tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89617592397700591002024-03-12T19:23:48.176-07:00Speaking MichelangeloThis is a blog to share my love to foreign languages and art with people. Both look quite different but in the end they require the whole of you. Your talent, time, your effort and energy. And money too... :-) Enjoy.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961759239770059100.post-74164383793731902692013-08-11T15:34:00.001-07:002013-08-11T15:38:53.849-07:00Test of Colour Pencils<b>My "big" comparing test of color pencils</b> - Part 1<br />
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I have always been fascinated by pictures that I see on the internet. I often thought I might be able to create similar pictures, but the artists seldom share details about the materials or techniques they use. This gave me an idea to make a small (big for me) comparison of pencils I have and post it. Maybe, it can be helpful for some starting artists, even though I think the best is to try them out yourselves... :-)</div>
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I decided for the following rules for my test (one could call it <b>methodology</b>):</div>
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><i>I
decided to use 6 colors – 3 primary colors (yellow, red, blue) and 3
secondary colors (orange, violet, green) from each set (it was not
possible to do this with <b>Derwent 24 Graphitint,</b> because they offer
totally different range of colors - see the photo below with the circle of brownish and greyish shades)<o:p></o:p></i></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><i>In
my Daler-Rowney sketchbook I prepared a chart to test the pencils (see
photo)<o:p></o:p></i></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><i>I
arranged the colors according to the Chromatic Color Scale <o:p></o:p></i></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><i>I
used higher pressure at the edges and lessened the pressure towards the
middle. I tried to blend the neighboring colors to see how they blend
and what the individual layers look like…<o:p></o:p></i></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><i>I used 7 different sets of color pencils, the 'special' ones were - watercolor pencils, Graphitints and Soft chalk pastel in wood pencil.</i></span></li>
</ol>
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This is the result:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9frU0N1IaVS2NQyFptBMqG3oao4BDC5SVxD6HDkzDEcHM3hNS-N3G8Me5_oD_1sMrcWHQ88MWfQyJm4Ekt2qrv_IlG51WJN9L_okg4weT86xFEF0d00q8pClBwEYWorT8gBVje7Qa8Q/s1600/Test+upr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9frU0N1IaVS2NQyFptBMqG3oao4BDC5SVxD6HDkzDEcHM3hNS-N3G8Me5_oD_1sMrcWHQ88MWfQyJm4Ekt2qrv_IlG51WJN9L_okg4weT86xFEF0d00q8pClBwEYWorT8gBVje7Qa8Q/s1600/Test+upr.jpg" height="379" width="640" /></a></div>
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Except for the Soft pastel pencils (where I used my finger to blend the colors) the other circles are have not been blended yet (neither with paper, nor with any blending stumps, or fingers). I only use fingers for blending soft chalk pastel (it makes the surface of your finger dry and gives you better feeling when drawing large scale images). One should not use fingers for pencils (graphite or colors). Our skin is wet and greasy and if you are not careful you can easily destroy your picture... </div>
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Well this is about it. My next post should be about individual experiences with each set of pencils and with a closer image of the circle above. I will also add some extra photos for you to see the ways the pencils can be used and some pictures that I have drawn with the pencils... (especially those water-soluble and the soft chalk ones are special). With some hints for shading... :-)</div>
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Please, let me know if this was helpful. I will be grateful for your comments, feel free to share your impressions or experience with the pencils. </div>
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Thanks for reading.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961759239770059100.post-77515508073665821292012-02-25T05:02:00.000-08:002012-02-25T05:02:09.097-08:00Speaking Michelangelo...A lovely yesterday evening, tough night and even tougher morning...<br />
