year or so. Who shall I do next?

Old fashioned communication

MSN is terribly old-fashioned these days - or so I was told by a trendy 17-year-old. Apparently those who are 'with it' (clearly not me) use Facebook chat these days. Well, I do stand corrected - though truth be told, I haven't used it myself for ages, though that's mainly because I prefer the even more old-fashioned tools like the telephone, face-to-face conversation, and that new-fangled email thingiemebub.
Anyway, speaking of fashion, this pearl of wisdom I might point out came from a young man wearing a pair of jeans that only came half way up his underpants. I mean, how can you possibly take anyone seriously who spends so much time grooming his hair yet walks around looking like he's lost his elastic from his bottom half?

It's a rum old world, make no mistake, but I should thank him for gifting me this pearl of an idea for The Three Muses' challenge this week - 'Old Fashioned'. Just check out that ancient screenshot of ye olde MSN we used to communicate with each other in the olden days... A little digital fun for you!

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

It's nearly Christmas friends and excitement in this house is reaching fever pitch. Tonight we had an exciting thought. As there is snow on the ground this year, will we be able to spot reindeer footprints on the lawn outside? Last year we found magic glitter left behind, but footprints would be an extra special treat. The snow doesn't look like melting just yet so we may well be in luck!

Tomorrow we'll be making up our gingerbread house. Both walls have already required repairing - must have been a dodgy batch of plaster. Small boy wants to go carol singing too, but I'm not sure the neighbours are quite ready for that sudden burst of talent on their doorsteps. I think we'll just wait for the Christingle service on Christmas Eve.

This little lady is already well into the second verse of God rest ye Merry Gentlemen. She's wrapped up warm and singing for three special ladies who reside in locations across the globe. The Three Muses have provided us with artistic challenges all year. Thank you my friends. This prompt 'Tidings of Comfort and Joy' drew this singer from my pencils just for you. Merry Christmas Ann, Bev and Marie.

And when Illustration Friday's prompt on Christmas Eve is Winter, well... let's face it... do I have time to do a fresh sketch?

Flower maidens

 We've awoken to Christmas card scenes the last few mornings - just as the snow had melted, it has been replaced by the most incredible frosts. Silken spider threads have become ropes of ice and tiny, delicate whiskers of white grow out of every twig and leaf. It really is nature at her most creative and makes the frozen fingers and car scraping worthwhile just to see it!

I played with these frosty fushias giving them back some warmth with a few maidens. The ladies are from a collage sheet I bought on Etsy. A bit of a floral dance for my friends The Three Muses.

Wouldn't you love to watch a freeze-framed film (pun intended!) of how these ice whiskers form?

Impossible things before breakfast

Once upon a time there was a weary young girl who had blogged and painted her way through the entire month of November. Yet, despite such daring accomplishments, she still faced many challenges. How would she make it to the weekend in one piece? Would she wake on Saturday and find a paintbrush surgically implanted in her index finger? Would she cry paint? Would she make it to the ball on Friday or would her Fairy Godmother be rquired to make an appearance?

It turned out that someone far more formidable would grace the young lady with her presence. The Queen of Hearts herself who pointed out that it is quite feasible to do more than six impossible things before breakfast - all one needs is a little practice.

So, that dear readers, is what our weary girl did (but more by accident than intent - a true moment of serendipity!).

It turns out that indulging in the whimsical and painting Red Queens from movie adaptations links nicely to Once upon a times from Storybooks. Who would have thought it? One clearly can, and indeed should, believe impossible things!

And after that bit of nonsense, perhaps you're in the mood for a proper story? Seek and ye shall find... Travel to the Healing Woman and read a tale of reincarnation, Egyptian Goddesses and magical charms... an art and story collaboration by me and Cheryl Dolby.

Colouring in before drawing

Push Push Push. I keep at it, trying new techniques, learning, experimenting. Today was doing the colouring in before I had a picture!

I've been falling in love with watercolour again this week. I'm taking a course (yeah, I know, how many times have you heard me say that!?) on Whimsical Watercolours and I just finished another (!) on journalling techniques which involved this media too. I've been blending and splashing and watching those translucent colours meld into each other. I'd forgotten the wonderful things they do on paper; your tool is the water - such a simple ingredient, but just look at the results of the spells!

There's other things I want to do too today - like make something for Sunday Sketches, and so I push myself to combine the two. I'm also mindful of The Three Muses upcoming Movie challenge. Months ago I bottled out of drawing the enigmatic Neytiri from Avatar because 'I didn't do faces'. Then I found Suzi Blu and things have never been the same since. I've written about my love for painting faces once this week already so won't repeat myself... except to say.... I LOVE DRAWING AND PAINTING FACES!!

So I thought I'd practice drawing a slightly alien form on this watery mottle. Here is Neytiri with the colours of the forest at night reflecting in her face (which is why she isn't blue - artistic licence you understand - and the fact that I laid down the colour wash before I'd decided what to draw! Sometimes the Muse just likes to keep you on your toes!).

