Tuesday, November 30, 2010

100 Thumbnails update: November

It's 7:44 pm on the last day of November and I have just squeaked out the last of my 100 thumbnail quota for the month. Whew!


Things got trickier this month... Cold, windy weather made me disinclined to hang around outside. The DM has been on injured reserve for almost two weeks... also feeding my disinclination to go outside. And I had a contract project in the myriad-small-details-at-the-end stage... so even when I did want to go outside, I felt I couldn't go far.

All of this meant that getting through the 100 Thumbnails project got a little more challenging. That's okay. That's the point. So this month, in addition to compositions made in the field (or from the car on the side of the road), I drew from the collections of "stuff" that I bring home from walks. And I drew at the zoo. And I drew from photos. And I drew from the movies.

Really.

It's kind of fun. 

I'm assuming that most DVD and VHS (for all us old-skool types) players have the same features mine do: When you hit the pause button you get 2 or 3 minutes of freeze frame before either the screen goes dark or the little bouncing ball comes on or something. Perfect for quick sketch-making.

The other night I popped "Winged Migration" in the player and spent an hour or so watching for interesting screen compositions and/or bird postures, hitting the "pause" button, and drawing as fast as I could. All from the comfort of my cozy sofa, with cup of tea close at hand. It's not exactly drawing from life, but I find it an interesting exercise to analyze videography and screen composition. And besides, how often do I get to draw gannets and red-breasted geese from the middle of the Rocky Mountains, anyway?


6 comments:

  1. Hi Sherrie,
    Found your blog by way of another blog by way of ...... you get the picture. And so glad I did. Terrific idea.
    Today is the first of the month and I am starting my thumbnails as of. I anticipate a long wait at the airport and plenty of opportunity.
    Cheers.

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  2. Welcome, Amanda! Thanks for letting me know you wandered in from cyberspace. And thanks for playing along with 100 thumbnails.. it keeps me motivated, too.

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  3. Hi Sherrie - I have been following your blog for a while with great interest. I'm a busy high school teacher with creative leanings and I find your work very inspiring. Loved the recent linocut - reminds me of childhood in country UK. I'm an Aussi now! Annabel

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  4. Welcome, Annabel! (And may I introduce Amanda, above you?) I took a peek at your blog... I love the linocut of the (departed) rooster, and the froggie fellow is delightful.

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  5. Wait a sec ... I've seen those before ...

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  6. Sherrie,
    Wonderful idea... drawing from Winged Migration. You are somethin' girl.

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