Seed Pods and Tangle L’s by Cyndi Knapp

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I drew this design in my latest YouTube video, which premieres today, 16 July 2023, at 21:00 UK time.

It’s a draw with me video, where I show you how to draw this design, step by step. I also do some colouring, shading, highlighting and addition of texture patterns. I don’t, however, complete the drawing in the video.

Currently, I really enjoy drawing designs where there are layers included, like a collage or a break and the floor or wall to see what lies beneath or behind them.

Seed pods are one of my favourite things to draw. There are so many different kinds, both based on reality and imagination. Today, I stuck with the familiarity of plump, teardrop-shaped pods. The tangle pattern between the faux ripped edges is called L’s, and it’s by Cyndi Knapp. It is a bit of a challenge to draw, well, for me at least. It does result in a curious interweaving pattern, however, and is worth the time spent mastering it.

I used a piece of grey-green PaintOn mixed media paper from Claire Fontaine. The colours almost glow against the paper. To add colour, I used Derwent Coloursoft pencils along with tortillons and Gamsol to blend them.

Although I haven’t finished this drawing yet, I’m quite happy with how it’s working out.

I have needed a couple of days of quiet time this weekend. I over-stretched myself last week in some ways. When I find inspiration lacking, I know I’ve overdone it. Hopefully, these two quiet days will give me renewed energy to carry on with the illustrations for Daydreams, my next colouring book. The self-doubt and fear that I’m not good enough – imposter syndrome – has awakened for some reason, and it robs me of my oompf. I will push through it, however. I always do.

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”.

Two Stylised Flower Designs, Both WIP

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Yesterday, 1 July, and today I had a lovely time drawing and adding colour to some stylised flowers. The designs aren’t complete.

I need to add a background texture and a delicate pattern to the one on the left. I’ll do that digitally. If I try to do it now, I’ll end up messing up as I used watercolour inks to add colour. I also recorded a YouTube video of the process (view it here).

A background pattern or texture is needed on the one to the right and textural patterns being added to the flowers. This time, I remembered to add some background colour using Distress Inks. Again, I used watercolour inks to add colour.

I am spitting feathers, though; as for the drawing on the right, I recorded a video and promptly managed to delete it … permanently. Duh! I feel such an eejit! So, I’ll remake the video soon, I’m sure.

A5 Sketchbook Page

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Between some adulting today, I’ve drawn this design in my sketchbook. I’m quite pleased with it, unusually for me!

I like black and white drawings. I like texture and pattern, and I like to then add colour and/or contrast to my artwork. I’ve yet to decide what I’ll do with this, though digital colouring is likely to be my thing. Traditional drawing followed by digital colouring makes it tradigital art! Whoever coined that term is fab.

In the last few days, I have played around with using coloured inks to draw designs. I’m happy if I use one colour for the drawing, texture and pattern. If I start to use other colours, I become confused and not at all happy with the outcome. It never looks ‘right’ to me. Not for my own art, anyway. I do like how other people manage to use different colours for various parts of the lineart, pattern and texture.

Maybe this is because I’m so used to drawing with just one colour. I then use colour to bring out dimension in the finished artwork. I have drawn designs in a colour other than black, using just that colour; I’m quite happy with them.

So, onwards I go, continuing to learn more about my style as I go outside the area I’m comfortable in. I may return to the experiments with different ink colours another time, or not. Only time will tell, though.

Oysteroid and A Grid Pattern

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I had a peaceful and content time this afternoon as I created this page in my sketchbook. Well, the pen drawing part with some examples of how I’ll colour it. And I filmed it too, and you can watch it on YouTube.

I started with the stack of Oysteroids, a tangle pattern that I particularly like. I decided that I’d like to use a geometric pattern as a counterpoint to the roundedly organic Oysteroid.

So, I did! I like the way that this instantly gives a feeling of layers or volume.

Colour always vexes me. So, I decided to stick with an analogous colour scheme, choosing Fern and Mustard Inktense pencils to create stripes on the Oysteroids. I carried this palette into the geometric pattern. That was fine until I foolishly decided to use some Red Oxide Inktense. I have no idea what I was thinking! However, it did give a very ‘earthy’ feel to the pattern, in contrast, perhaps, to the sea-related Oysteroid.

That led me to wanting to use colours that remind me of the sea on the right-hand side. I’ll hold judgement on those until more colour is added. If the red oxide doesn’t work out, I have a rather lovely gold ink that can hide it away! Or black with gold highlights…

I used my fine and extra fine nibbed TWISBI Eco fountain pens, which are filled with black Dokumentus ink.

As you can see, I couldn’t help adding some pattern and texture to one of the Oysteroids. I’m sure the others will be treated in a similar way!

Entangled Monograms – D and F

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Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been experimenting with monograms and my style of art. It’s fun trying out different things, and it leads to new insights into how I can express myself.

My self-expression is constantly changing and evolving. Sometimes I seem to make some breakthrough and go forwards with it for a while. But something happens, like a slip into poor mental and emotional health, and I retreat into my familiar styles. That doesn’t mean progress is not being made. When I look back, I can see how even my ‘comfort art’ has subtly, or not so subtly, changed as the breakthrough shares its influence subconsciously.

