Ali the Artist

Knitting Illustrations for Rag Tag n Textile

2011-01-17T22:23:00.009Z

Slip Stitch 1Slip Stitch 2Slip Stitch 3 Slip Stitch 4Cast On 1

Cast On 2 Cast On 3
Cast on 4 still to be added
Cast on 5 Knit 1 Knit 2 Knit 3Knit 4

The title says it all - for Rag Tag n Textile.

I've got a few more to add - Cast On 4 and four Purl illustrations, hopefully tomorrow.

What if someone reads my blog?!

2010-11-12T16:42:00.003Z

Now that I've let folk in on this blog through the Hi-Ex! Blog, someone might just come along and read this! Wonder what I've said... wonder what photos I put up... wonder what drivel there is or, worse, whining about my artist's block! Oh well...!

Welcome anyone who's reading this for the first time. Do leave me a calling card (comment) so I know you've been here.

FAILED! and revelation

2010-06-10T20:22:00.006+01:00

I have failed the 20 minute challenge! Not once have I done any of the things on the list! It just hasn't worked into my days in the past week, it would work better when I'm not busy. I only have a certain amount of energy after all.

I have designed a shadow knitting pattern (not the one in my challenge list), and taken part in a day's painting class, however, creating two paintings and two drawings. Oh and created a birthday card for a friend's birthday.

I think though that my most important task should be to get my spare room studio sorted. Then I can spend time in there and do the other things on the list.

I had a (fairly obvious, really!) revelation today. I was at an art day with a local artist and one of my "classmates" was saying how she finds painting / drawing, etc, very relaxing, it's very much time out for her and a bit like a meditation. As a born-again Christian, I'm wary of what is a Buddhist(?) practice, so looked for a Christian alternative. And I realised that I could see it as prayer. This fits very neatly for me, as my guilt about not using my talent is based on the fact that it's a God given gift. If I can use that gift as prayer, all the better!

I will mull this over (prayerfully).

20 minutes challenge, drawings & ruminations

2010-06-05T00:13:00.015+01:00

This brilliant blog by Michael Nobbs has really inspired me. I have taken up the challenge to do the following:

- sorting out my spare room/studio.
- developing a knitting pattern.
- drawing.

There's tons more I need to be doing but these are all supremely important and the basics that will get me moving.

I've had a tough time of it for the past 9 months or so, with a major relapse of ME/CFS and struggling with coming to terms with that. Michael Nobbs also has ME/CFS so he is an ideal inspiration for me.

On the positive side, I've taken part in a drawing class - line and tone - and have some photos of them. Only one, in my opinion, is any good, but the others aren't bad and, besides, it was a class, with a set drawing style each week, they're not supposed to be finished/professional works of art.

Each week I found that, after about half an hour, I always felt I'd had enough and wanted to stop and go and do something else altogether. This is my artist's block at work, methinks. I didn't, of course, go off and do something else but persevered and was always glad I did. Clearly I struggle with motivation and the purpose of it all.
This is just a selection from the class, there were many more than this.

Charcoal on grey paper. I enjoyed this, having not drawn with charcoal for years. I'm amazed how illustrative it ended up, and not a little twee, methinks.

Charcoal and chalk on coloured paper.

Stick and ink on coloured paper. This was great fun to do, using simply a stick dipped in drawing ink, an attempt to loosen up my style and get away from my customary tightness. I was disappointed that I got the perspective wrong on the thighs but I still loved doing it, rubbing a stick on paper!This is my favourite and the best of the bunch.
Surprisingly it's drawn in ballpoint pen, inspired by Henry Moore's ballpoint pen drawings of sheep.
I absolutely loved doing this, it was a real pleasure to work with this new medium (for me) - I love how it slowly builds up and just how much depth you can get from it. Now it's photographed I can see that the nose is too light/shiny, but I was very pleased with the end result. My customary tightness at its best, methinks.

Will photograph other drawings sometime soon.

