entangled

An Entangled Drawing 3 Feb ’24

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YouTube video is published at 19:00 UK Time today, 3 Feb 2024

It’s been a few weeks full of adulting, leaving me drained of energy. Dealing with fraudulent use of my PayPal account lasted a week, and I still have a couple of things to sort out that I’ve not been up to doing. Thankfully, it was all mostly sorted, my account is as secure as possible, so phew!

I’ve also had a lot of ‘people-ing’ (for me) to do, which has been lovely but has also left me drained.

I have had enough sense to take time for myself to sleep, rest, and do things that relax and soothe me. The last thing I’d want to happen is another burnout like I had last year at almost this exact time. I seem to have mostly avoided that this time. Seems that I’m finally learning to take care of my energy/stress levels.

I have done some art, some that are landmark pieces for me. I will scan and share them over the coming days/weeks. These works have taken a week or more of work to do, an unusually long time for me. But it was worth it.

The drawing above I did earlier today for a YouTube video. It was lovely to do. A small drawing. Detailed. Intricate. Diamine Oxblood ink and a Tom’s Studio Lumos duo refillable fineliner pen – I used 05 and 02 nibs.

I have to say that the Lumos pen was a delight to use! The weight of the barrel actually stopped me from pressing so hard with the nib; there’s some kind of counterbalance effect going on, methinks.

I may just have to invest in another of the Lumos pens (the duo version again). That way, I can have a range of nib sizes in just two beautifully made pens.

Although pricey at £99 (including P&P), I expect to save money on buying Sakura Micron or Uniball Unipin disposable fine-liner pens. That has to be a good thing.

The pen comes with 9 different nibs. It’s unlikely I’ll use all of them, though you never know! But I know I can order more nibs and new ink reservoirs as needed.

Oh, and the ink reservoirs are easy to fill; when you want to change to a new ink colour, you just wash them out with water.

Only water-based dye inks with no glittery bits in them are recommended. Though Rohrer and Klinger SketchINK was mentioned in the information that came as working well in the pens. I believe SketchINK is waterproof. It is after it’s thoroughly dried – I just checked! So that is something I may consider experimenting with, especially as it comes in a range of lovely colours!

William Blake Quote and some Entangled Art.

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This drawing has taken a bit of an unexpected turn, to say the least.

Two black ink-filled Parker Jotter XL fountain pens, one with an M nib and the other with an F, were used to draw the structure of this drawing and add some patterns and textures.

I then decided to use some Zebra Sarasa gel pens with vintage colours to add more patterns and textures. All was fine, but it all looked flat and not finished in any way.

So, I added some flat colours with softly coloured alcohol markers. This improved things a little, but it wasn’t quite right. The drawing was missing contrast and dimension.

A deep breath was taken as I broke out a graphite pencil and tortillon and set to adding shade to the design. And that really did help, much to my surprise. Even more surprising was I actually preferred this way of adding shade to using alcohol markers, and it was easy to remove any overspill of shading with an eraser!

Next, I added some layers of the colours I’d already used to intensify the colour in some areas. I also added some more darkness with pen textures.

Finally, I was happy-ish with what had been created on the paper, so much so that I felt it was finished!

Yes, that’s right, I’m happy-ish with this! Using less saturated alcohol markers to add colour also works for me, especially the more muted, vintage and less bright and garish.

What works for me is seeing the drawing scanned in, as scanning seems to improve how I view the graphite shading.

So, is this an onward process for me? Yes, I think so. I think the graphite shading needs to be added last. Also, I think the use of Pitt Graphite Matt pencils will improve how I view the use of graphite in this way. Maybe coloured fineliners would work better for me than the gel pens. Things to consider (and make a note of too!)

Intuitive Art – Part 4

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This is a drawing I started three weeks ago for a series of YouTube videos. Today’s video is part 4 of the series.

I finished the basic drawing in part 3. It’s all about colour and contrast now before I add the final detailed textures/patterns.

To add colour and contrast, I used Chameleon markers.

Adding colour/shade is always a nervous time for me. Surprisingly, I’m not really confident with colour. I prefer to work with a limited palette of monochrome or analogous colours, maybe with a sprinkling of a complementary colour here and there.

That’s the case unless it’s one of my Doodleworlds, whimsical, colouring book page designs. Then the more colours, the better! But, for this kind of entangled art, I prefer a more limited and elegant colour palette.

I always seem to use grey undertones for the shadows. I think I may have to try complementary colours to see how they work to add shadows.

