EDiM

May brings the Everyday in May challenge and yet again I participated. The first time I tied this challenge was in 2010, and you can see the results spread over the May posts here. I then participated again in 2013 and 2014, and you can the see the results by clicking the EDiM tag in the side panel here. 

In 2010, I was living in Sudan and finished 30/31 but the peaceful life I led there helped. This year I finished just 22/31. Why? I found some prompts very uninspiring and some I just didn't get time for due to attending a print course,  sketching events, my mother's health, and Degas. Furthermore, I have learnt that I still don't put my art before everything else and I do not have the self discipline to sketch daily (especially when uninspired). Right now, as I type this post, I have 2 illustrations that need finishing, so I shall write no more and let a selection of the drawings speak for themselves. 

Please let me know which are your favourites, there are more images on my site here. If you participated, why not leave a link to your posts, so I can check them out.

#‎31 Egg.
Those of you who follow my work know I rarely do anything from imagination. However, today my fridge and cupboards look like Old Mother Hubbard's Cupboards, so Humpty Dumpty was the only thing to paint.

EDiM Part 2

#19 A rope. Ink in A4 sketchbook.©Sue Pownall 2014

It's May 31st and the end of another Everyday in May daily challenge. I've completed 26 out of the 31 prompts. I've struggled with some especially as I've wanted to do locational drawings for some of them, but the daytime temperatures here have soared to a massive 50°C (122°F). 

Day 19, above, is one of my favourites. It is incomplete as I had almost finished this old, unloved, rope tug, when Degas decided it was the ONLY toy she had to play with. Right is Degas chewing HER rope.

 

This Chinese cloisonné vase came from a weekend in Beijing. The prompt was something bought on a trip, but I didn't actually buy it, as it was a gift at the factory we visited on the way to The Great Wall by a lovely American lady, who said I couldn't leave without it.

#30 Something bought on a trip ©Sue Pownall 2014

Days: 17, 18, 20, 21 attempts 2 & 3, 23, 25, 26, 27, and 31 ©Sue Pownall 2014

Below is day 29's something in my favourite colour. It is easy to guess my favourite colour just by looking at the work over this month. This blue glass is part of a set I received as a secret santa present and is filled with blue & white sea glass collected  from the beach near my house. I had fun with this using Inktense pencils and watercolour.

#29 Something in my favourite colour ©Sue Pownall 2014

Which of my challenge results do you like best? Why not leave a comment below to tell me?

Everyday in May 2014: part 1

#8 Something with a mirror image

 As I mentioned in my 1st May post, I'm participating in the Everyday in May (EDiM) daily challenge, which I first did in 2010. As we are halfway through, and I've only skipped 3 challenges so far, I thought I'd post the drawings to date.

Day 8, something with a mirror image, is one of my favourite so far. Degas often sits on the bed and plans mischief with her evil twin. Yesterday's mischief included chewing on the palm tree in the garden. Ink & watercolour from photo reference in A5 sketchbook.

#15 Biscuit

  Day 15, painted today, is another personal favourite. The prompt was "cookie", which in British English is biscuit. The only biscuits in my house are Degas' and I am pleased with the looseness of this pen & watercolour sketch.

Although Degas is a terrible scavenger - dead fish, fish bones, and chicken being her favourites - she takes her time eating her biscuits. She has a terrible habit of getting a mouthful, carrying them to the lounge and dropping them on the mat. I think she prefers to eat in the same room as me, even though she can see me from the kitchen.

Below are my other drawings to date. As you can see, I've have been experimenting with techniques and materials from the very precise to loose with ink, pencils and/or paint.

Days: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13,14 & 16

A week of sketches

 First, 23rd April and trying to paint the stormy sunset with Degas on the lead on Qantab beach looking west to the mountains.

Next, 24th April, Sultan Qaboos Highway & Ministries District from NTI building in Al Khuwair. It is unfinished, there are buildings missing in the background, as I had to go to a meeting. 

Then that evening, I drew the peel of an Egyptian clementine.

