[Sovalis]

Just catching up - what a mess! I hope that the testers come quicker than you are anticipating and that the results come swiftly! 

 

I love your sketches and it is so much fun to see you sharing them with us. I’m particularly in love with your little bird’s tail feather colour. I wonder about repainting my living room feature wall to match…

[Harriet]

18 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

I suppose an electric kettle is nearly as good.

 

Electric kettles are a magical item.

 

18 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Sounds kinda hot tho 😄

 

Could be, could be. But will we ever know for sure?

 

16 hours ago, TrashcanCarla said:

Here's that Leek Avgolemono Soup recipe:

 

Ooooh, thank you. I like the idea of a frothy lemon egg mix going into a hot soup. Never done that before. I wonder if I can leave out the grains, though.

 

16 hours ago, Sovalis said:

Just catching up - what a mess! I hope that the testers come quicker than you are anticipating and that the results come swiftly! 

 

Thanks! It's not the end of the world to have no showers, though. It's like camping! I choose not to be grumpy.

 

16 hours ago, Sovalis said:

I love your sketches and it is so much fun to see you sharing them with us. I’m particularly in love with your little bird’s tail feather colour. I wonder about repainting my living room feature wall to match…

Thank you! I think it would be a little garish for a wall, especially since wall colours are flat--no variation in hue, saturation, tone. I think I would prefer to have a neutral coloured room, and then put coloured prints and textils in, since they're easier to change. That's what I'm hoping to do when we move house, anyway.

[Harriet]

Wednesday

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single leg DB RDL thingies & art

 

learned about the muscles of the upper arm and constructed a tiger. I know the face isn't right but this exercise is about boxes, boxes in space. (No, they're not blue and they're definitely no bigger or smaller on the inside than they ought to be).

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Got paid for my article. Also got some reader responses as passed on by the editor. Must write back to her today.

[TrashcanCarla]

2 hours ago, Harriet said:

Ooooh, thank you. I like the idea of a frothy lemon egg mix going into a hot soup. Never done that before. I wonder if I can leave out the grains, though.

 

There's no reason that you couldn't. I imagine that the soup is just as delicious without the couscous!

[Mistr]

I love how the shading takes your sketch from a large animal (maybe a bear, maybe a big cat) to a tiger.

[Salinger]

That tiger is fucking incredible Harriet wowwwwwwww oh beautiful !!!

xx

[Sovalis]

6 hours ago, Harriet said:

Thanks! It's not the end of the world to have no showers, though. It's like camping! I choose not to be grumpy.

Solid philosophy. 

 

6 hours ago, Harriet said:

Thank you! I think it would be a little garish for a wall, especially since wall colours are flat--no variation in hue, saturation, tone. I think I would prefer to have a neutral coloured room, and then put coloured prints and textils in, since they're easier to change. That's what I'm hoping to do when we move house, anyway.

I think that's a lovely plan. Our livingroom is huge and the previous owners painted the feature wall a brick red with vermillion undertones and the rest of the walls a golden yellow. I don't hate it, but they aren't my preference. Our carpet is a creamy beige, so I feel like neutral walls might be too neutral. Not sure yet. I'll figure it out. There's no pressure to change anything yet, which is nice. 

 

For the soup, you could always replace the grains with riced cauliflower if you wanted low carb bulk and can have cauliflower. It's what I did a lot when I was doing Keto. It's a very reasonable substitute. 

[Harriet]

19 hours ago, Mistr said:

I love how the shading takes your sketch from a large animal (maybe a bear, maybe a big cat) to a tiger.

 

Thank you! I tried something new for the stripes and it kinda worked.

 

19 hours ago, Salinger said:

That tiger is fucking incredible Harriet wowwwwwwww oh beautiful !!!

xx

 

Awww, thanks possum ❤️

 

16 hours ago, Sovalis said:

 

I think that's a lovely plan. Our livingroom is huge and the previous owners painted the feature wall a brick red with vermillion undertones and the rest of the walls a golden yellow. I don't hate it, but they aren't my preference. Our carpet is a creamy beige, so I feel like neutral walls might be too neutral. Not sure yet. I'll figure it out. There's no pressure to change anything yet, which is nice. 

