This is the beginning of the painting. I put several different symbols around the main part of the painting…and then…I changed my mind…and erased the symbols.

I’m feeling the main character, but the symbols are eluding me.

I was rearranging the studio as I painted, you know trying to multi-task and get as much done in the window of time I had.

But, back to the painting…

I erased all the surrounding symbols and redid some others things and finally, it felt like it was flowing.

I’m still in the preliminary stages, but I think she and I are feeling the flow on this.

There was a mad dash by me to get everything  in order before the new year. I’m superstitious like that, whatever state your home and business is in, is how it’s going to be for the new year. So for me, the control freak that I sometimes am, everything was straightened up, dusted, cleaned, reordered and finished!

No…everything was not completed, but there a sweetness in what was completed, and you know life goes on.

Deja-vu is now reality and chaos to order! Now that’s a great beginning!

Peace to you from the nook.

Tango is a very specific word, so for me, that didn’t translate into a lot of different meanings…humph…that was my thinking! Tango, I thought, well, I’ll do a couple, dancing a classic tango move.

Well, I can’t begin to tell you how this simple thought turned into an illustration, that wore me out! :)

First, I drew a profile  of a woman. I then cut it out using black paper.   Next, I drew a rose on a piece of scrap watercolor paper, painted it with ink and water color. Then I drew and outline of a couple doing a tango move and then collaged it, using this week’s newspaper coupons. All that was so much fun!

Then, the frustration hit the fan! First, I could not scan it, since it was too big for my scanner and I don’t know how to piece two scans together (yeah, I should, but I don’t!).

Next, I tried to photograph it and the gloss from the collaging, caused too many glare spots on the digital shot. This went on for a couple of hours, me repositioning the illustration, realizing my lighting inside was awful; and then going outside to photograph my creation.

That didn’t work either!

I came back inside, determined to tear the creation up and forget about the prompt for this week!

Oh, did I mention, I went outside, without showering, a T-shirt over my nightgown and flipflops on with my hair sticking up all over my head, looking like I’d stuck my hand in an  electrical socket! I stood in the middle of our parking lot complex, to take this digital photo, and folks, I don’t care who saw me! (there goes making a first good impression, I just moved here!)

I re-cut the silhouette and painted it with black gouache, (used a blow dryer to dry it quickly). Then I cut all the figures out again and put them on a white background. I started the digital photo process again!   Finally, after many words, that I can’t print here!

Voila…TANGO!

I finally had a photo I could use!

So here you have it, a simple illustration with a lot of hours putting it all together!  So my vibe for the week is patience!

Persevere, my friends, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Peace.