Lifestyle by Design
Endless Days Connection Games to enrich life through adventures and improvisation to share with friends and beloveds while apart. A live host’s companion, full hot links and cool was to connect. Download the eBook, a free with Kidle Unlimited membership.
Stitching together, a celebration of crating, community and friendship.
If your last name is Tennant, Anderson, Hotchkiss, Densmore, DeAngelo, Grimes, Philips, Calabia, Leopere, Lando, Spielman, Moore or Cain-Rollings you will likely find familiar imagery in this book. An epic computer crash and time at home has provided the inspiration to catalog my quilt making mania.
Now is the time, if you are welcoming a new baby into the family contact me about creating a custom offering. I will stitch you a matching tiny keepsake from the same cloth as the splendid welcome quilt. You get a mini art momento to hold close while apart thank is a link to the full sized art quilt.
Additionally the “pitch in a patch” is still available for groups who wish to create a good luck, welcome, or make up a gift “from all of us”. Have everyone contribute cloth to mark a special occasion. See my book as it is full of ideas and examples of past work. Some quilts use photos, creative themes as narratives. Others are artistic visionary pieces built fro wild dreams and twist into previously unseen unforeseen directions.
Build a lifelong practice.
Are you thinking “I can’t draw”?
Do you wish you had gone to art school but didn’t have access to that privilege? Here’s a glimpse of what I learned about drawing from years of studying art and teaching design to high school and college level students.
For years I have been planning, sifting, perceiving, composing and choosing the very best practices to build this simple but comprehensive visual guide for you. All of the images and words are my own. Writing the book I imagined what I would say to you if we were sitting together over our papers with pencils in hand to help you succeed. May you enjoy this gift, what I have brought together to share with you my student, my friend, my earlier self.
Precocious students of any age are invited to check out this comprehensive, sequential college level exploration. The text divided into a 10 unit curriculum, opens each with a rubric table of goals for self assessment. This tool allows individuals to synthesize deep thoughts on new ideas while studying independently.
Use pencil and paper (mostly) so no fancy supplies are needed to get started. Set aside your excuses as no previous skills are necessary. This instruction can be a refresher for strengthening hand eye skills and keeping the mind sharp or walk you forward from the very beginning of your visual education.
Playfulness is a key value of this practice.
Tune into the social opportunities for drawing with friends or honoring relatives. Share this information with a group of friends or maybe other students. Gain access playful games to strengthen visual perception while having fun. (Check out my previous post, dedicated to an e-book all about fun and games).
Draw because you can’t take a picture.
Dream can not be photographed, but what fun they are to document. Access the life of the mind with a drawing practice. Get started now. Begin with step instructions to build confidence. After completion, the final step is to build a portfolio to feature and show off your finished work.
Drawing Illuminated, Beyond Basic is a great tool to use independently or as the foundation of a drawing workshop or class.
Enjoy strengthening your creative practice. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing what you build along your journey.
A Free Download with Kindle Unlimited
In response to the conditions of 2020 I made a study fun. It is now an eBook of games, tips and ideas for hosting a memorable gathering.
Follow the Leader – Variations including body percussion links to get things moving
Drawer Dash -Locate of a particular class of item to show and tell in a flash on a theme
Virtual Tours – Journey together to a suggested destinations or build your own adventure
Telepathic Graphic – Test how well you can beam a drawn image to a remote partner
Gift Horse – Retire the tired old White Elephant and try a new story gifting game
Some easy paper and pencil moves on to embedded features like screen sharing or everyone marking on the same whiteboard. Click scribble on coloring pages to mark at the same time while getting familiar with zoom tools.
Games with turn taking help people communicate across the distance. Being together in play is fun. When background noise, conversation dominators and cross talk occur a host can choose to mute and get back to the game. Find a way for everybody to share and be present, together while apart.
The Saturday 10/10/2020 Suzi HikingDress was a big success, and will be offered again soon. Email Rp@raychil.com to express interest in joining beginner level classes.
next in the lineup
Gather your Largest T-shirt, sewing supplies & download the PDF instructions before the meeting.
During the 90 minute session learn how to BodyFit for an up cycled fall dress or tunic.
