Written by Our prompt of “Laptop” today was admittedly unusual in that it’s not a subject matter that often shows up in sketches. Yet, it’s quite a common everyday thing. Each morning, I start my day with a cup (or two) of coffee with my laptop in front of me like this. It’s just a little bit of time each day, before I have to head to work. But it’s a wonderful time where I can catch up on what everyone else is sketching, starting the day with a lovely dose of artistic inspiration. My laptop is also filled with lots of precious little things as well. There are folders with ideas and outlines for books I’ve never managed to write. Little pieces of stories that have yet to come together and some, no doubt, that I’ve forgotten about and will stumble upon once again one day. I’m a maker at heart, so I just keep right on making things. Often, I have no idea what will happen with them when I start. Yet, in my heart, I have a feeling that it will all manage to come together in the end. And, even if some ideas never grow up to become something, it doesn’t really matter to me. It’s just really fun to make up ideas in the first place!
To be honest, I probably have way too many ideas that I’m coming up with at once. Philippe is pretty much a saint for putting up with me and whatever new thing I’ve suddenly decided that I simply must DO next. More than that, he is quite supportive, even when he knows it’s entirely possible whatever idea I just giddily blubbered on about over dinner might never actually come to fruition. After I published my Sketching Stuff memoir, I was all set on writing fiction next in the form of a cozy mystery series. Philippe even bought me a book on the subject last Christmas and brainstormed ideas with me. It’s wonderful thing to dream with the person you love. What happened instead, of course, was that I started a series of Activity Books that I now have to complete before I can get back to my mystery writing dream. Or, indeed, whatever dream is currently gnawing at my heart when that time comes. I’m rather excited to find out!
Many times at work, my team will come into my office and see just how many screens I have open on my laptop at one time. There’s usually an audible gasp followed with, “how can you do that?” It’s truly just how my mind works. It’s completely non-linear. I have to work on several things simultaneously, pushing each one forward a little as I go. If I try to focus on only one thing, it usually goes nowhere at all. Indeed, I am only able to focus when it comes to watercolor sketching, so perhaps that’s part of the allure for me. Even then, it’s not a lot of time, but it’s a wonderful little bit of time indeed. Yet, I’m happy with where my dreams have taken me, though there are still so many things I wish I could do next. And, I feel truly lucky to have a partner who keeps cheering me on even when I fail to deliver. That’s the thing about dreams. They don’t thrive on criticism and critique, but instead, flourish with just the smallest bit of positive enthusiasm. It’s the very culture of Doodlewash itself! We can each DO anything we want in life as long as we have some cheerleaders to encourage us along the way. So, thanks to each of you who encourage me in these daily posts as I reveal a tiny bit, each day, from my little box of dreams.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Red, Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta and Cobalt Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop! |
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Great post Charlie! I must admit I wasn’t thrilled with today’s prompt but it came together better than feared. Thanks for the reminder how lost I would be without my smartphone or my Surface. I track so much on both, I am in contact with people all over the world in my various art communities and I can learn just about anything I want to from the comfort of my living room. It amazes me sometimes. I still remember life before computers and smartphones. Simpler but not necessarily better.
Thanks so much, Karen! 😃💕hehe… yeah, today’s prompt was not a fan favorite! lol But weirdly, it had more responses than almost any other. A sure sign of pushing outside one’s comfort zone! And yeah, I love the connection that social media and technology brings, but there are many other things that come along that I question. In the end, if I can connect with an artist on the other side of the globe, it’s all SO worth it!
It’s surprised me like this situation : I kept my phone and saw your sketch, I looked at my desk which were my laptop and a cup of morning coffee, then I looked back seeing your sketch again I ha ha.
I love this beautiful sketch. And I’ve admired your Philippe who always stand by you. What’s a beautiful life!
Thanks, Loan! 😃💕 hehe… yeah, this is likely a rather common view for us! I’m so happy you enjoyed this! Yes, Philippe is quite awesome… I can tease in my posts, but he gets me through all of the challenges this life can throw my way!
You are lucky to have Philippe and he is lucky to have you to appreciate him! (K)
Thanks so much, Kerfe! 😃💕 Yeah… I feel truly lucky each and every day!
Were you peeking in my window? Love your painting of this! Part of my morning ritual also. If it weren’t for going to the gym each morning, I’d be on it longer. On weekends when I don’t go to the gym, that time is used for sketching/painting. Sometimes I don’t even get on the computer then and I just jump right into painting. Love those mornings!