Finally, today 1st May, and the first of the EDiM (Everyday in May) challenges: a window. This is my kitchen window through the kitchen door.

All in my Stillman & Birn, Gamma series, A5 sketchbook. A free gift at last year's USk Symposium.

If you want to join in EDiM, the facebook group is here.
The flickr group is here.

Snow in Oman

EDiM #12 The oldest thing in your fridge.

Sorry, I am still here, I just need a short hiatus from blogging. In fact, I've been having a break from art. I have not sketched since last month and I've only spent about an hour on an overdue commission, with around 27 hours needed to complete it.

#27 Draw something sticky: Omani dates with #20 my favourite drink: tea... complete with Degas' teeth marks.

My mum remains in hospital and whilst there have been small improvements the overall prognosis is not good. My father has carers coming in several times a day to look after him, plus kind neighbours keeping an eye on him. Finally, a lovely lady is walking Nelson for them.

At the end of May, I continued with some of the EDiM challenges, and despite the unforeseen circumstances, including not starting until 3rd, I completed 19/31. In 2010, I drew 30/31. maybe next year I can do them all. I cheated on the last challenge which was draw a houseplant as I don't have any. Instead, a friend & I went for a sketchy lunch where we thought they'd have some. There were plenty of plants outside, but none in, so I drew my cake. Sorry it's a really bad scan.

Not #31 EDiM

Here in Oman, my life has been taken over by my puppy who is very good, for a puppy, but has a very large mischievious streak. Hence the evidence below and post title.

SNOW - aka Degas killed her cushion.

 I should have picked the cushion up instead of getting photographic evidence

Due to finances and Degas I will not be leaving Oman soon, though I will visit mum & dad next month (and see if I can still attend the Urban Sketchers Symposium). I am getting Degas blood tested ready to travel back to Europe, although it takes 3 months for results to come through. The plan is still to move to Barcelona as it is only a couple of hours away from mum & dad.

I apologise for not regularly visiting your blogs, but I will visit when I can.

Everyday in May (EDiM) 2013

#3 Something that represents joy: Degas

Crazily, considering my problems drawing at the moment, having seen a couple of EDiM posts from this year's challenge, I decided to join in yesterday (3rd). I last participated in 2010, when I was in Sudan. You can see the posts by clicking this link: EDiM 2010 

#4 Draw your socks

This year I have decided not to post all the drawings on my blog, but have an album on facebook here: EDiM 2013 Facebook album It's on my facebook page, so maybe you could "like" the page whilst you check out the drawings. Judging by these first two days, it looks like my interpretation of the daily prompts will have a Degas twist.

For more details on EDiM. check out the flickr and facebook groups below for fellow EDiMers. 

FB: www.facebook.com/groups/296443287101735/

and Flickr : www.flickr.com/groups/edmeverydayinmay2011/

EDiM - missing vegetable(s) تبولة‎

I still haven't ventured to the fruit & veg stall, but when my dinner was delivered last night, how could I resist drawing the chopped vegetables in the tabouleh??? It was so beautifully presented, (maybe to make up for the chef's inability to cook?) with great colours that I wish I had some watercolour paper left. Anyway, I did the best with the line drawing before I got too hungry and had to eat it.

The photo below is how it arrived, but certainly didn't look like that shortly afterwards as I ate it whilst drawing. Here's the vegetables I got to draw, albeit chopped up, plus cucumber and the olives, which I guess are actually fruit:

Tabbouleh (Arabic: تبولة‎; also tabouleh or tab(b)ouli) is a Levantine salad dish.
Its primary ingredients are finely chopped parsley, bulgur, mint, tomato, spring onion, and other herbs with lemon juice, olive oil and various seasonings, generally including black pepper and sometimes cinnamon and allspice. (source Wikipedia)

EDiM - The End. # 31

#31 -  Draw something you collect - elephants.

