Paper, pencils and a cat!

Now on the home stretch with the latest piece of art.  Still got a long way to go.  I finished the boots,  though I felt that the left boot needed to be darker.    I was starting to go cross-eyed at this point, so decided it was time to stop.

Still wondering what to put in the background.  I made up another composite using a Union Jack, which seemed to work,  want a mud like look in the front.  I know I'm giving myself a lot of work, but I'm really enjoying this.   It's been a challenge on a few levels, first to put the idea into action.  That stumped me,  I had no way of getting all the materials together,  that's when I had the light bulb moment of using Craft Artist Pro to make up a composite, which made life so much easier.   So this went away for the evening yesterday,  time to make dinner,  and enjoy a nice glass of wine.

Nearly there!   To some it may look finished, but there is plenty of work still to be done, the shading on the blood,  and the Victoria Cross needs tidying up, as do the bullets. Both require the pencils to have a super fine sharp point.  Not sure if you know but the VC is made from bronze taken from two captured cannons during the Crimean war. 

I've darkened the left boot more, I'll probably keep on adding more shade to the boots.   I've faintly drawn a Union Jack at the back,  with lots of folds, which will probably drive me nuts!    I've shaded the foreground of the picture with a light brown, using the side of the pencil,  it will get darker, plus it will also define the edge of the blood more.

Now it is Wednesday...  a lot of work to do on the picture.  First was to darken the blood,  then the floor, and do something with the bullets to stop them looking like lipsticks!  

It is now starting to really come together,  I went over the boots again to give them more definition.  Used the burnisher on them as well to blend everything, now they have a smoother finish.  I began work on the flag,  I had marked it all out, but then decided to go free hand!   The floor needs to be darkened further,  but it is all looking much better.  

Had a bit of a lie in this morning,  thanks to Harvey's early, very early, morning antics!    He didn't come in till nearly 11, I don't like leaving him out all night.   Finally he trotted back home, then started howling to come in.

Here he is, looking like butter wouldn't melt!  He had several tantrums yesterday over his food, started to refuse to eat it, so I removed it.  Guess who won, me of course, he soon ate the food once he'd realised I meant what I'd said.   It was the same this morning, so once again the food was removed and covered up, to stop him sneakily eating it.  He went off in a huff, and roamed around for a while outside, came in, looked for the food, I put it down and he ate it.   He had a long sleep today,  then got up around 4.30,  so we had another play.   He's now wandering in and out, he prefers to go out when it is dark.   He's also got a twin,  who has fooled me a few times,  his doppleganger has a collar of white fur,  while Harvey doesn't.  He's been trying to catch a fly all day,  his attempts so far have been pathetic.  

Joy of joys I have a PIP form to fill in!   I did keep my notes from the last one.  Also got my carers magazine,  and there is an art therapy class at the centre,  will have to check that out.   At the moment I am full of aches and pains,  my hands suffered when I defrosted the freezer,  so had to leave the hot water to do the work.  I just get frustrated at not being able to do stuff. 

One task that I did manage to put a tick by was getting rid of some unwanted clothes, one of the charities shoves a bag through the letterbox, so I had a good sort out.  Now I need to get out the summer togs.  Oh to be a cat,  I mean they don't have to think about what to wear, or getting a hair cut, or when to tone down the grey...    I keep asking Harvey to do the dusting, but he doesn't seem keen,  he's good at making dust! 

All for now folks.