This is the first time I added steam! It just needed something in that open space behind the tea and I didn't want another object. I was worried about the composition thinking it would be weird with the flowers cut off but I'm pretty happy with it. The teacup is the obvious focal point with the steam and extra contrast. Also the eye seems to travel out with the flowers and tea pot sput but comes back in with the pitcher on the right and go right back to the tea.

Ooh as I'm writing this the buzz buzz buzz national weather service has just issued a severe thunderstorm warning. Amazing I'm not unloading groceries from the car as that's where I usually am during storms! Its been storming pretty much all day and is sticky hot outside while I've been happily sitting at the kitchen table drawing right next to the air conditioner in the window.... bliss...

This past week has been a bit difficult to get work done in! My husband stayed home from work M,T,W because of the holiday and then there were fireworks on the third and a party on the fourth. I finished the beach piece only by squeezing it in at night! Now I'm still recovering from a holiday week by catching up on the cleaning and laundry..

Yesterday was an errand day; stopping at the gallery in town, the photographers, the frame shop and then of course coffee and ice cream for the kids! They were not too happy with follwoing me all around downtown to do the errands.

So last night I started something new with blue and white pottery and a bit of yellow. I'll show it to you soon. I also have to work on another new kit for Ann Kullberg's site . This time it will be shells on Ampersand Pastelbord. I can't wait to sink my colored pencils into it! First though I am banished to a world of mating socks... such an unhappy place!

Beach Glass Finished

& here it is finished

It looks better and makes more sense for some reason when right next to the other beach one.

Now I have to decide if this series should stop here or if they warrant more!

Beach still a work in progress

I'm still working on this so even though everything is "filled in" its not necessarily finished. :-) I hope these beach themes ones are popular because I've bought loads of green bottles and I'm taking time away from my simple color series that I know people like! I may just have to do another Simple Color one (my series with all white and a pop of color) before doing another beach one!

Happy 5th of July everyone! That's the day after all the parties, fireworks etc that you just don't know what day of the week it is! We did the town fireworks on the 3rd at the baseball field the other day. They started much too late for my four year old - she like the first couple of minutes but was GRUMPY by the end! Then yesterday we had family over for what was supposed to be a barbecue but instead of preparing for it on the 3rd like I was supposed to, I was working on my beach glass drawing! Oops! So we ordered pizza and had good desserts and played with the kids which is what it was for anyway. My neighbor always put on a little kid parade on the street and we all invite kids over to decorate their bikes, wagons, etc to march in the parade with. Unfortunately this year it quite literally rained on our parade!

Beach Glass

Here's the beginning of the second beach inspired still-life. This is what I managed to get done today but the ball is still not finished. It is soooo frustrating to do with all the detail but the detail is what makes it the focal point in this composition so I couldn't skimp on it. The ball isn't finished yet - I still have soe details like thinning up some of the netting and adding a bit more raggedness to it like at the top.

The ball was one of those overlapping systems problems. I'm not sure how to explain what I mean but you had the glass ball with its reflection, lit side and shaded side which pretty much follows a simple sphere idea. Then you had the netting and its shadows that hit the ball and the nettings own systems of highlights shadows etc. Then you had the netting on the other side of the ball showing through as well as a bit of the tabletop and background! I know what you're thinking - draw what you see but I also know you know its not as simple as that! :-)

So were going to the fireworks in town tonight and bbq and a little street party/parade for the kids so no work tommorrow! Have a good fourth!