creativity

Daily Drawing #184, Enjoying Your Time in The Cloud

| Whitt’s End Art

There are times when I just like to hang a simple cartoon out there for my daily drawing. This is one of those times with my drawing “Two Cats Caught in the Cloud.” I am not a big fan of the Cloud even though I use it from time to time to store some photos. Why? You may ask. The answer is simple, storing stuff on the Cloud, or in the Cloud, depending on what terminology you use, gives someone a false sense of security. All you need to do is read or watch the news once in a while and you will see any Cloud server is not immune to hackers.

A lot of personal information as well as incriminating photos have been leaked because people have put there trust in the wrong place.  So the next time you’re thinking about storing something on the cloud think to yourself, “Is this something I don’t want the wrong people to see?” In lieu of the Cloud I use one of those portable hard drives to backup my photos and docs. I think it is a little safer. There are times when it is better to keep your head out of the clouds.

 

 

 

Daily Drawing #183, Playin’ the Game of Four Square

| Whitt’s End Art

Remember the game of Four Square we used to play in gym class and on the playgrounds. The game was played with four people and the object was to pass a playground ball back and forth until you made a mistake and were out. My drawing today is entitled, “I Love 2 Draw,” and is an homage to the playground version of the game where the squares you drew had lines that were not perfectly square but still you persevered and played the game.

I can’t believe I am halfway through this years drawing challenge. I have drawn 183 illustrations. There are quite a few I am going to be offering soon as art prints. Some still need work and a few are going by the wayside. Some of things I’ve learned over the last six months is that in order to be a better artist you must try new things and attempt to draw those things which in your mind you would never be able to draw. Also I have found a style of art which is to my liking. You will see what I mean because in future drawings that style will show up more and more.

I am also contemplating changing my art group name to Whitty Arts. If you read this let me know about the name.

I started this blog for two purposes, one was to use my talents to honor God and further His message. The second was to develop my talents as an artist. I think I have so far done what I set out to do on the outset. I pray I can finish out the year with many more whimsical and colorful drawing. Check back each day to see what comes your way.

Daily Drawing #181, Feeling Like A Man In The Wilderness

| Whitt’s End Art

The drawing prompt for today was the word, “wilderness.” The prompt made my mind wander back to one of the songs by my favorite groups of my youth, Styx and one of my favorite songs, “Man in the Wilderness.”  The lyrics are:

‘Cause I can’t seem to find the light alone
Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness
I’m a lonely soldier off to war
Sent away to die, never quite knowing why
Sometimes it makes no sense at all

While the song appears to be about life on the road as a rock star. it also had meaning for me back then as well as now. I will not bore you with the details of how the song related to me back in the day . Today however, there are times as a follower of Jesus where I feel like I am wandering in a wilderness. A man all alone. I have the light in my heart but it doesn’t seem to pervade the darkness. Still I persevere, knowing God is near, and will never leave me to be truly alone.

Daily Drawing #180, Self Portrait of A Childhood

| Whitt’s End Art

I found a picture of myself from my childhood. I drew a little self portrait. While my childhood was an interesting time I have no desire to return to those youthful years. Sure I had a lot of good memories from those days but there were also some memories I wish to leave behind. In my youth I learned the value of true friends. I also the cruelty of peers who see you as not belonging to the same social class. Still I count my youth as a time well spent.

Daily Drawing #179, Ridin’ the Little Red Wagon

| Whitt’s End Art

One of my prize possessions from my childhood was my little red wagon. I would use that wagon for many things from hauling rocks to riding down hills. I got a lot of use out of that wagon and in the end when the wagon lost its wheels I used the wagon as a sled. There are days when I miss that old red wagon. Even to this day when I see an old red wagon in an antique store it brings back fond memories.

Red is the symbol of life. it is the color of the blood which flows through our veins. The blood which keeps us alive. Like the little red wagon blood is a prize possession given to us by God. The precious possession which Jesus shed on the cross for humanity. Even to this day when I think about what Jesus did for me it leaves me in a state if awe. It should be the same for anyone who calls themselves a follower of Jesus.

Daily Drawing #178, Blowing Bubbles in the Wind

| Whitt’s End Art

As a kid blowing bubbles was one of my favorite activities. I remember going to the store getting those bottles of glorified soap. Inside was a little wand with a circle on one end. The circle of course was used to created the bubbles. Who would have thought such a little device could create hours of joy. Sadly the bubbles we blew did not last. Either they landed on the ground and popped or we chased them down and popped them ourselves.

Then along came Super Elastic Bubble Plastic. This material took the bubble blowing world by storm. Here was a bubble you could play with for longer periods of time. They did not pop. You could hold them in your hand, pass them back and forth or just watch them blow along in the wind.  Sadly Super Elastic Bubble Plastic went the way of most fads. After the novelty wore off and sales went down the product became part of American lore.

Super Elastic  is still around but it is not as popular as before .There is a lesson to learned about our faith from this fad.  We can’t let our lives as followers of Jesus go the same as Super Elastic Bubble Plastic.  Start out as an exciting novelty that when the newness wears off it is put on the back burner becoming part of our life lore. The life of a follower of Jesus is meant to be as dynamic in twenty, thirty, or forty years as it was on the first day. Let us keep our hearts focused on Jesus and life will always feel new.

 

Daily Drawing #177, A Mountain Into A Molehill

| Whitt’s End Art

This drawing is kind of a piggy back from my drawing from yesterday. It is entitled, “Making A Molehill Out of Mountains.” It seems to me we live in a country where the smallest thing goes from being a little molehill into big mountain. Now I’m not talking about a true offense because they should never be dealt with appropriately. I am talking about when somebody offends you because they don’t like what you’re wearing or when something they’ve said something you’ve taken the wrong way.

These moments can become mountainous in our ears. In a huff we turn and walk away vowing to never to talk to the person again. More arguments start over small misunderstandings that blossom into big issues more than anything else. The Bible says in Proverbs 17:14 ESV,  “The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.” In other words make sure all molehills stay that way. Don’t let them become mountains.

Daily Drawing #176, A Bad Hair Day

| Whitt’s End Art

The title of the drawing for today is, “Bad Hair Day.” Poor little Rapunzel has let down her hair right on top of her wayward hero. Each of us has a bad hair day, not in the literal sense but in a figurative way. I for one have no hair. Anyway, bad days are gonna come. it is how we deal with them. When the bad times come don’t invite them to take up long term residence in your heart. Instead talk about them with others, seeks out others to pray with you, make an appointment with a Biblical counselor. Do whatever it takes, but don’t dwell on the bad times.

Daily Drawing #175, Peace, Peace, Perfect Peace

| Whitt’s End Art

The title of my drawing today is, “Give Me A Little Peace.” When I was kid I knew a lot of people who were hippies. There favorite greeting was to say was, “Peace Man.” Wouldn’t it be great if we all knew real peace especially in the world we live in now. One of my favorite books of the Bible is James and one of my favorite verses is James 3:18 ESV, “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” I am not quarrelsome person I love to be at peace because to me to get peace from others you need to be a bearer of peace and love to others. Oh what our world be if our social media was filled with peaceful messages instead of full of barbs and hate.