A New Year a New Challenge!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! May 2009 and beyond offer you many wonderful opportunities and blessings!

It does seem a good time to make changes, and in that vein, I’ve decided to change my daily challenge. After 35 horses, I believe I’ve proven to myself that I can indeed draw again:-) I’ve proven it so well, that I want to do more. I want to draw in color, and I want to do other subjects. In fact, I’ve started something new tonight. However, it’s going to take a little longer because it is color.

I’ve become much faster through doing my horse ACEO’s, but color still takes more time, and I want to do my best. I don’t want to rush just to produce something each day. Yet I want to keep up with my challenge, and produce as much as I can. I’m going to change the name to Erica Lea’s Drawing Challenge, and go from there:-)

So, to symbolize change and color and productivity, I’ve gone through all my photos and picked this shot of one of my African Violets. It’s very bright and colorful, isn’t it? The colors became much deeper as the temps cooled. It’s also my most prolific bloomer at the moment, and hasn’t stopped since it came in the mail this year. Its name is “Mac’s Galactic Glory”, and it’s a chimera. In violet terms, that means it doesn’t propagate true from leaves like other violets. If you propagate from a leaf, you’ll most like get something different from the mother plant. So there you have it, change, color, and productivity!

I love my African Violets, and have about 45 now. That’s a story for another day;-) In the meantime, I hope you’ll follow me on my artistic and life journey here. It’s been pretty amazing so far!

A Horse a Day Challenge #35 - The Horse in My Mind

I had planned all along to draw whatever came out of my head today. Then my mom saw that the Kennedy Center Honors were on tonight, and I definitely wanted to watch. So, I pulled out my clipboard, grabbed some pencils and went and watched. I'm so glad I did. We always enjoy the show. You get to see some of your favorites, and some you've never really heard of who are also great. It's a wonderful celebration of entertainment! I feel like I broaden my horizons some:-) And wouldn't it be awesome to be in the audience? I never have an urge to be in the audience of an awards' show, but that one would be the exception.

Anyways, I happily drew through singing and through commercials. Of course, what emerged was another Arabian horse. They just come naturally, and I so appreciate that they do:-)

Well, I can't believe 2008 is on its way out! It's been an eventful year for us, to say the least. Amazing, sad, hopeful, and ever onward... Right now, it's onward to bed - it's 12:50 a.m. here!

A Horse a Day Challenge #34 - Pegasus

Just realized I hadn't blogged yet! This drawing is for 12/28 & 29. It took two days to finish, so it can stand for two days:-)

I've finally learned from someone how to size my photos so they meet Etsy's specs yet aren't so enlarged they lose detail. So, for now, I'm copying and pasting the blurb for this drawing:

This little gem was actually completed late last night (it was drawn over two days). However, between the size and the contrast with the color (a blend of 5 layers of Prismacolor), I wasn’t able to get a good scan. Instead, I waited for the right light, and took photos outside today. The results are definitely better, but not as good as real life, I promise:-)

This card was a true challenge for me, as I wanted to see if I could fit a whole horse on a card. I knew it could be done, just didn’t know how small I could draw. I found out – pretty small! Although he appears much larger here, in real life from the tip of his nose to the ears measures just 1/2 inch.

I thought I’d add to my challenge by making this a Pegasus – the beautiful flying horse of Greek mythology. I’ve loved them since I was a child, and used to dream of riding one. I don’t think I’ve ever drawn one, though, at least not as an adult. So, here he is in all winged glory!

A Horse a Day Challenge #33 - Belgian Horse

I actually started on something else earlier tonight, and realized that I'd need more time to finish it. So, I did a horse I've been wanting to draw for a while now - the big, brawny Belgian:-)

Here's part of the breed info:

"The Belgian is a heavy draft breed, weighing around a ton and stand up to 17 hands (or higher). It makes sense that they’re amazing horses for pulling heavy loads. Even today, they’re still used for farm work. They’re easily recognizable, too – they’re usually sorrel (red/orange) with a flaxen mane and tail. They can also come in roan (solid color heavily mixed with white hair). In addition to their awesome power, they’re known for being kind and gentle animals."

A Horse a Day Challenge #32 - Appaloosa Colt

Well, I made the logical choice to take Christmas as my day off from drawing this week:-) This little guy is for 12/26, and is a leopard spot Appaloosa colt. If you've been following, you may remember the adult leopard spot Appy I drew - horse #24. Since I've been on a baby theme lately, the foal version seemed the logical choice for tonight. Plus, spots are fun!

I wrote on the Etsy listing about the memories doing these drawings are evoking. I'll copy and paste that part here:

"Drawing all of these babies has really brought back what it was like having foals in my life. There’s the excitement of waiting over 11 months for the birth, all the while wondering if it will be a filly or a colt. Wondering which traits will come through, and if all of the planning paid off. Then the actual birth and watching this tiny thing with impossibly long legs struggle and struggle to get up to drink that first milk – with lots of encouragement from mom (and those nips on the rump when baby nurses too hard:-). They seem to become more coordinated by the minute, gamboling alongside their mothers, so impressed with how cool they are – yet not quite daring to leave mom’s side for a little while. Watching a foal grow to adulthood is an amazing experience, and often the culmination of many years of dreams. It’s so good to have those memories!"

It amazed me to realize tonight how blessed I am to have these memories. What I didn't realize is that because of the pain of giving up my horses, I don't often delve to deep into my memories. Yet I have so many good ones!!! Foals are some of the best memories. My mom and I put so much into the dream of breeding Farrah. While we only did it three times, each time we learned more and every time was precious. I remember sleeping in the back of our station wagon in the freezing cold waiting for April to be born - and still missing the actual birth!

