Amy June Bates's Blog, page 2
September 18, 2020
DRAW A GIRAFFE
DRAW A GIRAFFE
Time for a lesson:
If you have any graph paper please use it today.
It won’t really help you draw better, but wouldn’t you rather graph a giraffe?
A graphic giraffe graph?
At the park with the Giraffes?
The Giraffe-ic Park?
These are the things I think about mostly, if you wanted to know.
@kim.edwards.paint
#giraffe
#howtodrawagiraffe
#giraffedrawing
#howtodraw
#howto
#how
#amyjunebates
#quarantineart
#drawinglesson
#drawinglessons
#giraffesofinstagram
@simonkids
April 2, 2020
Draw a Bird
Instructions are a funny thing.
Recipes
Spells
Magic words
Do this and you will be ok. I personally have a hard time obeying just anyone, however the right set of instructions are incredibly comforting.
So, here I have a favorite list of instructions that I have absolute faith in. They come from a story that I like called “The singing soaring Lark,” and it is by the Brothers Grimm.
The words are what the North Wind tells a girl who is looking for a lost white dove, who is really a lion, who is really a prince.
The night wind then said to her, “I will advise thee;go to the Red Sea, on the right bank are some tall reeds, count them, break off the eleventh, and strike the dragon with it, then the lion will be able to subdue it, and both then will regain their human form. After that, look round and thou wilt see the griffin which is by the Red Sea; swing thyself, with thy beloved, on to his back, and the bird will carry you over the sea to your own home. Here is a nut for thee, when thou are above the center of the sea, let the nut fall, it will immediately shoot up, and a tall nut-tree will grow out of the water on which the griffin may rest;for if he cannot rest, he will not be strong enough to carry you across, and if thou forgettest to throw down the nut, he will let you fall into the sea."
I trust the North WInd.For now, Stay safe, friendly but far, the North Wind says so.
Recipes
Spells
Magic words
Do this and you will be ok. I personally have a hard time obeying just anyone, however the right set of instructions are incredibly comforting.
So, here I have a favorite list of instructions that I have absolute faith in. They come from a story that I like called “The singing soaring Lark,” and it is by the Brothers Grimm.
The words are what the North Wind tells a girl who is looking for a lost white dove, who is really a lion, who is really a prince.
The night wind then said to her, “I will advise thee;go to the Red Sea, on the right bank are some tall reeds, count them, break off the eleventh, and strike the dragon with it, then the lion will be able to subdue it, and both then will regain their human form. After that, look round and thou wilt see the griffin which is by the Red Sea; swing thyself, with thy beloved, on to his back, and the bird will carry you over the sea to your own home. Here is a nut for thee, when thou are above the center of the sea, let the nut fall, it will immediately shoot up, and a tall nut-tree will grow out of the water on which the griffin may rest;for if he cannot rest, he will not be strong enough to carry you across, and if thou forgettest to throw down the nut, he will let you fall into the sea."
I trust the North WInd.For now, Stay safe, friendly but far, the North Wind says so.
Draw DD and Winston
Everyone is missing somebody. Even Rosebud is missing some friends. I know this because we saw her doggy friends from a distance the other day and she gave a miniscule little almost imperceptible tail wag, which for her means “I like you.” DD and Winston were much more demonstrative, from a distance.
So these are her friends DD and Winston. I like them because they are lovely and also they are almost each others opposite. Where one is short, the other is tall, where one is a mop of hair the other has very tidy short hairs.
Aren’t dogs wonderful.
I miss all the dogs.
Aren’t dogs better than people?
If I could have a canyon and fill it with dogs and a cabin, I would. I would do that. I would grow old and reclusive and legendary as the old lady with the dogs who lives in the canyon. On full moon nights you would hear me howling.
I have built a fortress of sanity in my attic.
Can you draw your dog? Please show me! Always show me your drawings. I love them. Every single one.
So these are her friends DD and Winston. I like them because they are lovely and also they are almost each others opposite. Where one is short, the other is tall, where one is a mop of hair the other has very tidy short hairs.
