Tag Archives: my art

Daily Creativity: Hug the World, follow Rory’s example

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Daily Creativity: Hug the World, follow Rory's exampleDaily Creativity: Hug the World, follow Rory’s example

Hug the world, we all need a hug right about now. How else can I show this than to have Rory do on paper what I can’t do in reality. I drew this with very soft colors, trying to make the two dimensional image feel softer. I used dark ink outlines to create a contrast for this softness to contain the form. Ink & Colored Pencils on Paper.

I thought I knew what I was going to draw tonight, I had a small training session with my sensei tonight. Five of us gathered to do a demonstration for some scouts who would get a martial arts badge for participating. They didn’t show up and it ended up being free mat time for us. After training I was talking to my sensei about my aikido drawings and how they make me think about the basic movements more in depth. I was sure I would complete my series when I got home.

Then I read the news. I won’t elaborate on my thoughts there (partially because I’m not sure of my thoughts) because this isn’t what this is about. I saw the reactions online and realized there are a lot of people and the whole world needing a hug right about now. It’s going to be hard, and reactions will test us. My hope is that we can react with kindness for each other and to not mistake our friends as enemies. We are hurting, and people do strange things when they hurt. Be like Rory, Hug the World.

 

Daily Creativity: Shumatsu Dosa Ichi – After Class Exercise Number One

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Daily Creativity: Shumatsu Dosa Ichi - After Class Exercise Number OneDaily Creativity: Shumatsu Dosa Ichi

Shumatsu Dosa Ichi is After Class Exercise Number One in English. The clearest use of this basic movement is directly applicable to Shihonage. Being able to move your partner, get under them, and shift them in order to bring them down simplified in this exercise. There are a lot of little bits in this movement too, and moments when other basic movements show up. Being sure to stay low is key and not giving up your balance to your partner is how you maintain control over their body and balance. I wanted to be able to show the proper position of the hands but no matter how I tried, it didn’t flow. Ink on Paper.

Daily Creativity: Baby Giraffe (Not April’s yet)

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Daily Creativity: Baby Giraffe Daily Creativity: Baby Giraffe

Everyone seems to be Giraffe crazy these days thanks to April and her impending baby. She even has a website and a gofundme page. I’m all for getting people interested in animals.

My friend mentioned that I should draw one. As soon as she said this I had an image of a baby in my head. I wasn’t trying to draw April’s baby, but hey, it might look as cute as this. By the way, these guys as babies are super cute. They have the biggest eyes, with these wispy lashes and their legs are like noodles. It’s just adorable. Pencils on Paper

Daily Creativity: Love Your Body

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Daily Creativity: Love Your BodyDaily Creativity: Love Your Body

This Love Your Body painting was inspired by a self portrait photograph a friend of mine too. I kept thinking about the image and realized I wanted to paint it. I asked her permission and when she said yes I knew right away this was going to be a watercolor. In the original photo it was as if she was filled with light, so selecting oranges, reds, and yellows for my color pallet was a given. I used blue to contrast the colors and make the figure even brighter. I don’t think I captured the feeling of light as I would have liked. Yet I hope I caught the feeling of the pose, the bold look to the viewer and expressive posture. I find this piece inspiring, bold and aware. I want to be that woman in the painting. Watercolors on Paper.

Daily Creativity: Hiriki No Yosei Ni Elbow – Power Number Two

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Daily Creativity: Hiriki No Yosei Ni Elbow - Power Number TwoDaily Creativity: Hiriki No Yosei Ni Elbow – Power Number Two

Hiriki No Yosei Ni, Elbow Power Number Two in english, is about moving your body, and your partner’s body with as much distance you can without moving your feet. Shifting your weight and moving direction. It’s important to move on the balls of your feet, not your heels. It’s important to be stable all through the movement. Then you get under uke with elbow power. Much like Ichi, Ni is also about getting under your partner. The shift, is called yoy, we yoy a lot in aikido. Ink on Paper.