Bites and Bits 2016 | 05/52

This week I don't have much to share. I was still recovering and also trying to get back to normal life and work. So I guess it will be all about books.

I like to organize everything by colours... except my books. In books I prefer to organize them by genre/author or even theme. This photo was a challenge to create a rainbow with books. I don't have many books with colourful spines, so it was a little challenge. But fun anyway. From these 11 books I've only read 4, and I'm in the middle of 3 of them. I've read Seer of Sevenwater (5th book in the Sevenwater series), The Angels Game (this was my first English physical book, I bought it in Frankfurt airport when I was coming back from my Erasmus semester), The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera and Coraline by Neil Gaiman. I've started (but not finished yet) The Brand Handbook, Dracula and The House of the Dead by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

on another challenge on Instagram I was asked to choose the books I've read the most. Apart from some childhood books these where the only ones that I keep coming back over and over again. Two of my favourite comic artists (Hugo Pratt and Milo Manara) and two of my favourite female authors - Juliet Marilier and Nora Roberts.

I finally got in the mail two books that I've order on the end of December. Wind in the Willows it's a children's classic that I wasn't aware that were a book. I remember to see the TV movie (and maybe also the TV series) and love it. This is funny because looking back most of the cartoons and TV shows that I liked a lot were mostly English (British) and occasional Canadian/French, and I know that it still influences me as illustrator, I'm looking forward to read the book and re-watch the tv movie and series.

I'm collecting Classics that I don't have at home.  And when it's possible I choose the Penguin editions. I was looking for this book since I read 1984. Now I can finally read it. 

I'm currently reading these two books (among others). Both written by kick-ass female writers that are reference in the fantasy/horror genre. Since I found out that Interview with the vampire was a book series that I've been hunting the books down. Last year I bought many books of this series and now I'm starting them. I'm trying to read classics, not just novels and romances but also the pillars of today's fantasy. Of course Frankenstein had to be one of the books.

Although I'm from the land of Carnival (Torres Vedras), again this year I'm not in the spirit for it. I took some photos Friday and today, but comparing with other years they are too little and too blah. Completely not worthy of sharing. (January was a good month to read, soon I'll share all the books I've read).

Bites and Bits 2016 | 04/52

monday night drawing session with loads of watercolours experiments! (check my drawing blog to see the other drawings).

Usually I try to space out the photos during the week, but this week, most of them are just from the beginning of the week because I was down and sick for the most part of it!

on thursday I had a meeting and also went grocery shopping. the best part? I purchased some local sweets (very yummy sweet bean pastries)

It also arrived in the mail these cute illustrations by Inês Barros a fellow illustrator also from Portugal ❤

Also in the mail... At last I have my first Pantone!!!  ❤ ❤

I went to the art store and I was contemplating in getting more watercolours. But at the same time I didn't want to have a new set, I wanted new colours. The problem would then I wouldn't have a place to store them. Besides my local art store doesn't sell individual watercolour pans. So I find these acrylics, fell in love with these colours and bring them home! I also got a new water brush pen because the one that I have that is thinner is not holding it's shape any more.

In the days I wasn't capable of doing much (more about here) I read. Recently I wrote that I wanted to read a few authors in 2016. One of them was Thomas Harris. I started to read Hannibal (the 3rd book about Hannibal Lecter) and loved it! Also in the day I finish it I had a few nightmares about it... but I blame it on being sick and not being able to sleep well. I also started Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice in the following day (which also made have so nightmares... damm you nightmares! or damm you sickness!). And that's why over the weekend I only read romances to clear my head. More about my reading in the books read in January!