Tuesday 22 May 2007

EDM Challenge # 118 - Draw hair


Michelle (re-visited) - graphite in A5 sketchbook - © Serena Lewis

Click on picture to see it larger and more clearly

I'm afraid the eyes were niggling at me as I felt I had done the irises too large. So I went back to the drawing board and fixed them. I think the irises are in correct proportion now so I'm a little happier. I guess the main part of this challenge was to do hair but I'm terrible if I notice things that need to be corrected. I just can't leave them alone until I'm satisfied. On another note, a couple of readers mentioned that they would like to see larger pics of my sketches so I'll try to do that from now on also.

Michelle - graphite in A5 sketchbook - © Serena Lewis

I've been under the weather lately with feeling nauseous and having fainting spells so took myself off to the doctor last week. I kinda knew my blood results would show that I was anaemic because I hadn't eaten a balanced diet over the past few months and, of course, being a semi-vegetarian for two years now, that didn't go down too well. It took a couple of fainting spells to wake me up. I'm now on iron supplements but, apparently, it takes nearly six weeks for the body to build its iron reserves back up so I'm still dealing with feeling tired, weak and nauseous. :( Hence the reason I've been a little lax at doing my EDM challenges, and any other form of art for that matter, apart from still teaching the weekly art classes. Yesterday, I managed to sit down and draw my daughter, Michelle, so Challenge #118 is now out of the way. YES!

42 comments:

  1. Serena, sorry to hear you've been poorly. When I carried my Sons I suffered with low iron, I was given iron tablets and they did nothing, they doubled the doage....nothing...for months.
    Then I took some good old fashioned advice and got myself a tin of Mackensons, diluted it with lemonade to make a kind of shandyand had half a tin a day. I felt so much better within just a couple of days and my bloods came back normal just 4 days later.
    Get yourself some, it's much better, quicker remedy than iron tablets and doesn't offer all the downsides they do too.
    Guiness would work equally as well...and trust me...You do get used to the taste eventually. Miracle in a tin!
    BTW, your hair sketch is lovely!

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  2. GORGEOUS!! BEAUTIFULLY DONE, SERENA! Hope you're up to snuff soon!

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  3. Your daughter is beautiful! And so is your drawing of her. You really know about your values and shading. I'm not that good at it yet.

    Take care of yourself. The fainting spells and anaemia aren't good.ahope you feel better soon.

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  4. hi Serena. it's a very nice drawing. I wish you posted a littler large images to see them better. It looks really good anyway. Hey, take care of yourself, eat well and hope you'll be ok very very soon. Best wishes.

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  5. Thank you, Anita! Thanks for the well wishes and advice also. I had to Google 'Mackensons' as I had no idea what it was. lol I hate the taste of stout but, if it's gonna do me some good, it might be worth a try. Might be bearable with lemonade. :) Not sure if they carry that brand here but will check it out.

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  6. Thanks Lin and Bonny.....I hope to be up to par soon also.

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  7. Hope you are well soon. Great drawing and a beautiful daughter. must have been a pleasure to draw.
    Lots of love from Susan in Australia

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  8. The drawing is lovely, and so is your subject.

    Iron supplements on an empty stomach can make you nauseous.

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  9. Thanks, Martin. Sorry about the smaller image but I'm paranoid about going over my quota limit on the Picasa free account. However, if you are interested in seeing a larger view, you can visit my EDM album on my Picturetrail link shown in the Links section if this Blog. You are the second person who has mentioned this so, from now on, I will be sure to include the Picturetrail link to the larger image in my EDM posts. :)

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  10. Thanks, Susan ~

    Thanks, Jenny.....unfortunately, the nauseous feeling is due to the anaemia but I'm hoping it will pass once I build up my iron again.

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  11. lovely drawing - shiny hair!

    Once you've got your iron levels back up try eating 3 dried apricots every day - they are very high in iron. Despite my love of anchovies I don't in fact eat them - I am vegan. I never have iron probs (I've just been checked myself)though.

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  12. Thanks, Sarah!

    I LOVE dried apricots but haven't had any for a long time. I drank some stout tonight following Anita's advice so apricots are next on my list. :)

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  13. Beautiful drawing of your daughter. I could tell at once that that's who it had to be, because she looks so much like the photo of you! :-)
    Hope you feel better soon.

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  14. Thanks for the lovely compliment, Linda :)

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  15. Beautiful drawing of a lovely daughter. She looks so sweet. Hope you are feeling better. As a child I was anemic and had to take an awful thick black syrup. Hopefully the supplements have improved.

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  16. Lovely drawing. It's not easy being a vegetarian - I have tried a few times but need the meat for the same reason...

