SmoothAnimator

Evie 4 months old

2011-10-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

Evie, 4 months old and a darling!

Look what I've been cooking!

2011-09-01T14:32:00.000-07:00

Another wee girl, Evie, was born in June. While not posting much at the moment I am definatley watching! x

happiness no. 3

2011-01-05T17:12:00.000-08:00

Eek! My pc died a few months ago so attempting an update on the mobile. But my happiness no. 3 is a goody:-)) baby number 2 is due on june 2nd. Woo hoo. More sketches when i get my laptop. X

Happiness No. 2

2010-08-15T21:06:00.001-07:00

Clean sheets! Dried on the line and smelling oh so good.

Her idea of happiness...

2010-08-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

Happiness

2010-07-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking alot about happiness recently, and I was inspired by the blog 1000 Awesome Things to start sketching things which make me happy or have made me happy that day. Luckily after two and a half years of 'readjustment' in my life, new kid, giving up working, and having a circle of friends who have all been struggling with some form of mild depression, I have started to look for happiness wherever I can. I read a review this week about this book on happiness and I like the idea of it being something you can learn to feel, something you need to work at, a skill to learn. Maybe it's my advance towards what we used to think of as middle age, or the hormones from my current fertility treatment, but I'm doing alot more thinking at the moment, and I like being happy. I'm good at it too ;-) I hope I can make you happy while I'm doing it!

Happiness no. 1

When you get so wet that you couldn't get any wetter, so you might as well surrender.

I think she likes it! (or a tutu a day keeps the doctor away...)

2010-07-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

This is how I roll...

2010-07-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

Gosh I've been quiet! I blame my new car ;-) From nervous nelly to chilled out Ice-Man in just a few short months, this is how I roll these days. Loving the freedom and exploring other parts of this fair city - steadily piling on pounds now my only form of exercise (walking) has bitten the dust. But all is good in this hood! No work on right now, so just chillin with the kid. Hope you're all well? x

Another week another model. And boy oh boy - this one ROCKED!

2010-05-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

My favourite so far. She had grace, poise and confidence. And look at that body! I'm going to frame this one, and try and work it into a painting.

Last night's Life-Drawing. A fab round lady - stunning tomato red hair

2010-05-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

Two 3 minute poses. Trying thin spindly willow charcoal along with my usual soft fat stuff, and I liked the change in style it gave me. I LOVED this model, would have her as my muse! She connected with us, smiled, struck some amazing balletic poses. Just a generous woman with this full on died hot red hair. A great night, topped off with Project Runway and a wine when I got home...perfect ;-)

a little job

2010-04-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a wee animated fruit at the moment. Just sketching some ideas. Hard to keep the overall oval shape which still have some features! I hope they like it...

Week 3 life drawing, loving it! Really enjoyed this model.

2010-03-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

I'm going to have to re-name my blog at this rate ;-)

Hand, foot and mouth...

2010-02-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

Poor Millie is sick today. It races through the gang like wildfire, little blisters and feeling rough.

But she's still such a sweetie.

Week 2 lifedrawing

2010-02-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

Hot damned hot! The charcoal slid off the page and all over my sweaty little face.

Here are my best three - though still not good enough!

Time to get my hands dirty again

2010-02-14T15:38:00.000-08:00

Now my animation contract has prematurely come to an end, (and because it just takes too darned long to animate just for the sake of it) I am throwing myself back into a recently ignored love of mine, life-drawing. First night at the Devonport group was last week. Our model Fred is a fabulous looking dude, but I must admit I much prefer big boobie ladies and I hope that's what I get this week! I was rusty and too self aware to be much good, but I don't mind this one for a quick n dirty practice. More to follow as the weeks pass, and hopefully some translated into oils x

Look what I bought!

2010-01-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

A fabulous print I can't wait to get in the post soon. I LOVE it, and I just know it will inspire me!

http://samanthafrench.com/printlake.html

This was her Christmas!

2010-01-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

A fiesta of swimming, sun and eating - just like my childhood memories. I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas too. x

This is my Christmas

2009-12-20T15:03:00.000-08:00

My Christmas is red and green! It's hot and sunny, and Millie turned two last month, so is really getting into it this year. Here she is with her hairy grass man, all dressed up for the season. My cake is resting and hopefully fabulous, and this week I will be making spiced red cabbage, fruit mince tarts, veloute gravy to freeze for the big day, and gingerbread cookies. Love and blessings to you all this Christmas. Jen

The hottest days of the summer so far...

