Portrait of a Dotty Family

Some say our family are a bit dotty. I don’t know why.

(to make your own dotty Lichtenstein inspired self portrait, find instructions at Art Projects for Kids here)

Going Dotty for Lichtenstein

Ahead of our planned trip to the Lichtenstein exhibition at the Tate Modern, the boys have been learning a bit about Lichtenstein and his art. Today, we made tributes to Lichtenstein based around advertisements. Gman and I based our paintings on adverts from a food magazine, and Waif made his own advert for a games console. We used good ole sequin waste to get the dotty effect. What fun!

Here’s mama’s frying pan:

Gman’s knife:

And Waif’s games console:

Colourful Faces

We have been having some more fun in a Warhol style! Mugshots were taken, desaturated and posterized in Photoshop, then printed out, whereupon we got to work with the acrylic paint:

Fun, fun, fun!

What’s the Time?

This week’s Sketch Tuesday assignment was to draw something that tells the time.  Waif and his Dad both went for good old-fashioned analogue devices:

Gman’s clock also shows the temperature:

I haven’t worn a watch in years, and use my mobile phone to tell the time, if I really need to know:

And yes, my phone really is that basic. No iPhone or BlackBerry for me. Call me a Luddite, but I have no burning desire to join the ranks of the frantically hyperconnected. In fact, I am reading Richard Watson’s book “Future Minds” at the moment and kind of agree when he asserts that:

We think cellphones are connecting us, but they are turning us into a society of rude, impatient, narrow-minded, stressed-out, aggressive and isolated individuals.

Yes, mobile technology is useful, but I don’t think 24/7 connection is a good idea. Where is the time and space to think and reflect and to, well, just be sometimes?

Blue Bob and Other Feline Adventures

Ahead of a family trip to the Tate Modern next month, we thought we would make a start on a Pop Art project. We have borrowed books on the library about Andy Warhol and other pop artists, and have scoured the interwebs for project ideas. First up, colourful cats in the style of Red Sam by Andy Warhol. We started out with instructions from Art Projects for Kids, but of course the boys ended up putting their own unique twist on the theme! Here are Waif’s cats:

And Gman’s:

And if you thought Mama wouldn’t be able to resist joining in, you’d be right. But I only made one, cos someone has to make the dinner, right?

Fun with Fungi

We had fun with this week’s Sketch Tuesday assignment, which was to sketch a mushroom. Even MM took part, so there wasn’t mushroom at the table (boom boom!)

Waif drew a selection of chestnut mushrooms:

And so did I:

MM drew a mushroom ornament:

And Gman put an incredible amount of work into his detailed sketch of a jar of mushroom antipasti:

Zip it Up!

This week’s sketching assignment was to draw something with a zip. Just lately, whatever the assignment, Waif has managed to find a way of sketching one of his collection of soft toys. This week was no exception, as he sketched “Zippy” (who my British readers may remember from the TV show Rainbow in the 1970s…)

Gman found a pencil case that is entirely made up of zips (11 in total!) and sketched that:

I went with one of Waif’s snow boots. You’d think, with it being “spring” and all that we’d have been able to put these away til winter, but today it snowed again. Brrrr.

Another fun family sketching session!

Bananagrams and Other Adventures in Yellow

Where on earth did *that* week go?

So, here we are, back doing our sketches for Sketch Tuesday. This week’s assignment to sketch something yellow.

I chose Bananagrams. If you haven’t discovered this game, I highly recommend it, as you will see from my journalling:

8 year old Waif once again chose to draw one of his soft toys. I think he has done a great job drawing yellow doggy. I especially like the way his ear drapes over his leg:

And cool teenager Gman went with a host of characters from The Simpsons:

Mother-in-Law: You Shall Be Pinny-less No More!

I don’t know if I am just an old fashioned girl, or perhaps just a particularly messy cook but I pretty much always wear an apron (or pinny, as my nan would have had it) when I’m cooking, especially when flour is involved. I was surprised to learn at Christmas that my mother-in-law doesn’t own a pinny, despite being a self confessed messy cook. So, I have made her one in time for Mother’s Day this Sunday. Here I am modelling the said apron:

I’m pretty pleased with it. It’s the first time I have made pockets, or a scalloped hem. And I made my own continuous binding. Which seemed like something of a magic trick

Incidentally, the top I am wearing was made by my mum from Vogue V8536. She made it for herself but decided it was a bit too small so gave it to me. Hooray!

Waif has also completed his latest sewing project, a stuffed owl called…wait for it…Owlie . It’s the biggest thing he’s sewn so far and I think he did a great job. Here’s Owlie in the wild:

And, as you can see, Owlie is the perfect size and shape for cuddling:

Making a Start

What with one thing and another, I’ve been pretty busy this last week with less time than usual for creative pursuits. Having said, that I have made a start on two new projects that I mentioned in my last post. First up, I have chosen fabric and started cutting out and sewing the apron for my mother in law:

The pink fabric will be used to make the waist ties, pockets and binding. I think it will be quite pretty in a retro sort of stylee.

I am gathering supplies to make a doll from “We Make Dolls”. Opinion was divided between whether I should make Supergirl or Fleur. I have gone for Fleur in the first instance simply because she is easier (no arms and legs ). I’ve cut out the main body and head pieces, and am pretty pleased with the colour combo:

Waif, too, is making a start on a new sewing project. He is making an owl stuffie this time around. It’s a lot bigger than the penguin he made, which he was able to complete in one sitting, so he is learning the art of patiently doing a little each day:

Sewing is a great exercise in learning patience, I find.