California Dreaming

I love being in Michigan for the holidays (though even in Michigan we don't get a "white Christmas" every year like we used to), but on days when the wind starts getting a bit too cold, I do find myself imagining warmer weather.

Here are some photographs I took when I was on the west coast in the summer of 2012. It was a year after we got married, and my husband and I joined a few mutual friends for a very speedy road trip (1.5 weeks total) south to Oklahoma, west all the way to the Pacific (stopping along the way at the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park), and back home again (hitting up Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Colorado, Mount Rushmore, and the Mall of America, and then taking a very roundabout way home to southeast Michigan by heading up through the U.P., crossing the Mackinac Bridge, and visiting Traverse City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes).

All of these photos are from beaches in the Los Angeles area.

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Santa Monica Beach:

Super crowded and not really my kind of scene, but the colors of the amusement rides were gorgeous and fun, and the California sun made for great lighting for photos.

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Venice Beach:

Even less my scene (I've never tried to skateboard or smoke pot in my life), but again, I couldn't help but appreciate the vibrancy of the graffiti and the gorgeous late-evening sunshine making its silhouettes on the beach.

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A beautiful sunset on a beach in Malibu, CA:

Definitely my favorite "beach" we visited, this strip of sand was just off the road and nearly deserted (there were only two or three other people who came down to enjoy the sunset, parking their cars on the side of the road like we had and descending down into the sand). It was quiet, the sand was warm, and the sunset was (as you can see in the photos), a tranquil rose color. Plus, there were pretty flowers!

Splattered Dahlias

This 11"x15" watercolor painting was created in much the same way as "Waterlilies," the piece I showed yesterday. I took a photograph I'd taken of dahlias (from that same garden in Rochester, New York where I photographed the dahlia I used for my "Radiant Dahlia" colored pencil drawing) and then masked off the background, replacing the background with a pattern I'd designed in Adobe Illustrator.

"Splattered Dahlias" is available for purchase through my Etsy shop.

"Splattered Dahlias" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit

Also just like "Waterlilies," I added a bit of colored pencil to play up the shadows of the dahlias, as you can see in the details below.

As a final touch for this painting, I added some "splatters" of metallic blue watercolor paint, to act as a contrast against the orange pattern in the background.

"Splattered Dahlias" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit (detail)

"Splattered Dahlias" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit (detail)

"Splattered Dahlias" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit (detail)

Waterlilies

This 11"x15" watercolor combines a photograph I took of waterlilies with some of my designed patterns. It is available for purchase through my Etsy shop.

"Waterlilies" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit

I made this composition on my computer, by "masking off" the lily pads in a photograph I took of a pond and inserting one of the patterns I designed in Adobe Illustrator into the lily pad shape.

If you look closely, you can see that I added some colored pencil to the watercolor painting, especially to emphasize shadows. The red lines in the purple background (the stems of lily pads reaching down to the bottom of the pond) are colored pencil, as are the shadows on the lilies.

The green and blue lily pads are all done in watercolor. The white pattern visible on the pads is the white of the paper I preserved.

Here are the detail shots:

"Waterlilies" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit (detail)

"Waterlilies" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit (detail)

"Waterlilies" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit (detail)

"Waterlilies" 11x15 watercolor and colored pencil on paper
by Andrea Arbit (detail)

Finally, here is the source photograph I used. This pond was in the same garden as the dahlias I found in Rochester, New York (which I talked about in yesterday's post, featured the colored pencil drawing "Radiant Dahlia").

I used only the top right of this image, focusing on the cluster of four waterlilies and cropping the rest out. I also changed the water to a purple background so that it would be darker and stand out against the light lily pads. In this photo, you'll notice that most of the water (except where you can see the dark stems) is actually lighter (or at least brighter) than the green lily pads, whereas in my watercolor this is reversed. In my painting, the lily pads are a light blue-green (with a white pattern that lightens them even more), and the water is darker.

Radiant Dahlia

This 5"x7" colored pencil drawing on black paper is called "Radiant Dahlia" and is available for purchase on my Etsy page.

"Radiant Dahlia" by Andrea Arbit
5x7 colored pencil drawing on black paper

"Radiant Dahlia" by Andrea Arbit
5x7 colored pencil drawing on black paper
Comes with 8x10 white Crescent mat

Like all of my 5"x7" drawings, this "Radiant Dahlia" comes with a 8"x10" white Crescent mat suitable for framing.

For this drawing especially, I paid attention to the direction of my lines, because I knew right away that I wanted to use line as a way to show the texture of the petals and to draw the eye in/out of the center of the flower.

