Art is the Adventure

About the drawing…

I’ve been away from social media for quite a while (I’ll tell you a little more later in this post). So today, I had the energy and time to record a YouTube video in which I drew the design in the photo. The video is due to be available to view at 20:00 UK time today, 14 June 2024.

I started with a 6.75″ x 5″ piece of Ohuhu Mixed Media paper. For those of us who prefer metric, that’s 17.5 x 12.7 cm. I like this paper. It takes watercolour nicely enough for my limited ability to use it. It’s also nice to draw on with a pen or pencil, with its light texture.

The next step was to draw a square, approximately 4″ x 4″ (10 cm x 10cm), in pencil. I like to frame my drawings as if they’re a small glimpse into a much larger imaginary world of abstract and stylised wonders.

Then, it was time to wield my UniPin pens (0.5, 0.3 and 0.1).

I knew I wanted to leave some empty space for watercolour. I also knew I wanted to use a 4B graphite pencil with a tortillon to add shade. Other than that, my mind was empty of any plan. Working intuitively called to me, so I followed that calling.

So, I started with a bit of a wibbly wobbly circle. Then, I just let the design flow and grow using my favourite lines and shapes. I added details as I went, starting to bring the design to life using the density of ink to add some shadow and highlight.

Once the penwork was finished, it was time to add shade. My aim was to bring out a feeling of dimension to the drawing. I’ve long loved playing with contrast more than numerous colours in my work. My goal was to give the appearance of the design floating above the background.

The graphite shadows partly completed that goal. I used turquoise watercolour to add intense colour to the empty spaces. It also allowed me to play with the magic blooming of watercolour dotted into the damp areas to provide more texture.

I love to watch watercolours bloom and spread in this way. Having no control over this blooming and spreading is good for me; I can be too controlling about how I draw and create.

Little by little, I’m learning to allow a little more imperfection into my art to make it more ‘human’ It becomes not wrong but charmingly imperfect. At least, that’s how I like to think of it, and perhaps myself too. Maybe learning that I’m charmingly perfectly imperfect is a personal goal.

I really enjoyed the hour or so I spent creating this small piece of art. I did think about adding some gold, black, or white pen to the turquoise parts to bring out some of the beautiful textures that are there. I’ve decided, however, to err on the side of caution and to leave well alone.

Overall, I had a lovely time, and I hope you enjoy watching the video if you choose to do so.

Why have I been missing for a while?

For around 18 months, I’ve been struggling with my health – nothing serious. Between anaemia (iron and B12), peri-menopause, and IBS, I’ve been so tired a lot of the time. My concentration hasn’t been what it could be. All the energy I had needed to be put into my latest book for Creative Haven – Haunted – and is full of creepy cute characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing the book, even though I got tired quite quickly.

Then, my main computer, a Microsoft Surface Studio, unexpectedly died. So, after much thought, I switched to using a 24″ XP-Pen graphics tablet and my new-ish laptop to do the same job. I had a lot to learn and a way to set up Clip Studio Paint that would work efficiently for me on this new device, But I got there.

In the process of using the new gadgets, I’ve realised how much I love to draw on pen and paper. I think I’ll be doing much more of that going forward for my work on colouring books and moving more towards tradigital working.

That was a bit of a meandering journey through what happened. It’s not the only stuff. I needreevaluate my view of myself as being ‘broken’ to being ‘different’ and accept these revelations. There are a lot of ‘OH!’ moments as I recognise things in my past that point to my differences. There’s also some grieving for what could’ve been if I’d only known sooner about them, But it really does help me accept myself and adjust the wrong beliefs I’ve held about my life forever. It’s an acceptance of who I really am, not what I’ve been led to believe. That’s progress for me, for sure. I ama always amazed by the feeling of some tension in my body being released as I recognise a memory for what it is-a new understanding of myself with the new information I have.

All of this has been both exciting and draining in many different ways. It has been totally necessary. This self-acceptance is working its way into my artistic style, too.