Ovarian Cancer Awareness

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Though if you ask me, every month should be awareness month. Ovarian cancer is known as the 'Silent Killer'. Unfortunately early detection is extremely difficult. It is the persistent, smallest symptoms that women of all ages should look out for.

 

Potential symptoms include:

 

-Bloating

-Pelvic or abdominal pain

-Trouble eating or feeling full quickly

-Feeling the need to urinate urgently or often 

Other symptoms that can occur:

 

-Fatigue

-Upset stomach or heartburn

-Back pain

-Pain during sex

-Constipation or menstrual changes

Please be aware that all females (yes, even children) can get this. So please, spread the word. Share this post. Tell your wife, mother, daughter, niece, friend (heck, even grandma!) about this cancer. Early detection is the key! Education will help save lives. Let this awareness become as popular as the awareness for breast cancer.

 

About this piece:

 

I've wanted to do a little something for the awareness this month. After much thought, I give you the little umbrella girl. With her head held high and looking only forward, this brave girl walks on teal grass barefoot that supports her while her umbrella symbolizes the support and protection from getting beaten upon by the cancer. The sunrise that fills her represents hope.

 

Title: There is Always Hope

Medium: Derwent Inktense colored pencils

Paper: 9x12 Canson Cold Press watercolor

 

Websites about Ovarian Cancer:

http://ovarian.org/

Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness

So please, spread the word.

(This is dedicated to you, Melanie Chasen) <3

Derwent Inktense

Hello all! In late April I went to the art store to have a look around. I came across a 24 set of Derwent Inktense pencils. I had a 40% coupon on me, so I thought "why not?" I've been itching to try them for the past couple years, and I'm happy to say they are worth the excitement. The Inktense come in a total of 72 colors that can either be bought individually or in sets. The colors in the 24 set do have

a nice variety of color to create different types of pictures. The great thing about limitation is that it really works on your creativity.

The Inktense works very similar to watercolor pencils, they're water soluble. The big difference is that when wet, they turn into ink! Unlike normal watercolors/watercolor pencils, once completely dry, water cannot reactivate it. You cannot rework the colors, but you can add multiple layers over the dry ones and make the picture more rich in color and make certain aspects pop more.

These pencils can either be used wet or dry. Dry, they tend to have a deep richness to them and become translucent when wet. They do dry fast though, so it can be tricky trying to avoid those "blooms"(You can sort of see it in my iris blue on my color chart. I added a bit too much water...oops). An aqua brush(paint brush you can fill with water) works really well with these. They can be wetted on paper, or if you want to use a more painterly approach you can take a brush and wipe it on the lead of the pencil to collect the pigment. Whatever works for you.

Overall, I really love these. I love the way the respond to water (more so than my watercolor pencil set I owe). Perhaps with time I by their other colors separately. I brought them over to my friend's house and we were both messing around with them, having a blast.

Here are a couple paintings I created with them;

                            Sunset:

  

              Peaceful Valley: 

'Sunset' on 3.5 in x 5 in Strathmore Visual Journal watercolor paper
'Peaceful Valley' on 9x12 in Canson XL watercolor paper

Whether you're a hobbyist, serious, just like messing around, give them a shot.