M5 Ch5 Colourful Faces

A.5.5.1. Adding Colour.  For this exercise I used water colour first and then pastels.  I think the water colour worked better, I look as if I have a beard in the pastel one.  Not sure how to lighten the neck without making it worse, it was, of course, in shadow.

 Extra Activity.  I already had Picassa on my computer but hadn't used it to change colour, I mostly use it to straighten horizons.  I used it on both pictures and had great fun.  Some look quite spooky, eg no. 3 pink with yellow eyes.  Photo 4 looks as if I've used a scrapper board.  Photo 7 is my favourite (apart from the neck)

 A.5.5.2. Adding Stitch.  I used this activity to kill 2 birds with one stone.  I had got very behind with my journal quilts with contemporary quilters so decided if I stitched me in blue that would fulfil all criteria.  I like the dark blue stitch best, think my eyes look a bit scary when done in pale blue.  I added a bit of Markel highlight with the pale stitch too and can't quite decide if I think it improves it and whether to add some to the dark stitch too.

A5.5.1. Adding colour

M5 Ch4 Your Own Face

A5.4.1. Touch Drawing. I find I am approaching each activity in this module with a 'go for it' attitude being not that confident at drawing.  Dithering doesn't help.  This is very evident in this activity!  It at first seemed impossible but the second go shows that you can do better so if I did 100 drawings it might not be too bad. 

A5.4.2. Continuous Line Drawing.  This was really tricky but, like the last one, good fun if not taken too seriously. 

A.5.4.3. Observed self-portrait drawing.  Good job Viv doesn't know what I look like, I could pretend it's a good likeness.  I decided to put my glasses on as they gave a good marker when looking in the mirror.  The only trouble with that is that I'm looking down which makes me a bit more jowly than I am.  My husband reckons my nose is a bit wide too.  Anyway, I'm generally quite happy with the result as a first try ever.

M5 Ch3 Artists Self Portraits

A5.3.1. Again it seemed a bit unnecessary to print lots of photos when the quality is so much better when seen on the computer.  My favourite sites were the National Portrait Gallery (especially the teachers bit) and Charleston Farmhouse which is one of my favourite places to visit.

A.5.3.2. Poor Rossetti!  He has lost his handsome features. I wish I'd used sepia coloured paper as Rossetti did (or painted it first) as that would have been easier.  For some reason the white pastel does not show up either.  Still, I've had a go.

Pencil and pastel, drawn in 1847.

M5 Ch2 Hands and Eyes

A5.2.1  My hand drawing came out better than I expected.  Of course, drawing round my hand was an easy start!

A5.2.2. The curled hand came out a bit fat.  Looking at it again I think the far line should have come down at a steeper angle, but I'm generally quite happy with the result.

Better proportions this time.

A.5.2.3. A bit of light relief.  And those wretched doilies again, I must have been feeling a bit festive.

A.5.2.4. I found paintings on several websites but when I printed them they were very pixelated.  But still the web is a good source.  I tried to find a good selection including The Scream which is not true representation but shows emotion.  So many paintings have the eyes looking at you, it's Mona Lisa that follows you.

A.5.2.5. I dreaded having to commit my 'Marty Feldman' eyes to paper but, nevertheless, set to and did it.  I think I got a bit better each time but only slightly and probably wishful thinking!

M5 Ch1 Making a folder or pocket book

A5.1.1  Not being sure what sizes would be best for the work for this module I decided to try making each of the kinds of folders to see what I liked best and which worked best.

1.Zigzag Folder with pockets.  This was a nice easy one I liked and it can be made any size.

2.Envelopes.  I found plenty of old envelopes in my stash and had fun making the folders.  Can't help feeling that the ones with smaller, but prettier, folders will be too small.

3.Paper bags.  Similar to envelopes but I tried paper bags as they tend to be bigger and  collect more of these.

4.Concertina Folders. Envelopes may prove a bit small but I like the basic idea so could use folded paper to suit.

5.Origami Book.  I only folded one of these so I could say I'd tried it but probably not for me.  I used thick paper so thinner would have been easier.