Hello everyone!  I know that is one of the lamest titles ever, but it’s early, it has been a long week, and honestly, I couldn’t think of anything better!  I just wanted to share that I have been practicing painting with my Chinese brushes and ink.  I did these doodles last week, but after the long drive to Walnut Creek for the Picture Book workshop, I was pretty messed up physically for a few days.  I haven’t been like that in quite a while….long enough to have forgotten what it was like. My back was really sore, and my arm is still sore from all of the internet stuff I did on Sunday, the day after the workshop, but getting better.  (A slap to the forehead)  I knew better, but I had blogging and Facebook stuff to do!!  I have been able to work out a few times this week which always helps!

I know some of you are interested in hearing about the picture book workshop. Unfortunately, it turned out to be somewhat disappointing to me.  To be fair the two people who put it on had never done a workshop before or worked together, but they were very entertaining and nice.  However, most of the information they gave I had already been reading about in books about the picture book publishing industry.  The workshop was supposed to include some hands-on exercises in actually working on the structure of picture books, so I was hoping for some feedback on what I had been working on which I took with me, but that didn’t happen.  Again, though, to be fair it was only a 3 hour workshop so there really wasn’t enough time.

Afterwards, though, my husband and I went out to dinner with our friends Steve and Tania who stood up for us in our wedding which was small (almost 22 years ago!)  We only wanted a best man and a maid of honor.  We had not seen them in at least seven years or been to that area since then.  After the workshop but before dinner, we drove by my parents’ old house which looked okay.  Then we drove out to the cemetery where they are buried, and that felt sad and weird.  I talk to them all the time so it wasn’t too devastating to visit their graves.  I still cried a little, though.  I really miss them.

So on a happier note…here are more of my attempts at learning Chinese Brush Painting.  I was just playing (which is always fun) and practicing leaf and grass strokes.  Also, in the first photo you can see I tried to do another goldfish, but I had too much water in my brush so it turned out to be “The Blob” with fins!  I am not sure what kind of flower that is, so you can call it whatever you want!  The small leaves and stems are supposed to be more bamboo.   Hmmm….  It was fun, and that’s all that matters!

So I grabbed another sheet of the rice paper I used for these.  It tends to curl up a little more than watercolor paper that hasn’t been stretched first.  So I am not sure I like it much, but I still plan to use it for practice.  So here is “Sammy” the Goldfish.  I just felt he needed a name.  😉   His eyes are pretty big.  Perhaps he sees some food he’s going to go after!

Tomorrow I will be posting the second watercolor painting I did with my Chinese brushes.  It includes a waterfall and my first attempt at doing a Stickleback fish!  The fish turned out too big proportionally for fitting into the rest of the picture, but I like the waterfall so I want to share it!  I am planning to do a much bigger Stickleback fish for my friend, Derrick.

Have a wonderful day, and give someone you love a big hug!  🙂