Allan

Character number 2, for Chapter 3. This is Allan (two L's, not 1, or he gets annoyed), but his ancestor is less clear as Matthew's, so he doesn't know yet. Several of them don't. Allan is tall, lanky, and quite handy with a sword, but extremely sensitive to any type of sound.

I'm really beginning to have fun painting these characters. It makes me feel closer to them, and to understand them better. I hope to do all 17, but the time it takes, I won't mind at all. I feel it a worthwhile activity; I've already started on my third character, Maya; and I suggest it to anyone who is trying to write anything. It's awfully helpful.

"I saw Allan incline his head when we heard the distinctive snap and rush of the bows at the other end of the hall; he was more sensitive to sound than the rest of us. Very hard to sneak up on."

Matthew

I am trying to write a book... I'm only on chapter two, but I'm really in love with it and all of the characters. This is one of them. This is Matthew, narrator of Chapter 2, descendant of Percival, and overall, just a big softie. 

I'm really beginning to like this style of painting. It leaves an anonyminity to the painting, and with characters, it means that the reader can still think for themselves and imagine their faces. There is no strict, set guidline to what their faces should look like (it also saves me the trouble of having to draw them), which is one of the reasons why I hate book covers with photos on them.

What about you? Do you have a favourite painting style? What do you think about photo front-covers? And does anyone actually want to read an extract of my story? I am searching for constructive criticism...

Rugby....

Didn't I say I was in the mood for drawing?

What do you think? I'm pretty pleased with it. I don't think I'll add faces, because I know who the two England boys are (Ben Youngs with the try and Tom Croft running), and I wouldn't recognise the Irish ones, even if I added their names.

Here are few more images, the reference image, and a few of the works-in-progress's

Craft Review: Weeks 12 and 13: Sunday 11th March- Saturday 24th March

I had visitors last week, hence the lack of posts. We are also nearing exam time, particularly in art, so I'm beginning to panic (4 weeks until art, 7 until everything else).
But, I did keep my resolution, I keep trying to do some sort of craft every day, which is often my relief from all of my revision. thank god for craft. so this is what I've been up to:

Another Buckbeak Scarf

Pretty swirls

I started knitting another Buckbeak Scarf. I had another ball of wool, a hard day at school, and I decided to start another simple knitting project.

I decided I wanted to try and stitch a swirl into a canvas. This was just an impulse, I am now unsure of what I want to do with it or the rest of the canvas.

• I have been doing lots of art. Mainly for my exam, which is looming ever closer, but I still have been annotating my coursework books occasionally.
• I did a few rows of my Ravenclaw scarf.
• I collected a few more squares patterns for my Harry Potter Blanket.



Ben Youngs' Try, Twickenham, 17/3/12

• I'm also beginning to get a drawing urge... I want to draw something rugby related (I love it so much (Ben Youngs' Try last weekend....absolutely brilliant)), but I also want to do something a bit more whimsical... what yet, I'm not sure

I have a French Speaking exam next week, joy of joys, so I'll be freaking out until Thursday about that one... Otherwise, I will continue crafting as much as I can, as frequently as I can, and just look forward to the Easter Holidays.

Harry Potter Graphic Posters - Etsy

I was just surfing Etsy, and I found some really gorgeous graphic posters. Click on the links below each photo for the shops.

EntropyTradingCo

ModernStylographer

PotterInspired

Hyssopdesign

What do you think? Pretty cool, aren't they? Which one's your favourite?
Makes me want to try to make one myself... watch this space....

Craft Review: Week 11: Sunday 4th March - Saturday 10th March

Sunday

I started knitting another owl today! It's for a friend who is coming to visit next week... I tried to guess the colours I would want/need for her and chose a lovely blue, orange and yellow. Very bright, quite neon, and I think very her (her birthday card was neon orange and green, and she loved it...)

Monday

I finished off the little owl by stitching him together. Isn't he/she cute?