This happens, when an artist goes to bed and a language teacher wakes up, takes his pencils and starts drawing... (no thoughts of food there anyway...). Enjoy. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJM7mjVCBcRTsisWcGszqt3Y5YAvfBkabMUoYDrvJ8ZW488g15apUO3IdD3C3aZwad6Hzqe6DW6xvq0GPaWzyGDboyyH9sXb6VwRVLEZS1dM2-Qjf1eqh6yKzJcfZbnfFPXxfiWNimCg/s1600/Abracadabra+text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJM7mjVCBcRTsisWcGszqt3Y5YAvfBkabMUoYDrvJ8ZW488g15apUO3IdD3C3aZwad6Hzqe6DW6xvq0GPaWzyGDboyyH9sXb6VwRVLEZS1dM2-Qjf1eqh6yKzJcfZbnfFPXxfiWNimCg/s640/Abracadabra+text.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Thank you, my young and talented friends, for company yesterday. A lovely experience.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961759239770059100.post-64999548826503437352012-02-11T19:56:00.000-08:002012-02-11T19:56:32.953-08:00IdolsHaving an idol is great. It's inspiration, objective and an important motivation tool. Of course, it's also healthy to want to exceed it and become better, unique, appreciated...<br />
Here are only some of my idols...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKFCpI8gcg0sVznmZF9h6pbOK6xf5mosgjV5MRF7LJNyNzIEv51auZmTY9X-1RsbjrUwiEuyCXhb8CIr1fVyvAHaWcKTrwqri_ErYjsnTimUePv1OmoyP_BTyy3dlYxEod5eC0PKYAw/s1600/IMG1732+cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKFCpI8gcg0sVznmZF9h6pbOK6xf5mosgjV5MRF7LJNyNzIEv51auZmTY9X-1RsbjrUwiEuyCXhb8CIr1fVyvAHaWcKTrwqri_ErYjsnTimUePv1OmoyP_BTyy3dlYxEod5eC0PKYAw/s320/IMG1732+cut.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Whenever I turn the book pages, I feel the urge inside to take a pencil and paper and start drawing...<br />
Anyway, when it comes to idols, it doesn't really matter what you do. Drawing, sport, music, fashion or languages. When studying foreign languages, my idol is every educated native speaker... How can you do it in your country? Well, I mostly buy CDs and listen... the easiest... :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961759239770059100.post-36085767231078734792012-01-30T14:53:00.000-08:002012-01-30T14:53:34.374-08:00Fruitful Illness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HojwMP2gz5Qe7hyQU5ugdTE_sRC2jQEFHLmu4gqHYsFNp2N0kgmyw0mqlmnVL19vFUV6GTdjt2tIfBSPw-NWpPE26bZInq0AMpXnJQhLr3TZd-LMInXeJW1qHfnaJkqAetSiqi7yKQ/s1600/Jupiter+Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HojwMP2gz5Qe7hyQU5ugdTE_sRC2jQEFHLmu4gqHYsFNp2N0kgmyw0mqlmnVL19vFUV6GTdjt2tIfBSPw-NWpPE26bZInq0AMpXnJQhLr3TZd-LMInXeJW1qHfnaJkqAetSiqi7yKQ/s640/Jupiter+Final.jpg" width="453" /></a></div>I hate being ill so you can imagine how I felt when my sore throat started. But neither temperature, bed limitations (it's quite large) or headache, nor my runny nose waiting for the moment of my inattention to drop off, have put me off drawing... Here is the result.<br />
This is my Jupiter with his moons...<br />
I have Venus and Saturn now in my mind. I hope I will not have to be ill again to be able to finish the projects... :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961759239770059100.post-82643915145760097722011-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:002011-12-21T15:48:52.373-08:00Having the LIKE in mind...It's 0:22, so this gives me the right to use the word YESTERDAY. Well then, yesterday was really busy, but luckily I managed to get to Art Class more or less on time, i,e, 20 minutes late. Without having a clear idea of what to practice that day (I only knew it would be some real people or object) I left the choice on the teacher.<br />
'Have you done this yet?' she asked, having in hands an ugly grey bust of a woman with flat forehead, insignificant nose and barely defined lips, let alone the hair... The whole lot was set on an iron rod thus reminding me of a tribal war trophy.<br />
'No, I haven't.' I replied with disgust. 'Sorry, I really do not feel like drowing that. She looks like a zombie! I'll rather do the bust of Amos again.' I said. My previous attempt was not that good so I didn't have positive feelings about the bust, but, still better than the ugly corps like head.<br />
Actually, I wanted to try the sepia colour gioconda I bought a long time ago, so it din't really matter what I was going to draw. Well, this is the result.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JNIZXsDkExs/TvJuFuFZTMI/AAAAAAAAAEU/g24a2v3xOKI/s1600/J.A.K..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JNIZXsDkExs/TvJuFuFZTMI/AAAAAAAAAEU/g24a2v3xOKI/s320/J.A.K..jpg" width="240" /></a></div>In exactly 75 minutes I stopped and called the teacher to have a look, because I had to leave. She was happy and I, still having in mind the previous graphite version, was happy too.<br />
And the point? Well, there are many ways how to achieve what you want. Choose the one you like best and is pleasant for you at the same time... Who's told you that memorizing is the only way to learn a poem by heart?! :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961759239770059100.post-75450113558814174852011-12-04T14:19:00.000-08:002011-12-04T14:19:07.119-08:00The Real FeedbackHow often do you do something and wish to be recognised? Your work appreciated?<br />
Always! It doesn't really matter what you do or are doing: the dishes, vacuum cleaning, planting vegetables, cooking, learning a foreign language or drawing... You always wish the others to tell you that your work is good, worth the effort and time. That's human nature.<br />