I have to share how thrilled I was to be an inspiration for another. Elizabeth, a fellow blogger so enjoyed looking at my pink flower creation (that I made for Breast Cancer Awareness), that she made one herself. It's part of a fabulous post of wonderful artwork on her site - Altered Book Lover - do pop along to browse around her gallery.

Candy Floss Slippers

There's a story to go with this. I am sure it has something to do with the people of Ooggley Baloobley, but I can't be sure since I haven't written it yet. I think it might refer to the way they design their footwear. They put cartridge paper outside their back doors at night to collect the custard and jelly drips. In the morning they venture out to see what patterns have formed. It's then a simple matter of looking for designs in the splotches and splatters. Of course, it helps if you're an Ooglie because they are shape shifters so frankly can fit any mis-shapen shoe - even the one that looks like a vodka martini. Lucky them!

If you think I've lost my marbles, then perhaps you should refer back to Monday's post and look for them there, for this art follows a similar theme.

Alternatively, you can just blame The Three Muses and their 'shoe' challenge.

Hot wheels

Before cars were invented, what did little boys play with? Did they have specially adapted carts with added horse power? Were there flames painted down the sides? Did the wheels sparkle? Can a carriage and four perform the same level of stunts?

It must have been a dull old world...

An abstract homage to Hot Wheels for The Three Muses 'automobile' challenge. Photographs of some seriously cool cars layered up in Photoshop with a texture I made by taking a pic of my dirty car and a stamped block by KPertiet.

I took the photos of the toys sitting on the roof of my Ford Focus to capture a nice bit of reflection and add that certain je ne sais quoi. One of the neighbours saw me and then pretended he hadn't noticed such bizarre behaviour... I'm surprised they're not used to it by now.

Vrooom vrooom.....

The birds

The storm raged, the wind howled and the rain came down in torrents. The worlds shifted out of alignment that night as the black bird made his way from one to another...

 Forcing myself to create for Art Every Day month is a wonderful experience. I end each day with 'something' and often surprise myself. I love this piece. I realised I hadn't even thought about the Three Muses Blackbird challenge this week, so sat down and opened my mind. Leah's simple silhouette drawings sprang to mind and reminded that I didn't have to go complicated, that illusion was often far more powerful.

I took my imagination into the elements (the photoshop kind) and let rip with a few secret ingredients.

OK, perhaps not so secret. Shall I share? First up a background I've painted, sprayed, dripped and dabbed with acrylics and inks (intended for a later mermaid painting) and then wonderful play with brushes! Yes, brushes! The bird, moon and tempestuous sea were all imported brushes. Clever eh? Then I applied a few textures and masks et voila!

How lucky we modern artists are. Who would have thought what a wonderful outlet to creativity our computers would become?

Look.... a ghost bird too.... spooky! Same background - just changed the colour. Mask applied from Designerdigitals.com.

I love Photoshop!

Her name was Lola

She was a show girl, but that was 30 years ago when they used to have a show...

Please stop singing that song Barry. I can't get you out of my head... "at the Copa... Copacabana... they fell in love". Agrhhhh!!!

If you read yesterday's post you'll know that Lola and I have had words; we've fallen out and we are most definitely not friends. Revenge is sweet though. Lola was going to be in her prime, but the layers of paint took their toll and she aged. She has become the Miss Haversham of the Copacabana, sitting at the bar surrounded the detrious of a life on the stage gradually crumbling into the hardboard scenery. She is for the Three Muses Showtime challenge.

Poor Lola, she lost her youth and she lost her Tony and she lost her mind...

Barry... I'm warning you...

I admit that this has been a real struggle. I painted her on canvas too. Perhaps it was the pressure of using expensive supplies. I think the final grim touch was adding long scraggly hair; but this was after I decided she was old, mad Lola sitting at the bar in her old finery getting drunk night after night, in which case she probably works! Once I came to terms with the Lola she wanted to be, then we made friends again. I red rimmed her eyes and painted on the smile that never quite reaches her eyes. It's a rather tragic song. Let's go find something more cheerful shall we...?
Day 2 of Art Every Day month.

Doing battle

The battle lines are drawn (with an HB pencil) and the ranks are massing. A number of skirmishes have already taken place with minor injuries on both sides but neither has established an advantage.

Lisa and Lola glare at each other, frown, grimace and smile. Colours spark from eyes then fade away and just as it looks one has the advantage then they back down.

I'm having a fight with my painting. Lola the showgirl is having a strop. She doesn't like her outfit, she wishes she wasn't facing full on, but would prefer just her right (best) side. Too late now I murmer as I attempt to bring some life into her features. The strobe lights are confusing the lighting. Someone mixed grey into her make up and she looks like a corpse. She just won't smile.

I'm sorry Lola but you had your to chance to be young and beautiful but you just wouldn't cooperate would you? We're moving instead to the later stages of the song - the bit where you're all jaded in your faded feathers. Yes, that will teach you my lady.... Showgirl indeed....

