A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words or...

... 93  Million dollars!

Happy Feet!

On Friday I went to Tina

to have a very very blissful experience.

A pedicure and manicure unlike any other.

First a foot soak in very hot water, and then for an hour and a half

while sitting in a chair that massaged my neck, shoulders, back, upper arms, bottom and later my calves; she worked magic with hot towels, hot stones, her fingers and hands 

 massaging my legs from knees to tips of my toes.

Salts and lotions, sprays and creams,

clipping cuticles, buffing and polishing.

And then all of the above again on my forearms and hands!!!

I could only float above the floor

while making my way out to the street.

Bless you Tina and Thank YOU!!!!

Here are a few drawings I did quickly while waiting my turn.

 I used my new drawing art journal Patty gave me for Chanukah with thin brown paper pages.

 Two hair dressers doing their magic on two women patrons. (I have mine done tomorrow!)
And the shoes of another woman waiting her turn with me.

 Afterwards I was famished so I stopped at the Pure Grain Bakery downtown and ate half a pastrami on rye sandwich while drawing this young man and his lunch.

Each drawing was done in five minutes or less.  I had places to go and people to see!

Happy Birthday Uncle Harry ....93!!!

We are so lucky to be celebrating my dear uncle's 93rd birthday today! I am so fortunate to have had  him in my life these 65 years! I met him when I was four in 1944 or 5; he was just back from the South Pacific during WWII. Perhaps the war was over I'm not sure I'll have to ask him. Anyway, I was only four or five years old. I went to meet him for the first time and everyone had told me his name was "Red" because he had red hair. The first words out of my mouth when I saw him were:
"He's not RED he's ORANGE!" He has retold me this story for the past sixty five years and we both love it still.  My aunt took that little photo of me back then.

Yesterday morning I decided to draw my uncle so I did this from a photo I had. If I put the photo up on my computer monitor and sit at my desk I can see it very clearly to draw and then paint there. I think his likeness can be recognized. He's still a very dapper and handsome man. I love him more than words can say. And he me. (Lucky me!!!) I know he loves his kids more, and all the cousins just as much, but I do feel that we have a special bond. Heck, I've known him the longest!!! LOL

Red Haired Woman in Blue Coat

 Wow, I did a "knit woman" but spiced it up with some originality. I made her quite a bit heavier than the model in the magazine. Gave her a larger sized coat. And added background and foreground out of my own little head! Perhaps these are the first steps to "doing my own things" with this form.

I really like her hair.

If you missed my Jalisco Drawings this week scroll down one post to find the latest!

"One Fish Taco, Half Order of Guacamole"

 I decided that will be the title * for my collection of drawings I do at Jalisco's. Above drawing was done in 20 minutes for TMC. Party of three; and my "old" table I used to sit in to draw outside, before I got comfortable drawing the people inside. Then the couple you may recall from an earlier drawing. They are the couple Carlos recognized in the earlier drawing.

Below are three teenagers all wearing baseball caps in various positions! I hope you can tell the black bill in the foreground is flipped up in back! The woman is from the previous drawing above! This I did in ten minutes as I was rushing to get back to my office. These kids were at the very next table to mine.

Happy Jalisco's Thursday!

;-)

Little Miss in Red Coat and Hat Graces New Art Journal

This from a book of knitwear for children. I liked this sweet knit coat and hat and will save the pattern for when my newest grand child is about three or four years old. Won't she look smart in this?

She salutes the beginning of a new art journal gracing it's very first page: Canson; Montval; All-Media; 50 pages, 9" X 12", 90 LB paper; made in USA.
I drew it in ink first, then painted it in watercolor. The paper held the wet paint well. No curling.  I like the way it turned out.

First pages in drawing/painting journals seem to be easier for me than last pages. I ruined a drawing on the last page of journal just completed. Reminding myself that I am still a novice at this?

***

PS If you missed yesterday's post and you know someone who might be looking to buy

a home in Portland, Oregon

please check that link.