My Chameleon markers have been rather neglected for a long while. However, I remembered I had them last week, and in using them in limited palettes, I’ve found them pleasurable to use, more so than all the other marker brands I have and have tried. Also, I’ve not been tempted to return to watercolours, Inktense, watercolour markers, pencils or pastels all the time I’ve used them. That has surprised me!

Happy Hallowe’en 2023!

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This is the colouring page I’ve drawn for the Angela Porter’s Colouring Book Fans facebook group. Of course it’s spooky cute. It makes me smile, and certainly gave me a lot of pleasure to do so.

Drawn with pen on paper, painted digitally using Clip Studio paint.

I love Hallowe’en. I can’t explain why entirely. It may be that there are no awful memories associated with this celebration. It may be the spooky side of me resonates with the energy of the day. Perhaps it’s because I love the autumnal colours. Maybe it’s a mix of all these and a few others.

I haven’t drawn much in the way of spooky cute, or doodle-worlds style for a long while. I’m a bit rusty at it. But I enjoyed creating this nonetheless. And I was pleased as parts of it have come to life with colour. That is always a fun thing to do.

However you spend your Hallowe’en, dear reader, may it be a lovely time for you.

Expressing the inner workings of me?

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Two pen drawings I share with you. One with chalk pastel color added, the other black ink alone.

In both drawings I’ve used a limited number of patterns and textures, a limited texture palette, if you will.

This, along with the limited colour palette in the upper artwork, bring a feeling of cohesiveness and calm to what are quite intricate designs.

I think calm is the correct word to use, but I’m not sure. I have trouble identifying and recognising emotions unless they are very strong.

Over the past few weeks, months perhaps, I’ve needed a lot of gentle, peaceful time. When I am like this, I tend to go inside myself and withdraw from the world and social media. I’d like to believe that healing is happening unbeknownst to myself. Healing that brings peace, harmony, acceptance of lots of things that have happened in the past eleven months or so.

It’s been a turbulent time for me in terms of physical, emotional and mental health. I sometimes feel I’ve lost my way, or have too many interests and sources of inspiration for art.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve begun to go back to this style of art, an artistic expression of my inner self, my unconscious. Or at least that’s what I’d like to believe.

There’s always a pleasure and joy in drawing for me. However, when it flows in a truly intuitive way as in these two drawings, there is a sense of other things happening within. Peace, calm, yes. But also a feeling of harmonious creation in the design that flows from my pen.

Did I really make a conscious decision to use so few textures? I’m not sure at all. It just felt the right thing to do as I worked.

Of late, so much of my work has felt disjointed, I cohesive, out of balance. These two don’t feel that way to me; well, maybe a bit.

Look at me, writing about feelings after saying I’m not aware of emotions. But this feeling is more of an aesthetic appreciation where my art satisfies a part of me in some way. I have no vocabulary that can explain more. Perhaps I don’t need to explain

I wonder if this is just comfort art, or whether it’s a sign of self acceptance and healing. Maybe it’s both or neither, but I do feel it is showing a change in the inner parts of me emotionally and mentally.

If my art brings you a sense of calm, gentleness, pleasure, or another numinous feeling of enjoyment, no matter how small, then I’ve shared a part of myself through my art. At the same time I’m discovering more about myself and my journey, I trust.

Entangled Art 20 October 2023

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The last couple of weeks have been … tiring. I’ve needed plenty of quiet time and rest. I have been drawing, and this is my latest drawing. It’s taken about a day’s work or so.

I’m quite happy with it. The open space creates balance with the fussier areas.

All the lines are ones I enjoy drawing. It never ceases to amaze me that the design possibilities are endless even with just a few shapes I like!

Will I add colour and/or shading to this one? I don’t know yet. Shading is needed at the very least. But, I’m not sure what to use to do that – graphite, chalk pastel, or another medium, even digital art.

There’s absolutely no rush for me to decide; the drawing isn’t going anywhere.

It’s still been a pleasure to lose myself in drawing for a while and to delight in the intuitive drawing that appears as ink flows from the tip of my pen.

#abstractart #pendrawing #linedrawing #entangledart #AngelaPorter #Artwyrd #artist

Inktober 2023, Days 1 & 2

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Inktober 2023 Challenge

I’m a little late with these two, but I will try to complete the #Inktober2023 #Inktober official challenge!

Inktober is about challenging oneself to create art daily, every other day, or however you choose. It’s more about building up a regular drawing practice, with daily prompts to get the creative juices flowing. It’s not about competing with other artists/creatives.

There are so many Inktober challenges going on that it can be difficult to choose one. In the last couple of years, I’ve chosen to participate in the Inktober Tangles challenge. But this year, I really didn’t feel excited about it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the prompts, but for some reason Zentangle didn’t float my boat, so to speak. I think the greater personal challenge of the Inktober official prompts called to me. But, we’ll see how that goes!

