I love seed pods! They are often so architectural in nature. They lend themselves to whimsy and stylised drawings so well too.
I love giving them sturdy stems with tops that look like column capitals. The leaves on these are inspired by medieval illuminated manuscripts, something else I absolutely love!
For the panel behind them, I decided to keep the pattern fairly simple – Tripoli, a Zentangle tangle pattern.
Oh, I got my right royal knickers into a twist today over Narfello! I ended up doing two videos and still managed to muck up with Nafello.
The top design was my first attempt. There are lots of things I like about it. But after nearly an hour and a half video, I convinced myself I’d made a total mess of Narfello. So, I drew breath and started over and produced the design at the bottom, but without the colour; I added the colour while the video was uploading and processing.
Even with the second attempt, I still managed to not get Narfello ‘right’. But I think it’s probably close enough for today.
I’m so glad I did a second version, as I like my Feliz (to the left). I like the way the variations gradually change from left to right (or right to left!). It feels more coherent than the first version of Feliz, where I went to town exploring ways to fill the pattern!
I also like how the Narfello-ish appears from under the Feliz in the second version. I can see that I need to add some quite intense shade to the right of the Feliz to enhance this illusion. However, I’ve just about run out of energy for today, so that is a job for another time.
One thing that I am enjoying is the contrast between the geometrical Feliz and the organic, flowy Narfello.
I’m also pleased with how much volume I’ve created using monochrome Arteza Everblend markers, particularly on the bottom design.
Both of these designs will end up in my sketchbook. There are some variations in the upper one I’d like to try. The lower one is a reminder to look at how I can slowly change the filler patterns, if that’s the right term, to change the pattern subtly.
I really have enjoyed working with this pair of patterns. I hope you take a look at the accompanying drawing tutorial on Youtube and have a go at drawing your own version!
Over the past two or three weeks, I’ve been gradually decorating my A3 drawing board. The board is made from compressed wood chips and has a dull, pale brown colour. That means I chose colours that would work well on this brown.
I drew the black lines with a Tombow Fudenosuke brush pen, which is now almost empty of ink! The brush tip is a tad worn but functioning well all the same.
I added colour with Arteza EverBlend marker pens. The white highlights were added with a white Posca pen.
There are only two things left for me to do. Firstly, use a spray varnish on this side to protect the drawing. The second is to decorate the other side too!
It has taken me many hours of work, some of them when I wake in the middle of the night with my mind whirring. Eventually, my mind calms down, and I can get back to sleep. Lying in bed, tossing and turning, is useless to me. I much prefer to do some intuitive art like this. Something I don’t need to think about, just let it happen, and that in itself quietens my mind down.
This week’s colouring page for the members of Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans Facebook group is intricate. Still, it uses only three motifs – spirally furled leaves, starry flowers and stripey, plumptious seed pods.
I drew the design using a fine nib TWISBI eco fountain pen, filled with Documentus ink, on an A4 sheet of Artway’s Eco paper. To add colour, I used various Arteza Everblend markers. The pattern, textures, and highlights have been added with various Arteza Inkonic, Uniball Signo and Sakura Gellyroll pens.
I started this drawing in the wee small hours of the night when some night sweats woke me up. I’ve continued to work on it throughout the day as other things allowed me to.
I’m actually quite happy with this now it’s done. Along the way, I had some wobbly moments where I almost gave up. But I’m really glad I didn’t.
A friend thought it was rather ‘heraldic’ and expected to see a big letter in it! My next one will have a monogram as part of the design. It has a rather medieval feel and is typically Entangled with some Zentangle inspiration.
The drawing is approx 3.75″ x 7.5″ (10cm x 19cm) in size and was worked with a variety of fine liners, Arteza EverBlend markers and a white Gellyroll pen on All-Media paper by Seawhite of Brighton.
Please click on the “Watch on YouTube” button. Cheers!
I had a lovely time this morning adding colour to yesterday’s drawing.
To be precise, I chose to use Arteza’s EverBlend markers. I’m not at all sure about that green at the moment, but it may look quite different when I’ve finished colouring the drawing in.
In the video, I focus on explaining my method of adding colour and showing how I’ll add colour and contrast to each section of the design.
Today, I focused on getting coloring templates inked in. I’m taking a break now, until tomorrow, and my attention turned to what I could do.
I tried some stuff out, disastrously. So, I thought I’d turn to adding colour and embellishments to this sketchbook drawing.
Not sure how well it’s turning out; it’s deuced difficult for me to capture the golden and white highlights/embellishments on this drawing. But, it is what it is now.
I decided to use Arteza Ever Blend alcohol markers, along with gold and white Sakura Gelly Roll pens for this.
The paper’s not the best for alcohol markers – they bleed just a bit. I’d prefer a more opaque white for the details, and a much finer gold. I have that in hand, possibly.
I’ve been looking at Illuminated manuscripts lately, at the patterns used and how colour was made use off too. That’s what’s inspired me to experiment in the way I have done today, not all that successfully to my mind. This gives me food for thought though, and perhaps pushes me in a different direction for the use of colour.
Colour, the thing I love and that which vexes me most in my arty expression! Still, I do persevere, even if I keep going down a road that leads to a similar dead end. It may be that monochrome-ish work is my forte and I need to accept that.
I’m still on the seed-pod kick as far as Sketchtember goes. Today, I sketched out some lovely heart-shaped nuts/seeds.
After drawing and adding colour to the first couple with Arteza EverBlend markers, I re-drew more stylised versions. Finally, I had a go at designing some Zentangle style ribbon patterns. I particularly like the one on the bottom right.
A quiet Sunday morning has been had, and the afternoon is likely to be pretty much the same.
Angela Porter 