My son is selling!

***

Only a human animal on Animal Wednesday.

But Henry sends his best; he's well.

Portland, Oregon House For Sale

If you or anyone you know is looking for a home in Portland Oregon please check this link. https://www.facebook.com/#!/lynn.cohen

My son and DIL are selling a delightful home there to move to a slightly larger house.
Their move helps out my son's father and wife, who are having to move to a senior community for
health reasons.

Thanks for sharing this with anyone you know who might enjoy a new home in a sweet neighborhood.
Read the specks. You won't be disappointed   .https://www.facebook.com/#!/lynn.cohen

Description

5532 NE 32nd Pl Portland Oregon 97211 SF: 1912 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 1 Full cement basement ... Year built 1920 Price: $349,985. Link to Photos: https://plus.google.com/photos/113665479925563858808/albums/5703507119518598353 We believe you will be charmed by this 3 bedroom craftsman the moment you set eyes on it. The main floor is dinner party spacious, boasting beautiful natural wood moldings and floors throughout. Many charming windows, including a french door opening onto a side porch, and a beautiful fenced backyard with a large shed, outdoor dining/bbq/firepit, and lots of gardening space. The large warm kitchen is a marvelous mix of charm and state of the art appliances/function. Two generous bedrooms on the main floor are separated from the dining room by a door leading into the hall with a full bath. The upstairs bedroom is an enormous 600sf space, it is the only room that is carpeted and has a (new) skylight that opens and an independent heat source. It's well insulated with three outside air sources offering good ventilation. The basement is pure potential, it is equipped with four large windows with an egress to code. The ceiling is high and foundation straight and solid. This space is ripe to be finished, it also has a separate entrance leading to the back yard. We have had plans drawn for a 2 bedroom basement apartment, so you can see the potential. Location, Location, Location. Your new home couldn't be in a better spot. Only five blocks from the heart of the Alberta Arts District. One block from Mcmenamin's Kennedy School and you will consider New Seasons Market your pantry and an extention of your kitchen. Fernhill park is a short eight minute walk boasting the best dog park in town. You are only ten minutes from PDX, but outside of the flight patterns and you get none of the sound. The neighborhood has a good mix of families and is very friendly. There is a strong neighborly awareness, an annual block party, and fun people. Please don't hesitate to make an appt. to see this FSBO. We are excited to show it to you. We will post pictures soon. Reward: $1000. upon closing without a real estate agent involved See More

Concordia Neighborhood

5532 NE 32nd Place, Portland, Oregon

View Map · Get Directions

More Knit Models

Two More Models from the knitting magazine.

 I hope I am not boring you to tears with these. But I like seeing my ability to do them grow.

Again, just done in ink so mistakes are forgiven (by me). They are not meant to be anatomically correct as in Michael Angelo style, chuckle chuckle, but quickly done in Lynn Style!

In a way they remind me of when I was a little girl and my mother and I would make paper dolls and clothes to put on them. The faces here are similar to the faces my mother would draw then. No memory of what my faces looked like in those days. But fun to remember drawing, cutting them out and playing with them.

This first month of the new year is almost gone. Are you pleased with what you set out to do or are you relieved that you still have eleven more months to do it in?

I'm pleased that my vow to draw as frequently as possible is happening and that I am still enjoying it.

A first attempt to draw/paint someone I know...(not grand kids)...Done from a recent photo she sent. She is my first cousin and this does not really capture her essence; I think I got a little of him, her dear husband. It was done in ink and no erasing and in this case I wish I had had the option to erase and try again. I can just try the whole thing again some other time. But even so all that said I like it. I used some watercolors and luminescent paints after the ink.

An Early Valentine's Day Card

I had

such fun creating this little Valentine for...

 DH and I  to send to our grand kids...You open Our white door and find DH playing his guitar

and me painting in my drawing book...

And then you open their red door and find grandson playing his drum

and grand daughter painting the people and fashions she loves to draw and paint.

