The other Quentin in my life - Quentin Blake

Illustration by Quentin Blake

I've been thinking for a while now about how I wish I could draw. It would really be useful with what I do.....but I never did art at school or out of school and just don't seem to be able to do it....

And the sort of drawing I want to do isn't "serious" drawing either....as you know, that isn't my style :=D...

Illustration by Quentin Blake

So I've been looking around at classes etc ....and when I was in England over the New Year, I looked at some "how to draw" books....and who should I find but Quentin! This time - Quentin Blake, not Quentin Quail. He has written a Klutz book entitled "Drawing for the artistically undiscovered". So I bought it and I love it! It even comes with a little pouch with 2 art pencils and a pen.


I've enjoyed Quentin Blake's style of drawing for years - but I don't think you see much of him here in the US. He is one of Britains's best-loved and most successful illustrators and children's authors. He has illustrated more than 300 books and is probably most well known for this illustrations of Roald Dahl books. He also illustrates a lot of greeting cards so you see his drawings everywhere. He has recieved many awards, included a CBE.

His how-to-draw book is just delightful and with the whimsy style and humor, it is quite liberating. You are not trying to do something perfect - just putting pencil or pen to paper. His lessons often involve you finishing some of his drawings, like the prize winners of the World's Hairiest Man competition:


You spend time drawing candles with attitude, brooms, rakes, mops with all kinds on characteristics...and then progress to adding perspective to your drawings ..... light and shadow....

Then there is a section on different animals - including the zoo in your imagination with such things as s 14-legged Gaumposaurus....but also birds, pigs, horses, fish, crocodiles and dogs:

and then people:


I'm only about a third of the way through and I'm already dreading getting to the end as its just such fun. You can pick up the book for just a couple of minutes, or get in the swing of it and spend ages doing lots of silly drawings.

Parrot by Quentin Blake

So if you've been wanting to try drawing - give Quentin a try. You will have a wild time! And check out his website http://www.quentinblake.com

May in movies and books

To sum up my month of May, here is a list of the movies I've watched and books I've read this month.......first of all, the movies:

The Changeling
Two lovers
Reign over me
Rachel getting married
Earth
State of Play
Everest: Beyond the limits
Elegy
Love song for Bobby Long

I think my favorite of these was The Changeling. I am a little biased by this one however, as it was one I watched on a plane, coming back from England. For some reason, I always seem to cry on planes - usually to the movies I watch - but occasionally to the books I'm reading. Well, the Changeling was my movie on the plane, so naturally I cried - I think my eyes just get dry and so need that moisture! Thus I remember it well and it was quite emotional.....all about a mother losing her son and being given another boy instead and her having to fight to prove he wasn't her son! I do recommend it. Angelina Jolie is great in it.

I also enjoyed Everest - Beyond the Limits. Actually, "enjoyed" is not the best word to describe it. It follows the journey of several men hoping to climb Everest, including a double amputee. It is astonishing to watch what they go through - mainly in terms of dealing with the number of other climbers up there.....At some stages, it's like waiting in line at Disney or at the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa! Totally shocking. Many surprises in this - and a real eye opener. It's a six part series - there is also subsequent seasons which I haven't seen yet but they don't get as good a review as this first one.....

The other one worthy of mention is "State of Play". I first watched the BBC 6 part mini series of this - and absolutely loved it. I was bound to, as Bill Nighy was in it - and I always love spending an evening with him! It was a bit flabby in places and could have been edited down to 4 hours instead of 6...but I was curious to see how the movie would be with Helen Mirram instead of Bill - and only 2 hours! The movie was fine - but I'd recommend the BBC version!


I only finished one book this month and it was "We need to talk about Kevin" by Lionel Shriver. I finished this book on the plane too - so yes, there were tears! It is a tough book - written about a fictional school massacre. It is written from the perspective of the mother of the killer, in the first person, as the mother writing letters to her husband, trying to understand why their son did this and what was her role in it all and was she to blame. A fascinating book. I had bought this book a few years ago and it had sat on my shelf gathering dust. Then one day I decided to donate some old books to the library for their sale. So this book got put in the box and in the trunk of my car to be "donated" the next day. That evening, I was reading a friend's new blog that she just started that day, and on her sidebar, she listed that her favorite book of all time was "we need to talk about Kevin"!!! So how could I give it away now, without reading it!!! So - I grabbed it back and I'm so glad I did. It's a toughie -but worth reading.

So what did you watch or read this month? Give me some recommendations for June......

Under the greenwood tree

As I drive to the city - (I generally go down to San Francisco twice a week, but this week it's been 6 days in a row) I really enjoy listening to audio books. I download them on my ipod and play them through my car stereo. The last couple I listened too have been really long and I've soooooo enjoyed them - I'll write about them next week - but I'm waiting for a particular day...... but I do like to listen to things that I'd probably never bother to read...so something either really long works well, or a classic that I never read when I should have....

I asked my dad last week what he thought I should download next and he suggested "Under the greenwood tree" by Thomas Hardy. I don't think I've ever read Hardy - so I downloaded it and started it this week. My dad said his stories tend to have sad endings......
I started listening on Friday....and finished it today. My first reaction is that it was much too short. The last couple of books I'd listened to were 40 hours and 45 hours yet Hardy's was a mere 5 hours!!! It was all over so fast!!! That was somewhat of a disappointment! There I was, only just getting into it - and it was over!!! But that wasn't Hardy's fault - it was just what I'd got used to!

Anyhow, it was quite a sweet story - passed the time nicely on the drive down and back - but the ending wasn't quite as sad as I'd hoped :-( Yes, a bit of deception between the protagonists... but following my dad's comment, I was expecting something worse..... with the vicar maybe - but it was all turmoil kept inside for the characters!!! I'm glad I listened to it - I liked it - but I think in future I need to choose longer books for my journeys!

Anyhow - the actual 'tree' part of the tale doesn't come into the story until the very last chapter ..... so I thought I'd share a few of my trees with you....The one above is called "Great oaks from little acorns come".

This one to the right is another from my nursery rhyme collection - "Oranges and Lemons". The oranges and lemons are added to the tree using coloured resin. And the earrings below are "Cherry Trees" where the cherries are small corundum lab grown cabochons. I think the tale of Dick Dewy and Fancy Day could have ended under any of these trees!! What do you think? Have you read any other Hardy books and care to suggest one to me? Dad - want to comment? Any good book recommendations always gratefully received - especially if they are long..

I know I value trees much more now that I live in a warm place - ie not England!!! The shade of a tree is such a welcome place...Our little wooded area at our home is always cool - a perfect respite from the heat...and also a place for birdhouses and the birds.... So get out there and love those trees!