Aren’t dogs wonderful.
I miss all the dogs.
Aren’t dogs better than people?
If I could have a canyon and fill it with dogs and a cabin, I would. I would do that. I would grow old and reclusive and legendary as the old lady with the dogs who lives in the canyon. On full moon nights you would hear me howling.
I have built a fortress of sanity in my attic.
Can you draw your dog? Please show me! Always show me your drawings. I love them. Every single one.
March 30, 2020
Draw Rosebud
This is my dog Rosebud.
If you want to draw Rosebud, first you will have to get her to hold still…just kidding. She rarely moves. People ask me all the time if she is an old dog. Nope she is 5.
I am glad there are dogs. I love dogs. I really do.
If dogs are all so different how do other dogs know if other dogs are dogs?
TO pronounce Rosebud’s name you should sigh it out long and whispery “ROOOoooosebudddd”
TO pet Rosebud you should first butter her up with bacon
Rosebud’s best trick is “Stay” because she never moves…unless there is bacon.
To walk Rosebud across the grass, wait for her to flop her belly in the air and then proceed to drag her across field.
She is named after a sled and a Basselope and most resembles in personality my high school U.S. History teacher, Rosie Mckay.
I bet my dog is weirder that yours.
If you want to draw Rosebud, first you will have to get her to hold still…just kidding. She rarely moves. People ask me all the time if she is an old dog. Nope she is 5.
I am glad there are dogs. I love dogs. I really do.
If dogs are all so different how do other dogs know if other dogs are dogs?
TO pronounce Rosebud’s name you should sigh it out long and whispery “ROOOoooosebudddd”
TO pet Rosebud you should first butter her up with bacon
Rosebud’s best trick is “Stay” because she never moves…unless there is bacon.
To walk Rosebud across the grass, wait for her to flop her belly in the air and then proceed to drag her across field.
She is named after a sled and a Basselope and most resembles in personality my high school U.S. History teacher, Rosie Mckay.
I bet my dog is weirder that yours.
DRAW A WIZARD
Yesterday was a bit sad.
There was a time when if people in my house got sad, we could Dance party it out or tickle it out of them, or play hide and seek. But people get older and teenagerly, and anyway it is kind of normal to be sad sometimes. When a schedule gives you goals and comfort and predictability and productivity then it isn’t going to be comfortable not to have those things and to realize that it won’t be the same as it was for awhile.sad.So here is one of my favorite things that I have ever read: “The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.” ― T.H. White, The Once and Future KingSo here is a Merlin wizard to remind us that learning a thing is beautiful in itself without expectation of any other reward than that.Draw and eat ice cream. that is all.#whydoestheworldwag
#merlin
#thwhite
#onceandfutureking
#sad
#amyjunebates
#whenidrawapanda
There was a time when if people in my house got sad, we could Dance party it out or tickle it out of them, or play hide and seek. But people get older and teenagerly, and anyway it is kind of normal to be sad sometimes. When a schedule gives you goals and comfort and predictability and productivity then it isn’t going to be comfortable not to have those things and to realize that it won’t be the same as it was for awhile.sad.So here is one of my favorite things that I have ever read: “The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.” ― T.H. White, The Once and Future KingSo here is a Merlin wizard to remind us that learning a thing is beautiful in itself without expectation of any other reward than that.Draw and eat ice cream. that is all.#whydoestheworldwag
#merlin
#thwhite
#onceandfutureking
#sad
#amyjunebates
#whenidrawapanda
DRAW A COW
What do we really know about cows?Is it true that cows usually stand in groups that face due north? I have heard that.
Why?Why would they do that?
Even the experts don’t know why they do this. Which makes you wonder what we really know about anything. I would not be a good cow because I have never been good at understanding where due north is, or a hanging around in a group.When we were hiking, my Grandpa used to say the trail was “as steep as a cow’s face.” He was right, go Look at a cow’s face. Its pretty steep.Have fun today. please?
