The Girl With Arthritis

Someone once told me the best way to get better at drawing is to draw the body. I still agree it's probably the best way to become better at drawing. Most artists who went to school to study art- and even some who didn't- have taken at least one figure drawing class. A nude figure drawing class, specifically. I have takens loads of those and it made me a better artist. It also made me grossed out of old men for a whilst, but that's a different story. Anyway, the class taught me more than just drawing skills though. It showed me how different we all are. When we're little, we talk about how girls and boys are different. On blogs like this, We talk about people with disabilities and those without them having different bodies. But it seems like sometimes we forget that everyone is so different, and absolutely no one is perfect. We all have those imperfections we really hate about ourselves, and I've seen on other people: large surgical scars, wiry frames, a little e...

A recent trend around YouTube has been to do something called "Draw My Life," which is when people draw... Well, their life. The drawings are usually little stick figures and such, which is great because it helps you focus a little bit more on the story. Whilst people draw, they tell you their story. What amazes me is that people are very Open with their stories and you find most people have had more challenges than what you'd imagine. I love watching "Draw My Life" videos because I like learning more about other people and finding that we often have the same experiences that we wouldn't know otherwise. Whilst I think it would be cool to do a Draw My Life video too, I have already done this in my blog. So, I drew a quick sketch of my life right now: A coffee, some art, one blog and lots of great people I've met through it. :) Just a quick sketch.

It's a fact that I go to school for art. I was always artistic from a young age, but once I started school I got to experiment with more mediums than I had before. One of the greatest mediums is the computer. When I first started, to practice on the computer we did 'Scan Drawings.' That's when you drew something and then put it on the computer to design. One of my first scan drawings was one done to try and express what kind of pain I felt at that moment. That was my first offical "Illustrate Our Pain." And it looks like this:         It sure isn't pretty, the bone showing isn't pleasent either. But it was how I felt that day.   I've created a new page for Illustrate Our Pain. Now, if anyone wants to submit any work for the page through email, I'll display it with among the work of others. All are welcome!    http://arthritisgirl.blogspot.com/p/illustrate-our-pain.html    

I think that everyone- whether they are healthy, ill or somewhere in the middle- needs ways of expressing their pain. It's not that they need to express their illness if they have one or something like a break up, but just that they need to express the way they feel. I really want to talk about the use of art to convey a message. I think everyone should try 'showing' people how they feel, literally. Make art when your in pain. Rip paper to show how torn you feel. Make bold marks because you are so mad. Use your foot because your hand hurts. Draw in blue because the pain brings you down. Trace your hand on it's side. And don't just limit this to paper: Use clay, writing, music, photographs, ANYTHING. Do it to make yourself feel better: The quality doesn't matter, what matters is if you feel better. I would like to propose that chronic pain sufferers, whether we are young or old, take five minutes to illustrate their pain. Just five minutes: Details don't ...

Today is a miserable arthritis day. I've been sore since I've woken up. I'm not feeling well at all as I am actually sick, but Arthur isn't helping what so ever. Even the joints that aren't affected by arthritis are aching and stiff (Shoulders, elbows, wrist, hands). But that's alright since I didn't have much of anything planned for today anyway. I feel like this picture today to tell you the truth. This picture I did a few years ago when I was in a lot of pain and stuck at a relatives house. It's not the best, in fact it was probably done in a few minutes but it made me feel better to put it down on paper. This was done in oil pastels, which did ease the odd pain I had in my hands because it's soft and it warmed as I drew, which soothed my muscles.

I know that lately I have been rather lazy with my posts, and I apologize. I've had so much to do between visitors, projects and just trying to find the time to relax. Anyway, I haven't been very sure of what to post about lately. Thus I've procrastinated. I've been watched medical documentaries from other countries to see how they go about procedures and medical care. I've listened to theme park soundtracks. And I haven't even thought of a subject to write about. How about my project? While I don't want to be too specific, I will tell you it is something I've wanted to do for quite a while. I've been working on it despite having school assignments to complete. I figured that I could work on them both at the same time but it's not exactly working out that way so what I think I might do is alternate days of which I do the seperate projects. Anyway one project involves a product with a price and the other involves not getting paid at all. You'...