I keep returning to hand lettering, hoping to find out how I can make it work for me. Monograms really do seem to be the way forward.

I’m also thinking about my relationship with colour palettes. I really do struggle at times with the colours I put together, particularly when using traditional media. They seem like a good idea at the time…but…that isn’t always how I feel about them as I continue to add colour.

Contrast can be a thing I struggle with too. I really do think very simple colour palettes – monochromatic or analogous, are likely to be the way for me to go at the moment. They always seem to work nicely, monochromatic, especially as I can focus on contrast far more.

Digitally, I feel I do better, but again a limited palette is the best thing for me.

I know that, like my drawing/design skills, this will improve with time and practice. But I get so frustrated when I make the same silly mistakes over and over with colour choices.

Exploration of Zentangle Fragment A1

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Link to the accompanying #DrawWithMe YouTube video tutorial.

This afternoon, I spent a lovely hour or so exploring variations of a simple pattern cell, or fragment in Zentangle terminology. I picked one of the most basic ones there is and just tried variations to see where it let me. In about 20 minutes, I’c come up with 12 variations.

I then chose one of the variations to turn into a grid pattern. I had a very pleasant surprise as the pattern started to build up and star shapes started to appear!

The Zentangle pattern Flux and a simple daisy motif complete the design. I did start this drawing off with the fluffy flux foliage!

The next thing to do is to add colour and/or shade with highlights. But not today. I actually feel I need to eat something. So, that’s what I’m going to do when I’ve finished all my social media posts.

A small Zentangle Inspired Tile; A WIP.

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Accompanying #DrawWithMe YouTube video.

This was a lovely way to spend an hour or so this afternoon! The design isn’t quite finished. I have more colour to add, and textural patterns too. But this gives an idea of where I am going with it.

I started with a simple ‘fragment’ – a square with a diamond in it. From there, I built up the central panel of four motifs. I decided to use the same starting point for the outer borders, just a smaller and simpler version.

Colour was added using Kuretake Gansai Tambi Art Nouveau watercolours and Winsor and Newton gold calligraphy ink.

It will take me a wee while to finish. It depends on my energy levels and ability to focus on a task. I seem to be improving little by little – hurrah!

A peek inside my new sketchbook

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Earlier this week, I started a new sketchbook. This is an A5-sized one from Royal Talens Art Creations range. The paper in it is ivory, sturdy and reasonably stiff. It’s smooth enough to be a pleasure to draw on with all kinds of pens, yet it has enough ‘tooth’ to work with coloured pencils. It will also take very light washes of water-based media. Distress Inks blend nicely on the paper, making less smoothly blended backgrounds easy.

Page 1 started the sketchbook off, and a dragon surprised me by peeking out of the entangled foliage and artefacts! That wasn’t a conscious decision; it just happened. This makes this dragon the guardian of this particular sketchbook!

The other pages are me trying out monograms, some more successfully than others. And that’s the whole point of a sketchbook; it’s a place to try things out, experiment, practice, and become familiar with new (or old) media and techniques. It becomes a storehouse of ideas, a record of my artistic journey.

I also allow myself to finish a drawing or leave it as it is. I can write notes and ideas, commentary and reflections on the pages themselves or if there’s not enough room on pieces of paper, that can be attached at an appropriate point. This way, it becomes more than just drawings. It really becomes that record of an artistic journey.

The A5 format means it’s easy to carry while away from home, along with a small pencil case with the bare essentials. I can record things I see that interest me.

There are elements of stylised art, abstract art, Zentangle-inspired art, Rebecca Blair-inspired patterns, botanical, architectural details, imaginative designs and intuitive work, to name a few!

“B” Entangled Monogram WIP

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Accompanying YouTube #DrawWithMe Video.

Today was a day for quiet art, with some colour. I’ve started in a new A5 Sketchbook – A Royal Talens Art Creations one. It seems monograms are the theme for this one, at least for now!

It was a nice way to spend an hour this afternoon. It’s been very warm here in the Valleys of South Wales, UK, today. Thankfully, the sun has moved around from the front of the house and it’s feeling cooler now, just a bit.

Anyways, back to the art.

I drew the basic outlines of the design. I knew I wanted to add colour before adding the details of patterns. It also meant I could just enjoy adding colour without worrying about having to reink the lines affected by the paint; that’s always a recipe for disaster for me!

To add colour, I used soft yellows, greens and pinks from the Kuretake Gansai Tambi Art Nouveau set of watercolours.

I really, really love these watercolours. I love the way the imperfections and water-spots create a wonderful background texture. I think I’ve finally accepted that imperfections can be perfectly acceptable and wonderful! I now want to work out how I can replicate this in my digital and tradigital art. But not now. Not today.

Today, I’m flagging in energy once again. I could just go to sleep. But if I do that, I may not sleep well tonight. So, instead I will go get a drink and make something to eat. And maybe do some more art!