2009-12-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

...and I'm working on the computer and cooking a Christmas cake! Yes simultaneously - after all, I am woman, hear me multi-task. It's my first Christmas cake and it's fair to say I'm nervous. After all there's no testing it until the gathered throngs cut into it in 15 days time. I am playing it safe I think - it's made with condensed milk and how can any rich fruity brandy soaked cake fail with that secret ingredient? Also I got to take a medicinal spoonful straight from the tin, something I've not done in about 20 years. IT'S SO GOOD!!

Meanwhile, work - resizing a game I did two years ago. One of the operators needs a wider game and who are we to argue! It's not easy remembering all my logical thought processes of yore regarding saving, naming and so on. But I'm nearly there. Here is my main character, you can tell he's a ladies bee. Think Barry White as soundtrack.x

the girl loves her bubbles!

2009-11-30T16:20:00.000-08:00

I know I should have waited till Christmas, but patience has never been my thing! Here she is getting maximum bubbleage out of one puff x

Lucky Me!

2009-11-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

I never win anything, but last week the delightful and talented Elisabeth from Fine Little Day chose me to win a limited edition print from her latest creation. Cute eh!?

I have just realised I need to paint my fence!

What a great concept

2009-11-05T19:04:00.001-08:00

http://www.dearmebooks.com/

Giovanni I would like to see you write one of these xx

oo I like these paintings! Makes me want to get out the brushes again

2009-11-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

tyson anthony roberts

HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEN!

2009-10-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

Summertime, and the eating is eaaasyyy

2009-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. Millie and I have grown Strawberries for the first time, (in a hanging basket - thankyou Jamie Oliver for the idea) and we are ridiculously excited to have eaten the first of our babies today! Woohoo

Millie turns two - it's a teddybears picnic!

2009-10-15T18:11:00.000-07:00

You may remember the vintage 50's cookie cutters I bought a few months back. Well it's taken me this long to get a dough which worked, and a method for unsticking.

Some of my little army of teddybears for the party on Sunday look like they've been in a terrible factory explosion, but I love them as if they are my own ;-)

Now for the Teddy Bear cake...

do you mind eating food with faces?

Guinevere morphs out of Lancelot

2009-10-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I buckled down and transformed Lancelot into Guinevere (to save time on this big project I am reusing characters wherever I can) & got it to this stage in about 3 hours, which was good work! Good to be back into it though. x

PS as an aside, Spring is here!

Tea & flowers - life's simple pleasures.

Becoming house proud (in a good way)

2009-09-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

Over the last years I have started to really dig gardening! (Millie and I spend ages out there weeding, her tiny toddler's fingers are great for those stubborn little ones in the brick cracks) and I guess because we've thrown some money at landscaping I suddenly feel the need to make it work! Yesterday a local landscaper (who I'd nervously contacted after getting his flier in the post) arrived to spend a day here. We talked about what had gone on before (he wasn't very complimentary about the last guy!) and decided things were in the wrong holes, too cluttered and a couple of planting beds which I'd wanted to become 'walls' of planting (only because real brick walls cost too much) were looking pretty sad. A mere smear of ground cover then a couple of spindly tall trees do not a wall make! After dropping Millie at kindy we took of in his ute to the big tradesmen's nursery where I fell in love with Corokia Frosted Chocolate and we agreed it would do a lovely job of being that middle tier I so needed. SO we bought 23 and came home and stuck them in the ground. It was a drizzly warm day, perfect for transplanting. I attach a photo of the patio and planting...oh and one of Millie washing sand ;-)

Aspects of Millie

2009-09-18T23:25:00.000-07:00

A busy sketching month with one of Millie for David's 40th, and an invite to her 2nd birthday (a teddy bear's picnic) which is only a month away. She's developing a rather delightful lisp, like an old person whistling through their false teeth. Ricies becomes rishies. Cute!

Those Danes, they sure know how to design

2009-09-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a lovely blog I follow, Design Totally Rocks for this link. http://www.housedoctor.dk/Pages/eng/Kollektion_UK.aspx

You can select a catalogue and peruse online. Sadly no NZ stockists I know of. I might start a shop ;-) Wonky Eye Day and Kirsten D can come and work with me! WOOHOOO (dreams are free...)