Use a comfortable A line or choose a closer fitting shape to remake a favorite cotton T-shirt. This easily accessible beginner project features careful fitting and finishing to completa your Hikingdress or tunic in one day. You likely have all the supplies on hand you (if you sew).
Hope to see you there.
On line drawing classes are forming now with instructor Rachel L. Philips MFA
e-mail Rp@raychil.com join the new ten week series based on the new text Drawing Illuminated.
Beyond Basic works from my book Drawing Illuminated. It meets Tuesday 12:30 am – 1:30 pm PST
Suggested Curriculum for ten weeks of instruction based on the book:
Drawing Illuminated Beyond Basic
by Rachel L. Philips MFA © 2020
Contour Line, Linear topography p. 7-10, 17- 18
Line, Contour Drawing and blind contour p. 7-10, 11 -14, 23 -24
Line, Bold Gestures p. 7-10, 15 – 16, 29 -30
Shape, 2D and 3D forms p. 19 -22
Balance p. 99 – 100
Value, positive negative space p. 31 -34, 35 – 38
Value, Mid tones, Transparency p.31 -34, 39 -40
Mass, gravity p.43 – 50
Texture, wet media (requires ink or black water color with brush) pattern p. 51 – 58
Composition, Outdoor Studies – moved up for fall weather, unit 10 p. 95 -102
Light & Shadow, shading techniques p .59 – 62, 65 – 68
Rhythm & Motion p. 69 – 72, 75-76 – 77
Proportion and Scale p. 77 – 81 – 82
Space in 1 pt. perspective p. 25-26, 85 – 90
Space. Space in 2 pt. perspective p. 25-26, 91 – 92
Space point of view p. 25-26, 93-95
Light & Shadow, Tone, Proportion and Scale
(a friend to model or a mirror is required) p. 63-64, 83-84
Portfolio Creation p. 103-105
Review of completed work, Final session
Share this practice live on Zoom or work independently from the 2020 release
Book Drawing Illuminated Beyond Basic
In the spirit of 2020 it was a bit challenging like learning to play a of set drums right before a big gig but so rewarding to bang around and keep the beat even if I bungled a few cues.
Happy to report I am feeling ready for future remote creative gatherings after spending the weekend with the Dance New England zooming in community.
Lucky for you I am eager to share more time drawing and perfect my technical chops. I have some juicy content I want to workshop. If you are curious, and want to draw together for an hour or two, I have two free classes this week.
Email me for the zoom invite links
We will be working from my new book Drawing Illuminated Beyond Basic
By the book on Tuesday 3:30 pm EST/ 11:30 am PST
Experimentally on Thursday 7:30 pm EST/ 4:30 pm PST
Dance New England’s Virtual Dance Camp is Thursday August 13 at 6:30pm – Sunday August 16 at 6pm on Zoom.
There is a great lineup of virtual classes (biodanza, tantra, personal growth), boogies with our favorite DJs, ecstatic dance, morning yoga, storytelling, live music, family groups, drum and dance, and more.
So great we can gather together once again. It is so rewarding to be in community to visit virtually and create something new together.
Personal Cartography workshop is an expressive drawing journey designed to center and connect with self and others. All you need is a pencil, blank paper and a little free time to join in the fun. I hope to see you soon.
Saturday 8/15 3:30 pm EST
The schedule, more info, and registration is here; the facebook event is here. (Note: extensive kids 0-12 program schedule to be announced by August 6th)
Thanks for all of your support, dear friends. After three years of working on this project I have published my second book.
Drawing Illuminated: Beyond Basic
Click the cover image to buy the book.
Drawing is a passion. Navigating how to be of use to myself and other pencil lovers through the many digital means beyond publishing a paperback book is my new obsession.
Plant Eaters Delight is now available as an e-book. If you are enrolled in the Kindle Select program you can read my book for free. If you enjoy it please buy paper copies and give one to a friend. Thank you in advance for keeping the work moving forward.
The praise worthy collection recipe ideas is live. (Please add a glowing review in praise of the Go to Granola Bars or the It’s a Dal Y’all). Check it out for tasty ways of putting more vegetables into your life. Try eating more plants and find out how big and beautiful you can grow. Click above image for the paperback and the image below for the kindle version.