Sunday Morning had lettering and doodles.

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Sunday morning, I drew this in pencil. Today I finally got it inked in by hand and colour added.

I’m quite pleased with how this turned out. I may actually be finding my way with this hand lettering lark!

Mandala No.3, Part 3

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In today’s YouTube video #DrawWithMe, I finish drawing the mandala or zendala design.

I’m quite happy with the finished project. Next step? Colour, shadow, highlight, or any combinations thereof!

Mandala/Zendala No.3 Part 2

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Link to the accompanying #DrawWithMe YouTube video.

Phew! It’s another scorcher already! I feel so drained, and it’s not even 11am. Mind you, I have been awake since around 5am, again.

Waking early has it’s benefits in this seriously hot weather; it’s cool enough to get some things done early on. Such as today’s video where I draw some more of this mandala.

I’m quite happy with how this mandala is taking shape. I know that shadow/highlights, and/or colour will really bring some dimension to this design. But first, I need to finish drawing it. And work out how to set my scanner up so the background colours don’t get washed out…

Today is not the day for that. It’s way too warm, and I need to retire very soon to a cooler part of the house.

#DrawWithMe – Mandala/Zendala No.3, Part 1

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Just enough time before the heat has become uncomfortable to layout a mandala grid and complete the central motif. This was a lovely way to spend a wee bit of time this morning.

The video takes you through, one step at a time, how I got this far.

Now, it’s just about time for me to move myself to a cooler part of my home for the rest of this heat-scorched day.

#DrawWithMe – A Mandala or Zendala, No 2

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Please click the ‘Watch on YouTube” button, if you’d be so kind. Cheers!

In this video, I draw a mandala (or zendala) step by step so you can join in with me.

I enjoyed creating yesterday’s mandala so much, that I thought I’d repeat the experience! I finished drawing the mandala in this video, but I’ve yet to add shadow, highlight and/or colour. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to do that, yet; but there’s no rush to get it done either.

And here’s a photo of the mandala as it is at the moment, with some of my handlettering practice in the background!

#DrawWithMe – A #Mandala or #Zendala

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Link to today’s YouTube video tutorial

In today’s YouTube video, I show how, step by step, I draw a mandala, or zendala, with traditional media. And the help of the Markus Operandus for Mandalas from Zentangle.com! A nifty printable that helps set out a mandala!

I’ve used two tangle patterns in this design – tripoli and between. I’ve taken inspiration from each to complete the outer ring.

To start with, I pre-cut a piece of ClaireFontaine Paint On mixed-media paper using an 11cm circle die, and a Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine. In fact, I cut four at 11cm and four at 9cm in size, so I have a few that are good to go.

Next, I coloured one large and one small circle with Distress Inks. Then, I set about using the Markus Operandus to lay out the basic bones of the mandala.

Only then could I start to draw the design, though I had no idea what I was going to do.

The photo above is the final mandala. I used Arteza Everblend markers to add shadows to the zendala. A white gel pen was used to add dots of white for highlights. A silver Gelly Roll pen was used to add silver to the fine ring borders, to the circles and to the darker areas in the tripoli pattern pieces.

I’m quite happy with the outcome. More so, as it’s been a very long time since I drew a mandala without using digital tools.

Today’s video is rather long – well over an hour. It’s kind of a celebration that I’ve reached 900 subscribers on my YouTube channel! I never thought I’d get even one subscriber. So, a huge thank you to you if you’re one of my subscribers.

Template Thursyay Colouring Page

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This week’s colouring page (or template) is a rambling one, full of clusters of botanical motifs. There is no right way up for this design, despite me having included my initials somewhere.

I’ve gone for fairly pastel colours for this design, but the possibilities for colour palettes are endless.

If you’d like to download and print the colouring page, you need to visit and join the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans Facebook group. It’s totally free to join and the template is free to download too.

#DrawWithMe – Botanical Motifs

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In today’s YouTube video, I started to draw the design on the right. While the video was uploading, I finished drawing it. Also, I drew some motifs on a separate piece of paper so I could practice using alcohol markers (Arteza EverBlend).

Colour combinations do vex me, continually. And they certainly do on this practice sheet! But it’s best I practice somewhere before adding colour to my completed drawing. But first I’ll scan that drawing in so if all else fails I can add colour digitally!

Either way, it’s been lovely to spend time drawing and adding colour just for the joy of it. It is far too warm to do anything else.

Lettering practice

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My latest page in my lettering sketchbook. I’m still working on finding how lettering can work for me. It seems that these kinds of letters are something I keep circling back to.

All drawn with various fineliners and some coloured with Arteza Everblend markers. Some highlight dots of white gel pen too.

Fineliners, alcohol markers and contrast – hints and tips video

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The past couple of days have seen me creating videos that go in a slightly different direction to my usual.

Yesterday’s YouTube video was a look at using and blending coloured pencils – not a skill I’m great at, especially when it comes to choosing colours.

I carried on experimenting with my drawing and trying out various media either alone or in various combinations – coloured pencils, Inktense, and/or graphite. I quite like the way graphite dirties up the colours and creates an almost metallic feeling. Not a shiny metallic, but a dull kind of one.

Today’s video was a response to a comment left for me on YouTube about fineliners smearing with alcohol markers. So, I thought I’d do a look at some of the various fineliners I have, the tricks I use to avoid this, and a bit more about achieving contrast, volume and blending markers.