All gessoed up and ready to go

Hi Blockhead and How I Cry;

I thought I'd check blockhead's blog because she SAID there'd be some news there, but there was nothing. (Hey; get a grip and move on, up there; do you think your loyal followers will keep on with this no show stuff?) So then I thought I might as well give an update on the portrait. The back porch did improve amazingly though the roof still leaks and there are big round brown circles on the ceiling from previous rains. Also, the windows are crappy. And so is the floor.  But the easel and drawing table and other tables are nice and very comfortably arranged. I put three layers of gesso on my ash board, sanding btw each coat and wow, what a nice surface.  I got most of the figure blocked in and like, yes, it was too big, so more gesso, more sanding.  Then I thought I'd draw the figure with colored pencils instead of harsh graphite. I really like that; it is how I start a watercolor/prismacolor mix on paper; a nice golden greeney yellow to lightly block things in. I guess if it's all going to get covered it shouldn't matter, but it does because some parts of the very undermost part of the portrait may not be covered over, and also, if it feels good I'll get a more fluid feel to the figure and be more inspired with the detail work as I go along.  That's all for now. Last week I ran 4x2, did NT 2x60 and 1x30. I have a "one on one" at the Mac store on the 30th and will try to ask (it is actually HICs session; I am supposed to sit there as the mum mom) how to load pics from phone and camera onto blog; then you all can see the back porch and the beginning of the portrait. OMG, it's just toooooo exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least I ran and cleaned up

Hi, my two lovely blog followers. I put all the Cmas things away! Big step towards portrait, because now the back room is tidy and I can move some of the furniture from the back porch into the back room, thus freeing up work space and making the ultimate in crappy studios a bit more workable.  Also, I ran 4 x 2 mi, plus did NT 3x.  Well, it's not quite nothing.  Good job Blockhead and HowICry, or howeyecrie, to make it sound more Native American, or something. :) Also, Blockhead, why did you finish your post with "bon appetit"? I mean, what the hell does that have to do with quilt blocks? Are you planning on eating them or something?????????

How I don't Paint

...but would like to! Julie did several hundred recipes, Valerie will do 100 quilt blocks, Grace will write blogs and run, and I will do 6 paintings in 12 months.  It's pathetic to plan how many how often, since I guess they should take as long to finish as they take, but I must do something to get myself going.  The first step is to clean out the back porch and reinstitute it as a sort of inept, uncomfortable and ugly studio.  Then, I must gesso this board I bought at a studio at Avondale Estates. It is made out of ash and is very smooth and lovely. Then, the first portrait of...not quite a lady, but of a girl; a blonde headed three year old in a white flowing dress. I took the picture this fall in the sunken garden on Peachtree Battle and it is a winner. This is a portrait for which I am actually being paid; fortunately the mother client is in no hurry. More later.