illo friday: packed

to avoid a jam-packed holiday vacation..



.. go in November!
i actually find this painting funny! this is my first attempt in watercolor, ha! isay knows this.. and you may find familiar landmarks here..

hehe.. although its a mix of different beaches in the Philippines.. nonetheless let me give travelers out there a tip. if you want some peace and quiet on your vacation, go here during the lean season. some locations classify them during June to December 15 and peak seasons are Dec.16 to summer. (this part of the world tho, our summer is April and May). prices are cheaper.. hotel+airfare. can you imagine i was able to see a flight to somewhere in the south (i wont tell yet) from manila, which costs only about 1,600 per person!? to convert, 34 euros or $37 USD. And this is two-way! and some may say.. "that's peanuts!" lol..

sorry moogie.. *.* i just had to tell! hehe..

so, can anyone guess where this is?

----
my dream vacation
5" x 8" (orig.)
watercolor + liquid paper

i love your art blog awards

so with the season of giving just lurking around the corner.. which also reminds me of my pending post cards and atc's that i should send out through snail mail.. i really hope the recipients are not pissed off already. i want to apologize and tell you that you are always on my mind.. i just didnt realize how difficult it is to find a place to print them all..

and as for the atc's tho, only one person will get the few that i have done so far, and he is gonna get it himself! hehe.. *.*

so while i am still on the hunt for a great quality printing shop, let me give out a badge award to those bloggers i love to visit and have even built friendships with.. despite being across oceans and time.




isay
alina chau
ascenderrisesabove
bella sinclair
bluerose
ces
ginger*:)*
indigene
orangefrute88
soulbrush
studio lolo
valgal art
willie baronet
yoon see
zari

and of course, to penelope who started illustration friday and illoluv who introduced the group to me!



to grab this award badge, copy and paste the following:

<a href="http://atomicvelvetsigh.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-love-your-art-blog-awards.html" title="I Love Your Art Blog Award" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/atomicvelvetsigh/love_blog_award.gif" alt="I Love Your Art Blog Award" /></a>

there are so much more people that i want to give out this award to but im summing up the first 17. i may be adding more on this post in the coming days..

so i am encouraging everyone to pass on the badge award to your blog friends who's artworks and words of encouragement inspire you and cheer you up as well. many may have not read how my blog used to be years back, but the gloom and doom have finally ceased from lurking over my life. the blog world and illustration friday has brought so many people together and some may not know that the simple uplifting words and comments from everyone has helped me pass through those dark days.. and helped me gain confidence, which was totally null before. that chapter of my life has been written and closed now. and bright lights and colorful years are surely ahead.

thank you to all.. actually, this badge is for everyone! feel free to place it on your blog, and award your friends too, just tell me so i can add your link here as well.

-----
update: here is an alternative, click here to get the badge. it will open on a new window. 8)

Illo Friday: Clique

ring around the rosies
820 x 620 (orig.)
MS Paint


i remember when i used to play with the kids on our block.. how we play for hours after school, on weekends and whenever classes are suspended.. it doesn't matter if it rains or not. one of my favorite game was patintero (a traditional game where one team will all be "it" and would only step on the lines on our street while the other team should run fast and pass all the "its" and reach from one side to the other without being tagged by the "its").

we also used to play ring around the rosies, chinese garters and pretend restaurants or "house" (bahay-bahayan). in this game, we act like grown ups where our "food" are actually just leaves and twigs and stones.. somebody will play as a mom, a dad and the kids. i almost always wanted to be the mom because i used to be fond of collecting plastic utensils and plates and pack them all in a big box. thus the toys are mine so i wanted to be the one to take care of them.

then i reached 10 and being on 4th grade, classes are whole day unlike the previous years which lessens my time for play. and the boys tend to play more with sports like basketball, softball and skateboards. i knew i was a clumsy kid and i tend to fall on my knees alot so i slowly grew apart from them.

oh well those were the days.. back in the early 80's.. where playtime is totally different from now. cartoons on tv are just voltes V, daimos and smurfs. "other" shows for kids are only sesame street and batibot.

kids are more physical then and there were almost no mc donalds around. and, the simple joys of catching a beetle and grasshoppers were treasures. now if you ask an 8 year old what their treasures are.. they would say.. xbox, playstation and wii.

what do they want for chirstmas or their birthday? a cellphone with a camera and/or a laptop.

*sigh*

Moody Monday + Photo Friday

last week's photo friday's topic was "relationship"
this week's photo friday is "the extraordinary"
this moody monday's topic is "love"

so let me sum up these three themes into one..

an extraordinary love and relationship..

growing up romanticized with classic novels and literature.. it has been a dream for me to fall inlove in Paris - one of the most romantic places in the world if not the most. and i.. living on the other side of the world.. who would expect it something like this would come true?

about 3 and a half years ago, two wandering souls unexpectedly met and floated in the clouds of Paris.. despite the distance, they were inseparable since..

seven months ago i was awed by this photo and thus added it as a fave on flickr..



in a few hours the inspiration materialized thru my hands as i drew this..



weeks after that we found ourselves in the exact same spot..

unplanned.

but inevitable.



so now.. would you believe that dreams can come true?

yes they do. if you hold on to it.. and take the leap.

i am a living testimony.

actually, we are *.*

calling all paintaholics!

there is a new art challenge for all those who love to paint! Different Strokes from Different Folks

the rules are simple. one photograph will be posted every Wednesday and the goal is to paint or draw the scene, or etch it your way.. but sorry - no digital interpretations. so as for me, i should buy a new set of painting stuff then.

oh well, this is only their second week so let's give it a shot! here's this week's topic: Rehoboth Beach Landscape. here's my entry..



and of course i cant resist to make a digital version. here's the style i've been working on in the last 2 weeks..



i know! this is nothing compared to the entries there! well they are welcome to all artists who would like to join!

and so i recommend that everyone should see it! and for those who loves to paint regardless of being a pro or not, you can check out their blog and try it!

