Books, EDM 260, an orchid, a girl, Mediterranean Coast

I've finished my big sketchbook for books drawings. I like how these two came out!
The Murakami (After Dark) was nice but I prefered Norwegian Woods, my favorite so far. "Kafka on the Shore" was great, too.

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson was awesome. My favorite of all her books, now. And I loved them all!
I love her take on life. She writes detective stories like she really feels along with the characters, not just for the thrill. Her books are a lot more than just detective stories. And she has a great sense of humor.

This is the illustration of a dream I had. A fish in a suitcase. Looking almost exactly like that. (don't ask...)
What's funny is I dreamt that the night of the first of april, and on this day, french children cut little paper fish and stick them on people's backs with tape...

The suitcase is mine, I found it in a flea market. And after drawing this I discovered that EDM 260 was : Draw a Filled Suitcase! Great. Haven't done an edm challenge for ages!

Two little drawings on my small sketchbook. My oldest orchid, and my daughter painting her nails. I drew her very fast because she kept moving, so she's completely disproportionate, with big legs. She doesn't like the drawing at all! But I do. I find her cute even with big legs...

And this I did during a walk along the sea side. We have a beautiful coast here, rather well preserved and protected.
And I realise I'm drawing more than before, even though I still don't feel like it.

1 lamp, 1 boat, 1 mouse and why I draw the way I do.

So I'm drawing again! Thank you so much for your comments on my last post, they really cheered me up and I needed it!

I found a very small book and decided that I could do at least one very small drawing a day. And it works. I'm getting the same surprised pleasure as I felt when I first discovered Danny Gregory's books and yahoo group.

 

 

This is a little lamp in my bedroom. I bought it for myself after I divorced. My ex hates that style, so it was very liberating!

A little piece of one of the six fishermen boats we have in my little touristic town. Here the sea doesn't smell anything except petrol, and cat piss near the fishing nets (where I was sitting. Best place in the whole town, at least it feels real). Here where I live everything is false. We are 6000 in the winter, 60 000 in the summer. Buildings everywhere, look like they're built in plastic, simili Roman architecture, very expensive life all year round. I came here for love, stayed for duty, and now I'm stuck. (Hopefully not for long anymore.)

This is I la Souris (her name is prononced "E"), my daughter's oldest stuffed animal. She's called E because it's the sound mice make, and at the time Manon named her she didn't know many more words : ) !
Here E is sitting against my fantastic orchid who has thirteen flowers in bloom.

Drawn2Life made a very interesting post explaining why she draws the way she does. Really made me think. It's here :
http://drawn2life.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/why-i-draw-the-way-i-do/http://drawn2life.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/why-i-draw-the-way-i-do/
Because I'm very slow I haven't finished thinking about it (it should take a few more years and I'm done).

I'll try, anyway.
I draw the way I do because I'm not (yet) able to draw better. Getting the proportions right is the hardest, for me. And I'm totally unable to draw from memory, so I'm limited on the subjects.
I've begun to enormously enjoy drawing since I read Danny Gregory's book, especially "The Creative Licence".
I use his method of drawing, mostly (described in the book) : I draw the exterior first, without looking much at my drawing, except for checking I'm not completely getting out of the page ^^. Then the interior and the details.
I usually draw very fast. I prefer to draw directly with a pen, but I use a pencil when it's difficult and I want to get it right absolutely. Usually I don't especially want that!
I'm always surprised when it looks good and that's a big part of the pleasure! (I love good surprises).
In a drawing I love the lines. I love color, too, but I think what I enjoy the most is the line work.

Pure lines make me feel clear and happy. Like I understand the world better and it's cleaner and prettier.

My favorite all times illustrators are Walt Disney, Hayao Miyazaki, Masamune Shirow, and Hugo Pratt. I love Natsuko Takaya very much, too (she did the Fruits Basket manga series).

It's time to wake up, now, my rambling is finished!
That's all, folks ^^ ! A la prochaine!

4 portraits

From photos I found on flickr (from theses flickr streams : krakote est point com, itzik, crazycrazy, LightMirror).

I'm not drawing at all these days, I don't know why. Not even a small portrait. Nothing. (these were done last month).
I feel stuck, and not only with the drawing thing.

4 livres

 These are books I recently read.

 

I love the George R.R. Martin saga (Song of Fire and Ice) and this is the eleventh I've read. I thought it was a bit long sometimes, but I still want to know what happens next. And it's beautifully written.

The other book is from an Indian journalist and author and was an awesome read, thrilling and very interesting. (english title : Tarun Tejpal, the Story of my Assassins).

And these two were offered to me for my birthday (cool!)

The first one is about a hysterical woman who has a problem with  her age. There were some good moments,here and there, made me smile.

I wonder why my friend bought me that?? Should I feel concerned?

The second book is a love story, delicate, funny and surprising. I loved it.

  Author is Daniel Foenkinos, I don't know if he's been translated in English. The book is wonderful - I want to read the other ones now.