I hope to have her finished to post in time for The Three Muses challenge on Wednesday, but her face has just disappeared under another coat of white and her sparkly bikini-style top has become a black velvet dress, so who knows what she'll be looking like this time tomorrow. She may have to wait for a 'living dead' theme from some other challenge! I blame too much Halloween...

Postscript: I have just discovered that Leah Piken Kolidas is hosting Art Every Day for the month of November. Naturally I couldn't let this pass me by so have signed up. Here is today's! Anyone can join, so grab your pencils and paints and I'll see you over there.

She had a head for fashion

I'm not entirely certain what this creation is any more! It began life as a designer hat for the Three Muses Challenge. I was pondering what was in vogue at present and so grabbed a copy of that illustrious publication, borrowed Philip Treacy's Muse and shaped and formed a living breathing monster of head gear which sat atop this poor lady's head. Philip's Muse sure is a strange lass, make no mistake. Perhaps he keeps her under a tighter reign than I managed, because after the hat was finished then she really went to town with my paints and inks. I'm not entirely sure what to make of  her. Are you? (You may need to enlarge to see the bizarre details of the millinery).

I won a hat design competition once. I bet you're impressed now! However, perhaps I should explain before you go thinking I'm some sort of fashion genius... It was a team building exercise involving large quantities of chocolate, cardboard, tissue paper and glue. In a task reminiscent of The Apprentice meets Blue Peter we were required to design a new concept in chocolate complete with packaging.

I came up with the idea of hats in a hat and so six pairs of sticky fingers got to work moulding and shaping until we had an Ascot-style hat with reams of tissue and feathers sat atop a box of choccies squished into the shapes of jockey caps, bowlers, baseball caps and even a fez! There was no one fired in my team I can tell you. In fact, we left weighed down with the spoils of the competition - chocolate naturally!

Got to dash, going out to a comedy evening.

The piece is made of collaged magazine snippets over and under acrylics and inks.

Dreams taking flight

Like around 900 other creatives, I am joining Tam on her Heart, Art & Healing. First up was banishing fears and insecurities. I took things a step further and decided that setting a few goals out into the atmosphere might be a good thing (plus it fitted rather nicely with the Three Muses' Wings on Things theme this week!). I don't often art journal so this was rather a pleasant change for me.

So here are a few goals (with wings from Iktupulli). The girl represents me - though I look nothing like that. I think I might have been influenced by watching Star Wars at the weekend (I don't think I will ever get tired of watching that film! My son loved it by the way and wanted to watch The Empire Strikes Back straight after!).

1. Start that book. Yes, yes, I know. I keep writing this goal. However, I have some thoughts... a few seeds germinating in the corner of my subconscious... It could be time... It really could...

2. Be published by Stampington. Oh how I adore Artful Blogging and her sister publications. Now all I have to do is get myself organised, check out their submission guidelines and topics and SEND SOMETHING OFF!!

3. Revamp, rebrand and relaunch my Etsy shop. I have completely neglected my shop. It's partly because I have so many ideas for it - involving a new name for a start - that I feel a touch overwhelmed and have ended up barely starting anything. I've decided that The Wright Stuff doesn't really match my artistic output and could get confused with my blog. So, time for a change. I'm also looking into getting prints made up of my work and bogged down with what printers to choose, what papers, what service...

4. Lose 5kg and fit in that dress. The diet is working. I have lost a little weight, but and that's a big BUT I have toned up considerably and the dress now does up (if a little tightly). It's rather linked into point 5 - you see I'm going to an awards ceremony in November at a posh London hotel. The 5kg is to get me back to my comfortable weight so other clothes fit too!

5. Win something. Team efforts count here too. At the posh awards ceremony we're finalists for two business awards. I wrote the entries so certain amount of pride here! I was also doing well with the Dorset Blog Awards but some baking lady is beating me by about 10 votes... Hmm, muffins obviously proving popular. Perhaps I should paint cakes for the rest of the month...

Vintage Victoria

I was lucky enough to find this photograph of Great Great Great Aunt Victoria for the Three Muses' Vintage challenge this week. She was quite a gal about town and absolutely adored hats - just look at this striking feathered creation. Having read her diaries, I am quite certain it's an Augustus Treacy, who was rather fond of the Ostrich feather in his millinery and apparently kept a flock of the birds in the garden of his small home in Balham.

The more observant among you may recognise this lady as she has graced these pages before, only last time her head gear was really rather an embarrassment. It turns out the picture I captured was at her fitting and should never have seen the light of day. I committed the sin equivalent to posting a photograph in her undergarments. Her ghost, who has visited me nightly since, has been most aggrieved and warned me to put the situation right at once. She's rather fierce, so I thought I'd best do as she asks.

So here she is in her finished finery and full technicolour. Thank you my readers for your encouragement to finish this piece. I fear I would have abandoned poor Victoria without your kind words. She's very grateful! As you can probably guess, my top version has been given the sepia and grunge treatment in Photoshop.