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I was supposed to post this two days ago ... but real life got in the way of finishing it up. So a quick sketch it will remain.

I had to remind myself halfway through that I'm trying to loosen up in my drawings! So the delicate structure I set up to start off with became a mass of sketchy lines instead. I'm quite pleased with the results, unfinished though it might look. Well, that's probably because it is .... not quite done. Here's the final scan and a couple of images of what I did to get there:

Drawn in my large moleskine journal with an assortment of coloured pencils. Cheers.

So. I'm in the middle of updating one of my older drawings. Well, a set of drawings ... three white ducks drawn, ATC-sized (that's 2.5"x3.5" to those who have no idea of what Artist Trading Cards are) on coloured backgrounds, all in coloured pencil. The originals are at this post: Ducks ATCs.

I decided to play with them a bit in Corel Painter and now I'm not sure of which ones I should put up on my cards and gifts online - the original drawn in coloured pencil, or the new digitally re-painted ones!

I'd love some help deciding, so here is the original:

And here's the 'painted' version:

To tell the truth, this isn't the first time I find myself stuck at having to make a choice. Am not too great at decision-making anyway, and when it comes to my art I think I get far too emotionally close, so it's difficult to stand back and be objective. I can get stuck for hours just trying to pick two different shades of the same colour! It's so not amusing that it's funny.

I'm seriously considering starting up a regular "dilemma" section where I ask for help picking out colours or different versions of a piece of art or illustration ... we shall see ...

As far as my Ducks are concerned, I do think I know which one I'm leaning more towards, but am still unsure and haven't made up my mind, so I'd love and appreciate any comments and help. Which one do you prefer?

I'm trying to make time to draw/paint regularly. We've been so involved with work recently that this somehow made it's way to the bottom of my priorities list, when in fact it should be at the top for various reasons, not least being that it's super-therapeutic for me, and, hello, without art I really have no business to speak of!

As I have a long queue of designs and patterns waiting to be placed on gifts and cards on the stores, I actually now have the luxury of drawing whatever I please, without having to consider its commercial value. I know, I know, I shouldn't anyway -- but unfortunately that's what has been happening of late as I do need to fill the empty pockets.

So. I managed a quick sketch of a cupcake ... completely from imagination (which just goes to show what I think about during the day) as it's not easy finding the real thing in the countryside. Not surprising really, as the French have such delicious pastries of their own. And I love them, especially the lemon meringue tarts that I have a particular weakness for -- and my Patisserie in the village makes pretty much the best ones I've ever tasted. Still, there's just something about cupcakes that's, well, different, wouldn't you say ...?

Drew this in coloured pencil, in my moleskine journal. And as it really is a very quick sketch, completely from my sweetly warped imagination, I'm sure you'll be kind enough not to notice the horrendously obvious errors that I shan't mention either. I now have a cupcake craving, sigh. Cheers!

All in the spirit of gift-giving - some wrapped boxes I've drawn at different moments in the past to while away the little time I don't have :)

Drawn in coloured pencil, in my moleskine journal, just for fun. Cheers.

Six years ago, my life changed. I picked up my coloured pencils and started drawing again after an 18-20 year break from art. "Book Girl" above, was one of the first pieces I drew. I then picked up Danny Gregory's The Creative License: Giving Yourself the Permission to be the Artist You Truly Are, and that was pretty much that.

I stopped stressing out over absolute perfection. It wasn't easy, I promise you, but I went through the exercises in the book and discovered that 'imperfection' in art, as in life, was not only permissible, but could achieve truly beautiful results. I started drawing daily, joined communities online, and then started this blog. Thank you, Danny Gregory!

I still have a long way to go and a vast amount to learn, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the process, and am celebrating the 6 year path it has taken to get me to this point. Cheers.