Tuesday

After school art, as always. So close to finishing, I can almost feel the elation.

Wednesday

Using this wonderful pattern fromSimply Notable, I began knitting for my mother for Mothers Day. It's a 'Teabag Cosie' as far as I can tell, which tickles me somewhat, and as my mother drinks truckloads of tea, I figured it appropriate.

Thursday

Art lessons, and art after school. I finished! Finally... Now I can fully focus on my exam work. I will get round to, at some point, finishing up my coursework posts. I don't have a picture yet, because I forgot my camera.

Friday

Today, I made a Red Heart, much the same as I did for my mother's birthday. This will be for my friend's mother, who is also coming for the weekend. The only thing that I changed was that instead of putting a bead there, I knotted it anyway (mainly because I've run out of beads).

Saturday

I was doing a fair bit of homework today, including a sprinkling of art. This sprinkling included some Artist Research from Van Gogh, Michael Craig-Martin and  MCS Escher...

Craft Review:Week 10:Sunday 26th February - Saturday 3rd March

I am afraid that, this week, I have been absorbed in my Art exam Prep, and finishing off my Coursework for that subject. It is beginning to take over my life. I have millions of ideas swimming around in my head, but I never seem to get round to them, as there is always some more work I can do to get me a better grade in art. It's not a chore for me, I love it, but it does detract from my time to do anything else. By Thursday 26th April, though, I will have finished, which is a daunting prospect... I also managed to get a load of bulk reading done. I haven't read anything huge for a long time, I haven't felt right. But, I am now on page 571 of Inheritance, about to begin the Chapter titled The City of Sorrows. Nobody tell me anything, I want to read it myself.

Sunday

I finished Knitting the sherbet lemon square that I started a week ago. I still need to add a few embroidered details, but its finished, and that's what matters.
Monday

I was rounding up my FIRST art project, finally getting round to write an evaluation for my first Final Piece, For my Surfaces Coursework. I now just need to find a picture and stick it all down.
Tuesday

I spent an hour and a quarter painting my SECOND Final Piece, for the theme 'Similarities and Differences'. It's huge, and it's taking me hours to complete.
Wednesday

I managed to squeeze some time for my other ongoing project... My Ravenclaw Scarf. I managed a couple of rows only though, which was very disappointing.
Thursday

I actually managed to have 5 hours of art today.... I had my two prescribed lessons, then, as we had a supply teacher for our geography lessons, and i had finished all of the work, I continued with my exam work in that lesson. I was doing some 3D work in  the lesson, and in Geography, I was doing a tonal pencil drawing of one of my best friends (my evil twin, Becky). Then after that, I had two hours after school whereby I continued with my second final piece. I astounded myself. All of the intricate pieces are now done. I now only have to block the edges, smooth the lines, and touch up places where things have gone wrong, and I'll be finished. It's beginning to look really good now as well.
Friday

I have limited time on Fridays. I did manage, however, to add some more detailing to the Becky portrait, and that's looking quite good as well.
Saturday

I added some more to Becky's portrait, and did a little bit of annotation for something in my other book. I had a day off on Saturday. I read over 200 pages of my book as well... I was a bit preoccupied.

Richmond Castle : Surfaces

This is another installation for my Art Coursework Archive.

Double page spread

This Coursework Theme was Surfaces, which was very vague and could have led to pretty much anything. I decided to take a walk down the historical route.

My first set of pages focused in Richmond Castle and its ruins, in Yorkshire. I visited there when I was 11, and one of the pictures inspired me.

I completed several studies, in different media, including charcoal, tonal pencil, oil pastel and acrylic paint. My favourite was the charcoal, as it managed to capture fully the rocky nature of the... well, rocks!

This isn't necessarily my proudest drawings or page that I've ever created, but it serves as a grounding to prove to myself just how much I have improved.

Pencil tonal study.

My favourite. A quick Charcoal study, with the addition of the photograph.