 

There are many shades of neutral. But yeah, also colours if you like them. I feel as though red is too forward for interiors. Maybe blue or green. But that's me.

 

16 hours ago, Sovalis said:

 

For the soup, you could always replace the grains with riced cauliflower if you wanted low carb bulk and can have cauliflower. It's what I did a lot when I was doing Keto. It's a very reasonable substitute. 

 

I don't actually like to eat a lot of vegetable bulk, but a little would be fine. I was wondering if the starches from the grains help thicken the soup, as they do with risotto.

[Harriet]

Thursday

 

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⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️

 

I did seated DB OHP and art. worked on upper arm anatomy and constructed a fish from reference. I invented shading without reference, but can't be bothered to double check the light effects on a fish eye. Probably should reverse the light and dark because it's a transparent sphere? But I won't go back and fix it because these studies shouldn't chew up too much time and should stay focused on form/perspective/boxes ETA the shading was bothering me so i fixed it. You'd think a fish is just a blob, but it has some structure:

 

Spoiler

 

 

Still sick with a little intermittent coughing and last night after dinner I was shivering a little from muscle fatigue, not cold. Woke up feeling hot and cold at 2am. Hmmm. Still not serious enough to make a doctor's visit worthwhile.

[Salinger]

Gorgeous ❤️ 

 

I did a couple of little sketches using the brush you use! I enjoyed relaxing and drawing ! xx

[Harriet]

15 minutes ago, Salinger said:

Gorgeous ❤️ 

 

I did a couple of little sketches using the brush you use! I enjoyed relaxing and drawing ! xx

Thanks! How do you find the brushes? I like them because they're simple and don't leave any unwanted marks. I don't know how to incorporate more complex textured brushes yet but it's also not a priority compared to other skills I'd like to learn.

[Everstorm]

2 hours ago, Harriet said:

Still sick with a little intermittent coughing and last night after dinner I was shivering a little from muscle fatigue, not cold. Woke up feeling hot and cold at 2am. Hmmm. Still not serious enough to make a doctor's visit worthwhile.

 

That's a tough call to make, especially after the legionella exposure.  Take care of yourself.

[Jié Xī]

I took up watercoloring for a few weeks over the summer. I found it very relaxing. I was doing pretty good while following along with youtube videos, but then I decided on a style (loose) and tried to get better (rather than just relax and enjoy). I watched several videos by Sterling Edwards and others, but every one seemed to have a different techniques and I ended up disliking everything I painted, and having no idea what I was doing wrong. It stopped being relaxing and I gave up, lol. 

 

I love your fish. He's beautiful. It's making me wonder if I should give watercoloring a second chance.  

[Sovalis]

I am sorry that you aren’t feeling well, Harriet. I hope it passes swiftly. Your fish is lovely and I think you really nailed the eye. That sounds gross. You got the eye correct. There. That’s better. 😅

[sarakingdom]

17 hours ago, Harriet said:

Still sick with a little intermittent coughing and last night after dinner I was shivering a little from muscle fatigue, not cold. Woke up feeling hot and cold at 2am. Hmmm. Still not serious enough to make a doctor's visit worthwhile.

 

And no hot showers!

 

Pot of tea. Three quilts. One book, preferably audiobook.

[Silmarilliane]

Hope you feel better soon, being woken up by being ill is no fun 😞

Your paintings are so beautiful, and I love reading about your learning!

[Salinger]

So sorry you feel poorly hope you feel better today?? Sending love xx

[Harriet]

Friday

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⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️

 

Did DB rows and some art. Tried to invent a random animal. It's got less form than my animals from reference, but more than I would have managed previously. That means I should keep working on this construction stuff.

 

Spoiler

 

[Harriet]

23 hours ago, Everstorm said:

That's a tough call to make, especially after the legionella exposure.  Take care of yourself.

 

Yeah I just don't want to call too soon with too little to say.  Could be my doctor avoidance speaking though.

 

18 hours ago, Magdalena Ravenclaw said:

I took up watercoloring for a few weeks over the summer. I found it very relaxing. I was doing pretty good while following along with youtube videos, but then I decided on a style (loose) and tried to get better (rather than just relax and enjoy). I watched several videos by Sterling Edwards and others, but every one seemed to have a different techniques and I ended up disliking everything I painted, and having no idea what I was doing wrong. It stopped being relaxing and I gave up, lol. 

