One Sketch 230) Norman Rockwell Christmas Card

Santa is checking his list
Which he holds in a chubby old fist
So take my advice
If you want to stay nice
Don't gamble, or smoke, or get drunk.

Every year I make my own Christmas cards. Well, I say my own. For the most part they're designs based on old depictions of Santa and other Christmas motifs. Last year I went heavily on Thomas Nast and John Tenniel. This is based on a Saturday Evening Post cover by Norman Rockwell, whose work I have always absolutely loved.

One Sketch 229 (Friday 9th November) Indian Elephant

An elephant
It must be said
Is better off living than dead
So leave them alone
When tusks they have grown
Pull out your own teeth instead.

Yes, another prompt from Sketching Every Day - don't worry, nearly caught up now. This was just India, and since eephants are amongst my most favouritist creatures in the whole world, and Indian elephant seemed the obvious choice. You know me by now, I try not to miss an obvious choice.

One Sketch 228 (Thursday 8th October) Henri Rousseau tiger

Tyger , Tyger,
Burning bright
Don't look now
Your tail's alight.
(with thanks to Spike Milligan)

A Sketching Every Day prompt again. We were set the challenge of doing something inspired by or connected with Henri Rousseau, le douanier. Well, I was tempted to do something with The Lion and The Gypsy ( or vice versa) - you'll know the one, it must be his most well known work. Instead I plumped for this tiger. Still, we had inspectors in work all week, so I didn't have time of an evening to do a sketch AND paint it AND post it. Which is why I'm only getting round to posting these today. You'll have to take my word for it that they were made on the days that I said they were ( but they were.)

One Sketch 227 (Weds 7th October) Pineapple

We all have our favourites
Pineapple is mine
Just so long as it's
More apple than pine

Yes, dearly beloved, we were set the prompt on Sketching Every Day on Facebook to draw a fruit, and so I plumped for my favourite fruit, the pineapple. I'd forgotten how much I love pineapple, so on Thursday I took some slices into work to have with my lunch. Absolute heaven.