Through doing this class I realised that, in the past, when my art creativity was at its height, I saw just about everything around me as a challenge, to try and draw it, get it down on paper. With the disillusionment that art college brought about in me, I no longer felt anything was worth drawing any more, on the whole. I've wondered if I no longer saw it as a challenge - but I also think I stopped believing in my ability to capture it, at least to a high enough standard. I think I ended up feeling I just wasn't much good anymore. I was used to being the best at school (always) and now I was no longer the best...

This reminds me of learning belly dance. Thinking aloud here... It goes like this - when you first conquer some of the difficult moves, you are so carried away with the fact that you can do it, your enthusiasm is high and you think you're the bee's knees. As time goes on and you learn more and more, you realise the depths of the art of belly dance and, when you're more or less at your peak, you lose all confidence because you know (or believe) you will never be as brilliant as the best, so there's little point in carrying on. The thing is, this isn't necessarily true... in belly dance, as in all art forms, we each have our own perspective and flavour to distill and present to the world.

So let's just say that art college knocked the stuffing and confidence out of me. I had such a fantastic reaction to my drawing at the class exhibition (with the teacher wanting one of them and another "student" who's a professional artist wanting to do an exhibition with me) I was left with this thought (thinking aloud again):

- drawing is a skill that I've been blessed with, I've always known that. I've felt tremendous guilt that I'm not using that gift and have been inching very slowly, at least in my head(!), towards becoming an artist (thus this blog). I'm back on benefits again and have never been so skint in all my life, not even when I was on benefits before (I now have 2 dogs to feed and medicate!). Instead of desperately pondering how to be a great artist, I could simply use this skill as a means of earning some money. It's ideally suited to my current (very limited) lifestyle and could be a means to an end for me. I've been wondering what it is I could do to earn money while I'm so ill, and perhaps (if I can get my act together and know how to market it properly) this could be it. So, many weeks later, I'm still mulling this over. Perhaps another exhibition is the answer, certainly I seem to need something to motivate me! Thus the 20 minutes a day challenge.

Ali the Artist knows nobody reads this

2009-06-07T14:55:00.002+01:00

...but is going to post anyway!

I just found this on Guinever Star's blog and thought it might be fun to do. If you find this, do join in and let's compare notes!

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars (Ireland 1975)
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more to charity than you could afford
7. been to disneyland/world (1993 - the one in Florida, whichever one that is!)
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo (in primary school)
11.bungee jumped
12. visited paris (not yet!)
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch (calligraphy, though I'm sure there are more...)
15. adopted a child (it's a thought...)
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (1993)
18. grown your own vegetables (do salad leaves count?)
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train (several times - Glasgow/Edinburgh to London, and in the US)
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked (mainly 1975, on the way to and in Ireland)
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill (oh probably, though I can't remember when, long time ago!)
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping (Lauriston Hall, several times, love it!)
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run (we used to play rounders in the local park when I was a kid)
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagara falls in person (1993)
34.visited the birthplace of my ancestors (well, I lived in it - Glasgow - but also visited Dumfries when my dad researched our family tree)
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied (that would be nice!)
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michael Angelo's David in real life
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance (while in labour!)
47. had your portrait painted (several at art school - I think!)
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the cistene chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkelling (in the Cayman Islands in 1993)
52. kissed in the rain (probably)
53. played in the mud (no doubt often as a kid)
54. gone to a drive-in theatre (yeah! Vancouver or possibly in Washington State, 1974, with my dad and his wife)
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen - think about the equivalent every Christmas but spending the day with my grandson always wins out!
61. sold girl guide cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood (long time ago - not wise to do it when you have ME, I need my own blood too much, apparently!)
65. gone sky-diving
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a cheque (long time ago in my past life, honest!)
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. eaten caviar (only as a garnish)
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square (1993)
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in london (1971)
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person (1993)
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper (an article about be having the audacity to plan a home birth in 1982! As a bellydance teacher in Inverness, and several times in my current job with Rag Tag n Textile, in the West Highland Free Press)
85. read the entire bible (took me the best part of 3 years but I did it!)
86.visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox (when I was 3 or 4 years old)
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous (several, though famous is which circle?!)
92. joined a bookclub
93. lost a loved one (too many)
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person
96. swum in the great salt lake.
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

So let me know if you take part and we can compare notes!