For Jo

2009-09-04T20:26:00.001-07:00

Well ladies, today I became a woman. Or at least a footballer's wife. I had a spraytan! Here I am in one of the many and complex poses I had to master. I haven't bathed yet, but so far so good! Will update tan status upon return from Aus. x

Armour progress

2009-09-01T15:00:00.001-07:00

I fought off inertia yesterday to spend a couple of good solid hours building Lancelot's armour. The eagle eyed amoung you may notice he only has half a body. Once I've perfected this side I will mirror it. I still need to texture the armour to make it more 'metally' and maybe add a simple row of rivets. But I dont want to overdo it as it's a little cartoony whimsy. x
Today: the rest of the detail, a bit of texturing and bob's your uncle!

EDIT: FRIDAY - And here he is in fuming glory.

I'm a simple gal at heart...

2009-08-20T16:14:00.001-07:00

A new pair of patent nude heels with white piping makes me happy! Yay for summer. x

Lancelot gets hair, and some expressions

2009-08-18T20:41:00.001-07:00

An enjoyable days work with suit of armour still to come

A big purchase day

2009-08-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

We're feeling very excited and grown up as we invest in a proper BBQ which we don't need to erect ourselves (always a bad start) and which is guaranteed not to rust for years! I can't wait for summer. Our deck is beside the kitchen with bi-fold windows opening up the space between the two. I can pass dishes out the window and a party can be split between both areas and still feel like one gathering. I can tell it's going to get alot of use, and I can't wait to give our old one to the inorganic collection.

(X marks the spot)

A new find for my Google Reader

2009-08-13T16:18:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my dear friend Kirsten who introduced me to the groovy architectural and design mag, Dezeen I'm not sure how much work I'll ever do again with all this good stuff to read!

Millie is NZ's Future Top Model

2009-08-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

I didn't intend on filling this blog with photos of my admittedly gorgeous daughter, (heck, that's what Facebook is for right?) but I couldn't resist sharing the Etsy shop of ZaaBerry who made this stunning little number for Millie's second birthday in a couple of months time. Oo I love it! Colours even more gorgeous in real life...

Goodbye Cruel World...

2009-08-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

Today I am lucky to be alive. Yesterday Millie braved the big kids' climbing frame then refused to come down the way she went up. That only left a fireman's pole, which may well have been over 12 feet tall. I saved her (you will be pleased to know) then had to evacuate the ledge. I think the last time I tried to hold my bodyweight like this was 25 years ago. I made it, and wore a silly grin for hours afterwards. What a rush ;-) But as you can see from this artist's impression, it was also my Bridget Jones moment of the year. x

...and finally for today

2009-08-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

Just been introduced to this mag/site which looks pretty interesting 'a gallery of underground artists who influence much of the fashion, graphics, and new art we see today. Full color layouts featuring painters, sculptors, cartoonists and photographers are featured along with interviews, rare portfolios, sketches and reviews.'

Oh YEAH baybee!!

2009-08-06T20:07:00.001-07:00

I like this

2009-08-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

I like this esp. the photos of the old house...makes me feel like I'm there! Actually makes me want to write a novel set there. Ooo and I followed the link and we can buy it for 39,000 euros! Anyone? ANYONE? It looks to be in the boondocks in rural Sweden, but I might be being harsh, I am not that familier with Swedish geography ;-) but the men are cute. But then so are the laydees. Oh and I am married. OK anyone else? x

Today I am...

2009-08-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

Working on 3D, taking Robin who I'd pretty much finished here, and transforming into Sir Lancelot! Step 1. Remove hat ;-)

Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere - first draft

2009-07-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

With my Robin Hood animation being shelved for the foreseeable future (someone beat us to it) I'm moving onto a King Arthur themed one. Just sketching some ideas today really, not a great illustration, but I got too obsessed with colours and wiggly lines! Either way they will just be inspiration for the actual 3D models. The look is big heads, little bodies, cartoon, but not too crazy. PS the eagle eyed may notice I'm reusing elements of the RH characters I created some months ago.

Some things which made me happy today

2009-07-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today I....

2009-07-23T17:54:00.001-07:00

Things I love

2009-07-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

I have been inspired by my new Etsy 'finds', Wonky-Eye-Day & Julia Pott to post an illustration whenever I can.

I have a new blue dress....

2009-07-22T15:34:00.001-07:00

Hello fans! Ok hello myself. I have discovered Etsy.com, only mere years after everyone else. I am now bankrupt and alone, but dressed beautifully and surrounded by new blogs and trinkets. Thankyou dear WonkyEyeDay for making this piece.

2007-06-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/vip/JenniNZ?1179293417