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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Peanuts Christmas Scene with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Woodstock

"What'll it be today?"

"The ice castle from Frozen," he said, remembering that that was his first choice yesterday before we settled in on Marshmallow.

"I don't know if I'll have time today," I said, although I didn't have yesterday's excuse. I handed him my iPhone to pick a picture of the ice castle, but I wasn't much in the mood to draw it. Once he picked the picture, however, I thought it'd actually be pretty cool to try. But by the time I sat down, I realized that I really didn't have the time today. "Sorry, Buddy, we'll have to pick something else. I just don't have the time to do it."

"I don't know what to else to pick."

"How about something Christmas-y?"

Right away he pointed to the Peanuts Christmas clock that we bring out every Christmas. I figured it'd be easy enough to finish in time and it was. It felt cool to draw these childhood favorites. Doing so made me realize that with all the practice, I am now comfortable to draw whatever I want. I can do it! I can draw anything! I thought to myself, Fun!

"I like it! Can you add the bird?"

"His name is Woodstock." On the clock, Woodstock is on the tip of the second hand and flies around the dial with each passing second. After I started drawing him in the air, I realized that I should have put him instead on Snoopy's stomach. No matter. This one was fun to do. 

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

How about the snow monster from Frozen...

Marshmallow Snow Monster from Frozen

"What are we doing today?"

"I don't know. I have no idea," he said dejectedly. Then he perked up. "Oh yes I do! Just kidding. The ice castle from Frozen."

"Um, I don't have time to do that one today," I said, relieved that it was true. I wasn't interested in tackling the ice castle.

"Okay. How about the snow monster from Frozen?"

"I'll try," I said, trying to remember what he looked like.

His name is Marshmallow and was actually fun to draw; although, I did feel a bit stressed this morning since we had to leave early today so that I could make it on time to a meeting at work.

He ate his breakfast quickly, came over to my side of the table and said, "Hey, you're almost finished."

"I am finished."

"Are you going to write 'Frozen'?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yeah! You know, like the way it's designed."

"Right. I'll add it." I had no time left so I did so super quickly without much attention to detail. I really wanted to draw the "O" in his name like the "O" in "FROZEN" but I forgot in my hurry.

"Oh, he looks creepy!" he exclaimed. "Do you want to mess with him?"

"No!" I replied.

"Me neither," he agreed.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Olaf

Olaf from Frozen

"What should we do today?"

"I already know! Olaf!"

I expected Olaf to be much easier than yesterday's Elsa, but that's not quite how it turned out. I messed up his eyes on my first try and had to start over. For my second try, I started with his eyes but for some reason that made drawing his head a challenge. I screwed up again on his mouth but was sort of able to fix it. He's cute but a little too stout I'd say. I was nervous when I showed it to Victor, fearing his critiques.

My fears were for naught this time. He looked at it and had nothing but positive things to say, "I like it. It's cute. Olaf's cute. He's very funny."

I nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Elsa

Elsa from Frozen

Last night we talked about doing the characters from the movie Frozen. He was pretty excited about it and definitely wanted me to do "Elsa and Anna and Olaf."

"What's for the snack sack this morning?" I asked him.

Sure enough he remembered our conversation from yesterday. The choice was obvious. "Elsa. Remember?"

This one was difficult. Every line mattered.

"She looks a little evil," he commented when she was about half way finished.

I tried very hard to get it right. "Done!" I exclaimed.

"Does she look mean?" he asked.

"No. I don't think so," I defended.

He studied it. "No. Except that the eyelashes are kind of too big. Looks like dark eyeshadow. But I like it." He considered something. "This is just a suggestion," he said cautiously. "Maybe if you want, you could add 'Frozen' or something."

"Like in the way it looks on the poster?"

"Yeah! You can add it while I read."

"Okay." We had a little extra time so I added it.

He read his book out loud beside me. He looked up to see the title. "Oh, you're a really good drawer!" he said with honest enthusiasm.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Alien on a Robot Flying Around Machine

Alien on a Robot Flying Around Machine

"Do this robot flying around machine," he said, finding another alien from the "Draw 50 Aliens" book. It was due back today.

"Sure," I said, taking a closer look.

"Can you not do that fat nipple boob sort of thing?" he asked.

I smiled inside. "I'll make it less pointy," I said about the front of the flying scooter.

I drew enjoying the process today.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about," he said when he saw the finished product. Just as he came by, I noticed that I had forgotten the spinning lines around the rotating back wheel. He saw me add them and asked, "Do you want to add some wind or something?"

