Friday Activities
I spend lots of time thinking about how to maintain a visual journal and some days my life is just too boring! However, I was inspired yesterday to fill two sketchbook pages. In the morning I returned to ballet class at Steps Boradway (Manhattan) for the first time in months. Before I retired, I found it difficult to take class once each week, but now hope to have more flexibility in my schedule and MOTIVATION! After class, while waiting to pick up our grandson from Nursery School, I sketched several dancers from the NYC Ballet Fall Season brochure.
We walked our grandson back from the Upper Westside to the Upper Eastside through Central Park and watched 9 huge turtles sunning themselve on rocks at the edge of the water at Turtle Pond. During the remainder of the walk we collected leaves that we wanted to identify and two types of acorns and then had a painting session at home.
Comments
Beautiful sketches, nice and soft colours. Congratulations from a newly retired English teacher in France who finds it just as difficult to keep a visual journal!
Keep it up, it's good.
Posted by: Martine | September 20, 2009 4:32 AM
Just beautiful - I love the acorns ! and your ballet dancers look so fluid and graceful
Posted by: Alissa | September 20, 2009 5:21 AM
I tried keeping a visual journal too, but I've found that I really just like the sketching. I would always hate what I wrote and then would be too embarrassed to show my sketchbooks to others! Besides, nothing seemed that interesting in my life, on a daily basis. If there is something of interest, I usually just put it on my blog!
These are lovely pictures; you're really coming along on the human figure!
Posted by: Raena | September 20, 2009 6:04 PM
Your work is really great. I´ve tried to keep a visual journal myself and know how hard it is. Congratullation, you´re doing well.
Posted by: Aurileide Alves | September 20, 2009 7:12 PM
These are lovely! I like the color values you use. The human figures are so well done.
Posted by: Melissa S. | September 20, 2009 7:43 PM
It's amazing how you could just capture so many things around you along the way. That's something I believe what a true artist should have. :) I really like your sketch of the ballet dancers, and it has all the right grace, and the colors are sweet too. Thanks again for taking the effort to write to me, I really appreciate the gesture and I am glad that I could share parts of my life with the community.
Posted by: Alex Tan | September 21, 2009 3:37 AM
This is a fine journal entry! What a nice day you had - got to draw, go to the park, and spend time with your grandchild. Who could ask for more? nancy
Posted by: nancy t. | September 21, 2009 5:21 AM
Beautiful movement in those figures!
Posted by: Casey | September 21, 2009 8:21 AM
Lovely ballerinas...I love to see color sketches like these!
Laura
Posted by: Laura | September 21, 2009 8:45 PM
Lovely Shirely, your figures are so graceful and perfectly proportioned - and Leaves are a study in progress with autumn.
Posted by: sandy | September 22, 2009 10:31 AM
Wonderful work - especially like the ballet dancers... very fluid! Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving the kind comment... Deb
Posted by: Deb | October 1, 2009 11:33 AM