Summer Tidbits

I saw this poster of Johnny Depp for Sauvage by Dior that is a bit too appropriate considering what he's recently been accused of... wondering if Dior is rethinking him as a model?

I went back to Illinois to visit family, and my parents resodded their lawn and the dog was loving it.

 

There was some china in the attic that I asked my mom to save for me when I was 11 or so.  I'm now 31... it's quite cute though.  I think once we move into another home, I'll bring it to NYC.

Our friends had a summer BBQ in New Jersey one nice, and they happen to be friends with a pastry chef who brought oodles of tartes.  My favorite was the Saint Honoré.

Botanical Drawing Final Project

Since becoming an adult, I like to take classes for fun.  I had taken a couple of introductory botanical classes in the past, and then earlier this year I decided to try the next level course.  Every week we had a ton of homework that took hours.  My work was probably mediocre to not great compared with most of the other students, but I'm still proud of myself of completing the course.  I think I'll take something less challenging and technical the next time I choose a course.

I had to draw a plant including its root system for the final project.  We learned that this is called the plant habit.  It's also extremely difficult to draw when you have no formal art background and are not great at shading.  Also, tracing paper is confusing and tedious to use, but necessary for this kind of art.

Here's the side by side.  I got a B-, but am still pleased with myself for drawing something that looks like a plant habit.  There's a certain amount of fiction and artistic liberty that goes into this kind of drawing.