Another night when I should be going home and cooking. Another night when I'm going to paint instead! I've been squeezing painting times in everywhere: a half-hour here, an hour or more there. And I have been finding amazing things. Drawing with coloured pencils and then erasing them makes them smear and makes for interesting shading touches, especially if there isn't shading anywhere else. I'm reversing my usual techniques: this time I'm doing the coloured pencil first and then the watercolour over it, and then the watercolour doesn't completely adhere to all the waxy places.... I usually paint thickly and now it's more washy and splashy. Orange and purple and dark blue are getting to be close companions. There's no masking fluid, no tape, no preliminary sketches. Just me and the page for a while and whatever I'm feeling at the moment. I've also become very attached to my bed. Not really my bed, I guess, but sleep in general. I love the idea of taking naps, lots of them. I dream of getting all the sleep I need; hours and hours and hours of sleep. Sleep where I wake up refreshed and on my own and not to an alarm clock. Sleep where a sunshiny day greets me and I'm so rested I can't wait to jump put of bed and greet the new day instead of dragging myself around. Sleep when a rainy day meets me and I can snuggle back under the covers cos I don't need to be anywhere. I guess I've sounded pretty darn demanding over the past few posts, but what am I getting all dreamy and longing for? Art and sleep. Basic necessities of life. For me, anyway.