My Morning Train Rides

Hi :)

Walking out my front door this morning I was greeted by the most magnificent sunrise, the sky was all shades of pink and orange and purple, the clouds majestic with golden lining, I am sure that every Capetonian awake before 8am couldn’t help but notice this amazing view.

So today’s sunrise inspired this blog...

Days when I can take the train to work I do, it saves petrol (which seems to go nowhere these days!) and I don't have to deal with traffic. You'd think that's enough reason for somebody to put up with Metrorail’s delays and cancelations... but no, I have even more reason to get excited for my train rides... the VIEWS!

Take a look at a few of my morning views...

Now how can these views not leave you ready to take the day on head first!

Stay Smilling
Talana
:)

Unisa Art Workshop

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all well and have had a lovely week J

I have! J I had my first UNISA art workshop this week, where I handed in all my art assignments, for drawing, painting and sculpture. Half of the workshop comprised of lectures, a few activities, and the other half was assessing.

Our lecturers, Gwen Miller, Emma Willemse, Fabian Wargau and Katya Venter, were amazing. Such brilliant artists themselves, look them up! They gave me great advice and were very inspiring! Their marking was tough but at least you know when you get that good mark you really do deserve it! I passed all my modules, woop woop, not amazing marks but a pass is a pass when you’ve been as busy as I have!

Here’s a few photos of my art...

My first nude still
Ink, jik, charcoal and pastel on paper

trapped
Digitally edited photograph collage and fineliner (top)
Pencil drawing on paper

Sculpture inspired by the trapped butterfly
Mixed Media

Stand Up
Mixed Media



My drawing & painting assignment 1s



Still lifes of the objects I chose
Acrylic on canvas

Still lifes
Acrylic on paper (left) and canvas (right)

Over the Umbrella
Acrylic on canvas

Moving on... more busy times ahead, I have my Eco Craft Classes happening soon, yay for that J This term is my teaching prac term, so lots of lesson planning ahead! Then there are exams end of May- not amped for those, and finally, submission of art assignment 2. Excited for the road ahead, a little nervous about my time management skills failing to improve- I really do need time management tips, that work, please J

I am getting Photoshop soon, can’t wait to start with the digital drawing!!
Watch this space J

Well best I get down to my art research, first on the list is defining the line between art and craft, where it is blurred and what are the do’s and don’ts.

Stay Smilling
Talana

:)  

Upcycling Eco-Craft Classes coming soon!

Hi all

So here's a sneak peak at a little of what my new adventure entails...

Upcycling Eco-Craft Classes by Talana

‘Going Green’ is not a fad; it’s a way of life. 

Give your child a chance to explore the world of Reducing, Re-using, Recycling and UPCYCLING! Upcycling Eco-Crafts will light a flame in your creative bank, we will teach your children to turn waste into something of equal or greater use and the importance of recycling at the same time, you may even find your child is on their way to becoming the next best Eco Designer or Architect.

Eco-living is the way forward. You can equip your child with a grounding and excitement for upcycling, recycling, and caring for the environment, with these fun classes on offer.

Classes are 1 hour and will be grouped according to age.

  Upcycling Eco-Craft Class - what to expect...

Upcycled sail boats

Rock animals

Nature art

Upcycled card name plaques and blackboards

Upcycled pinwheel

Mask making with recyclables

Egg cup creatures

Rain sticks

Solar pizza box oven

Coat hanger mobile

Toilet roll stationary holder

Juice packet purse

And more!

I will be starting small, with childrens parties at Scallywags Play Cafe in Claremont, with weekly classes starting next term.

Contact me if you are interested in enrolling your child!

Stay Smilling

Talana

:)

Playing with PhotoScape

Some previews of my art assignments...

Trapped

Mirror Image

 So enjoying this new technique!

Stay Smilling
Talana
:)

The excitement of photo editing !!

Hi again :)

Okay so I’m STILL procrastinating about the studying... but I’ve been quite productive with business research, photography breakthroughs (yes I’ve only just discovered a REAL photo editing programme, and yes I am SO EXCITED!), and a possible new route to take with my art!!

Digital Art?

I downloaded PhotoScape today, amazing free software, easy to use, so much fun for a beginner, I know I’ll be enjoying all its features a long while!
Try it out if you're interested in the basics of photography and enjoy editing.
http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/download.php

I spent the morning playing with photos, real possibilities of doing photography for cash, let’s wait and see :) I also played with a few effects and editing colours, fun fun :)

All this fun got me thinking, this is art, surely I can do this sort of thing for my assignments??
Check out what I did, a really quick (well an hour or so) experiment with my own sketches in photos and edited on PhotoScape.

Photo of original ink hand drawn heart

Photo of original ink hand drawn lollipop

Photo of original ink hand drawn house

Candy House complete- edited on Photoscape

So what do you think? Hand draw a sketch, photograph it, digitally enhance photo and submit that for my assignments??
Would UNISA allow it for a visual arts degree?

Please leave your comments below :)

Stay Smilling
Talana
:)

Playing with paperclips...

I've always found paperclips to be amusing...

This is NOT procrastinating ;)

Hang in there!

kissy face ;)

Quack

Pac Man

Oh Dear!

Stay Smilling
Talana
:)

School Holidays= Home, Family and Studies :)

A quick Hello to you all

How time flies!! School holidays are almost over and I've not got around to half of the studying I'd planned to do :( Those who know me, know I was back home with my family this last week, my uncle was ill with what we still don’t know! But God is good and Steve is making an amazing recovering, a HUGE thank-you to all that kept him in your prayers!

Loved being back home with the family, my cousins are down from London, so loved spending time with them *hugs*, but always had the tons of studying to be done in the back of my mind, it just never ends! UNISA don’t make it easy to stay motivated either, sigh, their lack of admin skills is frustrating beyond measure, just today they failed a whole course of students because they marked the assignment against the wrong memo! It's just a joke. Okay, rant over.

Well said by a fellow student http://www.hellopeter.com/unisa/complaints/incorrect-marking-resulting-in-failure-774460.

While back home my AMAZING mother brought me a new camera, looking forward to some pretty photo shoots :) Any ideas where or what my first shoot should be?? I’m thinking Lion’s Head?? I’d like to experiment with this fancy new Long Shutter function?? Any tips??

Next few weeks will be busy with assignments, must get over this week of teaching assignments then concentrate on the art due on the 16th, after that is exam prep and teaching prac, shew busy busy!

Only up, up and away from here, exciting times ahead...

Stay Smiling

Talana

:)