angela porter artist

14th October 2017 Update

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New Book and a Competition!

I’ve spent time working on a few more DoodleWorlds colouring templates for a book I’m going to self-publish, most probably in November 2017.

I’ve gone ‘old school’ on these – pen and paper – simply because drawing on the screen was starting to irritate me just a bit.  Also, a change is as good as a rest for sure!

The coloured artwork on the covers is going to be provided by the winners of a competition running on both the facebook group Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans and the Colorist app.

So, if you fancy having a go at colouring in the template to be found in either the facebook group on on the Colorist app, then head on over there – closing date is midnight on Hallowe’en.

Here’s a sneaky peek at one of the new templates for the book.  I used my Chameleon Pens to colour this one in.

Vida Collection

I’ve added some new items to my Vida Collection, typically ‘Angela’ style abstract art focusing on line and colour.  The collection includes scarves, tops, wraps, leggings, bags, jewellery, cushions/pillows and tapestries.

Later today I’ll be adding new leather products to the collection, including passport holders and baggage tags.

 

 

 

 

Time to Change Wales and World Mental Health Day 2017

Although I didn’t do anything in particular on Tuesday 10th October 2017 for World Mental Health Day (other than re-tweet and re-post relevant articles that is), I did do an anti-stigma talk on Thursday 12th October 2017.

I delivered my talk and story to a group of front-line police officers who were receiving training. It seemed to go well and be received well.  I’ve not read the feedback forms though, nor am I likely to, as even if 99% of them are positive, the 1% that may not be all the positive or says I made no change is the one that I’ll focus on and will end up worrying and fretting and being hard on myself…

What did surprise me was how anxious I was when I woke and on my way to, during and after my talk, far more than I’ve been before.

Gnawing stomach, shaky, hypervigilant, cold sweaty palms, unable to speak in order…

I’d almost forgotten what it’s like to be like that, or that was how I lived every day of my life for many, many years while I was still a teacher.

Well, not quite like that – it was worse back then, a lot worse!

Echoes of it reminds me of how far I’ve come, how much better I am now.

Of course, after the talk and driving and getting home, I had the post-anxiety ‘crash’ where I felt shaky, wobbly, my eyesight was still very acute, and a headachy tiredness grew.

A huge mug of tea, a couple of Jaffa Cakes, and an afternoon sleep with cat cuddles saw me a bit better in the evening, but I was still emotionally drained.  So, I too it easy, ordered a take-away, though I didn’t have much of an appetite.

Friday I was still a little wobbly, but today I feel more like myself again.

Art always helps me calm and ground, so that has been my therapy, and will continue to be so I’m sure.

Angela Porter’s Vida Collection now available

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Ever wanted to have some of my art on a bag, pillow, wrap, tapestry or jewellery?

Well, now you can!

I’ve just started to build a collection on Vida, so why not check it out for unique items and special gifts.

Here’s just a couple of items from the collection:

Autumn Splendour

Sunshine and Berries

Artwyrd – My Etsy Shop

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I’ve been busy the last couple of days adding some digital stamps to my Etsy Shop.

So far, I’ve added eight whimsical flowers, an example of one is to the left.

They do have quite bold black lines, which I quite like as they give a stained glass ‘feel’ to them, possibly a lino cut one too.

The images are simple outlines, which leaves them free for purchaser to add patterns and colours as they wish to.  Also, being digital, you can print them on any kind of paper so it’s easy to work with different media.

All hand drawn in Autodesk Sketchbook pro on my Microsoft Surface Book.

HandyWoman Loom arrives!

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Over the past week, I’ve been wrangling with Adobe Illustrator for a very good reason – to convert my art into vector graphics so that the lovely Janet Fox at HandyWoman on Etsy can use them to laser etch the designs into the looms that she makes.

You can see some of my dragonfly art on this loom, which arrived today, and I can’t wait to make use of it.

