Hello, friend! Hope you’ve had a great week!
Here’s the weirdest photo I’ve ever taken of a cow. No idea what the cow (Lady Bovina?) is doing, and I don’t want to think too hard about it. The cow (Udders McDaniels?) does looks like quite a character though, so you’re welcome.
One year I made this photo into a ‘Mooey Christmas’ card and wished everyone lots of festive cheese - so the picture has paid for itself, really.
Fishbird Catch of the Week
We post twice a week on Fishbird Central. This week’s catch included:
Penguin Crime Classics - Books 16 - 30
This post collects the next ‘readily available’ books in the main series of the vintage penguin crime classics! I’m always on the hunt for the original green covers when we visit secondhand bookshops - but the stories are still available in other editions, so you can get your crime on in the mean time!
Check out the post here - Penguin Crime Classics - No.s 16-30
100 Sketchy Faces Challenge!
This post formally kicks off the ‘100 Sketchy Faces’ challenge! My comfort zone when it comes to sketching (much like Claude Monet) is animals in people clothes. So to broaden my sketchy horizons, I thought I’d pick a subject that scared me, and aim to draw 100 faces! I’d love it if you sketched along with us - share your art with us on Facebook!
Check out the post here - 100 Sketchy Faces Challenge!
Draw a Face & Eat a Roast - Rinse and Repeat
To celebrate the beginning of my ‘100 Sketchy Faces’ challenge, we went to the Kedron Wavell RSL today for a roast lunch.
How good’s a roast dinner! You can tell I’m a fan, on account of I’m making bug eyes and clutching at it. Roasts are Christmas in your mouth, any time of the year. Tastes even better on a Sunday, when the potatoes are magically infused with heavenly wishes (pretty sure that’s a thing).
Side note, if you’re looking to shower me with gifts - a roast lunch and a trip to the bookshop, will win out over diamonds and dancing any day of the week.
But back to the sketching! Here’s a little ‘behind the scenes’ of my sketch of a man I can only assume is named Felix. Word on the street is that Felix races snails and once ate a chicken schnitzel as big as his head. Nice work if you can get it.
I like to start with a pencil sketch, to make sure Felix’s big head fits on the page. I then go in with watercolour, and put a bit of razzle-dazzle in his cheeks.
Here’s Felix next to the inspo picture I used from Pinterest. Also, if you’re lucky you might spot another beard in the background. That’s my sweetheart.
I usually have a ‘freak out’ moment when I want to go in with fineliner after the watercolour - as this has the potential to either elevate or ruin my art, depending on how heavy handed I am with the pen.
Thankfully, I don’t think Felix minded too much and he still looks kinda human. Definitely a bit more of a cheeky expression than the one in the reference picture - but that’s probably from all the snail racing.
Quick Fire Wrap Up
Currently Reading: ‘Nightshade for Warning’ by Bailey Cattrell. This is Book 2 in the ‘Enchanted Garden’ mystery series. It’s cosy, it’s slightly magical, and our protagonist shouldn’t be investigating at all. Exactly what I’m after :)
Currently Watching: I smashed out Season 25 of ‘Law & Order SVU’ like a champion, and have now started both ‘True Detective - Night Country’ and Season 2 of ‘The Rings of Power’.
Currently Wondering: If a roast a day would keep the doctor away, or if all the crackling would have her living in the spare room.
Wishes for the Week
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead, friend!
Raise your tail to the world and give a tooting salute to good times! May the clover at your heels always be fresh, and the wind in your ears gentle and scented with gardenia.
Stay cool, punks.
“Draw your potato. Draw your mash. Paint your carbs, and collect that cash.” — Salvador Dali (probably)
Jen x