cute

Winter Solstice and Christmas Colouring Page 2023

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. In fact, this year has been quite icky for me healthwise – physically, emotionally, mentally and energetically.

I am getting better bit by bit. I’m doing my best to get a youtube video out each Saturday. I’ve managed at least one colour template a month for the Angela Porter’s Colouring Book Fans facebook group.

I’m fortunate that the publishers I work with, and others, have been patient and understanding with me. And my huge gratitude goes to them too.

And a huge amount of gratitude to you too for encouragement, kind words, and sticking with me through this year. It means more to me than I can find the words to express.

May you be blessed with all the best wishes for the season and the days and years ahead of you.

Inktober 2023, Days 1 & 2

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Inktober 2023 Challenge

I’m a little late with these two, but I will try to complete the #Inktober2023 #Inktober official challenge!

Inktober is about challenging oneself to create art daily, every other day, or however you choose. It’s more about building up a regular drawing practice, with daily prompts to get the creative juices flowing. It’s not about competing with other artists/creatives.

There are so many Inktober challenges going on that it can be difficult to choose one. In the last couple of years, I’ve chosen to participate in the Inktober Tangles challenge. But this year, I really didn’t feel excited about it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the prompts, but for some reason Zentangle didn’t float my boat, so to speak. I think the greater personal challenge of the Inktober official prompts called to me. But, we’ll see how that goes!

Of course, Inktober is all about drawing with Ink. But I’ve started adding some colour for Day 2’s drawing. I’m not sure that was a good idea, but I’ve not completed it yet! It’s at that regretful, icky partway complete stage. Also, I’m not sure I’ve accomplished the hand-lettering in the spiders’ bodies well. It is what it is, and Inktober is about drawing, taking part, challenging oneself, learning more about artistic expression, and not perfection.

I’ve decided to incorporate hand-lettering where I can. I really could do with the practice and exploration of including hand-lettering in my art.

I may use coloured backgrounds in some of the remaining days of Inktober. We’ll see!

Other stuff

The past couple of weeks have taken their toll on me. I’ve been diagnosed with IBS and asked to follow the FODMAP diet for up to eight weeks. The FODMAP plan aims to calm the digestive system by eliminating foods from the diet known to cause IBS.

I’ve been following it for the past two weeks and I have days where it’s a lot better than it has been. However, I’ve found that some of the ‘banned’ foods on the FODMAP have caused IBS flare-ups – notably sweetcorn and some of the Quorn products I’ve eaten.

I must admit, I really miss onions and garlic (though I can use garlic-infused oil). Oh, and peas, and mushrooms. But hopefully, once things are calmer I’ll be able to reintroduce them, fingers crossed!

As I’ve had several days without IBS in the last week or so, how a flare-up feels is very noticeable. To think I’ve been living with those conditions for a long while is shocking!

I am determined to persevere with it! In fact, I’m quite excited about cooking with FODMAP-friendly gluten-free flour and other products. It’s kind of interesting. Being a vegetarian makes it a little more challenging, but I’ve now got a couple of great cookbooks to inspire me.

I’ve also had a busy couple of weeks that have involved people-ing and some stressful things. That all takes its toll on me, and stress of any kind doesn’t help with IBS that’s for sure!

The remainder of this week will likely be busy for me, with people-ing occasionally. I’ll get through it all, albeit exhausted.

And that’s where Inktober will come in useful. Drawing always helps me relax, calm, and destress. Having prompts to guide and inspire my artistic pursuits will surely help me. So, I hope to return to my ‘normal’ in posting blogs and videos.

However, a new normal may be needed as I discover more about myself and how to keep myself from burning out. I will figure it out, as I already have with trying to space people-ing and adulting out!

Aww, shucks…

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Aww, shucks…

Another daily creepy cute critter. Well, almost daily. I’ll explain more in a moment, first to this lovely bunch of pals, or not lovely, depending on your interpretation.

I’m not sure what the possible story is or what stories are here. But that’s part of the fun. I suspect we’ll each see what makes sense to us, given where we are at any particular moment. I feel the tall one is having an aww shucks moment, especially as the ears are blushing (not the cheeks!). Is it a celebration? Or surprised someone would think of them, and the little one is rolling their eyes… again! Is tall always blue in colour, or is it a sign of their low mood and the others have thought to cheer them up?

But, of course, that is just one interpretation. It’s fun to muse about what’s going on for sure.

‘Puter Probs…

I’ve been missing from blog posts, social media and YouTube for a few days thanks to some computer problems. But all seems to be fine now, and I have a shiny new laptop that will function as a backup for digital art should my main computer have problems again. I have no idea what went wrong, but I went into full flap and panic mode. Or, an enormous flap and panic mode as I was already overwhelmed with a second deadline looming at the end of this week. The only problem with the new one is the pen on the screen is not as good as my main puter. So, I see a drawing tablet in the future, just in case…

I still have a lot of anxiety left over from this flap and panic, which is tiring me out. But that will fade. Tea will definitely help this morning! As will some art just for art’s sake too.

