The Lure of Digital Art

I have been debating on getting an iPad for a couple of months now.  I now use my iPhone for 90 percent of my photography and have been trying out some drawing/painting apps to see if I even like to work that way.  I mean, I know I love to alter my photos on the phone but painting?  

Artrage is the app I just tried out last night and created this eye.  It is a painting app that also allows you to draw as well.  The screen is really small on the phone and I was using my finger which is tricky but I was surprised at the end result.  I almost gave up a couple of times.  I suppose as with any other new skill it needs practice.  

I couldn't help but add some scribbles as a finishing touch!  I may be succumbing to the lure of digital art.  

How about you??  Are you painting digitally?  Do you love it?

xo

Sleeping Like A Human . . .

I wish I could sleep this good.  At times Rocky can be found turning our couch into a bed.  If you have a pug there is no way you will keep them off the couch or out of your lap for that matter.

I am determined though to keep him out of our bed.  That is where I draw the line! lol

I have a feeling that I may get a better nights sleep if he was in our bed because  he would be happy and more comfortable except that I would not.

If you have a dog, where does he/she sleep??

:)

Signs of Spring . . .

I took this photo yesterday in our yard during a brief lull in the wind.  It was shot with my iPhone using the olloclip macro lens.  (love!)  Processing courtesy of the new app PicTapGo.  Very fun!  

How nice to see this little crocus popping up from the dirt after a long winters nap.  Although I am not looking forward to a steamy, humid, hot summer here in NY I am glad to be saying goodbye to winter for now.  

Hope you all had a really nice weekend!

xo

Digital Sketching On My iPhone

"she was holding hearts"

I am slowly falling in love with digital art.  This new sketch was done on my iphone using the ASKetch app.  Its my first sketching app and I really like it!  ASKetch simulates charcoal sketching.  It was difficult to get the hang of it but for the small space on an iphone screen I think I did well.  

I haven't done much sketching lately with pencil and paper.  This was really fun without the mess.  I like that this girl doesn't have facial features.  And somehow hearts always show up in my work.  I miss creating these girls.  

In my last post I talked about wanting to get an iPad for the digital art apps (and more room than my iPhone lol)  There seems to be so much you can do but part of me doesn't want another device to become addicted to. 

Do you create art on an iPad??

Linking up with Sunday Sketches :)

PicTapGo And An iPad Yes or No??

I took this photo back in December at the walk trail I long to go back to.  Since I have been sick with this stinkin flu I have not been up to walking or much of anything really.  Its 3 weeks now and I am still not back to 100%.  I have alot of rib pain from all the coughing which seems to be getting worse and not better, the pain not the cough.  

Anyway, I tried a new app called PicTapGo for the iPhone.  I added the filters with that app and you can get some really cool effects with it.  It will also save your recipes and it recalls your "style" if you will.  I highly recommend it!

I have also been thinking of and resisting getting an iPad.  I use my iphone for my photography and digital art.  It is pretty small but what I can do with it is amazing.  I hardly ever go on the computer and open up photoshop anymore.  The phone makes it so darn easy!  I have been reading some blogs and checking out the digital art created with the iPad apps.  There are some cool ones for drawing and painting.  And then I thought that maybe I should just keep it old school, stick with paper and pencil.  I certainly do not need another digital device to become addicted to!  But I bet it would be lots of fun to sketch digitally.  

Do any of you have an iPad?  If so do you love it?? 

Let me know!

xo

Finding Faces And Adding Words . . .

mixed media on 8x8 canvas

I am still trying to come out from under this flu but it just doesn't want to leave.  I am much better but this is my third week and I long to feel back to my healthier self.  I have no patience for being strapped to the couch, stuck inside the house, or needing to lay down after taking a shower from fatigue.  

On the bright side I am able to get back to some painting.  Pthalo blue is becoming a favorite color of mine.  For this piece I used only that and titanium white.  No brushes, just my hands.  I tend to feel much too restricted with a brush.  I squeeze the paint from the tube right onto the canvas in a few places and then go at it with my hands.  I keep going till it feels done.  Or until I see some images appear.  

I found a face on the left and I hope you see it too.  I added the letter stencils for some contrast and stenciled on the words because they just felt like they fit.  

It is supposed to be a nice day here in NY so I am  hoping to go for a stroll by the lake across the street.  Maybe being around nature will help take me out of this funk!

Hope all is well in your world!

xo

Reeling And Healing . . .

When I checked to see how long it had been since my last post I couldn't believe it.  I thought I would share where I have been.  And believe me it was not a pretty place.  

February is "dead people" month for me.  Meaning that there are death anniversaries and birthdays of those who I have lost crammed all in one month.  On top of that I also had my annual mammo scheduled.  There was no fun to be had.  the 21st is my first husband's birthday, the 19th, my grandma's, and the 22nd my grandpa's birthday.  Not sure if I had mentioned it before but my aunt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer back in the fall.  This is the mother of my dear cousin who died a summer ago from a recurrence of her breast cancer (she went through it 2 years ahead of me).  

I got the call on my grandpa's birthday, 2/22.  It was about my aunt.  She passed away from complications of her chemo treatments.  She was only 68.  I cried quietly as to not wake my sick husband who was on the couch with the flu.  I cried through the weekend and then woke up on monday morning with my own fever and sore throat.  Round 2 for me with the flu this season.  I had spent the month of December on the couch sick with it already and was pretty angry that it hit me again.  Not only angry but I was left wondering if there was something else going on inside my body that would explain my crappy immune system.  Another family member gone too soon from cancer.  I am losing count at this point but what I do know is that my fear of recurrence increases as does my survivor's guilt with each person I loose to that deadly beast.  

Lou is finally feeling better and I am now just getting up off the couch for the first time in 10 days.  Not much tastes good to me so I started making smoothies.  This one has coconut milk, banana, and some baby spinach.  You can't taste the spinach at all so its a good way to get some green without the veggie taste.  

I haven't painted in 2 weeks and I miss it.  I have canvas's staring at me on my easel but I just don't have the energy.  Whatever this flu bug is it is really bad.  Worse the second time around.  These are the moments when I most regret not enjoying the days when I feel good.  

Hope you are all doing alot better than I! 

Hope to visit you all soon!

xo