I will too, and show me your drawings, they make me so happy.Natalie Bates
#cows
#drawacow
#howtodraw
#howtodrawacow
#amyjunebates
#whenidrawapanda
Why?Why would they do that?
Even the experts don’t know why they do this. Which makes you wonder what we really know about anything. I would not be a good cow because I have never been good at understanding where due north is, or a hanging around in a group.When we were hiking, my Grandpa used to say the trail was “as steep as a cow’s face.” He was right, go Look at a cow’s face. Its pretty steep.Have fun today. please?
I will too, and show me your drawings, they make me so happy.Natalie Bates
#cows
#drawacow
#howtodraw
#howtodrawacow
#amyjunebates
#whenidrawapanda
SCRIBBLE
It is time for a scribble break.
SCRIBBLE BREAK!!! Another wave of weird reality washed over us yesterday. Zero motivation, yet somehow expectations. Expectations of perfection and normalcy.
We need to get that mess out.
When I sit down to draw, I never start drawing cold turkey. When you exercise, you have to warm up and stretch. I have to warm up too. Get that mess out. There is no right way to scribble. There is no wrong way to scribble. And it feels great. Fill up that page. Crumple it up into a ball, then open it up again and go at it. Lightning bolts, curly-q’s, whirlwinds, lazy circles, light, dark, joyful, frustrated.Get that out.It should be ugly.
be proud of that
don’t compare that ugly to any one else
its yours
be proud of that
our minds are a little scribbly right nowthen draw a cow if you really want to.This fall you can read a book that I wrote. It is about scribbling and other things. It is called “When I Draw a Panda”
#scribble
#amyjunebates
#scribblelikeyoumeanit
#whenidrawapanda
DRAW A FROG
Today I am a frog. My little girl said this after being found covered head to toe with green marker. Why limit yourself to paper? What animal could you be today?
2 weeks into this confinement you might be looking for some creative ways to curse and insult people. Let’s take a look into a book then:
One book that I love is Willard R. Espy’s “Children’s Almanac of Word’s at Play.”Illustrated by Bruce Cayard
March 20
Some perfectly innocent words sound like curses if you say them angrily. Take for instance Flowers:
You lousewort!You devil’s bit scabious!You hen bit dead nettle!You swine cress!You pignut!You moneywort loosestrife!You creeping toadflax!I will be sharing excerpts from Espy’s daily advice from time to time, because. Look for it at your library when it reopens. Its out of print which is a shame, so isn’t it good that we have a library?
Oh library I love you.
You Pignut!
I love books. I wrote a book called “When I Draw a Panda” It is coming out this fall. And spring it here so fall will come eventually.#how to frog#howrodrawafrog#drawafrog#frog #amyjunebates #williamrespy#wordsatplay #whenidrawapanda
2 weeks into this confinement you might be looking for some creative ways to curse and insult people. Let’s take a look into a book then:
One book that I love is Willard R. Espy’s “Children’s Almanac of Word’s at Play.”Illustrated by Bruce Cayard
March 20
Some perfectly innocent words sound like curses if you say them angrily. Take for instance Flowers:
You lousewort!You devil’s bit scabious!You hen bit dead nettle!You swine cress!You pignut!You moneywort loosestrife!You creeping toadflax!I will be sharing excerpts from Espy’s daily advice from time to time, because. Look for it at your library when it reopens. Its out of print which is a shame, so isn’t it good that we have a library?
Oh library I love you.
You Pignut!
I love books. I wrote a book called “When I Draw a Panda” It is coming out this fall. And spring it here so fall will come eventually.#how to frog#howrodrawafrog#drawafrog#frog #amyjunebates #williamrespy#wordsatplay #whenidrawapanda
March 26, 2020
Draw a Tiger and a Lion
Are you a person who likes deals? Do you like coupons? Do you like the words 3-for-the-price-of-one?
Of course you do.