-----
(1) rehoboth beach landscape challenge, 2.5" x 4" (inches)
green gel pen on paper

(2) rehoboth beach digital, 970 x 720 pixels
green gel pen on paper
colors added thru picasa

illo friday: island

netherlands is made up of man-made islands ?
610 x 840 pixels
drawn on a 6 x 9 cm. paper
edited thru picasa, colors thru ms paint


He *.* mentioned to me before that there were plans in the netherlands to create a tulip-shaped island off the coast of a certain city that is visible from the moon.

now i need to verify this information coz i cant find it anywhere on the net (handicapped by my poor searching skills) plus my dsl connection was down (again!) earlier.

he also mentioned something about a cannabis-shaped island! imagine how it would look like.. a weed leaf shaped island! gee what a trademark! and i used to correct people that they should not immediately associate holland with weed. lol..

saying goodbye to outdated links

i have been trying to change my template for days and i know i have links (esp on my blogroll) which dates back to 2004, when i first started blogging. gee! its been what? 4 years already!

unfortunately not all my friends since then are still active in the cyberworld. or then again, have already changed locations..

as much as i want to keep them on my list (maybe they decide to put their sites back) i have too much going on at my sidebars that i need to lessen the activity. aside from that, i have this pop up thingy that i cant seem to remove lol. its adbrite's fault. oh well i havent opened my account there in ages! so thats another thing to add to my "to do list".

but here goes the links that i shall remove from my sidebar. the minimum time frame for me to classify them as outdated is if they havent touched their blogs/sites for 6 months or more.

::Directories:: Pinoy Top 100 onbloglist blog ranking (additional dead directories are still being reviewed) :: Literature :: A Warrior's Tale Silk Veracity .:A:. .:A:.(2) Aristocrat i Aristocrat ii poeticmermaid A Neutral World? atomic poet bluesky tavern c. asbury easywriter feminine expressions haunted house dressing indie ronron lost in thought make me hurt melancholy of sorrow x mystique temppixie maxwebber The Grey Scribe

::Illustration Friday Folks:: Anonymous Forever Young Mick Mather Paula Rowantree Shane Garton :: Visuals & Art Blogs :: Kadriorg playing with light Day Painter a painting a day a real jewel bob doodles brooks chaotic paradox glowing minds glowsintime jorgen's photos photobee shutter junkie tricki funny news people you might meet online

:: Pinoys around the world :: LadyWhiteSpirit Chaos meets Deity my kid cousin Nalagblog bagoong ave. faux seriousness no penny poems of a worm singulare twisted illusions Twisted Jessica :: Music :: posture joyzipper Radio indie pop Playtunes.net X FM

:: Shoutbox Deities :: hdamnation vryce Hazbro coast2coast biologisvensk captain jeff fofusa kirkkitsch weinerdog kelly CapnPlaty LukaQuinn PureMood MCfairy SBwisdom Ragdolls Customs the Burning Question

i visited them one by one and placed a comment on their last post. (if i do not end up in a 404-page) some of them used to be really great blogs. strangely, a few tho ended up owned by somebody else or the owner suddenly felt its better to have a spam blog.

and i now remember how blogexplosion used to be so fun. now they have totally blown out of proportion when it comes to blog counts. i dont even go to the shotbox anymore. it's too crowded. but if you wanna drive traffic to your blog, thats one of the best ways i guess lol. anyways..

as Robert Smith sings "this wonder always leaves, the time always comes to say goodbye.. and this tide always turns.."*

i guess i wont easily get tired of blogging. let's see tho in another 4 years time?
-----
note: *line from "Bloodflowers" - by the Cure

illo friday: clutter

in between my cluttered life and daydreaming.. i have you *.*



in my room
980 x 760 pixels
drawn on a 6 x 9 cm. paper
edited thru picasa, colors thru ms paint


In Your Room - Devics

In my room did you care
I never knew anyone who stared at me
Quite like the way your staring at me now
And if all these empty words you speak
Could change the boy who's at your feet
I think you need not look farther than your arms
Cause I'll never change
And you'll stay the same
And I'll never change

If I could change the boy at my feet
To a man who didn't have to speak
I wouldn't have to use my arms to measure
Something about the room that day
And how I knew I'd go away
Now all I can do is stare at you
And think what I'm about to do
Cause I'll never change
And you'll stay the same
And I'll never change

I stared at the light too long
And I did everything to keep from falling
When all is said and done
Do you think it was worth it
Patterns move across the floor
And it just doesn't feel the same I'm sorry
When all is said and done
I think it was worth it
Cause I'll never change
And you'll stay the same
And I'll never change

-----
music note: such a lovely song sung by a duet..