My Teddy Bear

I just started on online art class in watercolor journaling. The goal is to develop a habit of making daily entries. Well, we know all about that already! All the old familiar monsters have already raised their slimy little heads. It took me almost a week to find the perfect new notebook. Starting is not my forte. But today I made my first drawing--we were to draw something we cared about. There were other suggestions: lay down a watercolor wash first, add a vague shape in gouache, begin a contour drawing. Bit by bit it took shape. I'm pleased with the drawing, but not with the paint part. I can't for the life of me apply thick or dark paint--it's too frightening.

I don't know if you can read the writing. "A peculiar thing to draw. A peculiar thing for an old lady to draw is what I mean. He was my constant companion when I was a child, so I figured he could watch over this journal." "Tinkle. My teddy bear. He is almost seventy years old. He went to the beach. To school. He used my old wooden skis when I outgrew them." "My mother sewed lots of outfits for him--way before there were patterns for this sort of thing."

So I have made my first journal entry. My personal goals are to learn a little more about laying out the page in an interesting way, and to develop a better script for the text. It wouldn't kill me to learn a little more about painting either. So wish me luck. I promise I won't sell my journal to Polaroid.