Drawing Ugly Hands and Writing Funny Stories
Self help books by literary characters, a Mother's Day card from Oedipus, and more
Hello everyone!
It’s official! I hate hands!
OK, that’s not true, I love my hands and all that I can do with them. You know what they can’t do? Draw other hands! It’s like they’ve never seen themselves.
I’ve been tearing through my ugly sketchbook (a cheap flimsy sketchbook that one has no problem destroying) with my attempts at drawing people, plants, hands, and other objects around the house. The goal is to make them look as real as possible. I am not succeeding.
Going back to fundamentals has been…less than fun. Yet I know it will payoff and give me more confidence and a greater ability to communicate ideas on the page. In my head I see the art I want to create but I lack the skill or knowledge of how to get there. Classes in color, shape, proportion, motion, and everything else is one of the best things I could be doing with my morning artsy time.
Here is just one page of ugly hands.
I do other fun things though. For example I’ve been taking a course about surface patterns. As you can see I have a lot to learn in that regard as well.
I’m determined to teach myself how to do all this better than I am now. Luckily it’s a very low bar I’m jumping. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate what I do right now, but I’d like a cleaner look and to define my style more.
Other than that I’m trying to work, write, and plugging away at a project.
Anyway…
Some stories you might like:
Sometimes humor comes from a place of rage. Like when someone on a job board won’t reveal what the rate they will pay until after work is sent in.
One of many Mother’s Day writings from the last week, in which literary characters give gifts to their mothers.
Financial advice from Marie Antoinette. Ask yourself why are you buying so many fancy gold dog pillows before you blame her for your poverty.
Mother’s Day cards from characters in your favorite books like Matilda and Mowgli.
Self help books written by literary characters.
Some nonfiction humor: Badges I would give to my mom if they existed. My mom is the reason I have the dark sense of humor I have today, and I wrote this tribute to her. (Yes, that’s my siblings and I in our little baby blankets)
Other writers I’ve enjoyed working with recently:
It was impossible to not laugh at Brigette Schoenung’s list of podcasts created by the heroines of Jane Austen novels.
Alexander Hamilton inspired one of my favorite musicals as well as this humor piece by Amy Skeel, which is written from the point of view of a forgotten son.
You know I love horror movies. Angela Volkov’s use of the tropes is masterful which makes her take on how a real estate agent might justify spooky happenings a joy to read.
Thank you for reading! I hope you are well!
Wishing you the best,
Kyrie
P.S. If you feel like it you can click the link below to…