Ali the Artist is skint...

2009-02-15T14:39:00.002Z

and couldn't afford the life drawing class on Valentine's Day. :-( I'm desperately needing to earn some money right now!

First Life Drawing Class in 30? years!

2009-01-17T20:23:00.008Z

The title says it all. I went along to a life drawing class today and think it's the first one I've been to since I graduated from art college in 1979... Here are the results:

After 6 x 10 minute sketches to warm up (and, looking back, boy did I need it!) we moved onto 20 minutes. I've never used watercolours to draw a figure before (I don't think...) and was surprised this worked so well. Not brilliant but pleasantly not bad. Meg said it was "delicate".
This was a half hour drawing BUT I thought it was going to be an hour so I was really taking my time with it. Proportions are a bit off and it doesn't show up too well in the photo but one of the other artists there thought it was lovely! That was very encouraging! "Delicate" was used to describe this one too.

In my final year at art college (1978/79), I used to be able to draw a figure starting at the eyes and just fill in the rest of the space with the drawing. Now I'm back to needing to sketch the whole form first and then move into the details.

Another half hour pose. I hate the face, it's all wrong, but I'm fairly pleased with the perspective along the body (except for the chest area which is looking very odd now!). It's comforting to know I can still "see".
A 10 minute pose again, to finish off the day. As the first watercolour sketch worked so well, I thought I'd try another. Very unfinished, of course, but I like it better than I thought at the time.

I confess I found myself wondering about the value of it all. I seem to need to have a purpose in what I do. Obviously drawing informs my knowledge of the human figure for other work, but I'm not sure what it's all about, apart from expressing ego... My photography lecturer at college, Joseph McKenzie, said that art is only [forgive me] masturbation. I have a tendency to agree with him...

A few things I've listed on Etsy

2009-01-11T21:44:00.001Z

Ali's Lighter Life

2009-01-02T23:29:00.004Z

Please have a look at my other blog Ali's Lighter Life to find out what my intentions are for 2009. I need to raise £560 in order to take part in the Lighter Life programme so I can lose weight - and then I can raise money for charity through my weight loss!

Frosty Winter Photos

2008-12-30T21:36:00.015Z

If I'd known 5 years ago that I'd be living here, along with two dogs, I would never have believed it!

Frozen moss on a fallen twig

Hard to believe this is a daily sight for me...

Contrasting the enclosed woods against the exposed open

Frozen lichen on a fallen twig

A frozen pine cone

I love the contrast of the exposed frozen trees against the pines

A frosty hawthorn (my favourite tree)

Close up of the frosty hawthorn

This may look like dusk but it was only around 1 pm

The rest of the advent decorations!

2008-12-28T15:06:00.008Z

In no particular order...
For some reason, Jamie wants his tree leaning against his bedroom wall! So most of the decorations are hanging two together on the "nipples" and none are round the back of the tree! In the end many of the later ones ended up on the proper Christmas tree!

Not all of the decorations are from Alan Dart's Advent Tree - some are adapted from his Advent Calendar. The sweetie is my own design. I've also adapted all of them to suit, leaving out bits or adding others. The observant among you may have noticed there are only 24. I've always had advent calendars with only 24 windows on them but that's not the reason why... I just ran out of steam and, because I was behind, Jamie was none the wiser. However on the day after Boxing Day, he asked if there was another decoration for him, so I've given him the option of choosing from those patterns that are left and I'll knit one more. There are 25 "nipples" on the tree after all!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-16T02:26:00.001Z

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Who can't count then?

