Blah,Blah,Blahg

EDWARD GOREY TYPE FONT--FREE!

I checked this out at the library last week. It appeals to my Victorian sensibilities.  I can't get enough of it.  I am especially crushing on all Gorey's hand drawn lettering--LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.  The perfect amount of imperfection. You can only imagine my delight when I found a FREE font that was inspired by the legend.  You can download it here. If you know any other hand lettering specimens that are delightful please give me a link to them in the comments, nothing too whimsical, I don't like whimsical (demanding, huh?). Part of my drawing and handwriting training is to copy as much as I can and it always helps if I find the subject inspiring.  I am going to try to work on holiday cards this weekend--I hope, maybe. Friends and family may be getting New Year's cards instead. It's been a killer work week I may only have energy for puppy snuggling.  I hope you all have a great weekend!

GIVE SOME LOVE, GET SOME LOVE....

Shameless, (okay little shame), plug here...Over a year ago we took most of The Bella Bella co. designs off of Etsy and the dedicated site down as well so we could regroup with our new venture Besotted Brand LLC.  BTW not to get crazy or anything but it looks like the Besotted site will launch end of January 2010,! What? Only a million years later (totally stop by and make sure you sign up for the launch!). During this period of insanity (aka starting a new business) we quietly put up a small Bella Bella co. Zazzle shop (cringe) 'Zazzle', that name just makes me think of jazz hands, picture it--"ZAZZLE!".  I digress...We put up the most popular prints which allows the client to add the artwork to whatever they like-stamps, mugs, t-shirts, buttons, ties, bumper stickers and other useless items, on and on.  Hands down (or is that jazz hands down?) our best seller is LOVE.  In all its incarnations either our 'grunge love' or our 'love is a circus' print.  The word on the street is Zazzle does a great job printing on items and their pricing is pretty fair.  So if you were looking for LOVE that's where you'll find it...

 

LEARNING MY ABC'S

I was really THRILLED the other day when I found a calligrapher relatively close to my home that would give me private lessons.  I wanted the lessons for two things--one to learn how to improve my just GROSS handwriting (my printing is not bad in case you were wondering) and two to learn how to do pointed pen calligraphy. I took one class in the pointed pen method at Paper Source a year ago and really enjoyed it (very, very basic). I found it relaxing and gosh only knows I need some relaxation in my life. I had asked my Fancy for lessons for Christmas and he obliged, thus far he's indulged me in my every whim: the impossible to get endangered Gocco, the 'real' silk screening classes (messy), the beautiful camera, photography lessons, Polaroid transfer class, the book binding class (I cut like I am drunk), I can't even think of everything at this moment.  Suffice to say I LOVE to learn and explore as long as it doesn't lead to any tchotchkes like end result. I don't like tchotchkes.  Which leads me to my calligraphy lesson.  Oh dear...

Last night was my first lesson and I thought I might implode from excitement.  The teacher kindly scheduled me after work which is a little late for most lessons (I am assuming) and I was grateful.  Not knowing how long it would take me to get across town I was there a wee bit early, it was 6:42p.m.. I called, the teacher answered and snipped, "I thought you were going to be here at seven!". I was taken aback, I stuttered, "I, uh, well, uh,I can wait in my car, if you want."  She answered, "Well, I am in the middle of dinner."  Gulp, "Okay, I will see you at seven," I muttered.  I guess she was hungry, maybe suffers from low blood sugar? Ace gets grumpy too when he doesn't eat, it happens right?  When 7pm rolled around I met the teacher at her apartment she had a studio she said on the bottom floor.  She opened the door and?  It was like a bad scene out of that Hoarders show. Complete and utter chaos.  It looked like it should smell. If it smelled,(which it didn't) BUT if it did I wouldn't have taken the lesson. I recoiled.  I don't like messy.  Ask Ace I lose my mind when he leaves his shoes out. This could of sent me straight to the nervous hospital.  The vapors were rising, I was getting light headed.  I couldn't concentrate.  Then I took a shallow breath and decided, maybe she's a great teacher? Maybe the best teacher ever?  Maybe this will change my life and I will have beautiful handwriting, maybe...So much for optimism.  She was the WORSE teacher EVER, she was all over the place, never really concentrating on the subject at hand but in la la land. I was crushed, just crushed.  I was also disappointed because the only thing worse for me than wasting time is wasting money.  Oh that kills me (especially since we don't have much right now). I was thinking of asking my crazy Mother Marie (which this teacher reminded me of in an odd way) to get me this DVD for Christmas. Anyone know about it or tried it?  I know it's important to be able to watch to see how the letters are formed, that's why I was thinking a DVD might be the answer. Any advice for me? Teacher recommendation in Los Angeles?  I would love to improve my handwriting as well so I am open to your suggestions.  If your method works for me I pinky promise to send you a handwritten note...

