Last week’s Art Journal Adventure prompt was “lift”. I like prompts that can be interpreted in multiple ways and I actually had lots of ideas tumbling about and doing backflips in my head for this one. While I was not lacking in ideas, I was lacking in time. Again. I think when school and work finish for summer, I am going to be crawling across the finish line.
In the end, the pocket of time that opened up was when I was stuck in the waiting room of an orthodontist’s office. That gave me a chunk of time but meant I had to use portable, non-messy art materials. I also had to be able to work on my lap since I had no table. I, therefore, decided to draw a whimsical self-portrait illustrating some of the things that I find uplifting – not the really big things like the important people in my life but the small everyday things that give me a lift when I might be feeling glum or stressed or fatigued by life. As such, in one hand there is a cup of tea and a scone with clotted cream and jam. That treat is like an edible hug. In the other hand and in the hair are creative tools to represent that my treasured art time helps me decompress and recharge my batteries. Finally, there is a bird feather in my hair. I love to sit with a cup of tea at my art table and watch the birds visit the feeders I have set up on the other side of the window. That represents that quiet time.
A Pict in PA 
Absolutely fantastic – and uplifting! Great use of time and tools. I never would have guessed that you did this in a waiting room.
Thank you, Ellie. There is a smudge at the bottom of one leg/foot where the pigment escaped from the shape and I let the flesh tones get a bit too loose and liquid to keep them under control so I definitely had a few problems with working on my lap in the waiting room but otherwise I think it turned out pretty well given the circumstances. It was certainly a better use of my time than just idly flipping through Facebook on my phone.
Brillianr!! There is so much to love and admire about this – not least that you worked on your knee in an orthodontist’s waiting room! This illustration should definitely be included in your first collection of notecards!!
Thank you for your lovely comment. Working on my lap only worked so well. If you look at the toe area of the leg on the left you can see that I totally smudged the watercolour pencil by letting the water run outside of the leg/foot shape. The flesh colours are also a bit sploshy. However, given the circumstances, I think it turned out pretty well.
Oh, Laura, this is such a hopeful happy image. Triumphant in creativity.
Thank you, Claudia. I do think it is fun.
This is lovely. I carry my prismas and sketchbook(s) everywhere, but even in the best of set ups I don’t do wet! I’m impressed!
Thank you. I don’t carry art stuff with me everywhere I go. I should but I don’t. I just knew I had a long wait so thought I’d grab my things. I used watercolour pencils and a water brush so that allowed me to use wet media. That said, I’m not sure it was the best idea since I got some puddling and smudging.
Wonderful!!! Love the feeling of cheerful happiness that shines through!1 Good for you!
Thank you. I’m glad that’s the feeling it conveys.
As usual, I totally didn’t see the smudges until you pointed them out! Everything about this piece draws your eye upwards, so you barely notice your feet. I like how you are “lifting up” all the things that uplift you, too – very clever! I’m also impressed how you squeezed in art time this week… I’ve been carrying a basic kit with me since the weekend, and have I even cracked the sketchbook open once? No, of course not!
Oh I never get any art done when I am travelling. Even when I just bring a small sketchbook and a pen, I don’t do a thing with it. I look at all these beautiful travel journals and wish I could produce something similar but it is never going to happen, not with the way we cram our travelling days with activity anyway.
Thank you for your lovely, thoughtful comment about my illustration.
Oh, I know! And even without a family to look after, I’d find it difficult to sit and un-self-consciously sketch in public places!
Last time I sketched in public was at the Mutter Museum. There was little free space as it was and people crowded around me to watch me drawing. It made me super self-conscious, especially since anatomical drawings are a challenge. Gather to watch me draw zombie bunnies by all means but not a deformed skeleton.
Yikes! I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate at all!
good on you for making the most of waiting time – I generally just read a trashy mag in waiting rooms! Scones with jam def lift me up too :0
I don’t know that I could trust someone who wasn’t uplifted by scones with cream and jam.