There is a family tradition of collecting elephants as my nan had a couple from her trips to South Africa. My mum has a few around and I have lots. I bought the first ones, an onyx mother and baby, in India as a small souvenir. They are no higher than 5cm and bought to go in my backpack without adding too much weight. The last one I bought was in South Africa and was my first African elephant. This one is the latest and was a gift from my trainees.

That's EDiM completed a bitter-sweet month with some good results, and very bad ones, but a very productive one however I view it. The only day I have missed is number 24, draw a vegetable, which I still haven't bought anything for. As I am a type-A personality, I will get it done this week. Right is my Every Day in May list complete with highlights for weekends, notes for the posts and watercolour from cleaning my brushes.

I would like to thank Liz for the suggestion we did the challenges and to everyone, especially fellow EDMs, for their support and comments.

EDiM - #29 & 30

29 - Draw something architectural or anything else.
30 - Draw a chair or anything else you feel like.

Looking at some of the other EDiMs I realised that for Saturday's challenge I had the option of anything else, so whilst out on a fabulous day out yesterday I did a quick sketch of the people paddling in the Nile, sitting on the sand, and generally enjoying the afternoon.(right)  I added colour this afternoon (above).

As I drew a chair on Friday, this morning I draw one of my students, not sleeping but writing a test, for number 30.

EDiM disastrous catch up

This morning I had planned to do the three challenges to get myself up to date. Getting up I realised I had forgotten to go to the veggie stall on the way home last night, so I didn't have anything to draw for #26 . No big deal, I could go out later and get something, so on to today's challenge #28 - draw an appliance. bah  I should have drawn something else as I certainly wasn't loose enough to tackle a fan, especially as I struggle with curves.

After abandoning it and having a calming cup of tea it was on to #27 - draw a book. I chose my Sudan guide book and my Arabic phrase book, as the alternatives were paperback novels. The phrasebook I bought before I went to Oman, 5 years ago, and is still barely used, although I am finally learning Arabic here in Sudan. The drawing is not too bad, but it needs more work, and I really can't be bothered.

I think I should give myself the rest of today off from the challenges, have something nice for lunch, and maybe do some sketching.

EDiM - # 24 & 25

Last night I doubled up the challenge in order to catch up. I really wanted to do 24 & 26 together as there are some amazing fruit and veg stalls here in Khartoum, but it is just too hot to sketch outside. I took some reference photos on the way home, but they are not good enough to use; I think the bus was going too fast. I got this orange out of the fridge to draw for 24 and it rolled behind my glass of water creating fabulous colour distortians, so that is what I painted.

btw Despite taking the precaution of having a bottle of water next to me and the water pot apart, I still managed to dunk my brush in the drinking water. Is this due to my artistic side or just plain carelessness????

EDiM - #23 foot

I'm still behind on the challenges. I blame the weather! I was misinformed as it's averaging 48c and is not 44. I concede sitting outside drawing was a stupid idea on Saturday, but I like the result. This challenge I drew while I sat with my feet up after a nice evening chatting with a friend at OZone. I used a brown Staedtlar pen for this one on A4.

EDiM - #22

Yesterday's challenge was to draw a piece of clothing, which I didn't do because of my museum drawing trip. Today, whilst my students were doing a weekly test, I drew a pretty young woman in a colourful dress. Unfortunately, I forgot my glasses and couldn't do any more to the portrait as it was giving me a headache, instead I did a quick coloured sketch of the beautiful dress fabric.

EDiM - #20 version 2, #21 x4, and an urban sketch

#20 Version 2. My friend Naji is Nubian, perhaps the Nubian Pharaoh Taharka was an ancestor - his dad's, dad's, dad's and so on back to 664BC. He certainly has the same strong, handsome features, so who knows. I drew and painted this on site of the Nation museum this afternoon.

Photo of statue of King Taharka and my sketch.

#21 draws something old, antique or vintage - here are four antiques also sketched today at the National museum. All colour was added on site, although it was very difficult as the watercolour was drying on the brush. I believe it's around 44c, but there was a nice breeze, possibly from the Nile.

