EDiM Day 10 - Draw Something Creepy

I apologize for the extreme creepiness of this image, but on day 10, we were challenged to draw something creepy. I knew instantly what I needed to draw. We were reluctant housemates with these creepy things during our 12 years in New Mexico. The centipedes in the southwest are a different species of creepy than what passes for centipedes in Pennsylvania. I see one now and think, "THAT's not a centipede!" Just sayin'. I drew my NM creeper on a bill for scale. The size is no exaggeration whatsoever. I used a $100 bill because that's what I am willing to pay someone to kill an 8-inch long centipede in my house!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 9 - Draw a Lock

On day 9, we are challenged to draw a lock. When we moved into our 80-year-old house, several of the door locks had skeleton keys sticking out of them. I'm sure that's a metaphor for something profound: "Oh no! This door is locked! Well, looky there. A key! That's convenient!" I call this picture "The unlock" because I don't think you can call it a lock when the key is IN the lock! I enjoyed playing with the colors on this. The actual lock is brass with an 80-year patina.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 8 - Draw a Coffee Pot

On day 8 we were challenged to draw a coffee pot. I couldn't limit it to one. I call this picture "Mr. Coffee, Madame Café, & Café del Hijo." I own all three of these coffee "pots". Each pot represents its country well. The American Mr. Coffee (far left) makes reliably good coffee, compliments of an embedded computer chip and some electricity; the French press (middle) takes finesse to master and the coffee goes cold fast, but it looks so good sitting on a bistro table; and the Costa Rican version (far right) is low-tech and came with no operating instructions, but who cares? It's fun and looks more loved the longer you use it.

PITT pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 7 - Something You Got for Free

Something I got for free? LIFE! Yup. I paid nothing for it. What a deal! "Pura Vida" is Costa Rica's national motto. It means literally "pure life" but probably is better translated "this is living." I shamelessly borrowed this design. I saw it in Costa Rica when we visited there. Of course, you can find anything on the Internet, and I was glad I could locate the Pura Vida design I remembered seeing in Costa Rica. I really enjoyed drawing and painting it. It was like a grown-up coloring book activity. So fun!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 6 - Draw a Scent

Day 6 challenge is "draw a scent." In a month, my only daughter will marry and move far away, and her scent will leave with her. And, I don't want to talk about it!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 5 - Pine, Fir, or Eucalyptus

Today, on Day 5, we are challenged to draw a pine or fir tree or eucalyptus. Many members of the Every Day in May group reside in Australia, so they've been submitting awesome drawings and paintings of eucalyptus trees and leaves. I thought I knew about eucalyptus. Obviously I don't. Add it to the LONG list of "All Things Nature" that I am ignorant of. The Australians drew beautiful, subtly colored, slender leaves—nothing of what I think of as eucalyptus. All I know of eucalyptus is the dried, exotic-smelling, Seuss-like branches sold in the craft store. I've always thought of eucalyptus as an exotic thing—foreign in appearance and smell—like how we felt in the 60s when we saw a whole pineapple in the grocery store. "Is it real? We thought pineapple only came in cans!" Eucalytpus remains one of those curious smells from childhood that I got many whiffs of before I knew where it was coming from. Other smells in that catergory for me: beer at the amusement park (I was so sheltered from alcohol!); pipe tobacco at the mall (I was so sheltered from smoking!); and diesel exhaust from downtown busses (I know it's toxic, but I love it!) It was years before I knew what those smells belonged to. Weird, I know.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 4 - Socks

I knew immediately what I would draw for Day 4's challenge to "Draw Your Socks." I love to knit and wear homemade socks, so I knew my drawing would feature some of my handknit socks. I just had to figure out how I would design the picture. I find it hard to just draw an item. I always envision it in terms of a larger design, and that design almost always includes some kind of creative lettering. It's like I think in scrapbook page layouts! I like how this turned out, but drawing the socks so small was difficult. I wanted more details and truer colors. It just wasn't possible. It would be fun to redo this piece in a larger size.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper