Never Say

  So, here I am again. I haven't been posting on here like I should. It's been about six weeks since I was here. Not something I brag about. I have reasons for not posting, but I'm not here to give excuses. My mother in law spent two weeks in Tennessee with her oldest daughter and my step daughter was gone for a few weeks. Art is very important to me, as is promoting my career; however, spending time with my wife, just the two of us, is way more important. I've also made a few trips to Paducah to try to get the rest of our stuff out so we can sell the house there and be done with it. My oldest step daughter has been very helpful with these trips, going there with me in her huge SUV. I'm very excited to say that I have my papasan chair and my workhorse easel in my studio. Finally. It's getting a bit crowded but I'm happy with the way things look. I also hosted my youngest grandson Daddy Mack. Four days with a two year old really took a toll on me lol. I enjoyed it, he's quite a kid, but I don't have the energy to do that for more than a few days.
  I'm getting back into my routine again. Painting pretty regularly. Taking full advantage of my dual easel set up. It really gets the artistic juices pumping. I'm currently working on two large size paintings. I really enjoy the "daily" small paintings that I've become known for, but there's nothing like going big. It's an experience like no other. I'm also making good progress on my next art book (a short book describing the processes on several of my paintings).
  I'm focused on being an artist again. I feel like a million bucks. Tax free.

AKO ANG HARI
     DOUG
Oh, yeah, art. Sorry. Here:

Update

  Okay, here's a little update of my progress, for those of you keeping track at home. I've had some computer issues, as you may already know, but thanks to my hard work and determination I've gotten myself caught back up on (most) all things art related. I post my artwork on my DeviantART profile. I use it as my online portfolio. It works well, but there's a lot of art on there. In fact, I just posted my 1,988th piece on there. Of course, that doesn't count the 501 Zen drawings I've done:

( These started out with me doing zentangles, but I've twisted that into my own personal Zen. Like them or not, I find them to be very relaxing). That also doesn't count the 355 Those Guys drawings that I've done:

(These started out as sketchbook drawings I did to work on faces, using only three lines for the face; eyes, nose, mouth. I wanted to see if I could express emotion using only the basics. Somehow they became very popular. Who am I to argue with their success?). So, all together, right now, that's 2,844 pieces of art. Not counting what's in all my sketchbooks. Also not counting the six paintings leaning on my easel waiting to be photographed and posted (I'm getting to them!). I feel pretty good about my progress, but one can only wonder where I'd be if I had gotten serious about this when I was in my early twenties instead of being a bonehead. Ah, well, in an alternate universe...


AKO ANG HARI
     DOUG

Making Do

    It's been a while. Longer than I wanted. My computer setup is not ideal for me since my laptop crapped out. I've tried for several weeks to find a good used one (there's no way I can afford a new one, and actually a new one won't fit my needs) with no luck.  But, I make do.
    I've also finished the first volume of my Daily Painting book. All of my daily paintings from my year of doing one watercolor and one acrylic painting every day. I'm very happy with the way it turned out, and I've already sold a few copies. I'm gonna order more, so if you want one let me know (52 luscious pages, $15). It's been a rude awakening to realize how well my organization of my paintings that year went. Mostly they were in order, but there were three or four that I somehow didn't post on all my social media. It took quite a few hours to list all my paintings and  more than a few more to lay out the pages for my book. Stressful? Yes. i almost gave up a few times, but I soldiered on. You know, I make do.
   I've also completely redone my studio. I had some issues that I didn't plan for, so I moved a few things around, which made it so I had to move a few more. Pretty much every thing has been moved. There's no way I could have foreseen these problems, so I'm not too bitter about it. I like the new layout much better. I just need to get a window unit to cool it off a bit. It gets mighty hot in the summer time and I don't do heat very well. My easel is set up in a better spot. Not where I thought it would be, but it a good spot. I like the way things have turned  out, 'cause, you know, I make do art.
    Art like this:

AKO ANG HARI,
      DOUG

Some Thoughts

  I've been thinking about writing this for a while. As my dad used to say "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." I've been more motivated lately than I've been in a long time. I'm not sure if it's because I was diagnosed with diabetes, or if it's because I got treated for diabetes, or if it's because I feel better because I'm eating better and exercising. I wanted to do a good topic for my fans on here, but nothing has really jumped out at me.So, here's some random thoughts and observations. And, of course, there'll be art at the end.

• I bought a nice pencil with the intention of getting back in to pencil drawing. It's a Caran d'Ache. It cost me six dollars and it's the first really nice pencil I've used. It's worth every penny I spent on it. I did just realize it was "d'Ache" at the end. For the past thirty plus years I've thought it was "d'Arch". 
• I'm putting all my daily paintings in order and doing a book. All of my year plus paintings in order so you can see how I evolved over those thirteen months. I'm shocked and saddened at how hard it was to do this, due in large part to my lack of organization. I'm about 130 paintings in and I've had to download seven that weren't in my file, which means they weren't in my DeviantART online portfolio. Also found one that wasn't accounted for, but I managed to get it in without too much effort. This is more work than I had hoped it would be.
• My wife convinced me to do the #100HeadChallenge. 100 heads drawn in ten days. I figured it would be a good chance to use my fancy new pencil. It has, however turned out to be more stressful than I thought. I'm ahead of schedule, but I find it hard to find ten (or more) heads that inspire me every day. 
• I have my studio almost all set up, but now realize there are things I'd like to tweak. May or may not happen.
• My wife bought me an easel for my birthday last December. A very thoughtful present and has helped my mood immensely. I wanna paint, I just slide my chair over four feet and grab a brush.
• I used to always say I could paint faces every day for the rest of my life and not get bored. I think I'm proving that to be true.

• I used to hear about gel pens and it would make me think of teenage girls drawing in their secret diaries, however I bought a white one to use to put white over my black ink drawings. I wish I had found out about that nonsense years ago. 

I'm sure I had more to say, but I didn't write any notes for this. So, there may be a Part 2. Anyway, here's art:

Here's a page from my book. Maybe it will help me make some sales:

So, AKO ANG HARI
     DOUG
In case you wanna make a donation to the cause: link

Once Again I'm Knocked Back

   So, I haven't posted regularly, again. I decided for the new year I'd motivate myself to do better in all things art related. Even though I wasn't feeling well I was forcing myself to do my Daily Hand Challenge. One ink drawn hand a day.

I did good. Ninety days straight. From the first page of the sketch book 'til the last. I wanted to get better at drawing hands, which was a weakness of mine. I will admit I am better than I was three months ago.
   My real weakness, as of late, has been the business end of the art world. I wanted to post some of my daily paintings, because I have a lot of them to sell. My workhorse computer was giving me problems, so I thought I'd install a less processor intensive Linux distro ( the software that runs the computer, like Windows, only it doesn't give me a headache). I tried getting it stripped down and lean, but it just gave up the ghost. I'm looking for a used laptop to replace it. On a very limited budget. In the mean time I'm trying to get my music computer to do double duty. Stressful, but at least I'm here. I need to start with the painting posts soon.
   The main setback though, has been my recent diagnosis of diabetes. My blood sugar was off the charts. Literally. When I was admitted to the ER their meter wouldn't even read my sugar level. I spent two days in Intensive Care, stressing my poor wife out. When I finally made it back home I was so weak I could barely do anything. I'm building my strength back up, slowly. Slower than I'd like. I didn't realize at the time how badly my body was being beaten. Fortunately I have no kidney damage, and I'm losing weight with an eye toward getting of the insulin shots. I haven't been to work in a month, which certainly hasn't helped things. I'm keeping a good attitude and doing all the things the doctors have been telling me to do. I'm feeling better now than I have in a while. I'm painting more. Not just because I'm supposed to. Because I want to. Now, if only I had that much motivation to post my art.

AKO ANG HARI
     DOUG               

In case you wanna make a donation to the cause: link

If Anyone Is Interested

   So, I'd like to find someone (or a couple of someones) to sell my art for me. I've got literally hundreds of paintings that I need to sell. If you're interested contact me and we can work out the details. It would be on a percentage basis, but I'll do my best to make it worth your while. Here's some examples of what I've got, in case you've never seen my work:

This could be a nice little side hustle. I can paint enough to support four or five people. Just saying.

AKO ANG HARI
     DOUG                        Here's my GoFundMe if you wanna help the cause.

Death's Door (Again)

  I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. If you follow my ramblings you know that I haven't felt well for a while. It's been a struggle to get motivated to get anything done. So, my wife talks me in to going to see the doctor. I actually felt so bad that I agreed right off the bat. Normally you've gotta drag me kicking and screaming. So, turns out the doctor sends me immediately to the ER, where I'm admitted as soon as I get there. My blood sugar was so high their instruments couldn't read it. Diabetes. Yikes! I was in the hospital for two days, hooked up to all sorts of IVs and poked and prodded my the medical professionals. And the shots. Oh, the shots. I felt like I was fifty percent insulin by the time they let me go home. But, I am home. My sugar is getting closer to normal. I'm not supposed to be doing anything strenuous. (I had trouble even walking for a few days.) I spent some time sorting and organizing the studio. I missed four days on my daily art. I had no idea it had been so long. I thought it was one day. I'm out of work, so I have time to sleep, recover, and paint. Because I want to paint, not because I'm supposed to. The first few efforts fizzled out, but that's okay. I'm still moving. I still have my GoFundMe if you want to add a few bucks. I had a speck of an idea yesterday. Faces and lines and geometry. No idea if it will work out, but I'm working a sketchbook pretty hard to see if it solidifies. So, that's my story. I didn't change any names, 'cause no one is innocent. Now, here's some art:

  
AKO ANG HARI
     DOUG