Elaine's Challenge Response: VEGETABLES OF DESTRUCTION!

I am sick. Really sick. I wanted to get it done last night, but I was busy doing homework and being sick. Kit and I both procrastinated this time, then agreed to do stick figures. I was going to do something in photoshop. Then I fell asleep. Kit was making up songs about pickles. So I stole her pickles. FEVER PHOTOSHOP FTW!

Elaine's Challenge Response: FILTHY QUADRUPED!

I wanted to do an elephant bathing in mud for this one. But I am sick, and failed miserably. Here's a haiku:

Filthy quadruped
Wallowing in mud and grime
Why we can't have nice

(things)

OK, I suck. I'm sorry. Next week I will do something awesome.

Elaine's Challenge Response: SCIENCE EXPERIMENT!

Alright, I got annoyed with this one and said "screw it" halfway through. I love science, but instead of doing an actual science-related thing, or anything resembling an experiment, I decided to make a fossil mermaid skeleton. It wasn't coming out the way I wanted, so I gave up. I also figured out that there's no really good way to give a human skeleton a dolphin or fish tail and make it resemble a mermaid the way we normally picture it. However, the purpose of the blog is to get us out of our art-paralysis, and this challenge did inspire me to do some serious paintings of real fossils. So yay, success! I also finally set up the scanner and scanned this one. My challenge to myself for next time: Start ahead of time instead of waiting until the last minute.

Elaine's Challenge Response: MUSICAL ANIMAL!

A small step up from the last few challenges--I used real drawing pencils and drawing paper! My idea was based on a Celtic fairy tale about a woman who was murdered, and her bones turned into a swan, and then were made into a harp that sang the truth about her killer. I think. I don't remember it very clearly. I think there was a Loreena McKennitt song about it. Anyway, my goal now is to get a little better and a little more serious each challenge, until I'm finally making things I'd actually consider real art again. My challenge to myself for next time: Set up the scanner and actually scan my work instead of taking pictures with my phone.

Elaine's Challenge Response: SOMETHING TREASURED!

OK, I totally forgot. I whipped this up in a hurry. I decided to use a live model, which I have never been good at. This is my nephew Gavyn. One day I will do a proper portrait of him.

Elaine's Challenge Response: AMAZING LIGHT!

I had this ready before the deadline, I swear! I wanted to tweak it a bit in photoshop--crop out the edges that aren't part of the painting and take out some of that yellow sunset light--but I'm having one of those days where no technology wants to work for me. 5x10 Acrylic on canvas. I think I will finish this and set my scanner up to scan it properly.

Elaine's Challenge Result: SPACE GOBLIN!

I was surprised at how easy this was. It turns out I haven't lost my ability to draw after all! It only took a few minutes. It's a rough sketch on printer paper, and I could definitely do better. This is the fist time in a long time that I've tried to work out shading a little and tried to draw facial features. Fantastical characters are not my usual thing, so it was surprising to me that I was able to do it this easily. I was going for different-sized googly eyes, but I didn't exaggerate it enough or make them round enough, so it kind of looks accidental. Not bad for the first attempt at drawing in maybe a year.

Elaine's Challenge Result! DROPLETS OF FIRE!

I waited until the last minute, which is probably going to happen a lot. You can see the paint is still wet. I had no ideas for anything cool to do, so I just played around with painting techniques. I'm not at all pleased with the result, but it was fun to do. Maybe I will revisit this challenge another time when I have some better ideas.

Droplets of Fire!

Alternate title, Ketchup and Mustard.