Believe … in yourself.
I thought I’d spend sometime today finishing off this bookmark design.
I’m not too happy with the colours, a bit too dark, but I can always re-colour at some point.
Digitally drawn and coloured, though I did sketch the writing out and scan it in to help me write it on my Microsoft Surface book with my Microsoft Surface pen.
#fundaysunday #sundayfunday #weekendvibes
This is my current work in progress, with a little bit of wisdom thrown in.
I planned the lettering out on Rhodia dot grid paper before scanning it in. I then re-drew the letters digitally.
I did a blog post with tips for hand lettering yesterday, but there’s also some in my upcoming book A Dangle A Day, available for pre-order.
The patterns around the quote were also drawn digitally, using my faithful Microsoft Surface pen, along with my Microsoft Surface Book and Autodesk Sketchbook Pro.
I’ve started to add colour, though there’s quite a lot to do, including adding textures. It’s a pleasant way to spend time.
What I’m quite pleased with is the stone background behind the letters. It’s not perfect, but I got my head around how I could achieve this. Working in layers means I can do things I can’t do with traditional media, try as I might, but it involves working out how I can use layers to do different things as well as becoming aware of what I could use layers for.
Yes, I could watch and read tutorials, but there’s something satisfying about working out for yourself how to do things, and creating things in your own way. That’s the sheer bloody-minded independence I have at times.
Perhaps I could learn quicker with tutorials, but I also know I can become quickly overloaded with information and instructions and ideas (something that frustrates me as before my two episodes of severe depression and anxiety I had no trouble at all…) so bit by bit I discover what I need to be able to do at any one time. Then practice using it until it’s easy to do and natural.
I do love how I can flip-flop between traditional media and digital work, as well as combining the two, whether it be a sketch that is then worked on digitally or using traditional media backgrounds to draw upon digitally. It also takes me a little bit out of my ‘comfort zone’ too, but in an enjoyable way.
The quote on this dangle design is rather appropriate at the moment and reflects a number of recent conversations I’ve had with people about art and other things.
I know I have a LOT of practicing to do with my hand lettering; I’m not all that happy with it in this design at all. Well, the words ‘novice’ and ‘master’ are fine, it’s the other wordage. But the more you practice, the more you do, the better you get. So, it’s a work in progress with me (something else that the BuJo will help with.)
I drew this with a Sakura Pigma Micron PN pen on paper, scanned it in to my Microsoft Surface Book and then coloured it in Autodesk Sketchbook Pro.
Want to learn how to create your own dangle designs? My upcoming tutorial book ‘A Dangle A Day’ is available for preorder now!
On a slightly different note, a new colouring template will be available exclusively in the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group, a lovely, friendly group of people!
I designed this colouring template for the facebook group Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans for them to post coloured versions today.
This is my coloured version. I drew on paper with pen, but coloured it in using Autodesk Sketchbook Pro on my Microsoft Surface book using my Surface Pen.
It’s been nearly a month since my last blog post. The reasons? Focusing on a book at the moment. It’s called A Dangle a Day: Lettering Alphabets and Seasonal Designs with Charms , though there’s no cover image for the book yet on Amazon it is available for pre-order. It’s not a colouring book per-se, it’s more of a tutorial book, but colouring does play a big part of course.
It’s a new direction for me, I’m learning new things about publishing, and enjoying the challenge. I have to focus on this project for now, and not sure I can do ‘sneak peeks’ yet, but when I can, I will!
I do have another colouring book to do after this one …more about that later on.
The other reason is that I’ve been unwell. Nothing serious, thought to be a ‘viral wheeze’ (which is affecting me like asthma) but it’s got worse again, and is stopping me sleeping properly and lacking energy to do more than what I need to contractually do.
It’s that day again – WIP Wednesday – in the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.
So, here is my work in progress, an icy patterned mandala.
This mandala is one of ten templates available in my latest book in the Colorist App from Faction Apps,
I’m using the template as an opportunity to learn more about Autodesk Sketchbook Pro on my Microsoft Surface Book, in particular working with the different kind of layers and how I can add patterns to the coloured sections. This mandala is going to be great for that as the sections are quite large.
#created on surface
#autodesksketchbookpro
#angelaporterscoloringbookfans
I’ve had a busy couple of days with this and that and the other.
Yesterday and today it’s been learning about vector files, images, graphics and how to get my artwork done as that kind of file and to a maker so she can use them to laser etch her products – more about this when I have photos of the projects!
Lots of head scratching, googling, and finally settling on downloading a program that works in vector graphics. So, a lot of learning to do with that, but it’s easy, intuitive and makes a lot more sense than Adobe Illustrator; I chose Serif’s Affinity Designer. I don’t know if it is as sophisticated as Illustrator, but I can’t see me wanting to get to that kind of level – I love Autodesk Sketchbook Pro way too much for that!
Certainly a different skill set is needed, but I’ll get there as I usually do.
After all the time on the ‘puter, I had the need to return to traditional media, and the photo above is what I’ve spent my evening doing.
First, the paper (approx. 14cm x 21cm), along with a few other sheets, was coloured with distress oxide inks. Then I drew on it using a mixture of pens.
It was really nice to do, the colours of all the sheets are rather autumnal, and I’m looking forward to drawing on the others over the coming days.
Another day, another mandala! Also, an unusual colour scheme from me …
Autodesk Sketchbook Pro and my Microsoft Surface Pen and Surface Book.
September has arrived at long last, along with the promise of the fiery blaze of glory that is autumn in a few weeks time.
Cooler mornings and evenings along with warm enough days, the quality of sunlight is softer, more golden too.
I really love this time of year, it’s my favourite!
Even more so that I no longer have the long fear/anxiety of returning to school as a teacher.
I don’t miss teaching one little bit! I miss friends I had. I miss the more social interaction I had and the fun and laughter I had with colleagues and pupils. What I don’t really miss is the constant fear, anxiety, worry, stress, pressure, bad attitudes, poor behaviour and constantly being looked at and assessed. All the things that led me to some very dark places that I found difficult to get out of. No, it’s not ‘I don’t really miss’ these things – I really don’t miss these things, though I still get moments anxiety verging on panic when memories of various situations arise from the depths of my subconscious.
I’ve finished all the black and white line art for Eerily Entangled – my latest colouring book for Dover Publications. I have two more to colour in for the book, but I’ll wait to see what my editor and her design team would like me to colour – there are so very many, if not all, I’d love to colour!
As well as this, I’ve spent quite a bit of time starting to organise my ‘pattern library’. It’s something I like to do when I’m too tired to do anything else, when I’m feeling down and need a comforting not challenging activity, and when I’m lacking in inspiration; sometimes the patterns bring the inspiration I’m searching for, sometimes they just allow stuff to well up to the surface of my subconscious mind where my conscious mind can grab them and make use of them.
As a change of focus, I decided to draw some autumn themed mandalas, the one at the top of this blog entry being the first.
I’m a bit rusty at creating them after focusing on other things for a while, but the skills soon come back, often with new ideas or twists to old ideas, as well as new skills learned by my use of Autodesk Sketchbook Pro with my Microsoft Surface Book, which I used to create this mandala.
I thought I’d try white on a kraft paper coloured background. I quite like it.
Autodesk Sketchbook Pro on my Microsoft Surface Book
Drawn on my Microsoft Surface Book using Autodesk Sketchbook Pro and a Surface Pen.
Angela Porter 