2008-12-11T00:00:00.002Z

I missed two decorations from the last blog post! No-one (all two of you that read this blog!) seemed to notice. One of them is the snowman, as I forgot to take a photo of it and am waiting for one from my daughter. The other is:
Because I love beads, I think this might be my favourite so far (though the polar bear and Rudolph are awful cute too!).

Alan Dart's Advent Tree and decorations

2008-12-08T01:39:00.010Z

I started on this a while ago for grandson Jamie. I managed to get the tree and a few decorations done for 1 December and have had to do catch up since! I've now done enough to see him through to 12th, which means 13 more to go (as Alan Dart has 25 decorations on his tree)!

Here they are in order of being knitted: All the above are Alan Dart patterns as given for the Advent Tree.
I adapted the candy cane based on Alan Dart's Advent Calendar, an older pattern.
Rudolph is an adaptation of Alan Dart's Advent Tree Straw Goat. I decided Jamie wasn't likely to know what that was so I used the basic pattern and changed it to Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. This tree is a half-size version of one given in a magazine pattern around 25 years ago. I've no idea what the magazine was but I've cherished these patterns all this time.
Alan Dart's own.
I was so unhappy with the final result of this little elf that I decided to add a parcel to soup it up a bit!
Another half-size version of that old knitting pattern.
Alan Dart's own.

Here's some inspiring photos

2008-11-05T22:09:00.006Z

Ali the Artist is not coming up with the goods...

2008-11-05T21:57:00.002Z

...Tuesday came and went in a blur of bus trips and shopping and doctor's appointments and a visit from my minister and dog walking and no artwork got done. What's new????
I'm watching a BBC4 tv programme called Picture Book, about childrens' book illustrations. My Diploma in Art (more or less the equivalent of the current BA) is in Illustration and Printmaking, and illustration has always been close to my heart. I'm contemplating an illustrated story of my grandson's adventures on Hallowe'en (assuming he had any; and, if not, I can "talk it up"!).
Please note I said "contemplating"...
The only free time I'll have this week is on Sunday and, as I'm hopefully (if they get the numbers) teaching a knitting class starting next Tuesday, I will need to use Sunday for that. Ho hum. Life always gets in the way. It didn't when I was a teenager and drew every spare minute of my time. I guess that was in the days before responsibilities.
I'm still struggling greatly with energy, bad sleep, aches and PAINS in my legs and feet... I'm so bloomin' tired all the time, I am greatly fed up with it! So there!

A belated thank you to Amber Moggie

2008-10-30T21:05:00.005Z

Amber Moggie was my "spoilee" in Secret Pal 12 and, at the end of the game, she sent me my very own wee parcel containing: A moebius scarf/neckwarmer, knitted by her own fair hand and...a ball of Rowan Felted Tweed in a lovely rusty red (the photo looks more strawberry!) called Rage! What a treat. Thank you, Amber Moggie!

Ali the Artist is struggling

2008-10-30T20:46:00.006Z

I've been wanting to work on some artwork for over 4 weeks now and have made not one iota of a start on anything. Life gets in the way too much. I've been really sore, aching and tired for several days and just can't clear the space in my head or my life to do anything.

However last night, while doing some work on Shrink Yourself, I committed to (at the very least) working out a plan of action and taking the first baby step.

Today, when I was walking the dogs, I took some photos in the woods. It was a bright sunny day today and actually quite warm in the sun (though cold out of it and it's freezing again tonight) and the sunlight on the trees was amazing:

I have promised myself to make a start on a watercolour of this, my favourite little bridge, sometime either at the weekend or on Tuesday next week (I committed myself to Tuesday then remembered I'm free all weekend!):The shadows are perhaps a bit too strong to deal with in a painting but we shall see (I might try to leave them out!). Watch this space!

Secret Pal 12 Final Parcel - wow!