Of course, Inktober is all about drawing with Ink. But I’ve started adding some colour for Day 2’s drawing. I’m not sure that was a good idea, but I’ve not completed it yet! It’s at that regretful, icky partway complete stage. Also, I’m not sure I’ve accomplished the hand-lettering in the spiders’ bodies well. It is what it is, and Inktober is about drawing, taking part, challenging oneself, learning more about artistic expression, and not perfection.

I’ve decided to incorporate hand-lettering where I can. I really could do with the practice and exploration of including hand-lettering in my art.

I may use coloured backgrounds in some of the remaining days of Inktober. We’ll see!

Other stuff

The past couple of weeks have taken their toll on me. I’ve been diagnosed with IBS and asked to follow the FODMAP diet for up to eight weeks. The FODMAP plan aims to calm the digestive system by eliminating foods from the diet known to cause IBS.

I’ve been following it for the past two weeks and I have days where it’s a lot better than it has been. However, I’ve found that some of the ‘banned’ foods on the FODMAP have caused IBS flare-ups – notably sweetcorn and some of the Quorn products I’ve eaten.

I must admit, I really miss onions and garlic (though I can use garlic-infused oil). Oh, and peas, and mushrooms. But hopefully, once things are calmer I’ll be able to reintroduce them, fingers crossed!

As I’ve had several days without IBS in the last week or so, how a flare-up feels is very noticeable. To think I’ve been living with those conditions for a long while is shocking!

I am determined to persevere with it! In fact, I’m quite excited about cooking with FODMAP-friendly gluten-free flour and other products. It’s kind of interesting. Being a vegetarian makes it a little more challenging, but I’ve now got a couple of great cookbooks to inspire me.

I’ve also had a busy couple of weeks that have involved people-ing and some stressful things. That all takes its toll on me, and stress of any kind doesn’t help with IBS that’s for sure!

The remainder of this week will likely be busy for me, with people-ing occasionally. I’ll get through it all, albeit exhausted.

And that’s where Inktober will come in useful. Drawing always helps me relax, calm, and destress. Having prompts to guide and inspire my artistic pursuits will surely help me. So, I hope to return to my ‘normal’ in posting blogs and videos.

However, a new normal may be needed as I discover more about myself and how to keep myself from burning out. I will figure it out, as I already have with trying to space people-ing and adulting out!

A Verdant Border – 4 September 2023

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It’s been a week! But first, the arty stuff…

I thought creating a journal page with a border would be nice. So I did! And this is the result. It ‘feels’ very Arts and Crafts to me. What do you think?

I completed the design by using a dark green Staedtler 0.4 Triplus fineliner and Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel pencils. Let’s not forget white dots for highlights courtesy of a Pentel Hybrid Gel dx pen!

When the line art was finished, I wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not. But, as I added colour and the resultant shade and light, I started to warm to it. When I’d finished, I realised I really did like it, lots!

There is a ‘Draw With Me’ video for this design available on Youtube and here’s the link:

#DrawWithMe video on Youtube from 8pm UK time, 4 September 2023

The last week…

I’ve been struggling with energy levels for a while thanks to anaemia. So, I’m taking the iron and B12 supplements as prescribed so I hope it will improve.

However, on Tuesday last week, I was diagnosed with a case of shingles and put on a course of antiviral tablets for a week.

I’ve just been feeling more meh, or MEH, than usual, so tired and unable to think straight. So, I’ve been quiet, resting up and needing a lot of naps.

I was warned it would get worse before it got better, and it did. Also, it will take at least 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover, though that could be longer.

So, that’s the reason for the lack of posts

Pattern Explorations 23 August ;23

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Link to the Draw With Me video on YouTube.

A collection of some of my recent ‘small art’

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I’ve been doing smaller pieces of art lately, and here a just a small selection of them.

The top design is one I drew and started to add colour and highlight to in a YouTube #DrawWithMe video.

Small artworks are just the thing needed when I don’t have the energy or brain power to do anything larger. They do have, however, their own challenges!

What I had a flash of inspiration from somewhere, probably watching an arty crafty YouTube video. The inspiration was to use gloss Mod Podge to coat the artwork. The glossy surface really brings out the colour and cleans up the watercolour from the black lines. There is no, or very little, movement of colour when it’s applied, so long as it’s applied quickly with little fussing. I did apply a second coat as there were brush marks in the first one.

All are Zentangle and diaper patterns from Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts inspired, apart from one. The one with trees, birds and buntings was inspired by Danielle Donaldson in her book “Creative Girl”.