Paper and Threads

I looked at traffic signs all week as I drove from home to work and back again.  Our streets are very wide and I suddently realized that 95% of the traffic signs  are along the sides of these 4-6 lane city streets and highways.  I never remember seeing half of the signs that I saw when I was patiently looking (and trying not to hit the cars in front of me).   My favorite was the yellow and black sign in the middle of this drawing - on a signpost in front of yellow and black arrows.  An undivided city street suddenly acquires a center median and all traffic needs to move to the right.  If you fail to do so, you plow into the sign and a huge row of black rubber containers!   My second favorite is the "Don't block the Box  - Fine +2 points" sign.  I wonder if our EDM members would have any clue what this sign means?

Posted by Shirley at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I love books and bookstores, and while the big superchains really allow you to browse and read all day, I like the personal selections and recommendations of independent bookstores.   This is one of several in my neighborhood.  I also love specialty food stores, but when I looked at my favorite green grocer/food shop, the facade just wasn't as interesting as I thought.  Too many piles of fruits and vegetables on large shelves across the front and no architectural interest above the level of the awning.

Posted by Shirley at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

When the EDM bread challenge was posted last week, I took this photo in Baker and Spice, a wonderful bakery and gourmet food shop in Chelsea, London, UK.  It would have been wonderful to spend time in the bakery, sketching and painting because the smells were wonderful, but it was hard enough even getting a photo due to the size of the space in front of the bread counter.  I love bread and the most wonderful part of moving back to New York from Texas is the incredible variety of bread that is available fresh every day within walking distance of our apartment.  I was very uncertain about painting it, but tried to stay loose and just see what happened!  The walls were actually painted the brick red color that I tried to match. 

Posted by Shirley at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I have never sketched/painted water, and don't believe that my skills are up to it yet.  In addition, the only outdoor water I saw during the challenge week was the muddy brown Thames in London and it looked gross.  I did accompany my 21 month old grand daughter to her first swimming lesson at an indoor pool and decided that was going to have to be my sketch for this challenge.  You have to look really carefully to see the small patch of pool water on the bottom right!  The beautiful blue color of the water was of course due to the colors of the pool tiles and walls.

Posted by Shirley at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I sketch and paint anywhere, and rarely use space in my very small, very crowded textile studio.  My goal this year was do at least one sketch every day and to explore watercolor washes with pen and ink.  Most frequently, I don't have time to think about the sketch-of-the-day until in the evening after work and then I want to spend time in our library with my husband.  So this half of the couch is my current workspace.  I work in journals that are no bigger than 6 x 9 inches; use both a travel set of watercolor paints and a palette with dried tube watercolor paints, Pigma micron and Zig Millenium pens, and Niji waterbrushes.   I intended to sketch more of the couch, bookcases, leather footrest and chair, but ran out of space due to poor planning.      

Posted by Shirley at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)