It’s only a little loom, but that’s exactly what I want … and I already have ideas ticking around my brainbox.  It’s been a long time since I did any weaving – over 10 years I think.  Hopefully I haven’t forgotten the skills I developed then, and even if I have I’m sure I’ll find my way to achieving what I’d like to with it.

The loom itself is made of wood – I can’t remember what kind Janet said – but it is of excellent quality.  She makes all kinds of looms – simple ones like the one I have, tablet looms, heddle looms and others, again all of excellent quality.

When her Etsy shop is open once again (she’s closed it so she can focus on building stock up for the busy Christmas season), I’ll be sure to let you know.

Halloween Entangled Octahedron

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Halloween Octahedron Montage _ Angela Porter _ 21 Sept 2017

Ok, not the best photo in the world, but the octahedron (bipyramidal) was fun to draw, and the colour certainly brought it to life (death?).

Quite apt I’ve done some autumnal themed work on the Autumnal Equinox.

Entangled Icosohedron

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Icosohedron1 montage Angela Porter 19 Sept 2017

Having more fun!  This time a 20-sided icosohedron.  And I’ve just noticed I lost the plot slightly in creating the montage above – the same image repeated, d’oh go me!  First time I’ve ever done a photo montage though, so maybe I can be forgiven!

Entangled in 3D…

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Angela Porter Entangled Tetrahedron 1_19th Sept 2017

I’ve had an idea rattling around the old brainbox for a while – to use 3D nets and entangle them to form a 3D entangled drawing.

Ok, the patterns don’t wrap around all of the edges, however, on all but one the patterns kind of match up even though they’re not the same.

I’ve not coloured or added shading to the drawing (which I scanned and printed out so I could keep the original for future use) as I just wanted to see if it was something that would work.

I think it does work.  I suspect my yuletide decorations may be made from such things, with plenty of sparkle and glimmer!  Not to mention the more spooky ones for Hallowe’en…

Fancy having some to colour and construct?  Let me know!

Autumnly Entangled 5 and 6

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AutumnlyEntangled5and6_AngelaPorter_18Sept2017

Last two of the six Distress Oxide coloured 14 x 10 cm sheets of paper.

Making stamps and more Autumnly Entangled

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Stamp Carving

I woke up the other morning, Thursday I think it was, and had the overwhelming desire to try my hand at carving stamps from rubber blocks again.

I enjoyed doing lino cuts when I was doing my A level in art over a decade ago, well apart from the way my finger and wrist joints would hurt after doing this.  So, I thought I’d have a go with soft rubber, and above you can see the first of my efforts.

The weird flower was the first, and I’m not happy with it, though I think it would be fine as a background stamp in mixed media work, maybe.

The other circular stamps followed fairly quickly after that one, but the stylised thistle was one I did this morning. The white rubber discs are made by Essdee, and I used lino and stamp carving tools by the same company.

The leaf, heart and geometric patterns I carved this morning from a different kind of pink rubber: Speedy Carve from Speedball.

Both kinds of carving material were easy to work with, perhaps a little too soft for my liking, but only time will tell.  The only other tools I used were a pencil to draw the designs on the stamp carving material and a craft knife to cut the Speedy Carve.  Oh, and some sepia Archival Ink from Ranger, and an acrylic stamp block for the circular discs to adhere to while I stamped with them.

Autumnly Entangled

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Two more, drawn on paper coloured with Distress Oxide inks, with highlights of white gel pen and metallic gel pens added.  Also, the bottom one has had colour added using Zig Clean Colour Real Brush Pens from Kuretake and also some Prismacolour pencils.

I still have two more 10cm x 14cm sheets of coloured paper to draw on… so at least two more to come!

Autumnly Entangled 2

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AutumnlyEntangled2_AngelaPorter_14Sept2017

This morning, I spent time with pens and paper coloured with Distress Oxides, and this entangled creation appeared.  I may need to add some shading to it … but that can wait as I think I have a big vector drawing to do and that will take all of my concentration.