The many stages of Nigel

I've finished Nigel and quite happy with how he turned out for a first attempt. 

Grisaille underpainting from first week

First tentative steps at adding colour

Nigel at the end of the classroom session

I wanted to finish the painting when I got home as a record of any progress I may make. The art teacher kept saying to be brave with the shadows and to go darker. Too dark here, Nigel looks like he has terrible bruises.

Too dark

Better, should have left alone at this stage

Too dark again and starting to get muddy

I waited until the next day, lightened up once more, then cleaned up the paint and brushes to stop me fiddling any more.

Finished Nigel

Portraits in oil

I've started a portrait in oils class at my local arts centre, which should be interesting as having owned oil paints for years I've only used them on two previous occasions and have never painted from life. 

The majority of the people in the class appeared to be regulars and just got set up and stuck in, whereas I stood there like a rabbit caught in headlights, not really knowing where to begin. Our model for the afternoon was Nigel and I was on the last easel with a complete profile view. 

To start our paintings we had to do a Grisaille drawing with raw umber and thinners, using a brush as a drawing tool to work out the angles, placement of features, shadows and highlights. My proportions weren't too bad but by the time the first session was over I hadn't really got any features in, my brush was too small and my nerves stopped me just getting stuck in.

The second session was about quickly painting in the whole area of the head and then wiping away to create the highlights and shadows. This way of working was better for me, it took away the fear of the white board and I also used a bigger brush.

I've chosen my second painting to be the one that I will start adding colour to next week. 

A New Year - here we go again!

Last year I was absolutely determined to get fit and lose the weight I had put on. My posts along with my enthusiasm disappeared in May and since then everything has just about gone to pot. Not only am I now creeping back to my heaviest recorded weight, but I have also lost any level of fitness that I may have had.  

Peri-menopause isn't helping the situation one little bit. Another recent blood test has shown that I am even more post menopausal than I was in May, which seems absurd because I have not yet been through the menopause. My doctor agreed this week to check out my estrogen levels, in conjunction with the normal hormone test they have done, so I'll see what comes up from the test some time next week. 

Some of my main current Peri-menopause/menopausal symptoms, in no particular order are: weight gain, depression, terrible anxiety, general aches and pains, fatigue, insomnia and night time hot flushes. Fortunately the migraines and headaches have calmed down and have got to the stage where they are more unusual than common place and I am very grateful for that.

I also have an autoimmune disease called Palmoplantar Pustulosis (PPP) and although I count myself lucky that its on the soles of my feet and not the palms of my hands (I can hide it), I find it really stressful  and at times extremely painful. Interestingly six years ago I followed the 8 week Blood sugar diet and whilst I did this to lose weight, my PPP cleared up for the first time in years. I am very confident that the change to my PPP was due to the lack of gluten and grains.

In contrast with the blood sugar diet (a low calorie, low carb, but high animal protein diet), for the last year I have been trying to follow the Starch Solution way of eating; a whole food plant based diet, that concentrates on consuming mainly starches. Although people get fantastic results, both reversing diseases and losing weight, it doesn't work for me. Not only I have put on a lot of weight, although I haven't stuck to anything 100% of the time, but my PPP is worse than ever, which is concerning.  

And so in conclusion - I know I want to be whole food and plant based, but the plan is to also go gluten and grain free, at least for a while to see what happens to my feet and if I can again put my PPP into remission. I have rejoined the gym and hope to get back to where I can enjoy going again and start to see some changes in my fitness levels and all round wellbeing. Fingers crossed that this year I will at least stick to something. 

A beautiful collagraph by Alfred - aged 7

My grandson came over just before Christmas and I asked him to do a drawing for me on a bit of tetra pack. He draw this beautiful Christmas tree, along with its lights and presents underneath. 

I went over it with a drypoint needle and printed it up on my Xcut Xpress and it printed up beautifully. 

My daughter was thrilled with her framed present from Alfred and I just now need to print some more copies for other members of the family who also fell in love with it.