Template Thursyay!

This week’s colouring page for Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group is one of whimsical wonder and fun! From fishy totem poles to a mini invasion by Doodleworlds characters, magical mushrooms, beautiful butterflies, lovely hearts, shining stars and frolicking florals, there’s plenty here to make my heart smile. And that is something we all need to do.

As these worlds only exist in my imagination, and now on paper, anything goes. Colours can be whatever you like them to be. And today I wanted bright, happy, cheery colours to lift my heart and soul.

It’s lovely to create something that is happy and bright, peaceful and innocent. It’s a great way to escape from the news that so easily finds its way into daily life. Art is how I take a break from this, whether it’s drawing whimsical scenes like this one, practising my lettering skills, doing zentangle-ish kinds of explorations, or abstractly intuitive art.

I know that not everyone has the skills or confidence to draw these whimsical worlds, so it’s lovely I can create line art for others to bring to life with colour. In so doing I give others that chance to escape to my silly inner worlds for a while. And that is no bad thing, is it?

Sneak peek at this week’s coloring template

Over the past few days, I’ve been creating YouTube tutorials on drawing my style of whimsical things – fish, flowers, circles filled with patterns, fungi, and leaves. So, I thought I’d use some of these for this week’s template. And for some reason, I wanted to add a fishy totem pole, or three maybe.

Whimsical things do make me smile. And with whimsical, imaginative kinds of line art, it gives permission to use any colours that seem fun. I add colour digitally, and the colours are often vibrant and cheerful when I add them to such cute drawings.

Of course, the drawing has to be completed, but you can watch me draw this section by clicking on this link. Maybe even draw along or create your own version!

As far as I am concerned, there’s never enough whimsy in life. This kind of art lets me escape into a cute world of my own making and, at the same time, take a break from the sad, bad, heartbreaking news that can flood in from all directions. Art is something I do have some control over and, for a while, I can imagine that I’m journeying in a world that has none of our earthly problems.

WIP Wednesday – This week’s coloring page

I spent some lovely time this morning starting to draw this week’s coloring template. I decided to edit some oopsies and add some colour to the part I drew in today’s video.

It was fun to use a different kind of digital brush than I usually do to add colour. There’s a lot more texture that is a little like watercolour. I definitely need to spend more time with these brushes, and others, to understand them though.

Still, after a late breakfast, actually lunch as it’s now midday, I’ll finish drawing the template.

Cheery colours for a grey and damp day.

This week’s coloring page/template for the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

I used variations of the Zentangle tangle patterns Ginili, Gingo and Fragment D5, plus the little seeds/stones.

Not only did I use a limited number of patterns, but I’ve also used a limited colour palette too. That’s what I seem to do best with when it comes to colour.

As it’s grey and damp and a bit miserable out in the world here in the Valleys of South Wales, UK, warm, bright colours are very much needed. They serve as a reminder that spring is almost upon us!

Sneak Peek of this week’s Coloring Page

Click on this link to view today’s video on YouTube.

This week’s colouring page (or template) is drawn and I’ve added a little colour to it. I decided to feature some of the tangle patterns I’ve been exploring in the last couple of days. These are Ginili, Gingo and Fragment D3.

It’s really unusual of me to stick to a fairly limited number of patterns/motifs in my drawings. It was a really good experience!

I was so tempted to use the space between the stems of the Gingo leaves to add various blues, making it a bit like stained glass. I didn’t this time. Maybe for tomorrow. I’m not too keen on my colour choices today. Perhaps I really do need to get to grips with the idea that a limited colour palette is best for me and to stick to it!

That’s if I can drag myself away from the hand lettering course and practice that I’m so enthused about. I quickly show the pages completed so far in my lettering sketchbook in today’s video.

Template Thursday

This week, a little more than usual, my thoughts have been on peace.

Mother Theresa said, “I will never attend an anti-war rally. If you have a peace rally, invite me.” The essence of this is that if we want peace, our thoughts, words and actions need to be on peace. That resonates with me a great deal, and I did before I’d heard of this particular quote!

So, with peace on my mind, I’ve drawn not one but two colouring pages/colouring templates this week. They are available to Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans Facebook group members.

However, if anyone wishes to send me an email to Artwyrd at AOL dot com, I can send them to you.

I was born in the early 1960s and have a sister who is ten years older than me. I was, from my birth, surrounded by music and imagery of the hippy era. So, it’s natural that some of the symbols of that time can be seen in my drawings.

Art is my way of not just expressing my creativity but is a way to take my mind off worries and troubles and to focus on more positive thoughts. Any creative activity that you can lose yourself in, not being aware of your thoughts, brings a sense of peace and calm, relaxation and pleasure. Colouring has the same effect on the mind as mediation, something else that I do.

Both templates were drawn with fineliner pens on paper. Colours and coloured backgrounds have been added digitally using ClipStudio Paint.

Template Thursday, and a Draw With Me video

Template Thursday

This week, I’ve designed another mandala as the coloring page / coloring template for the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

I love mandalas. They’re so soothing to draw and fun to add colour too. Also, I like to fill the page with patterns to enjoy and explore.

Draw With Me Video

I’d really appreciate it if you would click on the ‘Watch on Youtube’ button.

Template Thursyay!

It’s that time of the week again! Template Thursyay is here once more! Yay indeed!

This week it’s a mandala design. I love mandalas and like to put my own twist and style on them. This one is no exception. Typically ‘Angela’ or ‘Entangled’ in feel.

The template is available to members of Angela Porter’s Colouring Book Fans Facebook group.

Sneak Peek Wednesday and my first attempt at stop motion animation.

Sneak Peek Wednesday

This is part of a mandala design for a colouring page. And it is just part, though this would stand nicely as a design all in itself. Thursday, tomorrow, is the day I’ll release the template for the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

Stop Motion Animation

Do you ever wake in the morning with an idea you just have to try out straight away? Yes? I often do, usually for a drawing. Today, however, it involved stop motion animation.

First job was to download Stop Motion Studio and check it would work with the document camera I use for filming. And it does! Well enough for now that’s for sure.

Then I played with the software and decided to do a stop motion drawing. Then I thought I’d animate the paper and pen too. It took me the time it took to drink my morning mug of tea to create a simple little video lasting about 23 s (without intro and outro)

I have some things to think about – lighting, background, keeping my hands out of the way, holding the paper down in a different way, and sound effects perhaps. I’m going to try my best not to run before I can crawl with this. I have no idea what I can do with it, or what to make. But, I’m sure ideas will come to me.

Hmm, I wonder if Saturday’s will be Stop Motion Saturday from now on. Maybe, eventually, I dunno.

It was a lot of fun for an hour or so this morning.

Anyhoo, I like to share the fun, so here’s the video for you to enjoy! I’d appreciate it if you could click on the “Watch on YouTube” button in the video 🙂

Template Thursday! 10 Feb 2022

Another Thursday, another colouring template (or colouring page) for the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans Facebook group.

It’s another Doodleworlds meets Zentangle/Entangled kind of mashup. I have so much fun drawing these at the moment. I really do need a good dose of whimsy and cuteness in my arty life at this time. This fills the bill for sure.

I’ve not had much time today to do a lot of colouring. So, I’ve just added some flat colours. Should I get around to colouring this one in my usual way, I’ll post the results.

I had planned to do a page with two illustrations, each slightly smaller than A5 in size. That just didn’t happen. Yesterday and today have had some unexpected events, all good. So fast and dirty colouring was just the ticket.

I have been drawing this template for YouTube. Today’s instalment is below.