Day 91: Kite Festival

We're at the kite festival today in DC. There were penguins, dragons, pirates, planes, spacecrafts, Buzz Lightyear, birds, angry birds, octopus, whale up in the air today. Washington Monument ground was colorful. I'll try to post photos soon.

Day 90: After Hours

This is how architects & designers use their resource library after work. Playing Rock Band. Well....probably once every 2 years. (^_^) I am horrible at playing drums!

Day 88: My First Pair of Flippers

I've been wanting to draw my first pair of flippers since I received them. Now I can't wait to try! :)

Last weekend my classmate in her 50-60s who swam so well in class told me that she had never known how to swim until 3 years ago. One day she had decided to learn properly. Isn't that such a great inspiration ? I learnt how to swim when I was 6 or 7 years old. skipping it for decades as I had never enjoyed it. Now I start lap swimming. Maybe I will be better in a couple years too!

Day 88: A Baby Bird at Metro

Today I took a metro to Rosslyn to survey a building we renovate. While I was waiting for the train, there was non stop high-pitch sound of chirping. I was looking around and there there was a little chubby baby bird right on the station signage on the wall next to the rail. Oh my and the train was coming! Thank goodness that the baby bird knew how to safe his/herself! He/she climbed down to the back of the signage right before the train arrived. There must be 2-3 inches gap between the signage and the wall.

There are trains every 3 minutes. I hope he/she survives. Please.

On the way home the bus I took passed the new construction on the toll road. And there were two geese walking on the construction site.

Isn't it sad ?

Day 87: Barcelona Pavilion

Today is Mies van der Rohe's 126th Birthday. He died in 1969. Looking at his work particularly this one reminds me why I love architecture. Why I am willing to spend more than 8 hours a day drawing and designing. Why I can stand the constant changes requested by whoever. Why I keep fine tuning the details until I get them right (even though most of the time I have to stop because I hit the deadline.) Why I have 15 sheets of construction drawings for a 3,500 sq.ft. project (and that's architectural only). Why I like talking to the subcontractors who put things together happen rather than being in the meeting with dozens of people talking about something else than the design. (If you must know, I have never really enjoyed the business and management side of this job.)

Look at the plan and then elevations of this pavilion. It's simply amazing. Less is really more.

Day 86: At 8:45 This Morning

Sometimes things happen for a reason. Like this morning there was a long line on the secondary street waiting for the green light to the main one. I decided to get in line instead of taking the back road. Once the light turned green the fourth car on the line didn't move only because the driver didn't pay attention until he/she got honked at by the car behind. The fourth car sped through the intersection but the fifth one didn't make it...unfortunately. (Don't you hate that ?)

So what happened ? While waiting for the next light there was an RA (Reston Association) pick up truck with a canoe on the back passing by. Must be going to Lake Newport!

Ha ha. I know it's silly but quite often this little non-sense thing just easily brightens up my day. I didn't sleep well last night and gotta get up early tomorrow to finish my construction drawings. -_-!

Hope you all have a good night!

Day 85: Cherry Nearby

Long day at work! (Yes, it is Sunday.) ToT

Since I am going to miss the cherry blossom at Tidal Basin in DC this year I painted one a couple steps from my place instead.

Day 84: Dew

I am a little bit disappointed that I didn't paddle for Cherry Blossom Tour today. Partially I don't trust myself to paddle across the Potomac River in the rain in 60ish'F (15ish'C) weather. :( There will be next time! So I ended up cleaning the house. (I start to notice that every time I miss paddling I vacuum. haha. I guess that's a good thing!) I rearranged my living room (which is actually my main crafty area) and put all the painting up on the wall (as many craft experts suggest that it's another way to get inspired.)

So here is my painting. Dedicate to the rainy day in DC area.

Day 83: Lake Anne Plaza, Reston, VA

Looking toward Lake Anne Plaza at sunset after my walk.

No brush has been used. I use my fingers, a piece of crumble aluminum foil, the plastic end of a brush. There are a couple areas that I haven't painted such as the sun and the foreground. Hopefully soon!

Day 82: War of Rubber Bands

About the War

Type: War of Rubber Bands. Against my office manager. Across our shared 7-foot-tall partition.

Number of Fatality: Zero.

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About Painting

Note: No brush has been used on this field.

Damage: Watercolor stain on every single rubber band in my house.

Day 81: Paint Freely

Work totally crushed me this week. So today I decided to play with all the paint I have left on the palette. I let it drip, flow, scratched, printed (that round white thing was my thumb). But that's what I like about it. I learn new technique while I am playing.

I think I am gonna try to paint with my finger next time.

Day 80: Draw Something

My sister always finds (online) activities for me to join. These two weeks she has been encouraging (aka nagging + threatening) me to download "Drawing Something" app to play with her and she said this way I can practice drawing. (Aren't I doing it everyday already, sis ?!)

The game is a combination of Pictionary plus Scrabble, I guess. You invite a friend to play with. You draw a given word. You have free 4 color choices. (If you want fancy colors, you have to buy it w/ your points.) Once you're done you send it out. Then he/she guesses a word. (8 random letters given.) If the answer is correct, it is his/her turn to draw.