We actually missed all three births, though Deringer's was the closest by just a couple of minutes. Farrah had gone 11 months, 18 days with him. She also had a very serious complication just prior to the 11 month mark: she colicked pretty severely. However, even the vet wasn't sure if she was colicking or going into labor early. We were up all night, walking her, bran mash, etc. - praying. She couldn't have had surgery, because she was too far along. Finally, around 5 a.m., she passed a huge enterolith (a stone). The vet said it was the largest he'd ever seen passed without surgery! Believe it or not, we still have it;-) It's about the size of a tennis ball. If I figure out where it is, I'll have to take a picture. Won't that be exciting?

Anyways, every foal was different, yet so beautiful and so special! Drawing these babies here reminds me of them and the experiences I had. It reminds me to remember, and to appreciate how incredible having horses in my life was:-)

A Horse a Day Challenge #31 - Christmas Pony Foal

Happy holidays, everyone! This is my drawing for 12/24, and is dedicated to all the little girls who dream of getting a pony for Christmas:-)

I'll add to this post a bit later, as it's 1:00, and I have to get up early. Hope everyone who celebrates Christmas has a wonderful day!

A Horse a Day Challenge #30 - Kiger Mustang

I like thinking of more unusual horses to draw, and the Kiger Mustang definitely qualifies! Here's some of the info from his Etsy blurb:

"He’s a Kiger Mustang – a wild horse, but also an established breed. They were discovered in the 70’s in Oregon, and found to be breeding true through DNA (it also turns out that they’re closely related to the original horses brought from Spain to the U.S. in the 1600’s). The BLM separated them out into their own groups. They're usually dun colored (light tan to golden with black points) with a dorsal stripe down their backs and zebra-like stripes on their upper legs. We once pastured our horses with a mare who was believed to be a Kiger, and she was so beautiful! Heavy-set, but such a lovely color and had that really long black mane. She was very shy, but gentle and a pleasure to be around. Like my last subject, the zebra, I hope for the opportunity to see the wild Kiger mustangs. What a beautiful sight to see!"

Tomorrow I'll be working on some photos I took today of my mom's sculptures. She's just joined the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy, and is entering their next contest. I think this is so cool, and I know it's a big thing for her. In fact, I think it's the first contest she's ever entered her art in. I'll have to put some photos here, too:-)

I'm behind on real writing here, so promise to get back to it soon. This is supposed to be a multi-subject blog, and not just about the horse challenge. So, more to come soon!

A Horse a Day Challenge #29 - Zebra Foal

I did it! I took on a new subject, and my drawing mojo came back today:-) It's not the same subject I tried yesterday, but it's brand new to me. I always thought it would be a pain to draw a zebra - all those stripes! However, like the Appaloosa, it was easier than I thought. I guess it shows that when you let it flow, it does.

I'm calling this guy a zebra teenager. He isn't a tiny baby, but he isn't full grown, either. It's just the way he turned out, and I kept thinking of him as a teen. He looks like he thinks he knows it all, just to keep the younger crowd in awe of him:-)

Here's some of my Etsy blurb:

"Everyone knows zebras as the wild horses of Africa; the stripes we think are so flashy are meant to confuse predators and camouflage the zebras. They can be domesticated – I think more as a novelty than for practical purposes. Looking at their movement, I can’t imagine enjoying a smooth ride. From what I’ve read, they’re also too unpredictable to make steady performance animals. That just means they belong in the wild, right? I hope I get to see them there someday…"

A Horse A Day Challenge #28 - Palomino Horse Photo

I confess, my drawing “mojo” was off this weekend. I decided yesterday that I would make an “Executive decision” and make Saturday my day off from drawing a horse a day. I got to today, and started a little later than I should have - because I decided to try something new. It’s now 11:20 p.m., and both my mom and I agreed that it just doesn’t look right. The head placement was just enough off, and I can’t correct it without erasing the whole body. Yes, a whole body – doesn’t that make you wonder? ;-)

I wanted to try a whole horse for a change. I do my research first, and work from about five photos of a breed. I know what every breed looks like, but it helps to see more detail so I make sure to get it right. I don’t copy anyone’s photos but my own. It’s wrong to copy because you’re stealing someone else’s work. Frankly, I think it’s harder to copy a photo than to come up with my own composition. Artistic license, and all – I’d much rather make my own face, pattern and mane, etc. I hope to accept commissions in the near future, but even for those, I’d want several views of the animal.

Of course, in this case my artistic license didn’t work! I was turning my face just enough one way that when I put the body in, it was off. I didn’t see for quite a while, though it was niggling at me. So, I showed it to my mom to see what she thought, and she noticed right away. I realized it couldn’t be salvaged, and it’s too late to start something new. Graphite goes faster for me than colored pencil, but not that much faster…

Tomorrow’s another day!

I’m placing the photo I took last weekend of the beautiful Palomino horse in the pasture with the donkey (whose eye was #22). Unlike the donkey, the Palomino was very wary of my presence. I’m not sure if it was a mare or gelding, but am leaning towards mare. Breed is unknown, too. Palomino refers to the coloring, and many breeds can be Palomino. She looks a bit like an American Saddlebred, doesn’t she? Tall, and long, elegant face…

Whatever her breed, she was a lovely horse! I was so glad that even though she ducked away under the tree, I managed to get a pretty photo of her. She gets to be horse #28.