seed pods

Seed Pod Variations – A sketchbook/journal page – 7 Sept 2023

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This was so lovely to do! I love seed pods, and working on variations to see what will flow in ink from the pen tip is always a delight.

Not stressing over ‘oops’ moments, or not being happy with a drawing isn’t an easy thing to do. However, I push along, knowing that this is a sketchbook page.

Sketchbook pages aren’t meant to be perfect, finished or aesthetic. They’re pages to explore and experiment. Even the wobbly drawings I’m not happy with can turn out to be ones I’m happy with, once I work with their bare bones and add detail.

There were certainly a few gaffes on this page. But instead of gaffes, I like to think of them as starting points to work from as I have worked out something I don’t like in this instance. That is always a valuable experience and leads to new skills, techniques, etc.

I only added colour and shade to some of the seed pods. They give me an inspirational nudge if I need it when I look through a sketchbook. They act as a reminder that colour and/or shade breathe life into a line drawing, especially when the line drawing looks very simple and bare of embellishment.

There are so many ways to add embellishment to a simple line drawing, that sometimes it’s nice to leave the simplest line drawing as an invitation to work with it and create more variations and a later point in time.

I have a video that shows how I created this page on YouTube. It is available to view from 18:00 UK time tonight, 7 September 2023.

A Verdant Border – 4 September 2023

Angela Porter2 Comments

It’s been a week! But first, the arty stuff…

I thought creating a journal page with a border would be nice. So I did! And this is the result. It ‘feels’ very Arts and Crafts to me. What do you think?

I completed the design by using a dark green Staedtler 0.4 Triplus fineliner and Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel pencils. Let’s not forget white dots for highlights courtesy of a Pentel Hybrid Gel dx pen!

When the line art was finished, I wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not. But, as I added colour and the resultant shade and light, I started to warm to it. When I’d finished, I realised I really did like it, lots!

There is a ‘Draw With Me’ video for this design available on Youtube and here’s the link:

#DrawWithMe video on Youtube from 8pm UK time, 4 September 2023

The last week…

I’ve been struggling with energy levels for a while thanks to anaemia. So, I’m taking the iron and B12 supplements as prescribed so I hope it will improve.

However, on Tuesday last week, I was diagnosed with a case of shingles and put on a course of antiviral tablets for a week.

I’ve just been feeling more meh, or MEH, than usual, so tired and unable to think straight. So, I’ve been quiet, resting up and needing a lot of naps.

I was warned it would get worse before it got better, and it did. Also, it will take at least 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover, though that could be longer.

So, that’s the reason for the lack of posts

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.

Entangled Mandala Colouring Page

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I love drawing mandalas. I love the symmetry, the flow, the sense of calmness that they bring when being drawn or coloured. I am fascinated with the never-ending possibilities of mandala design. They also make it easier for me to arrange motifs and patterns when my head is filled with pink fluffy and sparkly fairy dust (all due to prescribed medication).

This one was fun and a bit different, with some new kinds of motifs in it. The colour palette is soft and soothing, with the splashes of gold give those sunshiny-joyful accents that lift it.

Yes, I know I’ve not finished adding colour. But I really, really need to finish the social media stuff and then go and get something to eat!

This is available as a colouring page to members of the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

Abstract Flowers for an Illustrated Journal

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Link to draw with me video on Youtube for the flower to the left.

I have decided to keep an illustrated journal full of my favourite patterns and motifs, accompanied by some words of encouragement and, perhaps, advice.

I’ve kept a collection in a dot grid notebook for a few years. However, some people have asked if I’d share it. I thought it was high time to create something similar instead of sharing a battered and dog-eared book. So, that’s precisely what I started in today’s video.

So, I purchased a Talens Art Creation A5 landscape sketchbook for this purpose. I like the paper in it; it’s creamy in colour, so it’s more soothing on my eyes. The scanned page in the image above doesn’t show the cream colour; the struggle with scanners is real! The paper is 140gsm (90lb). It will take a very light wash of water, but I like the fairly smooth surface to draw upon.

For this page, I used a selection of pens:
A micro Uniball Eye for most of the drawing
01 and 03 Sakura Pigma Microns for details
0.38 Uniball Signo DX for the writing.
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens in Cold Grey 1 and Cold Grey III

I’m fairly happy with how the page looks. However, my handwritten notes are a bit … untidy. Hey ho, they’ll do!

I only drew the flower on the left in today’s YouTube video. I couldn’t find the first drawing for this new journal. Stupidly, I’d done that on a loose sheet of A5 dot grid paper and didn’t put it into a folder for safe keeping. I have no idea where I’ve put it. So, that was another good reason to get a sketchbook; it’s harder for me to misplace a sketchbook, though it has been known to happen. So the arrangement from the centre to the right is a replication of the motifs from the lost page.

As I typed that, my mind thought of the Moody Blues album title “In search of the lost chord”. I’m forever in search of my lost artwork!

This is going to be another interesting project. I do seem to pick up and drop projects a lot. The reason is I need variety in what I’m focusing on. Sometimes, I need a bit of a break from a particular project or focus. At other times, I’m just not well enough to do anything more than some challenging ‘comfort art’.