Here are some detail shots:

"Radiant Dahlia" by Andrea Arbit
5x7 colored pencil drawing on black paper
(detail)

"Radiant Dahlia" by Andrea Arbit
5x7 colored pencil drawing on black paper
(detail - shown without included mat)

(Back of drawing)

Here is the detail shot I posted on Instagram:

I cropped my source photo on the sides so that the petals would fill the drawing right to the edge of the pages, and to focus on the interesting petals in the middle. Here is the photograph I worked from, as I first captured it. I took this photo at a garden in Rochester, New York in the summer of 2012, when my husband and I were in town for the wedding of one of his relatives.

Dahlias are so pretty, and pink-orange is one of my favorite colors for flowers. I feel like they often have the best range of lights and shadows at different times of day, and roses of this color combination usually dry into really interesting color patterns.

Yellow Rose

On my Etsy page, I have a listing for a 5"x7" colored pencil drawing on black paper titled "Yellow Rose" (which you can find for sale here).

"Yellow Rose" 5x7 colored pencil drawing by Andrea Arbit

"Yellow Rose" 5x7 colored pencil drawing by Andrea Arbit
Comes with 8x10 white Crescent mat

Like all of my 5"x7" colored pencil drawings, this comes with a 8"x10" white Crescent mat suitable for framing.

And here is a detail photo:

"Yellow Rose" 5x7 colored pencil drawing by Andrea Arbit
(detail)

(Back of drawing)

To create this drawing, I looked at the shadows of the rose first (on the source photo I was using - a picture taken from a rose bouquet) and preserved the black lines from the black paper. Then, I filled in the lighter shadows with orange, and the lightest parts of the rose in yellow and white.

Detail on Instagram

Red Hibiscus

Today I'm going to feature my 5"x7" colored pencil drawing "Red Hibiscus," which is for sale through my Etsy shop.

"Red Hibiscus" by Andrea Arbit - colored pencil on black paper

"Red Hibiscus" by Andrea Arbit - colored pencil on black paper
5x7 colored pencil drawing comes with 8x10 white Crescent mat

Like all of my 5"x7" colored pencil drawings, this comes with a 8"x10" white Crescent mat suitable for framing.

Here are some detail shots:

"Red Hibiscus" by Andrea Arbit - colored pencil on black paper
(detail)

"Red Hibiscus" by Andrea Arbit - colored pencil on black paper
(detail)

(Back of drawing)

Detail featured on Instagram

To create this drawing I used this as a source photograph:

Photography by Andrea Arbit

I took this photograph on my honeymoon in 2011 on the Greek island of Santorini. I added more depth to the blue sky background on the colored pencil version (blending streaks of medium blue and lighter blue together), played up the contrast of the shadows on the hibiscus petals, and lightened some of the leaves to a lighter, brighter green.

Poems and Song Lyrics

As a kid/pre-teen, I fancied myself a songwriter. I've always liked to sing (even if I'm not naturally great at it), and I've always liked to write, so it seemed obvious to merge the two. I wrote little songs and then went out in the backyard and sat on a swing and sang them. I sang them for myself. I didn't share them with anyone else - except occasionally my best friend (who has legitimate singing talent). A lot of the songs were written on separate pieces of paper, or torn out of journals and then rewritten in again at a later date, but I tried my best to recreate them and put them in a general order.

These are all from middle school and early high school. Some are just me being silly, and some are just being overly dramatic/maudlin, because I was a teenage girl trying to be emo and a songwriter, but others exactly pinpointed how I felt. Some of them even still ring true today.

What I think Heaven Will Be Like

Streets of red carpet lead me to his throne of gold

So many dreams on this silver lining that never get old

My eyes are blinded by his presence

So light, so bright, beautiful essence

Long white robes, with silver sashes

No one smokes here, no trays of ashes

Lavender flowers in my hair

Some people aren’t here – not fair!

But they got a chance

God gave them a gift

If they chose to ignore it

They won’t be lift (ed)

No psychics, freaks, or fortune tellers

No spirits, enemies, or soul sellers

Just the believers

Heaven

Untitled

I’ve been busy

Getting dizzy

All wound up

In the things of this world

I should be telling the Word

‘Til evil’s heard

But I’m bad

So make me a better girl

Change my body

Save my soul

Cleanse my mind

Get on a roll

Fix my life

Help my heart

Lend a hand

And do my part

Attitude adjustment

New testament

Lord, forgive me

I repent

I am free

Breathe

Back up

Break up

What’re you trying to do?

Smother me?

