Abstract

July Color Palette Challenge

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Each month there’s a color palette challenge in the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

This is my completed template using the colour palette for July.

Some of the colours in my finished artwork weren’t in the palette. I mixed colours from the palette to achieve the oranges and purples.

It was a fun project that I completed rather quickly for me. I used it as an opportunity to find out more about some of the blending options for the brushes in Clip Studio Paint. I’m not sure anyone could tell the difference with how this has finished, but I started to understand how some of these options work.

It’s nearly midday, and I think it’s time for breakfast before I turn my attention to this week’s template for the facebook group. Food first!

Abstract, entangled pen drawing

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This drawing was finished a couple of days ago. I like the graphic nature of black and white, so am not at all sure if I want to add colour to this. I think this is a case of scanning the drawing in and adding colour digitally before deciding. My fingers, however, would like to make use of the Ecoline watercolour inks.

Time will tell what I decide to do. After all, there is no rush.

Today’s vlog is a continuation of the drawing I started yesterday (link to yesterday’s blog).

Here is the link to the vlog on YouTube.

Pen Drawing WIP

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I have an introvert ‘hangover’ today. This has absolutely nothing to do with alcohol, just a bit too much socialising on Zoom yesterday! The headache will lift soon. The tiredness will gradually go, especially after some more sleep. It was lovely to spend time with like-minded people, particularly Brett from the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

So, doing some entangled, intuitive pen drawing was just the thing to start the day off. Gentle, familiar, enjoyable, calming and peaceful.

I have no idea what this drawing is going to turn into. Time will tell.

I have created a time-lapse vlog of this drawing. Not only do you get to see how this WIP drawing was done, I also show some of the other work I’ve been doing in my sketchbook as well.

Pen Drawing | Abstract Art

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Full length pen drawing and vlog | Time lapse pen drawing

This drawing is a work in progress. I started it yesterday and filmed it’s continuation this morning, and I’m enjoying the process very much.

It’s another blessedly cool day here. The skies are, again, grey. I find the coolness and freshness of the air invigorating.

I did get out for a walk yesterday and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a delight to listen to the sussuration of leaves in the strong breeze. The remaining dampness brought out colours that seemed so bright against the grey skies. The wind caused tree trunks and branches to creak and groan. It was an absolute pleasure to be moving my recently indolent body surrounded by all these wonders.

Smiles, both on my lips and in my heart and soul, accompanied this feeling of awe and wonder. With my first steps from my car, I felt my whole body exhaling and relaxing, continuing the process started with the breaking of the heatwave.

Even now, as I write about my walk, I find those smiles returning and a sense of relaxation returning.

Caution in walking was my focus, however. I wasn’t sure if my foot had recovered from my last tumble. I was aware that on certain paths I needed to watch where I was putting my feet. But soon, I was on more even paths and roads and could look around, and even take a few photos of interesting textures, patterns and colour combinations.

Haunting the local cemetery again was a pleasure. You’d think I’d be bored with the place after all the times I’ve walked there in the past year. I’m not. Each walk is different. The presence of place is determined by the weather, time of day, season, my mood, my wellness, and the route I choose to take around the necropolis.

Pleasure may seem a strange word to describe visiting a cemetery. Yet that is how I feel each time I visit. It’s a peaceful place, full of interest both from artistic and social commentary/history points of view. Each time there, I notice new and different things. It’s also one of the few places I feel safe when alone. There are no crowds of people. It’s quiet and calm, meditative and reflective, and familiar.

I’m eager to go for a walk again today. It will be later this afternoon, as long as the rain holds off.

Pen Drawing – Abstract Art

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Todays time-lapse drawing video

It is deliciously cool today. I woke up with strong winds blowing refreshing, cold air across my head and body. Loud thunder with the odd flash of lightning added a twist of excitement. The heavy rain showers have washed the dust from the world around me too.

I love sunshine, not the heat though. And for the heatwave to break is such a lovely, invigorating experience for me. I can cope with the grey skies and rain for a while.

To be able to spend time drawing in my usual studio space, with a fresh breeze blowing in through the open windows was so, so beautiful this morning. I know my heart and soul let out sighs of relief and contentment.

In celebration of a return to this comfortable creative space, I decided to draw with pens, a Tombow Fudenosuke (hard) pen in particular.

This drawing is by no means complete. Once it’s completed, I’ll scan it in and then think about adding colour. I may very well use the Ecoline watercolour inks on the original, but digital colouring could be interesting too. But first, the drawing needs to be finished!

Abstract Watercolour Art WIP

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Watercolour Art WIP

Yesterday, I took some time to add more to my abstract watercolour work in progress. I’m continuing to work with the Ecoline brush pens, which are filled with watercolour ink. Through this process I’m learning the value of using larger brushes for larger areas.

Timing when to add wet into wet is something I’m starting to get to grips with, possibly. I like the way the colours have played with each other in the pebbles.

Once the pencilled in pebbles are coloured, I then will have to decide how I add detail and interest to other areas of the design. Do I do more pebbles?

I’m really not sure. All I am trying to be sure of is that this is something I can do to learn from, to explore this medium, and to explore abstract watercolour art in a style that is in my style.

Once the colour is added, I then will have another choice to make concerning pens. Do I use pens to add detail and/or contrast? If I do decide to use pens, what kind /colour do I use?

I think I need to do some smaller test pieces to try things out on. I’m liking how this particular painting is working out, so testing ideas out elsewhere may be the way for me to go.