My 1st sketch of the day, of the Egyptian pharaoh Atlanersa 653-643 BC. I was a bit tight, but I think I got the scale right by including the sitting guard.

Next, a Roman bronze lamp, from when the Romans were in Sudan.

After drawing King Taharka, I went outside and did this very quick painting of the statue. It was so hot I could hear the voices of my Sudanese friends in my head telling me not to be so stupid. In my defense I was sat in the shade of a tree, as the photo shows.

 Finally, I drew some hieroglyphs from a doorway of Kuma Temple. This was done with one of the new coloured pens, which I discovered are not waterproof. 

Finally, a quick sketch whilst sat in an outside cafe where there were plastic bags of bread hung from a tree. At one point I had 5 boys looking over my shoulder, but I was rescued by one of the other customers shooing them away. Shortly afterwards, Naji arrived to give me a lift home and the sketch got abandoned.

Dad - Update I

I've been picking this up and putting it down all afternoon. I've lost count on the number of times I've erased the eyes & mouth. Also, as I rarely use pencil I have managed to smudge the base sketch until it's almost unseeable.ho hum. Definitely will put it aside now for a few days, and then see what I can do with it.

EDiM - #20 Dad: a start

Challenge number 20 is draw something "dad" in honor of Father's Day. Father's Day in the UK is 20th June this year, so this is a month early. I think this will take until then for me to be happy with it.

btw The dark mark on Nelson's eye is a bit of putty rubber oops

I'm a day behind on the challenges, today is the 21st, but as Friday is the weekend here, I hope to catch up later, so please pop back, if you can, to see my progress. Also, check the others participating in EDiM.

EDiM - # 19

Today's challenge, to draw something you’ve made, was very difficult. Apart from currently living in a hotel, which means I have limited "stuff", I actually do not make things. I occasionally make dinner, a G&T, or a Pimms, none of which I can do here, but that is all. I do not make clothes, my own sketchbooks, or even cakes, so I was left with this... I made a cup-a-soup to go with my Greek salad that the chef made. I have now made a cup of tea, which I will not draw, and am going to think about tomorrow's impossible task.

Don't forget to check out everyone's challenges. A full list of participants can be found here on Liz Steel's blog.

EDiM - not a musical instrument & #18

Challenge #18 is Draw the view from a window of your house, apartment, office, etc.. What a lovely change from all those objects. This view is actually what I see in the morning when I get up and look out of the window, so is my missing challenge 14 too. It's not the prettiest view with the huge electric pylon and the cemetery on the right, but some how I like the peace and quiet out there. First thing the road is rarely busy and in the distance I can catch a glimpse of the sun on the Nile.

For  Every Day In May on 17th May, as I have not had access to a musical instrument since the chance encounter in the park, I did a quick sketch from the cafeteria window at work. No Cathy I do not have a penny whistle in my suitcase.

EDiM - #16

Challenge 16 is draw a favorite tool, very uninspiring in my opinion, anyway... With my new coloured pens I forced myself to do the challenge this afternoon and I drew this old corkscrew/bottle opener, which is a tool that is always in my suitcase. It is totally useless here in Sudan as it is a dry country. The other tools in my suitcase are penknife (Swiss Army mini sized), mag-lite torch and a pair of chopsticks. The chopsticks are carried as I learnt to use them in Korea and now use them at every opportunity, so I don't forget the techniques.

Challenge #17 is to draw a musical instrument, which is going to be impossible, so I will substitute something else. Therefore, tomorrow's EDiM will be a mystery, currently to me too.

We are now halfway through EDiM and I'd like to say thank you to all of you who have stopped by.

EDiM - # 13

I drew the hotel phone last night. I intended it to be just in line, but did the shadow and then just continued. Every time I use the phone it amazes that someone would bling a utilitarian object like this by adding a shiny blue bead.

My first courses, here in Sudan, have just ended and among the farewell gifts is a set of Staedtler coloured pens - think I shall go out later and test them out. Look out for some coloured pics later.