Monday, April 03, 2006

frustrated sketching

ok, so I collect these old, italian-made, pottery pieces with roses applied to them. sometimes they are boxes, sometimes they are vases, sometimes they aren't even italian. it's a common theme. california got in on the act in the 50s and did some, too. there are some great american-made cigarette boxes and ashtrays out there from that time. and now that i think about it, that little pink one on the right is from australia. yeh, they thought of it, too, out there in the outback.

so challenge #61 - this week's challenge (and my first) - is of a "collection". viola!! i love these old chippy pottery rose-y things. so i set out a few tonite to sketch. disaster!! first sketch was an absolute throwaway!! no matter - i'm used to expending all the effort on the initial attempt to get the "feel" and then dive in for the kill... second attempt usually nails it to some degree.

HA!!

this is a night of sketching that leaves me cursing and flailing. why did i even try? how can i stop now? oh, yeh, i know - i gotta quit drawing and get some sleep so that I can go to work for 12 FREAKIN' HOURS tomorrow!! there's a little detail that'll derail the drawing train!!!

so here is the first (actually second) attempt. i can tell it will be a week of drawing The Collection. And I know it will be good for me. I will get to the bottom of this dilemma, I guarantee it!! Porcelain crockery - you are no match for the likes of me!!

I go off to bed, but only with scheming on my mind and more plans for tomorrow's sketching.............

muuuuuuhhhhwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhaaaaaaahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

14 comments:

Desiree's Designs said...

Oh I think its wonderful, it looks so good. The reflections are perfect! Keep up the good work.

Lin said...

I don't know why you're fussing -- these are GORGEOUS!! Beautiful lines, colors, shadings ... I LOVE THEM!

melissa said...

Love these...they evoke strong memories of my grandmother's house. She collected cappa-di monte (that was what she called the porcelain flower knick-knacks)

Keep it up - great stuff so far.

Deluzy said...

Beautiful sketch, I think, Starr ...

Anastasia said...

Great drawing - looks great - they look like interesting pieces to collect!

Alison said...

I think you've done very well too. Alison in Canberra

Linda said...

Gorgeous! Mere vases cannot keep a good woman down! :-D

Lydia Velarde said...

The drawing is beautiful as the vases! I think you picked the perfect medium too. I can't imagine them done any other way!
Lydia

Robyn said...

We aren't all in the Outback, you know, Starr. Some of us actually live in rather large towns and cities, and cope with traffic jams and pollution and MacDonalds and such :-)

Beautiful drawings. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Robyn
Sydney, Australia
Scratches & Scribbles

Karen Sandstrom said...

Yikes! I thought your sketch was beautiful. Now it's true, I don't have the originals to compare it to. But really! I think it's wonderful. Love the color, reflection detail, surface of the table ... I'd be proud to call this my sketch.

Margaret McCarthy Hunt said...

I like it..you did a great job and its Not OVERWORKED!....I have one of those...it was a wedding present to my mom or my dad brought it with flowers in it...cool vase...and mine is chipped too but I love it anyway

Teri said...

Oh these are just beautiful!!!!!!

Marilyn said...

Starr,
I love your blog. The scissors are great. But the porcelain is beautiful. I guess we are our own worst critics.

"Maggie & Kevin" said...

Gorgeous mixture of color palette and capture of light. This piece really pops- Wow!