Today’s Vlog.

Today’s vlog was suggested by a comment left by Jennifer Miller. She asked if I could do a flip-through of my visual dictionary / zibaldone. So that’s what I’ve done! You can see it by following this link.

Just a quick catch-up

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Link to today’s vlog

It’s been way too darn hot to do much the past couple of days. Yesterday morning, even in early on, it was way too hot to work in my usual space. So, I spent some time tidying up the downstairs room at the back of the house. It’s a north-facing room, shady, cooler. Not my favourite room to work in, but at least I can do some work there.

I didn’t do much. Between the tidy-up, making sure my Surface Book had up to date versions of Zoom and other apps, as well as all the passwords for my day to day business, there wasn’t much time. But, I’ve made a start on the tidy-up and declutter. The rest can wait now for cooler weather!

In the time available, I carried on working with the Ecoline watercolour inks from the Brush pens. I had received the second set on Monday and had swatched them in the cool of the evening. The colours are so beautiful and vibrant. It’s the vibrancy that really attracts me to them.

The abstract painting I started (photo above) is just to try out what I can and can’t do with them. There’s plenty for me to learn yet.

In my vlog, I show the colour swatches for the Ecoline inks, some whimsical art I’ve been doing as well as this abstract and talk about stuff.

Watercolour Experiments

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Click here for today’s vlog

I’ve been experimenting with water-based media over the past couple of days. I’ve finally completed a watercolour painting that I’m fairly happy with. Apart from the bright pinks and dark purples. Note to self – analogous colour schemes with a pop of complementary colour are the way to go!

The painting on the left was done using a variety of media – Phoenix pan watercolours. Mijello Mission Gold watercolours, Zig clean colour brush pens, Tombow Dual Brush markers, and Ecoline brush pens. All applied and/or blended out with either a waterbrush or a damp brush.

The Ecoline brush pens are new to me. I purchased them to replace the Zig pens I made a right mess of when I spilled a whole mug of coffee everywhere. I thought I’d missed the tin with them in, but I hadn’t. It wasn’t a great loss; the pens were old and beginning to dry. So, maybe a serendipitous accident with the coffee!

The Ecoline brush pens contain concentrated liquid watercolour inks. The pens are really juicy too! Even when really diluted, the colours are still vibrant on the paper. Also, as they dry they don’t lose much vibrancy, if any! They’re taking a while to get used to, as any new medium does. But, using them is making me smile…a lot!

As soon as I started using them to complete some of the remaining elements in the abstract botanical painting, I just knew I was going to love them! So, I ordered the second set of pens to complete the whole colour range. It may very well be that as the pens run out, I’ll replace them with the bottles of Ecoline watercolour ink/paint. Or, I may look at other options.

Fairly quickly, I worked out that a waterbrush wasn’t the way to either apply or spread out the colour. I tend to create detailed drawings, so traditional brushes where I can control how much water/colour I apply are the way to go for me.

I’m beginning to think I may have found my traditional media of choice! Digital art is my strength when it comes to colour, but these pens, this type of medium, may be the equivalent in traditional media.

The downside of the Ecoline paints is that they are dye based so are not lightfast. However, as I tend to scan in my art to sell on products, then that won’t be a problem.

The insect was something I just had to try. I do have a fair bit to learn. If I keep adding layers of colours, the earlier ones get spread to the edges and create dark areas. Those, however, may work for me. I’ll see. I’ll also see if I can lift some of that colour in a selective manner to lighten them up again.

Template Thursyay! Adding colour to the template…

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Yesterday, I shared a partly digitally coloured version of this week’s coloring template. Today, I’ve coloured some of the original template using Tombow Dual Brush markers with a waterbrush.

The template is now available in the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

I filmed this process and turned it into a vlog. I speeded the footage up, as the original colouring took over an hour and a half.

I then spent another half hour or so experimenting with fineliners and white, metallic and glitter gel pens to add texture and pattern to the coloured areas. I didn’t film that though, but the results are in the photo above.

I set myself three intentions for this morning:
a) enjoy the process of working with the media
b) experiment with fineliners and pens to add pattern, highlight/shadow and texture
c) to not invest in the outcome or fret about colour choices

I think I achieved those intentions.

Sometimes, often even, just enjoying the process of creating, with no expectations or pressures of any particular outcome is so important. To be able to relax and enjoy the process, the colours, the way the media work is as valuable an experience as producing for a specific purpose.

It’s nice to be able to take the time to do this, without worrying about any particular project. Being able to put aside the “I should be doing x, y and z” and realising that just taking time to do something that makes me smile inside is as important as doing projects that fulfill a contract or business thingy.

Template Thursday… on a Wednesday?

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Full Vlog | Time Lapse Video

This morning, I drew this week’s coloring template / coloring page. The template itself will be available in the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group tomorrow.

I did film the process, and two videos are available on Youtube. Both show the process of drawing, not adding colour. One is a vlog of the process, with about half in time lapse. The other is the time lapse version.

It was lovely to spend time drawing in a style that is very familiar to me. It’s lovely as a bit of a break from the more challenging explorations into abstract art I’ve been doing.

And of course, while the videos were uploading and processing, I decided to start to add some colour to the template.

Abstract, entangled, zentangle inspired coloring pages are not just fun to draw but to colour. They’re non-representational so any colours at all can be used.

I got carried away with the process of adding colour. The videos have long been uploaded and published.