Paper and Threads

Goals for 2007:  I am annotating this list  - after each goal.  So far I think I'm on my own schedule and having lots of fun.

1. Continue to sketch/paint everyday in my large Moleskine watercolor sketchbook.  I have done at least one sketch each day although I upload only EDM challenges and an occasional other sketch each week.

2. Complete each EDM weekly challenge and try to expand my skills by what I choose to paint for the challenge.  I have done and uploaded each of the challenges.

3. Make plans for how I will use my new Eliz. I recycled book.  I'm currently considering using it for more London sketches -  from photos that I have taken during our visits.  I have another Cachet journal for London Volume 3 and decided that I want to continue to use the same journal type for all of my London travel.  I sketched Big Ben in my new Eliz recycled book, but still need to add watercolor.

4.  Recycle another book since I have more paper from my previous purchase.  This time I will look for an old New York book that I can use for special days out and about my own city.  I have made 2 more recycled books, one for New York and one for figure drawing and have at least one page done in each.

5.  Spend more time sketching human faces and figures.  I'm not sure yet whether I want to take any life drawing classes because I love the challenge of learning on my own.  I collected some copies of Holbein's portraits and Rodin's figure drawings from our museum visits this week.  And I now own two Hockney drawing/portrait books.  I will recreate some of these pieces from the 16th C, 19th C, and 20th C for fun and then immerse myself in my city and draw people to try to develop my own style. I am sketching ballet dancers and yoga positions to practice figure drawing.  I also completed some sketches of hands and faces.

6.  Read some of the new art books on my shelf - starting with Betty Edward's book on color.  I decided to work through Anne Elsworth's Watercolor Skills Workbook and completed 2 chapters, i.e. two full lessons - and posted the exercises to my blog.

7.  Make a "larger-than-journal size" watercolor of the house my daughter and son-in-law rented this year in London so we have a personal visual memory of this wonderful year when they return to New York mid-year.  Not done yet.

8.  Be a visitor in my own city and keep a Manhattan "travel" journal.  I now have scattered journal pages throughout my daily sketchbooks.  I have a new recycled New York book and two sketches done already.