I’ve been sketching. Okay, so MaTisha’s eyes are crooked, and Cameron’s face is larger scale than the other two. But I’m actually pretty happy with it. My husband guessed which character was which, without me telling him who I drew. Granted, he has heard me talk about my main characters often enough to know them, and has seen other sketches I’ve done. But it still thrilled me.
My problem is that I’m not a good enough artist to draw the same character the same way every time. So I’m starting with the eyes and eyebrows, deciding the appropriate shape, tilt, and thickness that goes with character. Hopefully, with enough practice, I can draw them consistently.
End goal: Teach myself how to digitally paint them. I’m reviewing the Ctrl + Paint videos. Now that my desktop is back to being usable, I might have a fighting chance to improve.
Speaking of my computer and my awesome husband, he has built me an office. He cleared out a little nook in our garage where we used to keep all of our excess computer equipment (really, we didn’t need all those floppy diskettes).
After that, he built a desk, painted the walls, hung my fan, moved my desktop computer, gave me his monitor, and bought me a clock (which is a little hard to see in the picture). I made the lighting—Christmas lights in a glass bottle and then a LED Edison style bulb hanging in a glass jar with various items I’ve collected. The different decorations include: wire jewelry my cousin made me, a sexton, a compass, a pocket watch, and little glass pebbles, some backed with the Thanmir War tree.
I love my office. The idea was to make a place I could escape my kids. Unfortunately, that does’t seem to be the case. They follow me in. At least my new setup gives me a central location for everything. In the old setup, my daughter had taken over my desk so I couldn’t even use my desktop, and my art supplies were stowed everywhere from the closet to the window sill to under the bed. Now, I have drawers and organization. It’s nice. 🙂
What does your work space look like? Do you pursue art? What is distracting you from your writing?
Aren’t you fortunate to have such a handy husband. And you’re a much better artist than I am.
My office used to be one of my daughter’s bedroom. My wife has another bedroom for her office. We didn’t have to do too much to either though now my office has become a bit of a mess. Major clean-up is overdue. Guess I’ll tackle it after the Christmas holidays now.
Distractions? Whatever I can find at the moment. I’m good at finding distractions.
Arlee Bird
Wrote By Rote
Wow, that looks swanky!! He did a good job setting you up with a nice space.
My office has a huge desk, a big screen television, and my guitar collection. It’s my sanctuary.
Tell your husband you want an iPad Pro and pencil for Christmas – it has some great graphics programs.
Your desk looks awesome! Unfortunately I have no real work space right now but I’m hoping to rearrange some things pretty soon and reclaim my desk from my fiance. We have a studio apartment so it’s hard to make space for anything.
LOVE the office. Very nice.
I always torn between music, sketching, and writing. I cartoon a little, compose music, perform, lead a choir, and sometimes teach, so I feel a bit scatterbrained when facing any single task. Or maybe I just feel that way right now after having visited a ton of blogs. I think everyone needs other outlets to keep them sane–more than just writing.
Faces are hard to draw. I wish I knew more about how to digitally paint. It’d be a lot of fun. What a beautiful office too! I mainly write at my day job, so I have little say in it, although I do have my personal magnets, calendar, and a Baby Groot to keep my company. 🙂
That is an awesome work space. I need to build a better desk to fit into my office (it’s a tiny room) and reorganize. Unfortunately, I have to share my space with my husband who likes to drop stuff everywhere.
As much as I want to bring my characters to life like that, I’m bad at drawing. Doesn’t stop me from trying on occasion, but yeah, it’s bad. My usual distraction that isn’t child is gaming.
How awesome to get an office! I have a corner all to myself. No kids at home, but I have a very demanding cat. Right now she’s sleeping behind me, snoring. Aww.
I absolutely LOVE your new office! How sweet of your husband to create a space just for you. And I love how you put the Christmas lights in a glass bottle—very cool!
I want a workspace. I think I’ve found the perfect spot in our house, now I just need to get a desk and cute accessories. Maybe after Christmas… 🙂
Well at least everything is neat, until the kids go in when you aren’t looking lol All I can draw is stick people and they never look the same.
My workspace? Uh… I’ve the corner of the dining room, which isn’t very secluded unless I’m the only one in the house, and the bedroom, providing my partner doesn’t wish to sleep. So… distractions are abound, mostly from the TV I’m not watching but can hear anyway because it’s always on whenever someone else is home… Currently, I’m more of a mind to sink myself in gaming than… anything really. It’s been one of those times.
