I Won Deborah Lowe's Giveaway!

Book, Sketchbook, Markers, and Pen Received from Deborah Lowe

Deborah Lowe decided to do a Give Away on her blog to celebrate reaching 100 followers. She asked that if you wanted to be in the draw to write a post on her blog.

I went to her blog and really enjoyed what I was seeing. So, I wrote a post on her blog, never, ever expecting to be the one to be picked. Well, imagine my delighted surprise when I won Deborah Lowe's giveaway on her blog (http://daloweartist.blogspot.ca/)

The package just arrived and it is even better than I expected. Inside was the book "Fresh Brewed Life" by Nicole Johnson, three art markers, and la pièce de résistance: a GORGEOUS hand made art journal! Wow!

Thank you so much, Deborah!

Sisters WIP 1

Work in Progress

This is what is currently on my drawing board. This commissioned piece is well overdue. Shortly after getting this commission I fractured a finger on my drawing hand. I had this portrait partly completed but then we moved and my art supplies were boxed up and were put in a place that was not easily accessible.

I have decided to start this portrait over and am making it larger for my client. The original drawing was 5"x7" and this on 8" x 10" on black paper.

This portrait should be completed in a week or so.

I have this portrait and one more commissioned piece that are overdue due to the broken finger and the move. However, once both of these are completed I will be available to take on commissions again, and once again, have them done in a timely manner.

The girls are adorable and I am looking forward to finishing this lovely piece.

The Sketchbook Project 2012 has been digitized!

My sketchbook entry to The Sketchbook Project 2012 has been digitized and uploaded to their site. I was a little disappointed that a few millimeters of the center fold was cut off on all my pages. However, it was explained to me that their scanner is made to be gentle with book binding and that it does tend to cut a little out of the gutter.

In order to view my project online go to http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/Dollinha and click on the Artwork tab.

There were thousands of sketchbooks submitted to the project this year. They will be exhibited at art spaces in 14 cities around the world. After the tour they will be archived at the Brooklyn Art Library. You can view the touring schedule on the Art House site.

Strong Passwords

I read or heard somewhere that the word password is the most common password. I believe pet's name, child's name, and birth dates are also high on the list. 

Most people feel that their passwords are safe and are quite casual about their passwords. "Who would want to break into my accounts, anyway?" Well, you'd be surprised at how many unscrupulous people are out there in the big wide world. It is always better to be safe than sorry. 

Some time ago I read about creating a formula for your passwords that make it nearly impossible to break. I am sorry, but I don't remember where I read this article.  (I will describe the principles for the formula further down in this post.)

My online friend, Andy Traub, recommended LastPass to me. It is a password management program/site and their slogan is "The Last Password You'll have to Remember". They also claim that they are a "password manager that makes web browsing easier and more secure". So far, I have no reason to doubt them. 

I've been using LastPass for over a year now and I really love it. I have one password to remember, which I created using a formula, and it keeps all my passwords secure, but easy to use. LastPass will even create randomly generated passwords for you, if you wish to use that service. There is a free version of LastPass as well as a Premium version. And, it is as secure as your main password, that is why you need a good strong main password.

To create a strong password you should use alpha, numeric, and special characters. You should have at least one uppercase letter. And, most importantly, you should not use the same password for everything. If you choose not to use LastPass it will be a challenge to remember all the different passwords. In order to help with my aging (and forgetful) mind, I have a formula I use for my passwords.

My passwords are created with one section that remains the same and one section that changes.  I created a password base, plus a password variant section. Mine, actually, has three sections: two static and one variable section.

Here is a formula to get your thought process going. Use any variation of this formula, or create your own.

1. pick a favourite person, animal, or thing
2. choose a special character
3. think about the site you are creating the password for
4. think of a favourite three number or letter combination

Sample Password:  owL!fBk678

1. owL (Favourite animal with a randomly placed uppercase letter)
2. ! (one special character)
3. fBk (for Facebook site, with one uppercase letter)
4. 678 (Favourite number combination)

Here is another Sample Password, using the same formula: owL!gMl678

As you see, only the site section changes. 

• owL!fBk678 (Facebook)
• owL!gMl678 (Gmail)
• owL!tWr678 (Twitter)

Create your own pattern and it will be simple to have distinct passwords for all your online browsing, difficult to hack, and effortless for you to remember.

Before you try to hack into my accounts, the above passwords are only set as examples, and not my actual passwords.

Pencil Sharpeners

Now that I am back to creating and working in coloured pencil again, I have been giving pencil sharpeners a lot of thought. It is important to have a good pencil sharpener with you at all times when working in coloured pencil because you need to have a very sharp point for the best effects. A bad sharpener will twist and break your lead or chew up your pencil.

Today, a member of one of my online FB art groups posted this link to A Closer Look at Pencil Sharpeners, and it could not have come at a better time. I plan to upgrade my pencil sharpener this week or next.

Generally speaking, I prefer an electric sharpener for the majority of my work.  I have been using a moderately priced Staples brand sharpener that has been working well enough, but does give me too long a point.  The only time I use a battery operated one is if I am traveling or working away from home.  The hand held manual sharpeners are fine for short bits, but your hand become cramped and sore if you are using these for large pieces.

Please read the linked article for a more comprehensive analysis of different pencil sharpeners.

A Closer Look at Pencil Sharpeners

A Quick Tip:
You should run an HB (#2) pencil every now and again through your sharpener if you are using it exclusively for coloured pencils. It will help it to keep running and sharpening well.

Also, avoid dropping your pencils. It breaks the lead inside the casing.