The Toy Jungle - Part 1

Hi There!

Is it just me, or have you also experienced the sensation of looking into your child's toy-box and noticing what an eclectic mix it is of all things plastic, bright and techni-colour?  I wonder if you've then taken it a step further and pondered how whilst the box may very well be a jumbled mess of bits and pieces, it is also a time-capsule of childhood memories, imagination and fun?

Well, I have.

So much so, I thought I'd give it a go and paint it.

I honestly have no idea if I have bitten off more than I can chew at this point, artistically speaking. I've got quite a way to go yet, as this artwork, being so detailed is requiring a lot of time and effort to paint.  I think it's taken me around five hours just to get it to this point.  And I can see it taking many more hours of work, all the while crossing my fingers that I don't muck it up. <sigh>

Whilst painting this artwork may be one of my trickier and time-consuming endeavours of late, I must say I am finding this a rather fun experience, possibly because my children are enjoying watching me paint it.  I asked them today their favourite toys to feature so far in the artwork and I can tell you I've had one vote for the car, one vote for the elephant and one vote for the lego man.  I wonder what some sort of an analyst would make of that?  ;-)

As I continue painting, I'll continue to wonder whether *your* favourite toy will feature here, bringing back memories of a childhood past.

Stay tuned to see what other toys I reveal in my next post later this week...

Kate
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Celebrating New Year With My New Pastels!

Hi There

Goodness, first post for 2013.  Is it just me, or does it seem like only yesterday we were all partying like it was 1999?  Time sure flies when you're busy doing other things, that's for sure.

Today's post is my first attempt at using my brand new Stabilo Carbothello pastel pencils on a Claire Fontaine Pastel Mat.  My beautiful hubby kindly gave me these products as my Christmas pressie last week and I've been itching to have some time to set about creating since then.  Needing to find a little "Mummy quiet time" following all the celebrations of the past week, it felt wonderful to be able to spend a couple of hours quietly creating today.

It was so much fun!  After using (generally) cheap pastel paper and struggling with a small range of pastel pencils this past year or so, I think that I could get used to using these fantastic materials.  Having such a huge range of colours to choose from coupled with a board that didn't quickly fill up with pastel was a dream.

I know I have a long way to go to feel confident creating realistic skin tones and to improve my ability to correctly place facial features in a portrait.  That said, I'm feeling quite pleased with my first attempt at using these new products and I simply can't wait to find some more time to continue experimenting!

Thanks for stopping by, I'll see you around soon!

Kate
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