Leave me

Let me breathe

Inhale

Exhale

But you’re in my face

Like a plastic bag

You need a warning label

Keep out of reach from children

This product can cause suffocation

Handle with care

I need a breath of fresh air

For crying out loud

Let me loose

Cut off the leash

Let me go

Let me breathe

You

I’m only human

But I try

To do my best

I’m trusting You

To do the rest

Help me, please

For I am a mere mortal

And You are God

Today Ain’t Like Yesterday

Today ain’t like yesterday at all

Days creep by like school in the fall

The universe’s too big

And we are too small

Today ain’t like yesterday

Today ain’t like yesterday at all

Yesterday the day was full of fun

Yesterday we flew towards the sun

But today is cold and full of dread

And there’s a storm cloud in my head

So today ain’t like yesterday

Vision

A dream will die

No lie

If you don’t feed it

A dream will go

You know

If you don’t need it

Without vision

People perish

Day doesn’t dawn anew

Without vision

People perish

Smoke, flame, ash, too

A Lonely Song

All I ever say is “au revoir”

Sitting here strumming my guitar

All I ever say is “so long”

Singing a song

A lonely song

Mortal

I’m not supposed to feel

I’m not supposed to care

So why am I worrying?

I should be above this stuff

This human emotion

I’m better than this

I can’t possibly have

Stooped down so low

As to love you

Look what you’ve done to me

You’ve changed who I am

You took an uncaring person

And made me mortal

Maybe One Day

Maybe one day I’ll be a star

Maybe one day I’ll play guitar

Maybe one day I’ll go far

Maybe one day I’ll be who you are

But for now I guess I’m stuck being me

Maybe one day that’ll make me happy

Maybe one day I’ll be proud of myself

Maybe one day I’ll like the cards I’ve been dealt

But for now I guess I’m here

Sitting here, hoping that

Maybe that one day is near

From the Outside, Looking In

You’re on the outside, looking in

I’m on the inside, looking out

I don’t know how you perceive me

Can you tell me what this is about?

I can only see myself when I gaze in my mirror

While you can see me from a new perspective

You’re father away, maybe, not as near

But you can see me still, so tell me – I’m no detective

I may see myself one way

But does that show in what I say

How do you see me?

Tell me!

I don’t know what shows

From the outside, looking in…

A Stupid Mistake I’ll Make

Cosine theta times sine two beta is something I can take

But on the last line: two times nine – a stupid mistake I’ll make

A gourmet lunch, a buffet brunch is something I can bake

But I hate to boast, ‘cuz with toast – a stupid mistake I’ll make

Why? Oh why? I cry! I try!

I do my best, but on the rest

I’ll always make a stupid mistake

Instead of a smoothie I’ll make a shake

Instead of a pond I’ll call it a lake

Instead of asleep I’ll stay awake

Instead of a diamond I’ll buy a fake

Instead of a shovel I’ll grab a rake

Instead of the gas I’ll use the brake

Instead of some cookies I’ll make a cake

Instead of Jack I’ll call him Jake

A stupid mistake I’ll make

Purple Phone

I got a purple phone

And it sits all alone

On my table

Hey don’t get up to leave

C’mon you gotta believe

This ain’t a fable

Yeah, it’s true

I dyed it red and blue

And now it’s purple

Oh, oh, it’s purple

I got your number here

But I just can’t dial it

With my phone sitting there

Looking so violet

It’s screaming to me

“It’s not meant to be!

Don’t call Uncle Urple

‘Cuz I’m perfectly PURPLE!”

Try So Hard

Why do I try so hard?

Why do I care so much?

Why do I want this so bad?

When do I know when enough is enough?

This seed I planted years ago

Has decided to start to grow

But it’s taking over every part of me

I can’t have fun without feeling guilty

And this once-happy goal

Is taking over my soul

I’m at a crossroads here

After all these years

I’m sick of beating myself with my fist

I’m tired of being a perfectionist

I try too hard

I care too much

I want this too bad

Enough is enough

Raindrops

These are raindrops

Falling on my face

What do you mean it ain’t raining?

There’s rain all over the place

Can’t you see those dark clouds

Up high in the sky?

‘Cuz it ain’t me. I ain’t gunna cry.

These are God’s tears –

Not mine

So stop asking me how I am

I’m fine

Don’t tell me I’m a basketcase

These are just raindrops

Falling on my face

Momentary

Who I am now, who I am today

Might be different tomorrow

‘Cause each new day brings

New hope and new sorrow

Why can’t I just stop time

And claim this moment as mine?

My life speeds by so fast

The future becomes the past

It’s too quick to make any sense

Can’t I just seize life’s little moments

I don’t want to grow up

I don’t care what people say

I’m happy right now

So can’t I stay this way?

Bittersweet

I feel so elated

No longer second-rated

This is the highest I’ve ever been

But while I’m this high

I could fall from the sky

‘Cause what goes up

Must come down again

Take this moment of clarity

And add my harsh reality

Change a paradise to a parody

Even the best of times

Are bittersweet