Thursday, July 31, 2008

My Workspace (Working on Moly_x_24)

My workspace is always in a mess. It is on the dining room, so at least it gets cleaned from time to time, to give the family space to eat together.
Usually I draw late at night (between 1 and 3 am) but if I find the time to draw during the day, my kids usually sit next to me and all 3 of us can draw on for hours. I´m glad they are able to calm down once in a while. :)
My workspace

Currently I am working on Pedro´s moly from the Moly_x_24. His moly has the theme "fairy tales". He started with "Little Red Riding Hood". Have a look at the little girl. The drawing is fantastic. Szaza added "Persephone". I wanted to find a German fairy tale where I could continue the wonderful trees which Pedro started and Szaza took up. So I am working on a "Hansel and Gretel" scene now.
Pedro´s moly (moly x 24)

Here´s a close up of Szaza´s drawing. It is beautiful. The red seems to seep out of the pages like blood.
Szaza´s drawing in Pedro´s moly (moly x 24)

I am having so much fun with Szaza´s and Pedro´s artwork. Both of them are lovely (themselves and their artwork) and I always love continuing the pages after them. They inspire me and they challenge me to try my best.

Jasmine Ice Cream Recipe (Fuerteventura Sketchbook)

When we stayed in Costa Calma, Fuerteventura I received a free copy of a German newspaper at a super market. It is specially funny to read the advertisement in it. You´ll find the directions to Trudis Hexenstube, Bratkartoffelstübchen, Klein Köln (Little Cologne), etc. I didn´t have the impression of spending the vacation in another country.
Anyway, in this copy of the newspaper, they had a recipe for ice cream which sounds delicious. Marlene Dietrich recommends to have vodka with it.

Ice cream recipe (Jasmin flavor)

Ice cream recipe (Jasmin flavor)

Ice cream Recipe (Jasmine)

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Fuerteventura Sketchbook

Here are some more pics from my sketchbook. The first one shows the island of Fuerteventura. I haven´t colored it yet, as I´m not sure which colors to use. I think I will try watercolor though.
Fuerteventura map

Strelitzia:
Esterlizia flower

Dracaena draco (This tree somehow looks ancient and the leaves look like a green compact ball):
Dracaena Draco (Drago)

Monday, July 21, 2008

Tok Tok Tok - Reach Out...And Sway Your Booty

Tok Tok Tok - Reach out...
On Thursday Benjamin and I went to a concert at the jazz bar Unterfahrt. The band playing was Tok Tok Tok. The singer Tokunbo Akinro and the saxophonist Morten Klein (tok tok tok’s two bandleaders), founded the band in 1998. They play groovy, funky soul music. I had one cd already, but enjoyed them a lot more live.
We had seats in the first row and had a great time. It was the best concert I have been to in the past years. I bought 2 cds (I wish, Reach out ... and sway your booty), got some autographs and went home happy.


Tok Tok Tok

Tok Tok Tok
You can also listen to more music on MySpace Tok Tok Tok.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

A Hat and A Jar of Marmelade

Last December there was a Pay It Forward- Game going on. You were asked to send something hand made to the first 5-7 people who left a comment on your blog. A few days ago I received two parcels... one from Switchsky and one from Ann.
Here´s what I got: a jar of Rhubarb Orange marmelade from Ann from redacted recipes. It sounds delicious and I can´t wait to try it. Check out the recipe. Thanks Ann!
Rhabarb Orange Marmelade

And Switchsky from Same Old World knit a hat for me:
My new hat

My new hat

My new hat

You know what? I actually hate hats. Not even during the hardest winter do I wear a head covering. So the first second I thought to myself "Oh no, all the work she put into it and I won´t wear it". But then I tried it on and SURPRISE: I like it! No.... I love it. The hat feels good, it is warm and comfy, it is soft and I like the way it looks. Fern, thank you so much for this wonderful gift. I can really use it for the next winter and I´m really surprised that I do like something I always though I´d disliked. *Hugs

Portrait Of Arindam Goon

One of the first persons who wanted to exchange portraits with me for the Portrait Party was Arindam Goon. He asked me to exchang portraits a long time ago, but it took me about a year to get started with it. I remember printing out his picture and taking it along on several vacations and short trips (then I usually have a little bit more time to draw), but just not managing to do it. I wonder why I had difficulties getting started. So his picture has travelled to Holland, to Germany, to Switzerland and 3 times to Spain. Finally I made it. The picture was done July 2008 on the island of Fuerteventura.
Arindam Goon

And here are the portraits he drew of me:

Sorry Arindam, I don´t really know what to say, but thanks for your patience and for the great portraits.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Fuerteventura Gulmohar Flower Drawings

Gulmohar Flowers in sketch journal

Remember the flowers I stole in a shopping center? Here are some of the petals which survived all the way to Germany.

Gulmohar Flower Petals

Gulmohar Flower

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Back in Munich

I´m back from our vacation since a few days and I hope to get some art done soon and post it here. Haven´t done that in a while. I didn´t have much time to do a lot of art during the vacation, but I will show a few pages here in the next days. I need to get some other stuff sorted out here first.

Here are some pics from our stay:
Costa Calma palm tree

Costa Calma flowers

When we were here in May/June our first trip was to the pharmacy, because my daughter had caused herself a deep flesh wound in her back (which happened while playing at the airport). This time we were also regular guests at the pharmacy, due to several things.
Pharmacy

The worst happened a few days before departure. David slipped and hit his head on the floor of the pool. He was bleeding like hell.
Sotavento Beach Club Accident

Some time later the kids were in the pool again, as if nothing had happened.
Sotavento Beach Club Pool

Sotavento Beach Club Pool

Fuerteventura is indeed a dangerous place. Did I mention the snake attack?
Snake Attack at Porto del Rosario

Or the sharks?
Sotavento Beach Club Pool

Monday, July 7, 2008

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Spiderman


I just love this little guy.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

20 years later...

Today Benjamin did not go diving. So I left the kids with him and took a bus to Playa de Jandia and spent the day there. Besides beautiful beaches they have a light house, a long shopping mile and a whale skeleton.

I walked around for hours in the sun and then I went into one of the shopping centers to find some shadow. And right inside in the middle of the building  I found a Gulmohar tree. After 20 years I finally saw and smellt one of my favorite trees again. And secretly I plucked one of the tree´s red flowers.

BTW: I have been contacted by a British publisher, whether they could use my Gulmohar drawing for one of their book covers. I could get used to illustrating book covers. :)

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Katharina Ludwig´s Ice Jewelry

Water and ice on skin is arousing. I guess that is the main reason why I like the erotic jewelry by Katharina Ludwig.

Ice Jewelry:







Pigment Shirts (via The Presurfer)