Illustrated Journal Page and Lettering Practice

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Sunday morning (and Saturday evening, which was when this page was started) is the perfect time to practice my lettering, a quirky kind of illustrated journal page, and digital art practice.

I had intended to use just three, maybe four, basic colours for this page, but the vegetables threw me a tad!

I drew the page on paper with a fine Zig Mangaka Flexible pen. The Colour was added digitally after scanning the page. And I had a lot of fun as ideas clicked into place to add colour to the lettering.

Admittedly, some of the inking work is a tad clunky, but that could be fixed if I wanted to. It is a sketchbook page, and so perfection isn’t required. Giving myself permission to work with what I deem as less than perfect is an important lesson I’m trying to learn. Expressing myself in this wobbly, wonky, imperfect, quirky, eccentric, whimsical kind of way is a work in progress.

Oh, I’ll still draw detailed, intricate black and white pen designs. But I suspect I’ll do much more of this style of art. I have much to learn about it, using colour with no black lines, for instance. But I know it’s all a process, and I’ll get to where I need to be. I know that I’m really enjoying the combination of traditional ink drawing with digital colour – tradigital?

I’m not sure my Doodleworlds critters belong, but I just couldn’t resist popping them in to fill an awkward space!

#DrawWithMe – Just for fun! A WIP

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I had a very intensive, focused, and interesting time delving into the realms of digital art earlier today. When I’d finished, and had a late lunch/early dinner, I thought I’d do some drawing just for fun.

I had no idea what I was going to draw, not a single idea. I had a blank page in an A4 sketchbook, a couple of pens and of I went! And something whimsical and Doodleworlds-y appeared!

Template Thursyay! Doodleworlds.

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It’s Thursday, so that means it’s time for a new colouring page (template) for the facebook group Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans.

I was in a bit of a whimsical mood this morning, so spending some time visiting Doodleworlds was just perfect. I also got a tad lost in adding colour to this template.

These are a lot of fun to draw, and to colour. Because of their cute, whimsical and imaginary nature, any colours go! These are drawings I find easy to add colour to; it seems the brighter, more vibrant and varied the colours are the better! Unline a lot of my other art,w which can become confused and incoherent looking.

So, I lost myself in adding colour to this drawing, even though I’ve not totally coloured it in.

A Sunflower and Wheat Mandala

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I decided that I’d like to turn the sunflower and wheat elements of yesterday’s drawing into a mandala. And this is the result.

I’m fairly happy with it, though I think some parts lack contrast to really give them some visual volume. But it will do, for now. I like the hint of a suggestion of the whole mandala being sun-like. it also reminds me a little of hand-coloured etchings or prints. It would have looked more like a woodcut if I’d used heavier lines and more texture. These are things to try to remember and put into practice in my next mandala like this.

Sunflower and Wheat – Lammas 2022

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Click on this link to see the ‘draw with me’ video on YouTube that goes with this design.

Strictly speaking, Lammas, or Lughsanadh, was yesterday, but I was busy getting all the work for ‘Fanciful Birds’ finished. I know I have a break before my next colouring book contract, and my attention will be on a couple of projects I’ve already started.

Back to Lammas. Lammas comes from the Old English hlafmæsse, which translates as ‘loaf mass’. It was a mass where the first loaves baked from the first wheat harvest were consecrated in thanks for the harvest. This celebration probably reaches far back in time to the first farmers. Having a good harvest was important so that people, and livestock too, had enough to eat through the dark, cold, lean times of winter.

So, I included some ears of wheat in today’s drawing, along with a happy sunflower, which just goes with the start of August and the height of summer.

This drawing isn’t quite finished. Shadow is needed, and colour. I’m likely to do that digitally. I also may use this drawing as the basis for a mandala design as well. But not now. I need another big mug of tea before I tackle that!

Shade and light

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

This morning I spent over an hour adding shadows and highlights to both of these drawings and filmed them for you on my YouTube channel.

I used a paper stump (tortillon), graphite pencils and a white gel pen to cast the magic of shade and light, resulting in volume and dimension.

And I do mean magic! The drawings go from fairly ‘flat’ looking to having the illusion of dimension. That’s magical if you ask me.

Graphite is not my favourite medium. But I just couldn’t decide on how else to add shade. I’m fairly happy with the result, and that’s all that matters isn’t it?

Template Thursyay! Colouring page 28 July 2022

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Thursday is the day I gift a colouring page (or template) to the members of Angela Porter’s Coloring Books Fans Facebook group.

This week it’s a mandala. Why? Well, I just really wanted to draw a mandala!

I enjoy the calming, meditative process of mandala drawing. And as I didn’t want to disturb that calm space I found myself in by making a right mess of adding some colour, I decided to go with an analogous colour scheme. Soft blue, teal and green are also very calming colours.

As it’s a colouring template, I’ve not added lots of textural patterns. However, that is something I can always play around with at another time. For now, the high contrast that brings a feeling of volume and dimension to the design is good enough.

Entangled Botanica, Part 3 – Inking all done!

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Click here to view today’s draw with me video on YouTube for part 3 of this design.

This morning, I finished all the pen drawing for this design. And filmed it for YouTube!

I’m fairly happy with this design because I felt myself breathing out and relaxing into it. I found myself smiling as I drew. And I felt creatively comforted as I returned to something that is so part of my arty heart – entangled, intricate, abstract, stylised botanical drawings.

Next step? Colour, shadow and/or highlight. But I’m not sure what media to use, or colours! So, I’ll need a bit of time away from this particular drawing to figure that one out!

Entangled Botanica – Part 2 – WIP

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

A lovely half hour or so adding some more elements to this drawing. A nice way to start the day for sure!

Entangled Botanica, WIP

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Botanica. Botanicals. Abstract, stylised and imaginary seed pods. Pen drawing. Entangled, intricate, with a touch of the Zentangle tangle pattern Diva Dance.

All some of my favourite things to draw. No idea how it’s going to turn out, just letting it flow as it needs to. One of my favourite ways to create!

And there’s a video showing how I drew this design, as far as it’s got, over on YouTube, if you want to draw along with me!