So for our first duel I had to draw a 'nest' and she had to draw 'fart'. (HAHAHAHA) I would draw what she drew but it's close to midnight now!

Isn't that amazing that most of the time a good game is just super simple. I miss board games.

Day 79: A Painting for Mandy's Baby Room

Three of us finished this painting (except the sealing part) on Saturday. We had great time! And we hope the baby will love it. I decided not to post right away because I know I had to work long hour this evening...like until 9pm!

It's not cheating, is it ? :)

If you'd like, see the set up of our craft table from Day 68.

Day 78: T-Shirt Design for the Office

We have to design in-house T-Shirt design for our upcoming office social events. It's due tomorrow. So I am going to count this as a part of my 365 project!

Day 77: St. Patrick's Day

...so I decide to paint Shamrock. Not sure how I should add detail to the leaves yet...

Day 76: Flower Field

It is a bit gloomy...but I love that the colors run free. The photo on the lower right corner is my inspiration for this painting.

Day 75: Cherry/Sakura Flowers

At 11:30pm I still didn't know what to draw today.

Yesterday I found these cherry/sakura flowers on the ground near the lake (never ever pick them out from the trees, folks!) and decided to give them some water and put them in the vase. Hope they will last longer.

And I think summer is here!

Day 74: A Gift for a Newly-Wed Couple

They just love cooking!

Day 73: My Day

After a busy day at work designing a big building renovation project that we don't know if we will get hired, preparing the presentation boards and coordinating among the teams, witnessing what might turn out to be a blame game in near future on another project I was totally exhausted. My evening after work turned out to be much nicer. Grocery shopping at Whole Foods where a staff chatting with me about how she liked my purse which I got from Target and she found a pair of shoes she liked over there while she was smiling and getting roasted potatoes and ratatouille for me. Walking around the lake where people were jogging, walking their dogs, relaxing, where cats wandering around in front of their house, and flowers were blooming everywhere.

I wish it's tomorrow evening soon! (And I already finish Day 74 work which is a special gift! I just have to wait until it's given!)

Day 72: My New Water Shoes

I know I promise myself not to shop. But this close-toe water/hiking shoes is on sale. I don't have close-toe ones yet. And it's $15 less than the one on Amazon!

I am so ready to paddle. The lake was so inviting this evening.

Day 71: Bird of Paradise

This is going to be a birthday gift for another supportive person in my life. (Shhh..Her birthday is tomorrow.) I want to post other painting/projects tonight and post this one tomorrow but I haven't finished them. Lap swimming this morning totally worn me out on top of time change. I am so ready to go to bed!

Day 70: Tulip in Crayon

I have never realized coloring with crayons could be tough! Anyway, I posted Day 70 early because I have other bigger painting/drawing projects to be done this weekend. Please stay tuned!

Day 69: Daffodil in One Continuous Line

After the meeting at the construction site today I passed these Daffodil planted in front of the building so I decided to walk around a bit to take photos of them.

I drew them without lifting my pencil. This type of practice has been suggested a lot in many drawing tutorial books. It loosens you up. No need to be perfect. So it's possible to draw flowers in one continuous line! A bit challenging.

I hope they look like Daffodil to you!

*oops. I just noticed that there are supposed to be 6 petals.

Day 68: At Craft Night

Three of us wrecked Le Point (our lunch/library area at the office) this evening to do the painting for Mandy's baby room. Here is the painting in progress.

Day 67: Hunt for the Moon

Another day with clear sky and the moon is huge! It's just so hard to find a place with big sky in a city. Tonight I first saw the moon while driving on the main road, then it decided to play hide and seek all the way. Check out the photos of them that I took this week.

Day 66: An early-birthday girls-only pajamas party

Oops. It's about 30 minutes after midnight. Sorry the party was just over! :) We had an early-birthday girls-only pajamas party for our beloved office manager today. Dinner, wine, movie, stuffed animals, blankets and a gift. It's a lovely and meaningful evening.

Day 65: Bloom Watch

Bloom Watch period is announced!

Day 64: A Ballerina

Since Sunday is going to be a busy day for me I decide to post this one now instead of at the end of the day because I might fall asleep again.

I found an image of a ballerina on CNN and the photo was simply gorgeous. I always want to learn how to draw a figure. Drawing something real starts from your observation on shapes, proportion, relationship of all the component and then they will change again when you look at them from the different viewing angle or level. The most important thing is you need to let yourself draw based on the observation not assumption because the assumption is not always right.

And that is what I love about it.

And in this case my ballerina's head is too big!

Day 63: Dear Dyson

...thanks for keeping my place clean!

(oops....sorry for the delay I fell asleep!)

Day 62: Baby Shower

We had a baby shower at the office today! I love giving gifts. It's so fun to surprise people. (Well...what they think is another story ha ha.) More celebrations to come.

Day 61: Flower Field

Another spring inspiration for me. I go easy today. Too much to do!