Jessie Lilac Blog

Ta da! My very first attempt at stained glass. My first (and probably last) attempt at a stained glass panel. I drew the design out on tracing paper and cut the pieces of glass to shape, with a few unexpected cracks, splinters and cuts. (The splinters and cuts were my fingers by the way!) I healed very nicely and I managed to salvage the broken glass by putting extra lead in between the shapes. Yes, I could have used a fresh new piece of glass when I made an error but I had no idea how expensive this 'hobby' was going to be so I had to make do and mend! I'm pleased with the results though. It's great to learn new things and now the mystery of how stained glass comes to be is no longer a mystery to me. What is a mystery is how people can make this and sell it at a profit at the prices you see in shops! I shall never balk at those prices again.

Even when I think I've checked my typing for errors, I still manage to let typos slip through the ( butterfly?) net! That's because my head feels like this. This morning was life drawing and luckily for me, I didn't need my brain to draw. Sometimes that's the best way, to disengage it for a while. I have no trouble disengaging it, it's the engaging bit I'm struggling with right now. Is it me or do other creatives have the same problem? hmmm....might just be me then.. No, that's not me, I'm not the model, I'm the drawer. Can 'drawer' be a word for someone who draws or just a place where you keep your socks? (If you're tidy that is and if you indeed have socks.)

It's so grey here this week. Half term and grey weather. So, to brighten up the greyness, here is a little grey elephant complete with pretty spots. He notices that the tree looks very similar to himself and feels compelled to climb it but of course he's the wrong shape for climbing! He'll stare at it for a bit and then get bored and go off and find something more fun to do. Goodbye little elephant!

Layers

I've finished two more paintings! While I had my camera out I took some pictures of the stained glass I have around my house. It wasn't until I did this that I realised how much I actually had! This is my latest aquisition, made by Lizzie from my generic medium. I might have shown these before, they're from my favourite shop in Lyme Regis, the Mermaid Shop. On my last visit there I couldn't resist buying this too! This one was made by a friend many years ago. She's moved to Australia now and it's lost its crystal that used to hang from the corner but it's the first piece I ever owned and is a reminder of the time she was here. This is my front door. It used to be a mystery to me how a window panel like that could be made but now I'm beginning to get an idea how, with a class I'm going to. I'm learning to make stained glass and managed to slice my finger yesterday, not on glass, no that's too straight forward isn't it but on the lead! Y...

An elephant in the room is one thing and an elephant dancing on the spot is another! ;) This week's word for Illustration Friday is 'sweater'. I've never called them sweaters, or pullovers, I call them jumpers or long sleeved tops! What do you call them?

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing.. feel the love :)

Life drawing this morning and this is the last week for this particular model boooooooooooooo! She's one of my favourites because I like the poses she does and her hair makes good shapes to draw. She has a lovely face to draw too! Although you wouldn't think that by looking at this picture! Do you remember the paintings I showed here yesterday? Well I decided to do more to the foreground tree and this is the result..... before and afterwards. Better doncha think? A happy weekend to one and all! :)

I realised this morning that while I'm painting, the paint splatters have covered, yes covered the keyboard of my computer. I should have taken a photo of my laptop to show you the disgrace! With lots of spraying of cleaning fluid and scraping, I managed to get it off. All I have to do now is to remember to move it away from me while I'm throwing paint around! The very top picture is a little bit misleading because I've actually been working on my table rather than with the easel. This is where it usually is... The laptop lives just to the left of where I have the painting, (just out of camera shot.) Right in the line of fire! I'm still in the process of painting that one and this one above. This one is almost finished but I need to decide whether to do more to the tree in the foreground. Whaddayathink? Here are two finished ones... Scraping, splattering and runny paint. My laptop is now shiny and clean, now the floor and walls...that's another thing!

A page of my sketchbook today. Acrylic background with white pen and ink.

It's Friday, my life drawing day again and here's two I did earlier. I was very brave and used an ink pen on the second one - no rubbing out! Have a lovely weekend whatever you're up to. :)

Later upon layer of patterns and textures. This week's painting for Illustration Friday 'Surrender'.

Tonight is the start of the new moon. A new moon is a time of inception, a time of new beginnings. Tonight a grand trine will form in Aquarius of the sun, the moon and mars. This will inspire opportunities and forward movement in our lives. It denotes a time of cutting through to the chase and releasing extraneous hazards that allow shortcuts to the desired outcome of reaching the light at the end of the tunnel. The top image is from my sketchbook and I like it so much I've decided to paint a new one and I'm now offering it for sale. :) The price will be £25 ($40). It measures approx. 9" x 12" and here is the finished painting... click on image to enlarge Email me at jessicastride(at)hotmail.co.uk if you'd like to own this watercolour! :)