Today, I made a greetings card! The top layer can be seen in the picture.
I chose to create a Zentangle Inspired tile for the card. I’m actually fairly happy with the end result. I even managed to mount the tile on the cardblank centrally. Now that’s a first for me!
I had the devil’s own job getting the video sorted and uploaded. My head is full of mush still. This time as a result of a not nice upset tummy yesterday afternoon and evening.
All the same, I got there in the end. And that is all that matters methinks.
Here’s today’s video. If you would be so kind as to click on the Watch On YouTube, I would be very appreciative as it helps with YouTube’s arcane algorithm!
Please click the ‘Watch on YouTube’ box, if you’d be so kind.
After several hours adding colour to a drawing, I needed a change of pace and activity. So, some entangled art was just the ticket. With a pen. And paper.
I really did enjoy adding colour to the cover drawing for the next colouring book after Adorable Dogs. I do love working digitally. But, there’s only so many hours I can do of it, or any one activity really, before my brain turns to mush.
I now have mushy brains. Between my ears, not as some weird delicacy. Worth having them though. The cover is complete!
I’m really busy working on the cover for my next Creative Haven book. So, no time today for a video. I’ve not even started on this week’s template!
Still, I thought I’d share with you a page of weird, whimsical robots, bots, automata, thingies that I’m gradually adding to in my sketchbook. Weird is definitely the word here!
Time for Tangle Tuesday! This week, I have a brief look at three tangle patterns that feel very related to each other – Hatooringlke by Mina Hsiao, Springle by Zentangle Inc. and Zinger by Zentangle Inc.
I wanted to add some botanicals to a pile of greeblie, robotic, mechanical space junk and these patterns spoke to me. They could very well be made from metal and futuristic material themselves!
At the last knocking, I remembered to try Diva Dance, another tangle pattern from Zentangle Inc, as a variation to the nice curvy lines. Something interesting happened … and that needs a bit more exploration.
I love playing around with motifs, letting variations appear on my paper. So, having a day dedicated to exploring in such a way is, I think, a good idea for me!
Today, I chose two templates. One ‘seedling-y’, the other ‘coral-ish’. I ended up with this page (A5) full of possibilities and potential.
I worked in an A5 Arteza plain paper notebook rather than a sketchbook. I’m getting papers all over the place again. As much as I like the discbound sketchbooks I have, I just felt the time was right to dedicate a casebound book to my motif, tangle and fragment pursuits.
The paper reminds me of dot-grid notebook paper, without the dots. I didn’t expect it to work well with the washes of colour. However, as a sketchbook, it’ll be fine for me. The smooth surface of the paper is a pleasure to draw on. Also, I won’t wreck the nibs of my fineliner pens so quickly!
Oh, I also used a matt graphite pencil to add shadows – no tortillon or paper stump, just using pressure and/or layering to increase the depth of the shadow. I also worked with texture in the shadow in the blue seed-pod/sea anemone/round thing. That is something I want to look at a bit more going forward too.
Having fun today, combining drawing and cardmaking! Zentangle inspired drawing of course.
This card is 2½” x 7″ in size, and the paper I drew on is a 2½” x 6″ piece of Canson Imagine paper.
I chose to use Sandswirl and Holly tangle patterns in the design. After all, they were my tangle pattern and fragment of the week! Plus a couple of other bits and bobs – flowers, crystals, a bit of mooka and a sprinkling of flux.
I did make a boo-boo though. I didn’t let the silver ink dry long enough before I used an eraser. I checked that it was touch-dry, but it wasn’t eraser-dry. Ho hum, dash and darn it!
I used the same metallic silver to draw a border and add a little bit of embellishment. The embellishment is under my fingers, duh!
The sketchy diagram to the right are the dimensions for making an envelope for the card. Red means cut out, blue add glue.
Ah! Fragment variations! One of my favourite things to do just for fun!
Today, I chose the lovely tangle pattern ‘Holly’, by Linda Dawson, as the source of the initial fragment.
My coddiwomple through the variations let to some lovely variations. Some were definitely dead ends, and some just don’t work in a reticulum.
Each dead-end and ‘fail’ teaches something. To persevere. And to accept that playing around with variations means mistakes, yeuchy variations are going to result. This is what sketchbooks are for – to make mistakes, to try things out, to work out what does and what does not work. And more importantly, to help get over the fear of failure, of having a go.
Even the ‘fails’ can lead to fragments that are lovely and unexpected.
Also, it’s nice not to have the pressure to create finished and highly polished artwork. It’s always nice to draw just for the joy of drawing.
This is part of a mandala design for a colouring page. And it is just part, though this would stand nicely as a design all in itself. Thursday, tomorrow, is the day I’ll release the template for the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.
Stop Motion Animation
Do you ever wake in the morning with an idea you just have to try out straight away? Yes? I often do, usually for a drawing. Today, however, it involved stop motion animation.
First job was to download Stop Motion Studio and check it would work with the document camera I use for filming. And it does! Well enough for now that’s for sure.
Then I played with the software and decided to do a stop motion drawing. Then I thought I’d animate the paper and pen too. It took me the time it took to drink my morning mug of tea to create a simple little video lasting about 23 s (without intro and outro)
I have some things to think about – lighting, background, keeping my hands out of the way, holding the paper down in a different way, and sound effects perhaps. I’m going to try my best not to run before I can crawl with this. I have no idea what I can do with it, or what to make. But, I’m sure ideas will come to me.
Hmm, I wonder if Saturday’s will be Stop Motion Saturday from now on. Maybe, eventually, I dunno.
It was a lot of fun for an hour or so this morning.
Anyhoo, I like to share the fun, so here’s the video for you to enjoy! I’d appreciate it if you could click on the “Watch on YouTube” button in the video 🙂
Tuesdays are #TangleTuesday! This week I’ve chosen “Sandswirl” to draw and work out some variations with.
Sandswirl has long been a favourite tangle pattern of mine. I’ve never thought about exploring variations of it. I really enjoyed doing so!
When shadows are added, this tangle pattern becomes really dimensional in an interesting way.
I’ve never thought of using Sandswirl as a border before. This shows that all the time I’ve spent exploring patterns and fragments is paying off! I’d always thought of Sandswirl as a filler pattern. Today, I discovered otherwise.
Keep the alliterative theme going; today is #MotifMonday! Also, happy Valentine’s Day to you all too.
A motif is something I use either for a focal point or in clusters as part of my drawing. Although motifs can form patterns, I tend to use the term for a particular design I like to use. I tend to use the word ‘fragment’ for that kind of motif that would fit into a grid (reticulum in Zentangle-ese).
As it’s Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d start off with roses, which led to other favourite flower motifs. Along with some, hopefully helpful, suggestions about creating volume in the drawings.
I use a lot of floral, botanical, organic motifs in my artwork, so I’m looking forward to sharing some of these with you.
Art is the Adventure 