La Gomera 2005 - What to do on a tiny Island?..

Our Beautiful World

What to do - when...

When you go to the Canary Islands to stay for as long as 7 weeks,
it's no longer for a holiday. It is to stay somewhere else than where
the weather is like the norwegian winter.

We have found a nice small apartment, in a small house with just
two apartments. Fully equipped to do whatever you wish to -
that is to sleep, wash and cook you meals.

No TV. (Why should there be one?).

So to be sure not to just sit there and look at the sun - or the rain -
all day, we always bring something to keep us occupied.
This time we wanted to paint - and draw, when we were not
just relaxing with a good book.

7 weeks. A long time. You think we painted and drew a lot?
Some pictures were made, but we sure were off to the beach -
and to the woods and waterfalls also.

Here are some of the results, just to give you an idea of what to do, when....

"Horses by a Stream"
(© 2002 DIMENSIONS, 1801 N.12th St., Reading, PA 19604-1527, USA)

And one more.....

"Garden Gate"
(© 2002 DIMENSIONS, 1801 N.12th St., Reading, PA 19604-1527, USA)

Think you will see that time passes by...

How do we do this painting? None of us are painters. Just us.
But some people have developed the right thing for us, too.
It's called "Paint by Numbers", and is quite easy to do -
except that you have to show some patience. It won't finish easily, though.

(© 2002 DIMENSIONS, 1801 N.12th St., Reading, PA 19604-1527, USA)

You get a drawing like this, including 18 different acryl paints,
and then you mix the 18 colours, too, and get another 18 colours.
Number 3 is yellow, number 4 orange, and you just hit the right paintbox
and the right number on the drawing, and put on the paint.
It's as easy as that....

Want more info? Send an e-mail:

If you don't prefer painting, or if you think it is too difficult,
(why do you think so if you haven't tried it yet?)
why not try drawing and coloring with pencils?
The next type is called "Sketching by Numbers",
but no numbers were seen, just a raw drawing,
to which you add colors - first weak, then stronger.

"Jungle Animals"
(© Oasis Art and Craft Products Ltd, Goldthorn Rd, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY11 7JN, England.)

You don't like colors at all?
How about just plain pencils?
It's called "Sketching by Numbers",
although there were no numbers here either.....
only a pale raw drawing to which you add more pencil...

"Red Cardinals"
(© Oasis Art and Craft Products Ltd, Goldthorn Rd, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY11 7JN, England.)

So, what to do then you are all finished?
Now, suppose you like this stuff. Then you also have got some good ideas.
And now also - you know you CAN!
So, go ahead and try it out :

Do you recognize the two first ones, the horse and the jaguar?

The birds are from a drawing in "Rincones del Atlantico - No.2"
( © "Pinzon azul de Gran Canaria", by Roland Green, "Las Islas Canarias....",
David A Bannerman, London, 1922)

Here again, to the right, a mixture of the flowers from the flower-painting.
To the left: The tree is from a drawing in "Rincones del Atlantico - No.2"
(© "Bosque de pinos de los alrededores de Chasna (Tenerife) a 4.068 pies de altitud sobre el nivel del mar", Atlas, "Historia Natural de las Islas Canarias", S. Berthelot y P.B.Webbs, Paris, 1838. [Bull] )

Various themes found in "Rincones del Atlantico".

Various themes found in magazines
The leftmost from "Rincones del Atlantico".

From a photo in a magazine
(© Judith Stokmans, "Bloemen Planten", Feb.2005. http://www.bloemenenplanten.nl)

From a drawing in "Rincones del Atlantico - No.2"
(© A.S. Aulaire)

The last one, a drawing by Albrecht Dürer back in 1502,
reprinted in Canarias7, and then redrawn from the newspaper..

Just remember, the main thing is to know that you have time to try -
and to finish.
Forget the clock, enjoy an exciting hobby.
And then, down again to the beach for a swim....

To show you some more of the painting and possibilities, read on:

I like this one very much, and has sent it of to one of our grandchildren.
(© 2002 DIMENSIONS, 1801 N.12th St., Reading, PA 19604-1527, USA)

See what you can do when you are finished?
Scan the drawing which is included in the packet, resize part of it,
weaken the black colour to pale grey, print it out,
and you can start painting again.
This cat is about 3 times larger than the original painting.

If I loved the above painting, I love this one even more:

(© 2002 DIMENSIONS, 1801 N.12th St., Reading, PA 19604-1527, USA)

(© 2002 DIMENSIONS, 1801 N.12th St., Reading, PA 19604-1527, USA)

(© 2002 DIMENSIONS, 1801 N.12th St., Reading, PA 19604-1527, USA)

Since then, have been making a few more pictures:

So, when there are no more Paint-by-number pictures left,
you just haveto start on your own....

Or you can buy one of those pre-made sceneries, as here with boats on a beach.

To have a more lively picture, you find some gulls on the web.....

Put them around on the picture, to see where they fit in.....

And you get a picture full of joy and life....

There might be some copyright regulations related to the pictures on this page,
but if so, please excuse - and inform.
We have done our best to refer to our sources.