 

I love your fish. He's beautiful. It's making me wonder if I should give watercoloring a second chance.  

 

Thank you, and for sure you can try again! I don't know if you're a beginner or more intermediate, but I know that painting as a beginner can be frustrating because there are so many skills to learn (observation, line quality, light and shading, colour, form/construction, composition, design, subject specific knowledge and medium specific knowledge). In particular, watercolour is a comparatively difficult medium to master, so it might be too difficult and distracting to use if you haven't got basic drawing skills. Acrylic or gouache would be easier, or drawing with any medium. In fact, for a beginner, drawing is probably the best. If you want to improve your skills we can troubleshoot together. Or if you just want to use art as a way to relax, then don't worry about any of that and just find a practice you enjoy!

 

18 hours ago, Sovalis said:

I am sorry that you aren’t feeling well, Harriet. I hope it passes swiftly. Your fish is lovely and I think you really nailed the eye. That sounds gross. You got the eye correct. There. That’s better. 😅

 

It wasn't weird until you made it weird 😅 But seriously, thank you ❤️

 

8 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

And no hot showers!

 

Pot of tea. Three quilts. One book, preferably audiobook.

 

I make 5-6 cups of tea each morning, and dress in a merino undershirt. I have art in the mornings and then the total dissolution of my mind with internet in the evenings and then sleep.

 

3 hours ago, Silmarilliane said:

Hope you feel better soon, being woken up by being ill is no fun 😞

Your paintings are so beautiful, and I love reading about your learning!

 

Thank you! It's good to feel that I know how to make progress, even if I'm not where I want to be yet.

 

2 hours ago, Salinger said:

So sorry you feel poorly hope you feel better today?? Sending love xx

Thanks Sal ❤️ No, I'm not better. I've been sick for a few weeks actually.   Shit I just went back and checked my last challenge. It's been six weeks.

[TrashcanCarla]

Six weeks of being sick? Sorry to hear that.

I myself have been dealing with a post-nasal drip for three months which has me wondering when it'll ever clear up.

 

Hope you feel and get better soon. I enjoyed your made up animal!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Your invented animal looks awesome. I'd call it a Ferretdeer and say it was from Avatar The Last Airbender.

[Sovalis]

Your made up animal reminds me of the creature I would pretend to pat while waving my hand out the window of our car while we were driving somewhere. 💗

[KB Girl]

She's really cool- love the dots and stripes combo. 

I think maybe you should call your doctor ❤️ 

[Scaly Freak]

4 hours ago, KB Girl said:

 

I think maybe you should call your doctor ❤️ 

 

After six weeks, I agree. Call your doctor, who can help you stop being sick.

[Harriet]

20 hours ago, TrashcanCarla said:

Six weeks of being sick? Sorry to hear that.

I myself have been dealing with a post-nasal drip for three months which has me wondering when it'll ever clear up.

 

Ugh the drip. It's the worst. I mean, it's not really the worst symptom but when it's there for a long time... just annoying.

 

20 hours ago, TrashcanCarla said:

Hope you feel and get better soon. I enjoyed your made up animal!

 

Thank you!
 

18 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Your invented animal looks awesome. I'd call it a Ferretdeer and say it was from Avatar The Last Airbender.

 

Sweet! I haven't seen Avatar yet but I've seen pictures and memes and it's a very nice style.

 

16 hours ago, Sovalis said:

Your made up animal reminds me of the creature I would pretend to pat while waving my hand out the window of our car while we were driving somewhere. 💗

 

Hahaha it definitely needs to be super long if you're going to pat it while driving past.

 

15 hours ago, KB Girl said:

She's really cool- love the dots and stripes combo. 

 

Thank you!

 

15 hours ago, KB Girl said:

I think maybe you should call your doctor ❤️ 

 

Oh, all right then. Thank you for the nudge. Mr Harriet agrees.

 

11 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

After six weeks, I agree. Call your doctor, who can help you stop being sick.

 

You have much greater faith in doctors' healing abilities than I do. But there's nothing to lose, in any case. I'm picking up on a theme in the advice I'm getting. Okay, I'll make an appointment.