Graduation

Graduation - it finally happened! (A week and three days ago).

We had to travel from Suffolk so we arrived late and didn't manage to get many photos, hardly any good ones, but I still enjoyed the day and hope everyone else did too. It was good to see people again.

Whilst inside for the ceremony it was mainly sunny outside, then as soon as we left the building the weather decided to change to be blustery and rain. Typical.

After returning my robes and cap we went for a nice meal, where I had a tasty mac and cheese with chicken and bacon. Then we went back to the White Hart Hotel where we were staying for the night and I had a lovely hot bath with a cuppa. I had the best start to graduated-life! For breakfast I ended up having bacon, egg, sausage and beans, then beautiful american pancakes with cream and syrup. It was one of the best breakfast's I have ever had!

I am so grateful that my parents and other half were able to share the day with me; it wouldn't have been the same without them.

Exciting Future.

'Excited for the Future.'

To start with, if you could sing the word 'Hallelujah', I would be very grateful. You can guess from this blog post that I have finally managed to finish this drawing that I started over a week ago (about bloomin' time, right?). I feel quite relieved it is over with and I can move onto to another one now. It is also the first thing to be crossed off my long to-do list, which is a good thing. Although, I still have plenty on there to get done.

I should probably talk a little bit about the piece now. I started it the day before my boyfriends birthday and I was looking forward to seeing him for the weekend. This is where the title came from and I was even more excited to be treating him to a meal and the cinema with my hard earned cash I'm now making. I even treated myself to some well needed shoes. It feels unbelievably good to own new things.

Unfortunately though, this image took me a while to complete. A lot longer than it really should have. I just wasn't in the mood for it. Maybe my initial feeling for it wore off. But I was still thinking of ways to further this project and if I am allowed to, then I plan to carry it on into second year of university. I should probably write them down... That would be a good idea. It will be on to the next elephant based sketchbook page soon enough.

Pattern Riding.

'Riding a Pattern'.

Yesterday, I made art with my bicycle and after a while it disappeared in the sunshine. The 'performance' involved puddles and my daily bike ride to the stables. However, the only people that witnessed this was me and my boyfriend.

I know I have called it art, but after doing this, it has led me to wonder... There is no physical evidence of what I have done, only mine and the other halfs memory. But because I have said it happened, does it still mean it did? Is this art and will I be believed? What if I was the only person there creating it?

It doesn't look like much and it's not greatest thing I have ever drawn. Let's just say it's a practise. It's to illustrate what I did. I went through the puddles that were left from the rain of the night before and went from one side to the other creating a wiggly lined pattern with the wet tyres. I'm not going to add any more to it yet, because I don't have a rubber (that I know the whereabouts of). But when I do get rid of the pencil lines, I reckon I'll add more to the background and probably colour as well. When this is done, I shall update this post...

Pen Found.

'The Floor Found My Pen.'

I admit it, when it comes to the weekend, I am the worst person at getting anything accomplished. An example is this drawing. I started it last week and  it had taken me five days to get it finished. I had planned on working out of my sketchbook but it was too windy outside for what I wanted to do. So I was at least thinking about being 'arty', that's better than nothing, right? And I did attempt to finish my drawing. However, my boyfriend was round and he was being intentionally distracting and getting in the way. It worked. I ended up making a mistake above the skull (you can see it in the top photo). I thought it was best I do no more until he had gone home haha!

The process of this drawing has been strange... It has taken far too long, which I know is my fault. As always, life gets in the way. I can't wait to get back to uni next month (although, I doubt I'll be very productive then either). I'm not as pleased with this one, I reckon because of the amount of time I spent on it, my 'mind set' on the piece changed. The name of it is because when I was ready and sat down to begin drawing, I couldn't find my pen. In the end I found it on the floor. The outline started off well, then when I began adding details and shading it went down hill. I guess I can just learn and carry on. Once again I need to realise it's sketchbook work and doesn't need to be perfect.

Be Proud.

'Be Proud of Me.'

You'll be surprised to hear from me I expect. It has been a while since I have put my ability to be creative to good use. I started a new sketchbook last week, although all I achieved was a basic outline of an elephant skull (the bottom image). I was disappointed with myself. I had plenty of opportunities at the weekend to do more, however, that didn't happen. Since starting work, acting as a taxis for my brother and being woken up at silly o'clock in the morning, I'm a lot more tired than normal. I spent my weekend napping, eating and playing guitar hero with my boyfriend. Unproductive, I know, but I still enjoyed it.

Anyway, today has been different. I had most of the day to myself and I felt in the mood to do something arty, which is how the elephant skull illustration got finished. I like to watch t.v. or a film while I work, so it's gets done little by little and I don't end up fed up or bored.

I'm hoping I'll be able to fill up this recently started sketchbook with images of elephant skulls in diffferents styles and mediums from photos I took of one at Ipswich Museum. I think the thing I'm going to struggle most with is not caring whether I make a mistake and ruin it. I need to get the idea that it doesn't need to be perfect in my head. We'll see how it goes, like always.

Desk Space.

My work space yesterday, I finally have my desk back, hallelijah! My parents came to visit me at uni the other day and helped me pack up most of the things that I don't need, so they can take it home with them. They took me and my boyfriend out for a meal and a bit of food shopping. Well, I might as well make the most out of them while they're here haha! It was nice seeing them all get along and chat a little. We then rushed around Asda grabbing things I needed; it was like we were on Supermarket Sweep (definitely should do our shopping like that more often - it was so much fun). After all that, it was time to pack the car and say bye bye for now.

With this new found space, I decided to use my newly, clear desk and finish the drawing I started at the weekend. It felt good, almost like being back at the studios. Ok, so it was nothing like that, but it was better than me scrunched up working on my bed. I have loads of space now that my massive printer and numerous bottles of paint and my sculpture have gone. Yay! I'm hoping this will help me be able to get into my sketchbook work and blogging properly. It'll probably be a slow start, just fingers crossed I get it sorted before I go home. It also means I get to sit and get distracted by looking out of my window at the wonderful dreary weather we’re having, what fun!