 And then you open it up all the way

 and find the Valentine Love Wishes to theses two sweet little teddy bears bearing our love banner to them both.

 We four  have so much in common!

I can't wait till next month to send it. I bet I make a few more before then!

Drawing High Fashion

One might think that I am really into fashion, which is a laugh, as I am anything but.

I just really like the poses of the models in this particular knitting magazine and

am enjoying drawing them.

These first two are drawn in ink (no pencil first, no erasure) and then painted using

Tom Bow pens and a water brush as well as some watercolor paint.

 I do like the knitting patterns too.

I didn't get around to painting the last one, a child's knit outfit. But I might. Stay tuned!

Henry V Likes Rain

It's been raining here all weekend and week long so far. Henry begs to go out and will take a flying leap over the very satuated welcome mat by the back door (out his very own in-the-screen cat door) and onto the very very wet grass. He makes his usual circle around the back yard marking his territory anew each time; then he asks to come in again. He might stay in a while and then will ask to go out the front door and goes to do whatever it is he does in the front of the house. He doesn't mind how wet he gets and rarely catches cold.

If the sliding glass door is closed as it is in this photo he knocks on it to be let in.

The skies change minute to minute in this rainy weather.

You can imagine that Henry  is wishing you a very happy animal Wednesday

from this his back yard view!
He can often be seen walking along that fence top peeking between the shrubbery.

***

If you missed my great grandparents paintings scroll down one more post!

Ancestors in Ink and Paint

These paintings were done from photos of my great grandparents, my maternal grand father's parents.

I want to use them in  an art quilt I am thinking about making

and wanted to not use the photos but my own renditions of the photos.

My great grandmother is wearing a sheital or fall that Jewish women of her era wore.

You can read about it here. Scroll to "Hair coverings".

Many married Orthodox Jewish women still wear wigs today to show modesty by not showing their

hair in public. 

My grandfather  immigrated here from Russia when he was 18 yrs of age.

Still Drawing, Painting and Football

This from the cover of my new Noro Knit book I bought in Mendocino over the holidays. I would like to make this hat with it's dropped stitches if I can figure out the pattern. (Watercolor on ink on 140lb watercolor paper; masked off border. This painting got paint first, then ink.)

It was a laid back weekend at our house; I did some house cleaning; I started reading Sarah's Key and now I am finding it difficult to put it down; I found time to draw and paint; and I watched FOOTBALL! I've never been a true fan of any sports, but this weekends games included one where Boston's Patriots won their playoff game (My Son-in-law is from Boston so I knew he was screaming with joy at their house); and our local San Francisco Forty Niners were in a play off against the New York Giants. My husband enjoys the games and he was yelling at the players on the TV and I got caught up in the action and excitement of it all. I was getting email comments from my son in Portland, Oregon and I knew my best friend Patty, who is a huge fan was enthralled as we were at her house. So it was almost as if we were all watching it together in the same place.

Then the game went into OVERTIME with a tied score and IF SF had won they'd have played next week in the Super Bowl Big Game! However, they made some pretty egregious mistakes and the NY G's made the final winning touch down to our great disappointment here. And the rest, as they say is history. Disappointment, sigh!

I went on to watch American Idol, I love supporting all the young talented kids on that show. And then I took my book to bed and read late into the night.

Like I said, a pretty laid back weekend, and fun, except for losing the game.

How was it where you are?

Too Much Fun To Stop

Is it an addiction if you just feel like you have to keep drawing and painting? I don't really care. As long as I'm not hurting myself or anyone else right? It's OKAY!

She's wearing a cute gray knit top first in ink and then with some light watercolor added.

 (it's not your eyes that top photo IS blurry)

 This is another cute sweater with knitted ruffled sleeves. Try to overlook her distorted body image, she's in therapy for this malady and should be cured of it soon enough. ;-))

 I found a new blog through another bloggers' blog, called Rookiepainter. I got very gutsy and entered this painting I whipped up after seeing the latest challenge still life. Of course the threads grabbed my attention. I have not touched sewing machine or thread in some time so painting them seemed the next best thing.

