lessons learned illustrated through sketching

HEARTS

I already know hearts play a large part in more ways than one when I am "out & about".  What I knew but was reminded off a couple of weeks ago was that I need to spend time learning how to create perspective in my sketching.  When a friend and I recently tried our hands at "10 minute sketches" and we compared the outcome of our work, it became obvious I had lots to learn on rendering depth.  I found a couple of tutorials and some step-by-step instructions to help me with this.  Because I have this thing for hearts, I picked one to sketch as my first step towards improving how I render depth.  This is the outcome!

MUSIC 

This past year not only has learning all about sketching filled much of my time, but so has bird admiring!  I have learned where different species spend the winter, ask me what kind of bird is that and I may be able to tell you and if not then my app & bird book will help and also I can now sometimes distinguish the kind of bird by the song they sing.   A Steller's Jay does not sing the happiest tune but their colours sure brighten up the forest.  If you are fortunate, you could see that beautiful blue flying about in the winter white but they will not be donned in rich red.  Yet red does represent their aggressive nature.  

INSIDE

It's what is inside that matters!  Have you found what fills your heart with joy?  Do you know where to go to soothe your soul?  Do you know what experiences make you happy?  I have been able to answer those questions for quite some time now yet as each day, month and year passes those answers evolve.  For many years my happy place has been wherever I am when I am "out & about" in nature.  No matter what the season, what the sport, what the place, I find fulfilment.  This past year, fulfillment began coming from sketching on paper the things I have seen and the places I have been.  Recently I learned to do that rendering with india ink.  

What's inside matters!  It's the aroma of the crackling fire, it's the taste of hot chocolate as you sip it from your favourite mug,  it's the sight of snow sprinkling down outside the picture window, it's the cozy feeling of the blanket wrapped around you and it's the sound of silence or music filling the room.