Lol… I assure you I wasn’t peeking in your window as that would be perfectly creepy! 😉 💕But yay to mornings spent connecting and creating art!
I hope you have your laptop well backed up? they contain so much of our lives that they are a vital part of it. Love your sketch but can’t wait to see if anybody does a sketch of our other lap…
Thanks, Claire! 😃💕Yes, the site is backed up and all of the laptop files has a backup in the cloud. And too funny… someone on Instagram did indeed sketch the other lap. 😉 hehe
Part of my morning ritual too. Your sketch is great.
Thanks so much, Bonnie! 😃💕 Yay to our morning ritual!
Beautiful!!!! And cheers to the lovely technology that lets us all connect from all over the world!!! 🙂
Thanks, Lisa! 😃💕 Yay to that! That’s the beautiful part about technology!
Every morning I grab my cup of good Puerto Rican coffee (yaucono) and turn on my laptop…. Yes is a good box of dreams… Good post that it easy to be identified with… Thanks!!!!
Thanks so much, Walter! 😃💕 Glad you connected with this one. Indeed… I love logging into that morning box of dreams!
My husband is my biggest fan, and he has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. It has been a great gift to have that kind of support! It’s a sign of true love when a person, like Philippe, encourages you to fully be yourself.
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 So true.. when you’re with someone who can dream right along with you, you know indeed you’re with THE ONE!
It never ceases to amaze me how many people support me and my art and writing endeavors. Many of them claim they have no talent themselves which I don’t believe, but I’m happy to have the cheerleaders.
Yay for cheerleaders! 😃💕 And thank you my friend for encouraging me! Yeah, I don’t believe in the “no talent” story… it’s just a story that needs a little twist.
Great doodle Charlie i start in the morning with a good cup of coffee!
Thanks so much, Fatima! 😃💕 Best way to start a morning!
The perfect start to the day! Love the colors in the cup!
Thanks so much, Mary! 😃💕 Sometimes I really let watercolor tell what colors should come next! hehe Glad you liked it!
I use my laptop to call up reference photos rather than printing them out. So much nicer because you can do some editing and still have the original. You are lucky to have someone who supports your endeavors.
I do the same! hehe! So much more convenient. And yeah, I feel very lucky to have Philippe! 😃💕 I tease about him, of course, but that’s just the secret sauce to a lovely marriage. 😉
I like how you tackled all the keys! I can imagine that’s one reason laptops aren’t particularly popular as a subject.
I haven’t had a lappy top for years – I had one for uni, which I think I fried with too much rendering, it died after two years or so – but my desktop computer is also full of old jottings that haven’t quite sparked yet. There’s 3D stuff, writing stuff, that OU Welsh course I downloaded two years ago… Most of these came about thanks to someone cheerleading; maybe someday another will come along and inspire me to finish. Dim ots! Noswaith dda!
Big YES to the mystery series, by the way! But, naturally, you would have to work some of our old favourites into the plot somewhere, whether it’s zonkeys, seals or Citrus Polos.
Thanks, Jacob! 😃💕 Yeah, I just sort of avoided and dotted in the keys! LOL Realizing the entire time why this prompt was not a fan favorite! hehe And yeah, I tried Adobe Dimension recently and had something awesome created, but my laptop crashed during the rendering! haha Yep… laptops are not for 3D it would seem. And glad you like the mystery series concept! It will come one day! And I can only imagine it would be made more amazing with zonkeys, seals and Citrus Polos!! YAY! Much love to you my friend! ❤️
Yes, many BSODs on my old laptop, bless the thing. This PC is old, but much sturdier in that respect – though I did once freeze it for a few minutes when I accidentally put an extra zero in somewhere and generated 100,000 cubes. Whoopsie! But it recovered, thankfully! Adobe Dimension looks fun, I didn’t even know about that. It’s all I can do to try and control the software I already have!
Haha, yes! Just imagine if you included Citrus Polos in the story and then everyone reads it. REVIVAL! 😉
Oh wow… yeah… 100,000 cubes would crush even a grand computer! lol And wow… if I could single-handling bring back Citrus Polos that would be an amazing thing indeed! lol 🙂
Charlie says, “That’s the thing about dreams. They don’t thrive on criticism and critique, but instead, flourish with just the smallest bit of positive enthusiasm.”
Every teacher, every parent, every friend, …everybody…should know and understand the necessity to practice that wisdom.
You rock Charlie O’
Thank you my friend! 😃💕 YOU rock… I need to print your comments on the days I’m feeling like I can’t write at all. Thanks for the positive feedback!