paintings prints and stuff

I just had to share this fun thing Jeanette has put on her blog! There is some really interesting stuff going on there artwise too :>) They follow your mouse movements and a click feeds them :>)

Sketches/doodles done here Julie posting a link to this fabulous time-eating site - sketching with the tools is so fluid and the marks it makes delicious! I could play for hours! I'd love this as a proper programme that would produce large scale drawings :>( It's worth clicking on them to see the lovely marks it makes properly. And play .......... PS ... I played some more :>) online sketch using the shading, chrome, ribbon and long fur tools then combined with colour on my computer ..... making it more wintry oh dear .... Julie this is addictive

It was our group crit night last night - and I left my painting behind so, though it was a brilliantly constructive session and I now know where I want to go with it, I can't pick it up until tonight. Work will continue tomorrow. I may start another today. So - I thought I'd share some links that I've found interesting this week, passed on by friends, in my bookmarks or read in blogs. Unusual mirages, a fascinating article by James Gurney on a type of mirage I'd never heard of Sand paintings by Ksenyia Simonova Van Gogh's letters with translations and illustrations, fascinating John Piper working John Virtue working

This was the final version of one of my cards. Below are links to those who designed their own and left links in the comments for me: Maree had the lovely idea of raising money for an animal charity with one of her card designs. Jeanette did this lovely and very different card Billie wondered what would happen if Santa's cat, who was scared of heights, hitched a ride :>) and then designed another funny one - how many Persian cats have I seen with faces like that! Gesa produced this elegantly minimalist card Sarah produced this lovely Advent Calendar that opens a new window each day and a Winter Solstice card Ronell produced this delicate arrangement Maggie made a 3D celebration! A creative and inventive lot I'm sure you'll agree Katherine did an interesting round up of free online art cards from various galleries and don't forget the fun snowflake cutting programme for the child in you at Christmas :>) if you made your own card and I haven't listed you, j...

Aylestone Meadows in the snow, coloured pencil. Vivien Blackburn Here is that recent painting of Aylestone Meadows shown at the gallery ......... .... well maybe not! It's only 11 inches or so square in reality ;>D but Joanne showed this fun programme on her blog - take a look - you can put any of your images into a gallery setting. I thought the colours of this one looked quite convincing in an old frame! and it would work well on this scale ............. hmmmm maybe not quite this big but I could dig out a large canvas ..........

I finally got round to trying out that programme to make a font of your own handwriting - it's fun. : >) This is my first attempt and it is quite like my writing - though rather neater! You can find it here if you want to have a go. It was very straightforward except for putting it into the fonts folder - their installer didn't have an option to find out where on earth it was saved -so in the end I had to do a search for it and then copy and paste it, which worked just fine.

I thought I'd share this from Julie Oakley's blog http://www.yourfonts.com/print.html design a font from your own handwriting - I thought I'd have a go as soon as I have time - the weekend maybe. It looks really good see Julie's example. I've been rushed between work++++ and helping my mother to choose a plumber to install a new central heating boiler - quickly - as the snow is still lying with more to come so no new art work.

Sue at Ancient Artist put this fun quiz on her blog and of course I couldn't resist looking This is my result What Does Your Taste in Music Say About You? Your musical tastes are reflective and complex. yes You are intellectual to the point of being cerebral. mmmm friends would need to answer that, maybe (though no Einstein believe me!) You are very open to new experiences, and even more open to new ideas and theories. Yes Wisdom and personal accomplishment are important to you. yes You are naturally sophisticated. errr....don't think so! You are drawn to art, especially art by independent artists. yes You are likely to be financially well off... and not because you were born that way. huh! I wish! what's yours? click here to see I did some 'proper' lino printing today and will scan them in a day or two. They are on the rack drying at the moment.

Sherrie at Brush and Baren gave a link for this fun site to cut your own snowflake - this is my effort :>) Have a go here (- warning it's a bit addictive!) I've never managed one so neat and perfect with real paper and scissors!