Wasting time.

Was meant to be drawing something else but I was at a lecture by Brenda Chapman yesterday and something she was talking about made me want to draw a lady based on a swan. An idea that's been done but too often with long hair and generally giving some delicate, whispy sort of impression. I hate that so here's my version. I dunno about you but in my experience swans are badass and kind of scary. If you've got some bread, you better hand that shit over bro.

BEETROOT

I think one thing that I'm struggling with at the moment is a lot of the things I'm interested in are abstract ideas so nothing especially comes to mind when I have some free time with my sketchbook or photoshop. I'm also kind of weary of drawing characters. So here is a drawing of my winter hero: the beetroot. I got a lot from my dad (who knows not what to do with them beyond picking them in vinegar and putting them in jars, a tragedy for another day) and was struck by how great it is. They've got a very satisfying solid feel, the violent purple colour is amazing and because these are dirty great right-out-of-the-ground beets they have this nice rough brown part at the top that's all warty and interesting. The stalks/leaves which I didn't really draw here, can be eaten too and like the the beet, dye everything a really pleasing pinky red colour. (Though this can be not so great when being the Kitchen Goddess that I am: transferring them from sink to chopping board, ending up dropping them on the white tiles that I just cleaned.)

Anyway, Beetroot are great and with with River Cottage Veg as my guide, I've learned that there's loads you can do with them. They're good friends with dill and horseradish and make a very nice soup together. I've roasted loads of them with thyme and balsamic vinegar. Walnut and beetroot dip is delicious too. Being so sweet, they get on like a house on fire with chocolate apparently and can be worked into desserts to produce some interesting results.

This year if I can't plant my own, I'll definitely have to badger my dad into growing some other varieties like the ones in the second picture. So pretty!

I should draw something

I haven't been drawing lately. There are two reasons for this: One is that drawing is now basically my 9-5 job. It's not terribly exciting stuff to look at either. Two is when I'm not working all my non-drawing related other interests fight for my time. I don't know if you can tell from the spectrum of the reading material here, but I have a lot of interests and if I were to represent them with a pile of books like this, it would be about three times the size.

I miss drawing for myself sometimes but I seem to have lost the knack of making images that I actually like. Unless I get some thunderbolt inspiration, it'll take a long time to build back up a style and a direction to pursue I think. I don't want to bore people with shit guilt-doodles in the mean time so I'm going to stop posting them.

Adelie Teens

hilarity of adelie penguins molting is unlimited. although I can't help but find adelie penguins funny in general and I feel guilty sometimes. It's their little penguin body language.

動物

Uh.. I don't have a favourite animal. But I really enjoy native wildlife and maintain that badgers never get enough love. So here's a badger with a cup of cocoa.

stone in a well.

The  other day I found an unofficial English copy of Murakami Haruki's Pinball 1973. This is a quick sketch of my impressions of the first fourteen pages. It's very Early Murakami. All the hallmarks such as casual dips into the surreal, animal-centered mini-missions, mysterious knowing nameless female characters and a sense of quiet futility.

Speedpainting

Some speedpainting I did yesterday. The characters in the top picture are Niamh's lovely pirate couple. They're a lot of fun to draw.
COLOUR ♡♡♡♡♡