I now need to decide if I’m going to add some colour to this page. I have shadows in place, so transparent/transluscent media will work with that. I’ll think on it. For now, I need tea and something to eat!

Starting to draw some motifs/patterns for a reference book/journal/zibaldone

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I’ve been asked several times if I’d make my visual dictionary, pattern and motif collection, journal or art zibaldone available for others. I’ve shown it a few times in videos. It’s my go-to reference when I need some inspiration for my art.

So, today, I thought I’d take some elements from a current WIP and start to put a page together.

I used a piece of A5 dot grid paper with holes punched in it for a six-ring binder. However, I may use an A5 dot grid notebook. To draw the design, I used an 05 Sakura Pigma Micron Pen. Shade was added with a 2B matt Pitt graphite pencil and paper stump/tortillon.

I enjoyed doing this. It was fun to add alternative ways of approaching various elements. That’s how I like to work in my visual zibaldone. And, of course, the variations are not exhaustive! No doubt more will appear in time, either in the zibaldone or in some artwork.

That is what I love doing. Varying and shifting the pattern or motif into something new and different.

Of course, I have filmed myself drawing this page so far, and you can draw along with me by clicking this YouTube video link.

Entangled Art Infinity Card – Parts 1 and 2

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I’ve had some fun with this, and there’s more to come. And a bit of a story to tell first.

I was asked on my YouTube channel how I know which patterns go with each other. That’s not an easy question to answer; experience, experimenting, trusting instincts, and having some patterns or motifs that are your go-to ones.

Then, yesterday morning, as I was slowly coming around from sleep, I watched a video on YouTube at Jen’s Arty Inclinations on how to make a fast and simple infinity card for a junk journal.

Jen recommended going to Lynn at Playing with Paper and Glue to watch her video about making a slightly different infinity card. So I did that.

And as I watched and saw how easy it was to make the infinity card (yes, it really is!), I realised that this would be a lovely and different way to collect together my favourite go-to motifs and patterns. And that thought linked back to the comment on my YouTube channel.

So, I made an infinity card, mucked it up a bit, but learned from that. Then I made a HUGE one, which was ridiculously big! So, I made another one to the sizes Lynn gave, which you can see me doing in part 1. Then, I had to add the first panel on the left of the image above.

I went with variations of pokeroot, pokeleaf and pokepods! I’m not sure there’s a pattern called pokepods, but there is now. I cut a notch out of the card and created a little pocket for a drawing, note, colour palette, or something else to be hidden.

I drew with Copic Multiliner Sp pens (0.5 and 0.25, I think). Colour was added with yellow-grey and neutral-grey Ohuhu markers. A white gel pen was used to add dotty highlights and the pattern to the back.

In the video for part 2, I created the panel to the right. Daisies are always a flower I love to draw; I have many variations of them in my memory hoard. The flowy pattern and Diva Dance are two of my go-to patterns; they share some similarities in my head.

For this panel, I used a Uni Emott 0.4 ever fine pen to draw the design, then green-grey Ohuhu markers to add colour. Then, I used a white gellyroll pen to add the dotty highlights.

I wasn’t sure about the Tim Holtz scrapbook paper I used to make the infinity card, but as I added the panels, it mostly got covered up, just a hint of a background behind the drawings.

It may not be the best choice of paper to make the infinity card from, in terms of colour and pattern. However, as I’ve never done anything like this, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make!

Actually, I wasn’t sure about the entire project. I thought it may be a bit odd, whacky, and weird. But, now two panels are done, I’m looking forward to completing the infinity card.

I will be adding more pocketses, possibly even panels that open out to reveal more. There are, possibly, 32 panels to be done, though I’m not sure as I keep losing count! But it’s a longer-term project.

Having said that, the panels are small. Cute even. Perfect for when I have just a little time to draw.

Medieval Inspired Botanical Bookmark

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I have no idea why, but tall, thin drawings (bookmarks) just appeal to me. Indeed, they always have.

I enjoyed drawing this one, and I’m fairly pleased with the chosen colours. There’s a soft, muted, vintage palette along with the flowers, seed pods, berries and leaves mainly inspired by Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts and the work of the Arts and Crafts Movement artists.

If you’d like to follow a #comedrawwithme video for this design, just click on this link!

Two Seed Pod Posies

Angela Porter2 Comments

This morning I finished the posy to the right, and I thought it would be interesting to post both versions together.

The version on the right was actually drawn before the one on the left; it was the inspiration for yesterday’s drawing tutorial video on YouTube. I decided to add colour to it yesterday evening, and I added the subtle background pattern this morning.

I like both and would find it hard to pick one as a favourite. There are pros and cons to each for sure.

What do you think? Which do you prefer?

Whimsical, stylised Seed Pods #ComeDrawWithMe #DrawWithMe

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I love seed pods! They are often so architectural in nature. They lend themselves to whimsy and stylised drawings so well too.

I love giving them sturdy stems with tops that look like column capitals. The leaves on these are inspired by medieval illuminated manuscripts, something else I absolutely love!

For the panel behind them, I decided to keep the pattern fairly simple – Tripoli, a Zentangle tangle pattern.

If you’d like to draw your own seedpods, then take a look at the accompanying draw with me tutorial on YouTube.