I haven’t done any art for a while. And you are a far better artist than me, who cannot even get a face to look like a face.
My work space is my bed. Yup space is that tight.
That looks awesome! My workspace is a bit crowded at the moment. We had to rearrange some things in the house when we got the cats. I do have TARDIS lights hanging around my window which is beside desk.
I’ve always loved your sketches and I’m sure you’ll be awesome at digital, you know, stuff. So…wow. Wow. That workspace is stunning. Even though the kids follow you in (shoo!) I’m thrilled for you. It’s gorgeous.
Very nice! And how great is your husband?!
My office in our new house is small and cozy but with lots of light. I’m still not totally organized/unpacked but it’s a work in progress. Like pretty much everything else. 🙂
My only successful attempts at drawing have involved either tracing elements – or copious rubbing out.
As for work space, I’ve been lucky as for many years I was a freelance journalist so having a suitable desk was a requirement. Not quite true, used to cover horse shows so sometimes my office was a field or my car. Since retiring, my wife and I have shared an office space with our gaming desktops side by side. Yes, we’re both avid gamers, which is how we met.
I have a tiny bit of design background, but my drawing and painting abilities suck. I’m stealing your idea of a tall wide-mouthed jar for storing and showcasing trinkets and other memorabilia from my books. It’s now scattered everywhere and a real pain on the few occasions I dust.
My main distraction every Nov/Dec is family. We have about a dozen birthdays in these two months. Plus Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It’s a full-time job keeping up and leaves me little time for writing, although a do manage a few words or thoughts on some days.
When you had mentioned writing in your garage, I was picturing something far less inviting. It looks like you have a good set-up going on. One of the extra bedrooms in my house is my office. It houses my craft table as well. I’m not sure what to do with the other extra bedroom which is totally empty right now. I’m thinking photography studio.
Yay for your beautiful, new, and basically private work space! I’m glad you mentioned about the diskettes, so I know my family’s not the only weirdos who still have those old things boxed away. (My husband hates to throw out anything. Argh!) Good luck with the art work!
Ooh, how fun, your office is lovely 🙂 I really need an office. My desk in my bedroom is too small and crowded. Whenever I try to write in bed, I fall asleep. My main writing spot is on the couch in the living room, which is full of distractions: cats, tv, things outside the window, my family coming and going.
Very nice. i especially like the lighting.
I have my office decorated up like an alchemist’s lab. It helps get me into the mood. My daughter and I will be working on it more over the holiday break, so maybe I’ll post a picture of it when it’s finished.
Your office looks awesome and so relaxing.
I also love to sketch and continue to work on my craft. Wishing you all the best!
My work space looks like this: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CAQb8e8UQAMZGOe.jpg It’s a giant monolith of a desk I bought at Costco, and most of the time when I’m home, if I’m not in bed or in a chair reading, I’m there. Not horribly interesting, and your decorations are a lot niftier, but I like it. ^_^ As for distractions, well… the computer’s connected to the internet, that’s distracting enough.
Also: I am so jealous that you can draw your characters and you’re good at it. I spent years thinking I could draw (or even learn how to), and I could never get anyone I drew to look right. >_<
I’m a doodler, not an artist by any means. How great that you can draw your characters.
And my work space is mostly glass. I love being able to look out over a forest and my garden just below. I think it clears my head when I get stuck in a story.
I love the new office space. I used to sketch a lot, but only do so from time to time now. I wanted to be an artist when I was a kid.
I think I missed this post! I love your office space. It’s so important to have a creative space that’s perfect for inspiring, but also just so fun to be in. I think it’s a great idea that you draw your characters!! I don’t have that talent, but lately I’ve been dabbling in digital design and trying to learn how to create beautiful typography on Photoshop.
Hope you and your family had a fun and warm Christmas! 🙂
I like you new workspace! Mine looks… unused. I have a desk, but no chair that would actually work with it.
Happy New Year!
Your husband is amazing.
And so is your office. Mind if I work in there a little?
AHHHH creative spaces are great, aren’t they? Right now I work in my recliner, or in this terribly messy room I’ve titled “the office” except it’s filled with open boxes, empty water bottles and a freaky teddy Ruxpin that watches me every time I go in there.
I’m very jealous of your space, Loni! Put it to good use!