This might blow you mind a little, because it did me when I learned it. Lions and tigers (hang on, why do lions come first if you say lions and tigers? try saying tigers and lions. gross. Lions and tigers, then)
are almost anatomically exactly the same. Only an expert can tell their skeletons apart. What?? When I was a kid, the zoo by my house had a Liger which is when a tiger and a lion have a baby?? What??
Dr. Moreau moonlighting as a zookeeper? wrong wrong wrong.
I digress
Because lions and tigers are so similar, if you learn to draw a tiger, you just learned to draw a lion too.
I bet you don’t even need me to tell you how to do that.
If you do, here it is:
don’t add stripes
make the head into a sun for a male lion and don’t do the sun thing for a female lion.
don’t draw a Liger. don’t make ligers. just don’t.
I illustrated a book called “Christian the Hugging Lion,” and that is when I fell down the lion-tiger rabbit hole. Go check it out at your library when libraries are open again. And they will be, because libraries are the most important thing.
Isn’t drawing the best?
I love it so. I even wrote a book about it called, “When I Draw a Panda”
It comes out this fall.
Now go draw, and show me?
P.S. How many kinds of big cats will work with this recipe? I don’t know… mountain lion? jaguar? lynx? leopard? Fiona, the cat that torments my dog Rosebud? If you find out, let me know.
Of course you do.
This might blow you mind a little, because it did me when I learned it. Lions and tigers (hang on, why do lions come first if you say lions and tigers? try saying tigers and lions. gross. Lions and tigers, then)
are almost anatomically exactly the same. Only an expert can tell their skeletons apart. What?? When I was a kid, the zoo by my house had a Liger which is when a tiger and a lion have a baby?? What??
Dr. Moreau moonlighting as a zookeeper? wrong wrong wrong.
I digress
Because lions and tigers are so similar, if you learn to draw a tiger, you just learned to draw a lion too.
I bet you don’t even need me to tell you how to do that.
If you do, here it is:
don’t add stripes
make the head into a sun for a male lion and don’t do the sun thing for a female lion.
don’t draw a Liger. don’t make ligers. just don’t.
I illustrated a book called “Christian the Hugging Lion,” and that is when I fell down the lion-tiger rabbit hole. Go check it out at your library when libraries are open again. And they will be, because libraries are the most important thing.
Isn’t drawing the best?
I love it so. I even wrote a book about it called, “When I Draw a Panda”
It comes out this fall.
Now go draw, and show me?
P.S. How many kinds of big cats will work with this recipe? I don’t know… mountain lion? jaguar? lynx? leopard? Fiona, the cat that torments my dog Rosebud? If you find out, let me know.
March 24, 2020
Draw a Polar Bear
Yesterday was a hard day. Horses are hard to draw. Was the day extra hard because horses are hard to draw?
Sometimes life gives you horses to draw.
Lets just draw polar bears today. Give yourself a break. slow down. There is no rush.
Just a little rush so that we don’t melt all the icebergs and destroy awesome things like Polar Bears.
Breathe and draw some circles. if you draw this on white paper, you don’t even have to color. If you draw this on lined paper…boom, you have a striped polar bear.
Drawing is fun. These drawing lessons are the base to add things to. What could you add to this PB? a PB sandwich. 6-7 legs? Is it just poking its head out of the water?
If you like carnage, is it devouring a seal? hey, its what they do.
Drawing is so fun I wrote a book that is coming out this fall called “When I draw a Panda”
For now let’s do this!
Sometimes life gives you horses to draw.
Lets just draw polar bears today. Give yourself a break. slow down. There is no rush.
Just a little rush so that we don’t melt all the icebergs and destroy awesome things like Polar Bears.
Breathe and draw some circles. if you draw this on white paper, you don’t even have to color. If you draw this on lined paper…boom, you have a striped polar bear.
Drawing is fun. These drawing lessons are the base to add things to. What could you add to this PB? a PB sandwich. 6-7 legs? Is it just poking its head out of the water?
If you like carnage, is it devouring a seal? hey, its what they do.
Drawing is so fun I wrote a book that is coming out this fall called “When I draw a Panda”
For now let’s do this!
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