Trust me, I know where I’m going…

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But who is leading, and who is doing the trusting? Little, big, bird or balloonist?

And how many times have we all heard that particular statement, only to find out they didn’t know where they were going. Sometimes that ends in disaster, but sometimes it results in a fantastic adventure!

All I know is there are multiple possible tales to be told from this illustration. And that kind of excites me!

Drawn with a Tombow Fudenosuke pen on paper. Colour added using Clip Studio Paint. Tradigital art.

With a little help from a friend…

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What’s going on here, then? Some of my cuties caught in action… Sometimes we all need the help of a friend to dispel the emotional storm clouds that gather. This little, cute, pink critter seems to be spreading lots of love and a helping hand and I’m sure he’d be happy if he made you smile too!

Tradigital art – drawn with a ‘hard’ Tombow Fudenosuke pen on SeaWhite of Brighton All Media paper and colour added digitally in Clip Studio Paint.

Collecting Pretties

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I’m getting into the habit of starting my day with some creepy cute monster cartoon-like art. All just for fun, of course…for now.

As it is getting to be my preferred method, the design was drawn with pen on paper and colour was added digitally in Clip Studio Paint. That makes it tradigital art!

There always seems to be a story hidden in these little drawings. Where in the seemingly barren land have they been to collect such treasures? Is that a flower? A hat? An upside-down mushroom with some herby leaves? And what about the heart? Is it a gemstone, a pillow, or some wondrous fruit? And what is the little one hiding behind his back? Or maybe they’ve not been out collecting, but these are prizes won in some competition. Or, perhaps the story behind this drawing is completely different.

For now, only these two know for sure. But maybe they’ll share their tale with me at some point!

A Grand Day (Creepy Cute Style!)

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Where has this monstrous mushroom been? And why has the raven accompanied him? The sun has set on the day, and the stars twinkle in an alien sky. Yet the mushroom has managed to acquire a cute heart balloon and a rainbow lollipop, and a bit of a sickly complexion too. Where in the galaxy have these companions been and what have they been up to?

I’m sure there’s a story to tell, but if there is, these unlikely companions are keeping it to themselves… for now. And if I know the tale, and I’m not saying I do, then I will have been sworn to secrecy too!

I could be accused of having too much fun with my creepy cuties (Kreepy Kuties?). Does that bother me? Not one tiny bit! I’m enjoying drawing, exploring a new kind of style to add to my toolbox, and just plain indulging myself in some creepy, crazy, cute, critter-y, klutzy monsters!

I finally turned to digital art to colour in my pen drawing. What a sigh of relief I gave as I did so. Yes, it’s fun to add colour with traditional media, to a degree in my case. But it’s so much more satisfying for me to add colour and texture digitally.

Traditional pen drawing on paper combined with the addition of digital colour makes it tradigital art!

Doodleworlds Colouring Page – 12 Jan 2023

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This is my first colouring page of the year for Angela Porter’s Colouring Book Fans Facebook group. Last week, I was busy getting all the templates for Whimsical Houses done. I got them all done, but some changes have been requested for a couple. So before starting to do them, I thought I’d just take some time to create some art for fun.

Doodleworlds, my cute, kawaii, doodle-style art, fit the bill perfectly. It always makes me smile to draw drunken party skulls and tentacles, cute critters and monsters, stars and flowers, and more.

I’ve been a bit (to a lot) out of sorts over the past several days. I think I may know what is at the root of it. It’s all definitely a work in progress, though! Art, however, is always where I find solace and calm amid an emotional and mental storm.

I do know, however, that storms eventually run their course. The clouds that hide the sun disperse, and the sunshine, light and surety of mind and heart return. So, my posts and videos are likely to be a bit less frequent for a while longer. But I’ll find equilibrium again, as I always have done.

Oh, it’s nothing to worry about! I am fine, honestly! I just wanted to explain my continued sparseness of posts. All will be fine and well for sure.

Cutely weird…

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I’ve been very busy getting all the colouring templates done for Whimsical Houses. That has meant my time fir social media and so on has been limited.

However, when I have time, i live to draw for fun. At the moment it’s these weirdies! They make me smile, at the very least. I do hope they bring a smile to you too.

Pen drawing. Watercolour pencils

Doodleworlds Colouring Page

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This week’s colouring page is cute, whimsical and silly. It’s one in my Doodleworlds style. Although it has a kind of wintery, Christmassy kind of theme, Hallowe’en has to make an appearance too! After all, the mushrooms, monsters and drunken party skull would be most upset if they didn’t ‘art bomb’ the drawing!

It’s been a long time since I drew some Doodleworlds art, and I’m tad out of practice. But I think it’ll do.

If you’d like to print the colouring page, then you need to head over to the Facebook group called “Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans“. It’s available for free there.