2008-10-21T22:45:00.016+01:00

Here we go with my final parcel. What a whopper!
3 purple tissue paper parcels, 4 white tissue paper parcels and one green silk bag with something in it! It feels like... so much generosity! I'm a wee bit overwhelmed.

First parcel unwrapped:
It's a very bad photo but I think it's clear this is a pawprint paper punch! And green!!

Second small purple parcel (funny how I went for the purple first!):
I squealed with delight. Buttons. Stars, of course, I always love stars.

Then the mysterious long thin purple package:
It's a Namaste Cali needle Cozy! I've never seen such a thing before. What a great idea and such a gorgeous colour!

Ok, onto the white parcels, clearly something soft and interesting in each. Left to right, here's number one:
Definitely a big squeal with this one! Socks That Rock yarn!!! Yipee!! Wow, I know I'm going over the top but I am so thrilled to get some yarns that I've only heard of. Thank you SP!

White parcel no 2:
Gosh I was touched. Knitted by my SP herself, especially for me. Lovely thick yarn in gorgeous colours. Lovely wristwarmers. Gosh I'm still touched! And, having checked my SP's blog (see below) I've discovered they're made in Manos del Uruguay 100% wool. How lovely to see them being knitted!

Here's a photo of my left arm with one on!
Ok, onto white parcel no 3:
Lovely sock yarn. This time a name I've not heard of. Gosh when will I do all this knitting? I can't wait!

White parcel no 4: Aurancia Atacama! Oh yummy! I've always wanted to try their yarn! Oh the joys of having a Secret Pal from the States! Isn't this yarn gorgeous? I'm gobsmacked by all this. And there's more to come!

The bag turns out to be a Della Q Eden silk project bag. Another glamorous name! Such a treat, all this is. And inside:Oh huge whoops of delight! Noro Iro, wool silk blend! Oh oh OH! What will I knit with this?! Oh!! The photo makes it look much browner than it is; in reality, it's a gorgeous blend of pinks and purples and browns and turquoise and... I can't wait to knit this up and to scour the internet looking for a suitable pattern! Maybe a Moebius cowl... Yu-mmy!

I am really overwhelmed by the amount of yarn, it is such a luxurious treat to be given so much, especially yarn I've only heard of on the internet or in Ravelry.

So who is this wonderfully generous woman who's sent me all this gorgeous stuff? Her name is Mia, her blog is here. Mia, thank you so very very much for all your lovely and thoughtful (purple and green!) gifts. I really am blown away by your generosity and the care you've taken in choosing for me.

THANK YOU, MIA.

Sirdar Donegal Tweed

2008-10-19T13:24:00.006+01:00

I'm adding this photo in order to give the shade chart a url.

I forgot to mention Ùlpan!

2008-10-18T01:53:00.002+01:00

There was a meeting last Saturday with Susanne, who trained on the Ùlpan course I took part in, and Morag, who trained earlier in the year in Portree, about regular Ùlpan courses in Skye & Lochalsh. There were only 5 people there out of the 13 on my course, with interest expressed by another few. Most of the people there hadn't done Ùlpan before and were keen to start. The most likely class looks like a morning one twice a week in Sleat. Some of us post-beginners wanted an early evening class, others wanted a Friday night/all day Saturday ever 3 (or maybe 4) weeks. I can the pros and cons of both. Twice weekly is a big commitment and life (and work) will inevitably get in the way. However regular drip drip feeding will be more effective than a blast of it on a Friday and Saturday every 3 (or 4) weeks, but could be more manageable in terms of planning. I don't care really, I just want it to happen. As they need 8 people to make a class viable, I'm not sure we'll have enough of us post-beginners. I would hate to have to wait the 12 weeks it'll take for the beginners to catch up, as I'm quite sure I'd lose a lot of what I've gained in the first 24 units. Watch this space as something is definitely going to happen!

