Walking Pictures

I feel like I haven't shown you any pictures from my many walks in ages, which is such a shame because I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Yes, that's my very own very biased opinion, but I'm sticking with it!

Here are some pics that I took during walks in the last few months. Some short walks, some long walks and sometimes just the daily stroll to the office. It's all good!

Sometimes when I see my photographs together like this I just want to live in them, but then I realise that I actually do! It's a forever source of gratitude for me to have the privilege to step out of my house and just be in such beautiful surroundings. I hope I will never lose my appreciation for that.

Hope you enjoyed taking these strolls with me and wishing you all a wonderful and artsy day!

Morning Mosaic #14 - step by step

Here is another morning mosaic, number fourteen to be exact. It was done in six half hour sessions, which is pretty quick considering most take about eight sessions. Maybe diamond shapes are easier? Or maybe there are just less of them?

Anyway, here is a peek into the process of another watercolour pattern:

In this series you can really see how the lighting affects the colours in the pictures. Artificial light makes everything much more yellowish. I'd say the fourth one is closest to the actual colours.

Wishing you all a wonderful and artsy day!

And the winner is....

Well, it's been a week since I posted my birthday giveaway and today we are picking a winner! I used a random number generator to do the picking for me and the winner is......drum roll.....Siobhan Irish!!

Siobhan had this to say:

Siobhan, congratulations! I hope you will make your granddaugher very happy with this book:

Please mail me your snail mail address at c.m.j.winkelman[at]home.nl or through the message box in the sidebar. I will then make sure to order the book for you and have it sent your way.
A little warning: if I do not hear from you within a week I will pick another winner, but I'm sure you won't let it come to that! ;-)

Wishing you all a wonderful and artsy day and for those who didn't win: better luck next time! 

It's my birthday and you know what that means! (Giveaway Time!)

Yes, today is my birthday. I am turning 48 and slowly but way too fast moving towards 50! Just two more years to go before the big five o. There's no way around it: I am a middle aged woman. ;-)

On my blog I have been keeping a bit of a personal tradition ever since I started and that is to do a giveaway on my birthday. This year is no different, so pay attention blogsy people, and you might win something!

My gift this year is a book by one of my favorite art book authors Sarah Simblet. She is an artist and professor and has made some absolutely gorgeous books on subjects like botany and anatomy. I thought however for this giveaway I would pick a book that is a bit more general in nature, namely this one:

This book has two versions, the American version is called Sketchbook for the Artist, which is the version I personally have and the British version is called The Drawing Book. Now this latter title is way more appropriate as this is a book about drawing in all its forms and possibilities. It is like a treasure trove of the things you can do by means of drawing.

It handles all kinds of subjects you can draw from animals to plants to people and builldings, but also abstracts and drawing from the imagination. It also deals with drawing materials and drawing techniques and  handles subjects like perspective and shading. It gives many beautiful examples of the work of famous artists and also of Simblet's own prolific work.

Still, I would not call this book a drawing course or a drawing book for beginners to learn how to draw. I would simply call it a treasure chest of possibilities and inspiration. I myself am absolutely in love with it and have been for years.

Here are some spreads from the inside:

Now this isn't a brand new publication. I believe it originally stems from 2005. But since it's such a timeless book I don't think that really matters and you will of course get a brand new book, not my old and used one.

Depending on where you come from, I will order the book from Amazon or Bookdepository or Bol and have it sent to you.  That is cheaper than me buying it here and sending it to you through the mail myself.

Unfortunately for the Dutchies among you the Dutch translation is no longer in print, but I would be willling to check if I can get it second hand if you are so inclined, depending a little on the price of course.

So here's the rules and they are very simple:

• If you are interested in winning this giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment.
• I will pick a winner on April 18th, that's a week from today. 
• The winner will have another week to get in touch with me with their snail mail address and other info through my e-mail or the contact window in the sidebar. 
• If the winner does not contact me before the 25th of  April I will pick another winner.
• I won't jump through hoops to contact you. 

I hope somebody will be very happy with this giveaway and I wish you all good luck in participating. Hope you win!

Wishing you all a wonderful and artsy day!

Mail Art

It doesn't happen nearly often enough, but every so now and then I get the urge to make mail art. Usually collage cards. It just so happens I had this urge last week and I made eight cards.

As part of the base I used some stained  and crinkly construction paper that my sister had left over from a Christmas project. She knows I can't resist pretty papers, so she gifted it to me.

These are the cards I made:

All these cards already have a destination, so I hope the recipients will like them. ;-)

Wishing you all a wonderful and artsy day.