This is even more true when you do something you are really keen to master. Getting feedback about your foreign language skills from your students or even your colleagues is nice (or maybe even great)... Nevertheless, can you compare it to the empowering feeling when a native speaker tells you your English is great? This is what I call a boost! You suddenly feel so motivated! You know that all those years of speaking, reading and listening weren't wasted...<br />
I'm trying to get better at drawing (and Italian too :-))... I work like many of you out there and in the rare periods of free time (when I'm not working, blogging, chatting with students or other coeliacs etc. you know, you name it... :-)) I'm trying to draw...<br />
I share the pictures with other on Facebook to get feedback and I'm really pleased to hear the drawings are good, but there is the 'but', mentioned above. I know that it will take ages till someone professional someday tells me that my works are good. But this is not what I need at the moment... Surprised? Well, I want to be criticised. By those I admire. I want to be told what I am doing wrong. I know I can be stubborn sometimes, but I want to be shown the way. You do not have to push me! I'm diligent enough. Only tell me, show me, teach me, guide me. Tell me what's wrong, but do not forget to tell me how to make it all right...<br />
Or let me watch you how you do it .................Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.com0Hlohovec, Slovakia48.4248462 17.8040043999999448.3584527 17.723867399999939 48.491239699999994 17.88414139999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961759239770059100.post-1680801017843444252011-11-27T13:54:00.000-08:002011-11-27T13:54:13.237-08:00The Best Way To LearnThis is my first text on my new blog, so a few words about me should be mentioned. I'm a teacher of foreign languages who likes to draw pictures in his free-time. At the moment I'm learning a few new languages and my greatest love is Italian. Additionally, I attend an art class, to come back to drawing which used to be my love when I was a child and teenager... I teach and learn new things every day. Just like many other people, of course, but since I am a teacher too, many people keep asking me the same question: "What's the best way to learn a foreign language?''<br />
Well, those of you who have ever tried to learn a foreign language seriously, OR better, have ever tried to learn ANYTHING seriously, I mean, not just: ''Show me how me how and I'll do it!'', those will surely agree, that the most important prerequisite is STRONG WILL. <br />
This may sound like a phrase. But it's not. Besides, I think there is no difference between learning a foreign language, cooking or drawing riding a mountain bike. Really! Just think about it:<br />
There have been, are and always will be people who have excellent talent for something. I know many talented people personally. Also, there are people like myself who have discovered a bit of talent for a few things deep inside too. I know that my friends would disagree. They love my work and my works too and are always so sweet to post a compliment or two... (Thank you, guys!) But...<br />
Everyday I come across people who have perfect memory for new words and phrases, good pronunciation from the very first lesson of a foreign language, or just lay the pencil lines or brush strokes so neatly next to each other, that their works leave me breathless... They are great inspiration for me. I was born with some talents (thanks mum and dad.), but I really have to work hard just to be at least half as good as they are... I must compensate what I lack with diligence. That's true.<br />
Don't take me wrong. I'm not complaining. I really am proud of what I have achieved so far. I know it's not much though. I'm proud, because I know how many times I had to say the sentence aloud to remember it. How many times I had to start that picture anew, use the rubber and correct it, so that it looks the way it does...<br />
I do not envy those talented ones. It only leaves me sad, when I see they do not develop their talent. Sometimes I feel I getting closer to them, but I know I would never have the chance if they worked only half as hard as me...<br />
Well, think about it, when you sometimes see my pictures somewhere, see me teach, talk to you or do some sports... Discover the will in you, follow your heart and don't be angry just because somebody is better than you. Let me tell you in my stories that nothing is impossible if you really want it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11734693928985122145noreply@blogger.com2Hlohovec, Slovenská republika48.4248462 17.8040043999999448.3584527 17.723867399999939 48.491239699999994 17.88414139999994