LEARNING TO DRAW, THE SAGA CONTINUES...

My childhood best friend said in passing last summer that anyone could learn anything if they have the right teacher.  I would have written this off if it wasn't true for me.  I nearly failed Algebra the first two times I took it.  I just didn't get it.  I took it with Mr. Heglund and got an 'A' because I 'got it' and I  LOVED it!  I really needed to do well in math since I was at a special science school and well science and math are married. I am grateful to Mr. Heglund for giving me the gift and love of algebra (yes you read that right). I am now in my 4th decade on earth, oh that sounds so horrible, but really it's not that bad. My desire to learn new things is at an all time high.  My brain just feels receptive, I don't have boys on the brain (just one boy) and I can finally take classes because I have an interest and it's pleasurable not because I need to get an advanced degree. The pressure is off, (besides the pressure I put on myself but that's just me). I have mentioned multiple times that I want to learn to draw and have found some good books but really the results were still just so-so.  My drawings were more recognizable than before the books but you would have to squint hard, that is until I was introduced to Lee J. Ames last weekend.  Look above that's a horse by gosh and a polar bear, no squinting necessary!  The word on the street is that it's a great idea to learn how to draw realistically and then develop your own style once you have mastered the basics (hey it worked for Picasso!)  Did you know that Van Gogh didn't become an artist until the last 10 years of his life?  It's true! Ames breaks his drawings down to their basics, circles, ovals, squares, etc. and then builds from there, step-by-step.  I couldn't believe when I got to the last step that my drawing looked similar to the one I was working off of (and no this was not traced!).  My heart did a flip flop.  It so impressed Ace that he exclaimed, "I want to learn how to draw too!'.  Translated that means, 'If you could draw anyone can. True, true.  I do have to mention here that I did get some pencils which were suggested from the "So you think you couldn't draw' book.  That book I liked as well, but the author was doing A LOT of selling and I was feeling like I was buying into it.  I felt like if I didn't buy her pencils, sketch pad, etc. I wouldn't get any better.  I tried to not listen to that consumerism voice and just went to the art store and bought the basic, least expensive pencils in her suggestions.  The pencils even though not top of the line do work better than the standard #2 pencil.  Making the fur on the coats I used a 2B, it's a soft, dark pencil and you don't need a lot of pressure to get results. For the sketch I used an 'F'' or "H". I hope if you are wanting to learn something and feeling frustrated this post gives you some modicum of hope and you won't give up any time soon...

FLIPPIN' LEAF CARRYING PUPPY!

Candace Ang sent this in because she plays dirty.  Who sends in a puppy carrying a leaf the same size as the puppy? Candace that's who!  I asked Candace what kind of pup that was and she said, 'who cares?' Agreed.  It's cute, probably Japanese. it seems that the Japanese have cornered the market on cute.  They are even lucky enough to have dogs with heart shaped birthmarks.  Go figure? I am so going to Japan and reveling in the cute one day, soon.......