Lesson Learned

When you think you are finished with a colored pencil drawing, you really aren't.

 

 

 

This image is available for purchase as greeting cards and prints.

One more night... Tuesday Night's Art

Tomorrow is my last teacher workday for this year. I am as much relieved as excited. This morning I was the first person in the parking lot at school just a few minutes after seven. On teacher's workdays we aren't required to be there until eight, and even on a regular school day I am racing to get there on time. I didn't leave today until nearly six. There were 3 cars in the parking lot when I left (that includes mine). I get overwhelmed by the checklist of stuff that has to be signed off on. We have a FOUR PAGE checklist just for my school; that doesn't include the one I have to do for the school district- that's about a page. After 14 years of teaching, you would think I have it down pat. On top of all of that, I am trying to find a position teaching art. I spent the better part of two years studying for a test so I could be licensed to teach art. That was the easy part.
If I were to get to teach art next year, it would be like starting all over again; but any worries about that is nothing compared to the dread I have of another year of teaching computer skills. It's too soon to give up hope for next school year now.

So about tonight's little art project. Actually it's not very little. I ended needed a whole sheet of poster board.  This is call Notan- It's a Japanese design concept dealing with lights and darks. I'm not all that impressed with my composition, but I was just going for something abstract. I figure I needed to start writing lesson plans just in case I get to have an interview.

I think this would be super neat to create a face or landscape like this.

Materials I used:

a sheet of white posterboard
a piece of black paper (I cut my paper to measure 9"x9")
An Xacto knife
white glue
a cutting mat
Pencil

a Lesson Plan http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/Lotte-Notan.htm

While @DonnieWahlberg was away, I passed out #2 pencils

Soooo, I am fairly exhausted right now. It has been some kind of week at school. Our kids started their end of year testing, and they still aren't finished. My feet hurt. I've been looking at all these pictures from the NKOTB cruise and it makes me sick. While there's a boat load of people having a good time, I was passing out #2 pencils and scratch paper. Well, I don't have a bunch of pictures, but I have one painting I started on Sunday.

I was watching a video of an interview of Chuck Close. That's when I decided to do this drawing. It didn't exactly work out like I thought it would. I used mostly warm colors because that's what I see when I see Donnie, kinda like being able to taste numbers, like synesthesia. I'm going to bed. 

Some WOW in the absence of our beloved @DonnieWahlberg

I humbly submit some words of wisdom while our DDub is at sea.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

The sermon I heard on Mother's Day was based on this verse and some others from this chapter. In short it means Speak the Truth, with Love.

• Speak- our words are more effective when we speak them face to face. Social media is great, but not when we use it to hide and spout ugly words or have too much pride to make an apology directly to someone you may have hurt.

• Truth- God's Word is pretty clear about telling the truth. Most of us know the consequences for lying. Lies beget lies beget lies beget lies...

• Love- Are your words helpful? Are they meant to encourage or destroy? Don't forget the tone can matter as much as the words themselves.

I hope that lives up to anything Donnie usually tweets. But hey, it is God's word, and I don't know anything better than that.

@DonnieWahlberg: I'm done with you

I'm not done with him; I am done with this picture for now. I think I started it last month. Sorry I chopped off   your finger. I sprayed it with workable fixative because if it's like anything other picture I've drawn or painted, about two months from now, I won't be satisfied with most of it.