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  17. Thanks, Anna. :)

    I love being semi-vegetarian and I eventually aim to cut out the seafood too. Great health can be had on vegetarian/vegan diets, however, it is important to make sure you're getting all the right nutrients, something I know I had neglected over the past few months. A lesson I've learned the hard way :)

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  18. GET WELL!!! VERRRRRYYY NICE drawing....

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  19. This is just lovely. You have a beautiful drawing style.

    Sorry about your iron problems...I hope you feel better soon. Raw spinach is good, also take your iron with orange juice- it'll help you absorb it.

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  20. So beautifully done! WOW!

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  21. Thank you, Teri and Maggie ~ :)

    Thanks, stapeliad! I was also told that dried green peas are a great source of iron. The doctor has me on specific iron tablets that are Vitamin C fortified so that makes it easier for my body to absorb the iron and means I don't have to pack in the juice. I'm not a huge juice fan but I do drink lots of Green Tea which is rich in antioxidants.

    Oh, and I tried drinking Stout, as Anita mentioned in her comment above and IT WORKS!! I wouldn't know know how it's actually affected my iron levels without a blood test but it certainly has helped with the tiredness and nauseousness...I felt GREAT yesterday! Not the nicest stuff taste-wise but I have had worse. :)

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  22. Amazing drawing as always Serena....and please take care of yourself. I know you're probably worried about the move coming up and how that's all going to work out but try not to worry. Everything will be fine and you'll be feeling terrific in no time. You have lots of good advice out there...nothing else I can think of to add...lol.. Just get better, Ro

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  23. Thanks, Ro! :)

    Thanks also for the encouraging words and well wishes...they are much appreciated.

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  24. Hi Serena, thanks for your kind comments and visit. Your sketches are lovely and your paintings are just gorgeous! I have a daughter too and working my way up to doing a portrait of her :)

    Take care and hope you're feeling top-notch soon. btw - I see you're reading *the secret* - how is it?

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  25. This is a lovely drawing with great hair! nice work! I hope you are feeling better and taking your medicine. Fainting is not good for you, so be careful. Take care!!!

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  26. Thanks, Laura! I'm enjoying The Secret and it pretty much sticks to the same format as the DVD. I was a little disappointed that Esther Hicks wasn't featured in the book though as she was one of my favourites on the DVD. I bought the DVD when it first came out and LOVE that! I watch it whenever I need some motivation ~

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  27. Thanks, E-J! I'm glad the fainting spells have stopped and I'm feeling a lot better than I was. :)

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  28. Wonderful drawing! I'm glad to hear your energy is starting to come back and that you're feeling a little better.

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  29. Thanks, Jana....your well wishes are very appreciated also. :)

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  30. Oh my gosh, I just now read this blog post. I hope you are feeling better! Please do take care of yourself, HUGS! Beautiful sketch, by the way. :)

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  31. I hope you are already feeling a lot better, Serena!
    This is just a beautiful drawing of your daughter. Lovely on the eyes and mouth and beautiful hair. And of course, what a beauty she is!
    Ronell

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  32. Thank you, Ronell! I missed out on a couple of nights of having the stout and I noticed I was back to feeling weak and off-colour so, yesterday, I made sure I picked up some more stout. :) I don't know what it is but that stuff really does help build up my energy levels. I just hope it doesn't also add to the waistline. lol

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  33. I wish you gave on line drawing lessons (: awesome drawing!

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  34. Wow Serena! You've been posting some great drawings. The flowers, and the wallet, and the candle, and the zebra, and and and.... how did I miss the whole month of May?? I'm sorry you've not been feeling well. Keep drinking your stout! Your sketch of Michelle is absolutely lovely. I like how your brought the tonal values up in the second one, and I love the shape of her nose and mouth. She must be loads of fun to draw.

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  35. Serena, your flowers are lovely and this portrait (and the hair :)) is gorgeous! Wonderfully done, I love it.

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  36. Beautiful drawing. You did a wonderful job on that hair. Sorry to hear youa re feeling low and hope the stout works. I had never heard of that remedy before. I was feeling poorly and when I went to my MD found out I was majorly deficit on quite a few minerals and vitamins... and I WAS eating healthy. Go figure. Hope you're feeling better soon.

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  37. Valerie, thanks for the wonderful comment! I joined EDM to help improve my drawing skills as I still see myself as very much a novice when it comes to drawing. I've found the challenges have given me the enthusiasm to draw more often and I do feel my skills are improving so I'm rapt! :)

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  38. Thank you, juj! I think Michelle is the perfect model too even though she is quite critical of herself. I did get some positive feedback from her on this one. Phew! I remember when she was younger how much she detested having the full lips whereas now, women actually pay to have full lips like her's so she doesn't hate them anymore. lol

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  39. Thanks, Sherie! I hope you are much better now also.

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  40. What a gorgeous drawing, Serena! Michelle looks really lovely :))

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