If you want to see what this is supposed to look like go to the blog. The artists who submit their work there are all excellent artists. I thought they needed a REAL ROOKIE to make honest bloggers of them all.

I had a fun sychronistic happening this morning: I am currently reading the book Time Travelers Wife.
While treadmilling last morning I turned on the TV and watched the movie Time Travelers Wife.
In one scene, if that was not sychronistic enough, the lead female actor was wearing a sweater just like the one I drew and posted yesterday (long sleeved gray with big cowl, overly long sleeves). How cool is that? I felt like I was on some kind of a time warp myself. BTW the movie stuck surprisingly close to the book and was well acted.

Women in Knits A Series; Winter in Watercolor

It looks like I am onto a new series of drawings with this my second and third drawings in ink from the new knitting pattern book. These women are so comfortable in their outfits they really draw me in.

The top one is a knit skirt that I think my 18 yr old grand daughter might like.

And I am sure she'd love the over sized sweater with it's big cuffs she could pull down over her hands and extra loose cowl neck. It might not be too difficult to make either.

 This morning it is looking gray and dreary outside my kitchen window after our first rain of over a month! Much needed rain I might add. Looking out over my computer monitor I saw this scene of gray-blue sky with silhouetted trees and recently trimmed bushes in mine and my back neighbors yard.
A tiny bit of fastly fading purple velvet sage remains in front.

I painted this in my small 7" X 10" watercolor book on 140 lb paper; wet on wet, then after it dried I drew with black ink Faber Castell PITT artist pen size F. And as you can see I masked the edges first with not very tacky blue masking tape leaving a nice clean white border.

Looking out now I can see some birds in the trees. There must be lots of worms on the wet grass for them too. I like a rainy day. Staying inside. Looking out...
While I wait for a man to come to come and  pick up the truck we are donating to the American Breast Cancer Society today. A very good friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer. This is for you Lisa. Hugs.

Drawing Muse Returns, More Questions

Does this ever happen to you?

You draw something you are really happy about and then you think but the nose is not quite right so you add one or  more lines of ink and it's RUINED?

Can you see the white-out (band aid) I applied here?

I tried as best I knew how to correct an ink drawing and am happy again, or  happier...but

please inner muse KNOW WHEN TO STOP!!!!

I drew this gal from the cover of a knitting book I got last weekend

in this elegant over-sized cabled caplet.

Now wondering if I am brave enough to try and actually knit it!

**********

I went to Jalisco's today

for lunch and there was only this one lone customer eating at the counter

when I arrived. So I sat facing the counter, a new direction for me there

and drew this in 20 minutes!

My new friend, Carlos, who is the owner's son and an artist in his own right, greeted me warmly and as there wasn't much work to do yet came to chat a bit. He asked to see what I was doing and then went on to look at all the drawings in my book. He was I believe a bit amazed at how quickly I worked, he said as much; and he was generous with his praise of my drawings. Thank you Carlos. Carlos has a web site here: www.CarlosAnimates.com. Check him and his work out! He is a very talented young man, artist, actor, animator. Go see!!! You can tell him I sent you!

*******

I then proceeded to draw Carlos when he sat to eat his lunch at the same spot the other customer had since vacated at the counter. You can compare the two for their differences. The perspectives were a bit changed; but also some things got in one drawing and not in another. Again, this was done in 20 minutes. Black ink on 90 lb drawing paper.

******

And finally this is the view out a window in our living room I drew yesterday late afternoon. A winter scene with bare branches reaching up to a blue gray cloudy sky. But you can't tell that as it's all in black ink only!

We've been promised rain here; and as I left my office a short while ago it must have sprinkled as my car was wet; but still waiting for the storm! We need it. Been dry here since end of December.

What's it like where you are?