Tag Archives: valentine’s day

Skook WiP #59

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These Days ...

Naps are wonderful things. Cats know this. They are champion nappers. I don’t take naps often enough. If I haven’t started a nap before noon I won’t take on that day. I won’t feel like I have enough time to properly enjoy it. If I’m tired I’d caffeinate instead.

I’ve been on vacation this week and I probably should be taking more naps. I’ve been getting up and going to bed on the same schedule as I would while working. I’m still caffeinating myself when I could be getting shuteye.

I am mostly enjoying myself. We’ve using this week to catch up on medical appointments. Sarah has a few for sciatica and nerve issues. I had a presurgery visit with the optometrist to measure my eyes and discuss lenses. I’ve got cataracts. In April, assuming the schedule works out, I will have them corrected, one eye at a time. It’s a weird thing for me to contemplate. My natural eye lense will be replaced by a plastic one. I was given a choise of lenses I can have installed. I have a budget so I couldn’t choose a lense that might (nothing is ever completely certain) allow me to be eyeglasses free. Since I am naturally nearsighted, the doctor recommended a lense that would allow me to read without glasses. I will then need to wear glasses for distance seeing. That seems fine. I’ve been wearing glasses for a few years now. I’m used them. My main motivation to have the surgery is to regain some night vision. I’ve been doing my best to avoid driving in unfamiliar places at night because, frankly, it’s not safe for me to do it any more. I can manage familiar roads okay because I know the landmarks and don’t need to read road signs.

I don’t love driving. I don’t dislike it. It’s a necessary activity here in a big American city with inefficient public transportation during a pandemic. It’s a big part of my job at USPS. I’m expecting the new lenses with make that part of my life easier.

Mugshots

This week’s process GIF is of a trio of witches making soup. Maybe. Maybe they are casting a spell. Or making oatmeal. You tell me.

This design is available on a mug in my Zazzle store and all sorts of schtuff in my Redbubble store.

Bonedeep Romance

I ran out of the 11×17 bristol board that I use for drawing my mug designs. I kept drawing layout sketches on 8.5×11 cardstock but but I wanted carry a design all the way to the finish. I also wanted to do something simpler (bolder?) than I habitually work up. With Valentine’s Day on my mind, the design below is the result.

This is what the design looks like on one of Redbubble’s t-shirts.

This is what it looks like on one of Zazzle’s shot glasses.

Pink Heart Shaped Skull Shot Glass
Pink Heart Shaped Skull Shot Glass
by Skookworks

That’s it for this week. I’ve got three more days where I can not think about delivering mail.

And maybe take a nap.

Or two.

Cheers!

Skook WiP #58

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Good morning! I hope you’re doing well. It’s Friday and this is the newsletter.

These Days

Today is the first day of one of my vacations. I have a lot of complaints about working for the Post Office but the job has its advantages. We get paid days off, both sick days and vacation days. I didn’t use a lot of the vacation days during my first few years at the job so I’ve got a good stash of them. All unused sick days roll over from one year to the next. Vacation days roll over as well but only up to a point. Eventually you start to lose the days you don’t use. This year I’ve scheduled three weeks – this one that starts today, another one in the summer and a third in the fall. I’ll primarily use the time to do art and visit with friends. Given that there’s still a frikkin’ pandemic going on I’ll be doing more art than hanging out.

The longer I work for the PO the more vacation days become available and the more I will take. This is one of the benefits of having a union job. Yay unions!

Mugshots

This week’s process gif is of a couple of happy dragons. These critters are modeled on the Eastern version of a dragon. I like dragons in general but I have an extra fondness for the Chinese version. They’re more likely to share a cup of tea with you than set you aflame.

Dragons come in a variety of colors so I did a second version in red and green.

These designs are available on mugs in my Zazzle shop and lots of other schtuff in my Redbubble store.

Coming Attractions

I do most of my preliminary sketches on 8 1/2 by 11 cardstock. I scan them into my computer and covert the art to a blueline drawing, blow it up and then print it out on 11×17 bristol board for inking. Last week I ran out of bristol board and the local art supply shop didn’t have any available in my preferred size. I’ve got a new supply headed my way by slow FedEx but until it arrives I’ve been getting new designs sketched up on the cardstock. Here is a sample of them.

I hope your week goes well. Take care of yourself and those whose company you enjoy. Thank you for reading!