Knitting in Gaelic

2008-10-17T22:33:00.013+01:00

This is a paragraph on the BBC Alba website, based on part of an episode of Beul-chainnt (which possibly means word of mouth), a programme about Gaelic language and sayings. I've attempted a vague translation working with online dictionaries... One day I will be able to understand it as I continue with my Ùlpan Gaelic classes. Imagine my delight to turn on the tv programme and see a picture of a gansey, knowing that this was the opening for some Gaelic words about knitting.

A' fighe (knitting)

Le ceithir bioran (with four needles), no stannd bhioran (or "stannd bhioran"), agus bascaid leum-chrann làn snàth (and a honeysuckle(?) basket full of yarn) tha thu deiseil airson tòiseachadh air stocainn fhighe (you are ready to start on knitted stockings). Feumaidh tu an t-àireamh cheart de lùban a dheilbh an toiseach (You will need the right number of stitches cast on at the beginning) agus cuairt an dèidh cuairt fhighe (and knit round after round). Cuimhnich gun toir thu (Remember without fail?) cumadh air calpa na stocainn le guiseid no dhà (to shape the calf of the stocking with a gusset or two) (gus nach (or else) bi i a' tuiteam (it will fall down) mu do chnàmhan-beaga (about your ankles)!). Feumaidh tu cuideachd (You will also need) an t-sàil a thionndadh (the turned heel/to turn the heel). Cuimhnich gu-tà gum biodh na seann Ghaidheil a' creidsinn deilbh shunndach Shatharnach cha robh rath a-riamh oirr'. (I can't work out an accurate translation of this last sentence but it's something about the old Gaelic women believing something wasn't lucky - I think!)

Other Gaelic words I managed to catch from the tv programme are: stailean, long thin needles (I think!); plean, plain (knitting); ceàrr, purl; fighe, knit.

I think this blog must be really boring...

2008-10-12T16:19:00.008+01:00

I read others' blogs and they're much more interesting than mine! It's difficult to get the balance between interesting and not exposing too much of your personal life.

I'm out of batteries so my camera's down. :-( The rechargeable ones aren't lasting any time at all, it's infuriating.

I've made some progress on the Rivendell socks (which I can't photograph!) but am a bit concerned that, with the gathered stitches, they won't fit my fat ankles...! I'd give them to my daughter but lime green isn't her colour.

My grandson has inherited the Fibonacci Sequence hat from Hat Attack 2 (and the Hallowe'en goodies). We managed to get a photo before the batteries died.

Look at those eyelashes!

Big turn-back, of course, as it was knitted for an adult!

I have yet another cold. It's in the early stages and I'm hopeful it won't get too bad. A throaty thing. There's a lot of it going around. Caught at work, ironically, considering I might have to stay off work (again!) if it gets too bad...

I'm waiting for the rain to go off before I walk the dogs but I think it'll be dark before it does that today!

Frogging and Rivendell socks

2008-10-10T22:09:00.004+01:00

I've decided to frog the Francie socks I started recently. I like the pattern on the sole but I have plantar fasciitis in my right foot and I'm concerned the pattern may be too uncomfortable for it, as it gets swollen and sore. Also the leg of that sock pattern isn't very interesting(!) so I've changed over to the Rivendell pattern. I'm finding it hard to find the time to knit at the moment but I will try!

I'm plagued by restless leg syndrome at the moment, it's driving me nuts. I suspect it goes beyond my legs as I had to get up and move today at work but only because I was sitting still listening to a talk. I really struggle with this. I've been referred for a sleep study to investigate sleep apnoea and am hoping this will be identified as the problem and a solution found. My legs really ache a lot these days...

No movement on my car yet...

Walks, views and dogs

2008-10-05T21:05:00.003+01:00

I took the dogs for a long walk today, up to the viewpoint on Balmacara hill. I wrapped up for the cold but it was sheltered on the path up to the viewpoint and positively hot in the sunshine!
Here is a panorama I took from the top. The sun was shining so brilliantly down Kyle Rhea and the air was so fresh and clear, it was a lovely walk.

Panorama of Balmacara viewpoint on CleVR.com