I really don't know what to post about today. In all honesty I would really just rather not write something but I've been trying to push myself to do work everyday, whether it be the blog or working on a project. Since I don't feel like working on my project, I'm going to write on my blog about my project. Currently I'm working on a pencil sketch of a little stranger. My family's newest addition made her first appearance to the world earlier this week. She's so lovely, a dream really. I've fallen so deeply in  love with her: I constantly show my friends her pictures, though they don't understand how I'm so proud of a new baby. Anyway, my auntie got a picture of the baby with her eyes open and smiling so I've been drawing it to give to the proud mummy and daddy. I haven't finished it yet. I should probably work on it: I'm going to go visit them tomorrow.

Today in art class we did one of my favourite things: Portrait drawings. Today in art class we did one of my least favourite things: Self-Portrait drawings. I say it's a bit of a curse because I can draw almost anyone except my mum, my grandmum and myself. I think it's a bit of a generation thing. Both of my attempts on huge paper we were given were very far from what I actually do look like. I decided I would finish it at home on my own paper: I hope the teacher won't mind, and I'm sure he won't since we're just doing those only to scan them into the computer to paint over anyway. My mum tells me that I draw people softer than they really are, meaning I'll round pointed faces and make harsh eyes gentler. But when it came to drawing myself, I made myself look so brutal and stern: As if I were wicked. It's scary too because while my friend and I agreed that the picture did not look like me, it looked like someone we have seen before. This one girl whom...

When Arthur is giving me a lot of pain, I don't actually paint or draw the pain. I mention this as a family member asked me if that's what I do. In all honesty, I don't know where that question came from as the things I draw are very gentle and do not reflect pain. However, I can tell you Arthur has influenced much of my artistic style. I don't mean that my arthritis has physically influenced it (mostly anyway). I mean that... well, let's put it this way:  When I'm randomly drawing, sometimes I draw people with odd bodies. People in fetal positions, twisted in ways people shouldn't be or even  stretched out in impossible ways. While it doesn't make me feel better, it often shows my cravings for a specific movement and sometimes helps people see that I feel bent and twisted at times. A friend of mine once described the style of which I do the bodies as 'Perfect for a monster or alien design.' Yep, that's what Arthur makes me at times: A monste...

That is one of my favourite songs and today was a tiring but happy day. I talked with this boy today. No I don't like him, but he's in most of my classes and I had never talked with him before. I thought that I freaked him out a few times looking at the clock, making him think I was looking at him. But rest assured, we had a good laugh and I hope we can become friends as I enjoy the amusement he and his friends give me in my classes. Also I had to do gym today, like always. My school has two work out  centers we can use: One with treadmills, bikes and such cardio exercise and the other with weights. As all the treadmills and bikes were taken, I had to use a machine that puts a lot of strain on your back, knees and hips. I was not happy and Arthur made me pay for it afterward. I was so tired and sore that I was shaking so much my hand writing wasn't very good. And... Well, I listened to good music. Not very interesting but it's the best I can do at times. I'm work...

I'm finally better and back in school. My fever was really bad though: I was 104.5 for a few days straight until it broke Sunday. Baking like that isn't good for your skin and as a teen with acne, I was getting over my pimples and only had one clearing up but the fever caused me to get a huge break out on my face, neck, chest and all over my scalp!!! It's so painful to brush my hair! I had a sore throat but now it's fine. Now I'm a-okay and back in school. Granted, I get dizzy but it passes. I draw sketches all the time, I recently started using charcoal. Who wants to see?

Today I went to school. Shocker, isn't it? Anyway, I was doing a drawing with charcoal pencils so naturally my hands were filthy and I was trying to clean them with hand sanitizer and tissues. Didn't work well but they did the job but as I was cleaning my hands I noticed something: Fingers are weird. Or at least mine are. For one, they don't even stretch out all the way. Two, the joints are all weird with a little fluid in them (which means they are squishy and but not exactly swollen and red). And three, why on Earth do we have little moving attena like things sticking out of our arms?! Anyway, as if noticing my hands look like something out of a 1950's horror movie isn't bad enough but I noticed that I disturb (as in annoy) this kid in my class. Honestly, I see why too. He usually sits behind me or near the clock. Anyone who is in class with me can tell you I watch the clock all the time. He probably caught me too many times and thinks I'm staring at him all...