"You want to help me add that?"

He did and felt proud of his small but important contribution.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Alien Sipping a Drink

Alien Sipping a Drink

"Another alien today?" I asked.

"Yes!"

We've been working on aliens from the "Draw 50 Aliens" book he brought home from the school library.

"Do this one!" he said with enthusiasm after flipping through every single page.

I made quick work of this bizarre looking alien sipping a drink.

"Oh, that looks so weird!" he said when I was done.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Monster-y Alien 2

Monster-y Alien

We picked this monster-y alien from the "Draw 50 Aliens" book yesterday, but for the very first time that I had the time, I didn't draw a sack. We had had a rough night the night before. In fact, every single night, he plays the classic games of avoiding bedtime and all things related to our nighttime routine. I'm tired of the challenging evenings and wanted to talk to him about how to move forward. Instead of multitasking, I put my Sharpie down and focused on our conversation. It went okay, but I'm not convinced that he'll change his behavior. Parenthood is tough!

He anxiously asked me several times if I was going to draw today. I guess he truly missed it yesterday. That made me feel warm. I assured him that I would as soon as I prepared his lunch as always. I knew which one to do so I opened the book and got to work.

"Can you make this one look more like the picture? Last time you made it look nicer than the picture," he reminded us, referring to the Monster-y Alien I drew yesterday.

I took my time and tried my best not to make him look nice.

"Ooh, cool! He looks maaad."

"Alright! I guess I did a better job with this one."

Friday, December 6, 2013

Monster-y Alien

Monster-y Alien

Yesterday he brought home the book "Draw 50 Aliens" from his school library.

He flipped through it some and then said, "Do the monster-y one."

"Okay," I said flipping through the book myself. Of course the one he picked was just about the most complex one in the book! Up for the challenge, I got started with a good deal of focus this time.

I had just begun when he walked around the table and saw the outline of the head with just its eyes. "Aw, that's really cute," he said.

Hmm, I thought, 'cute' isn't what I was going after! I shot him a look of disapproval.

"The first part looks so cute. Then it's going to look really weird, right?" he said catching my drift.

"I guess. We'll see."

When he saw the finished drawing, he compared mine to the reference and exclaimed, "Oh my god!" He liked it. I could tell. But then he added observantly, "This one looks nicer than the other one."

I welcomed the the lack of criticism with a smile, then realized he meant it didn't look as mean.

"Over here he looks a little bit mean," he said pointing to the reference. "Look at the difference. The tongue is longer."

"It is," I agreed with a sigh.

"I like it Daddy!"

"How do you like your name?"

"I like it. It's kind of monster-y."

Yes, I thought, 'monster-y' is what I was going after!

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Davy Jones

Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean

"What'll be today?

"A house with Christmas lights," he said thinking of something Christmas-y like yesterday's Christmas Tree. But he remembered what he really wanted yesterday and quickly changed it up, "No, no! Davy Jones! Now we can do it."

He was right. We had plenty of time so I did a search and handed him my iPhone. He couldn't decide. I kept prodding him to pick one but he just kept scrolling and browsing. I got frustrated with the delay and threatened not to do it. I wasn't in the mood for something complicated, but I knew this one would be. I was extra sleepy and just wanted to go back to bed.

He finally picked a screen capture from the movie, knowing full well that I expected him to pick one of the many illustrated options.

"I don't think I'll have time to do it anymore," I warned. 

"How about this one?" he said picking a drawing this time. It was a terrible illustration, simple but not cool at all. 

"I'll pick," I said, taking the phone from him. I found two good options right away. One was Davy Jones's full body. The other was just of his head. "Of these two, which one?" I asked, still giving him the final decision.

He pointed to the one with his full body. 

I sat down still sleepy and more frustrated than before at all the wasted time. I would have had plenty of time, but now I was expecting to feel rushed. Instead, I fell into a zone. I lost myself to the outside world and I looked up twenty minutes later to see the completed drawing. I was very pleased with what I saw. Wow! I thought, He looks cool!

Victor saw it and said, "Oh my god! He looks creepy!"

Monday, December 2, 2013

Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

"Should we do something Christmas-y today since it's December now?"

"Oooh, Davy Jones."

"That's Christmas-y?"

"...wearing a Christmas hat," he added cheekily.

"No time for that today," I informed him. We were running behind schedule and I had very little time to draw. 

"How about Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"No time for that."

"Okay, can you do the tallest Christmas tree?"

"No time for that." But I did look up Christmas trees. We settled on this one and I rushed to get it done. My favorite part of the drawing is his name placement.

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