It's been too long!

…since I've been around here on my blog, writing about the things I'm up to. I have to admit I don't feel like writing long blogposts most of the time, something I've discovered along the way since I started this blog in 2012.  I'm more of a drawer and artist in image then in words I suppose, at least when it comes to writing about what I'm up to. But every now and then I feel like I have to do it, also for myself, to put in words what I'm thankful for.

I think I have to pay some attention to the things I've learned since the beginning of this blog…has it only been a year and a half…?! I remember me writing about things I wanted to be able to do, wanting to be able to work in Photoshop and so on and so on. A lot of things were secret wishes I only wrote about briefly, because there's always a very shy person inside me. In one way I want to show the world what I draw, what I do, what I make, what I think. But at the very same time I often feel sort of ashamed about what people might think of what I do like ; 'it's no good', 'what is she thinking, she has to learn so much' etc. I also often think about all the things I still want to learn and still have to get practice in…before….

Well before what..? Let's just sum up the things I already did learn and accomplish…

- I can work in Photoshop now, to edit and present my drawings and work the way I want to.
- I made my own website
- I had the courage to start a Facebook-page
- I started an Etsy-shop
- I met a lot of inspiring, nice, sweet and creative people both online and offline
- I gained a lot of more practice in drawing and different media such as watercolor, ink and pencil.

And the last weeks/months things are coming my way that gave me the courage to take the next big step: officially registering as a one-woman business: Esther Lankhaar Art & Illustrations.

The things that are coming my way are beautiful people and opportunities! Opportunities for illustrations for a website, designing a wine-label and getting in contact with a nice lady with a vintage-clothing shop I might draw a logo for. All good things for my portfolio and experience!

So all this I'm, very thankful for and I feel I'm on my own way with my art. It feels good and like it's supposed to be this way. I've been very busy lately with figuring everything out for the start of my business, my drawing-commision for the website I mentioned and so on. I have to find some balance in being on and offline, being behind the computer and laptop and on the other hand not forgetting about were it all came from and what I'm all doing it for: my love for drawing and creating.

I will try to post some images of the work for others I did lately this week. I also did manage to do some personal work in between and this is something I made yesterday-evening and finished up this morning. Smart and wise people like Einstein are a true inspiration to me.

I almost forgot! : I've been working on my christmascards!
https://www.etsy.com/nl/listing/169988741/donkey-little-hedgehog-robin-set-of-3?

Deer

Drawing a Deer. A Deer, for me symbolic for innocence, pureness and vulnerability. And writer Emily Dickinsons said the smartest and most beautiful, true things.

Two quotes

Two quotes I came across that spoke to me this sundaymorning.

Yet another Moleskine

I started working in -yet another- Moleskine today. This time it's a little watercolour Moleskine book.
I have several going on. Every book has a theme, and I'm planning on working in each one every now and then. I find it hard to concentrate on one medium for a longer period, because I find so many things interesting to do and learn about. So I guess I"ll just have to skip from one to another, however I feel like.
This one is about watercolour. I also used a little pencil, stabilo fineliners and collage. Oh, and Indian Ink,
I've enjoyed working on these two a lot!

A Rose

A rose in coloured pencil and Artist Pitt Pen on tinted paper. First the drawing was on a larger size tinted paper. While writing the words in Indian Ink, I made a stain. I decided to cut out the rose, wrote the text again and glued the drawing on a another piece of paper.
I like Emily Bronte's words:
'But he that dares not grasp the thorn
should never crave the rose.'
My interpretation: if you really want something you're passionate about, you have to deal with the risks and the possibility of getting hurt. But it's worth it!
A lovely reminder to keep in mind in life to always follow your heart, even if you're scared.

Haven't felt like drawing these days, I got  a personal thing going on, and somehow I can't draw at the moment, don't feel like it at all. For now a few inspirational quotes. I will get back to the drawing-business ;-) in a couple of days hopefully...
Saw these here:  http://charlottevallance.blogspot.nl/

Yesterdays post was about a few nature drawings I started in a little moleskine sketchbook.
Today some pictures of the old biologybooks my father gave me, which I used as inspiration. I like those old-fashioned drawings.
So I somewhat copied the drawings I showed you yesterday. The yellow butterfly I saw on a postcard of which I like the illustration style a lot. Sometimes I feel guilty when I copy someone else style : " I should have my own style, and invent a style of my own!" But then I think of a quote from Leonardo da Vinci: " If one knows how to copy, one knows how to do it."  Practice, practice, practice, and your own style will develop eventually!
This quote I read in a book from Carla Sonheim with 52 drawing exercises to make drawing fun. This book really is fun! To loosen up and make you think of drawing in a fun and different way!

Two new ones in ink and pen! :-D Still working on my ink/ecoline skills..! :-)
I used magazine-pictures as references. The text in the first one is a few lines fom a songtext  from Gavin DeGraw ('Dancing Shoes') that kind of describes the feeling of this drawing for me.
The second one I'm not completly satisfied with. But I decided to also post the drawings I'm not completly happy with. All part of the process...;-). In this one the shape of the guitar, and maybe, the right leg is too short in this perspective, seems like a bit of a handicapped leg.... But hey, those kind of legs exist too...! :-) I still like the cool, relaxed "I'm playing my guitar on a sunday afternoon in the backyard- vibe..." :-)

I like this one by Keri Smith. Permission to make mistakes. It should all be fun! :-D
http://www.kerismith.com/

To-Do List.

 I drew the eye first and came up with the idea for the text after that.
Discovered a stupid mistake in the spelling, should be:"tHrough" ! Will change this in the drawing!

“Life is not the way it’s supposed to be. It’s the way it is. The way you deal with it is what makes the difference.” (Virginia Satir)

 
Saw these on:
http://galadarling.com/