sketchbook

Pattern Explorations | Borders 1 | Day 3

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Another day, and another small clutch of borders are added to this page. Most of these patterns are inspired by Romanesque chevron and diamond patterns, some with a twist. Though there’s a couple in there that are reminiscent of Medieval floor tiles. And poke root managed to push it’s way into one section!

I really, really am enjoying adding patterns based on a theme to this page. Not just creating the patterns, but seeing how colour, shadow and highlight bring them to life. It’s a fascinating process for sure.

I’ve also made a decision to leave the case-bound A5 sketchbook to keep my pages in an A5 discbound system. I was getting frustrated with pages not lying flat, the awkwardness of turning the book around. The discbound system allows me to use individual sheets of paper, of many different kinds and colours. It’s flexible in it’s organisation too. I’ve flip-flopped ‘twixt traditionally bound sketchbooks and discbound sketchbooks for a while. My experience with this pattern exploration project has made me aware that the ability to work on a single sheet has become so important for many, many reasons.

Here’s the video for today’s patterns.

Pattern Exploration “Eetings” Day 3

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Not much space left on the ‘Eetings’ page in my A5 sketchbook. Colour, shadow and highlight still to be added.

To the right is the start of a drawing using some of my pattern variations.

Here’s today’s video showing how I drew a few of the last patterns on the page.

Pattern Exploration No. 2 | Day 3

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I woke up this morning thinking that I really need to capitalise on my early morning energy and creativity and focus on the coloring templates for ‘Adorable Dogs’. When I’ve achieved my quota of sketches for the day (at least the quota), I can then turn my attention to my personal projects, such as my pattern explorations, and all my social media posting.

That’s why my posts may be later than is usual.

The explorations for pattern No.2 are just about done. I will spend the rest of this afternoon working on the page to complete it, well as much as I want to complete it at this time. Leaving some space for future additions is something that I think will be beneficial. It will encourage me to revisit and add to each pattern, something I’ve not done in the past.

Today, I wanted to try adding Zentangle patterns to the bands in the flowers. Rather than try just one pattern on each flower, I added different patterns to the bands, just to see what would happen! That’s exactly what the pages are for in this sketchbook (and any future pattern explorations ones too) – trying things out to see what happens!

Talking of trying things out. To the left and middle bottom, I’ve added some background patterns and colours. I wanted this to be something rather subtle. I think I’ve achieved that in the top left. In all cases, I used Derwent SoftColour pencils to draw the pattern. As they’d be resistant to water, I added a wash of colour over them achieve shadows, some areas more successfully than others.

I did, of course, film and talk through my thoughts and observations as I added to this page. And here it is:

Pattern Exploration No.2, Day 2 | Stylised flower

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More variations of stems as well as the view of the flower itself today. In today’s video, I talk through how to draw the flower and to add colour to enhance the sense of volume to the bloom.

It’s been so heart-warming to receive such kind, supportive and encouraging messages about my YouTube videos. It’s a really nice feeling, a warmth in my heart and soul, to hear that people are enjoying creating along with me, or being inspired to draw and create.

Here’s today’s video, in case you’d like to join me in drawing some pretty flowers too.

Pattern Explorations #1, Day 4 and Template Thursday.

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Pattern Explorations

The sketchbook page for pattern 1 is filling up nicely! Some more variations added today. The pinky-purple and greens look nice together, adding a kind of playful feel to the drawing added today. Joining the motifs in a Morrisseau tangle pattern way also adds interest and plenty of spaces that may be begging for colour and/or patterns! Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Here’s the video/vlog that shows the addition of the next bits and pieces of this page.

Template Thursday

Here’s the partly coloured sample of this week’s coloring template for the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans facebook group.

Sample is quite an apt word as this drawing does remind me a bit of an embroidery sampler. It’s been a while since I last designed one of these, and it’s always fun to do.

This kind of sampler template is perfect if you get overwhelmed by the thought of completing a full sized, intricate template. As this one is split up into small sections for you, you can spend as much, or as little, time as you wish adding colour.

Pattern Explorations #1 | Day 3

Angela Porter1 Comment

Day 3 and the first page of my Pattern Exploration sketchbook is about half full.

I’ve used Carbothello pastel pencils with both a water-brush and tortillon to add colour to some of the elements on this page.

Thoughts, ideas about how to embellish the individual motifs on the page are starting to wander through my head.

Of course, I filmed this mornings half-hour of art and here’s the video on YouTube:

Pattern Exploration #1 – Day 2

Angela Porter2 Comments

Some more work has been done on this pattern, named #1 (maybe just for now, maybe forever).

Yesterday afternoon, I added colour and shadow to the first drawings. Another drawing also crept in – the top middle one.

This morning, I drew two more variations and added colour to them. And filmed the process too.

I’m really enjoying this. So much so that it’s difficult for me not to add more drawings to the page between filming sessions in the morning.

A new camera angle was tried out in today’s vlog. I’d like to know if people prefer it or not.

Inktober Tangles 2021 | Day 31 “Eke”

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Eke, by Zentangle Inc, is the last tangle pattern in the Inktober Tangles 2021 challenge.

It was a bit of a challenge as it seems so simple and not much you can do with it. But I managed to get creative!

So, that’s Inktober 2021 done for another year. I feel rather weird about it. I feel I’ve got that sense of satisfaction when something is completed successfully. But there’s also a sadness and an emptiness that comes with the ending too.

I’m in a liminal place at the moment – a point in time where I’m between an ending and a beginning. Quite fitting given that it is Hallowe’en, which is a very liminal time. A time where the veil betwixt the living and the afterlife is thinnest. A time where in older, pagan times, the time of harvest was over and winter was beginning to take hold.

And that quite happily fits how I feel today really. I do have a project to focus on from tomorrow – the Adorable Dogs colouring book. However, I’d like a focus for a daily practice that helps me keep my hand and eye coordination tip-top and encourages creativity too.

So, I already have some new A5 sketchbooks in my stash, and I’d like to continue this practice of filling a page a day. Or maybe one page over two or three days so I don’t take my focus away from the Adorable Dogs. I also think videoing this practice and sharing may be useful for some people.

It won’t just be tangle patterns, but other patterns and motifs that I use a lot in my artwork, whether coloring books or the more abstract art or mandalas I create.

It’s also making me re-evaluate whether to take part in CZT training, but that will only take place if there are online sessions.

Later today, I’ll be posting a video where I look back over all the Inktober Tangles 2021 sketchbook pages I’ve completed. I’ll post the link in a separate post.

Inktober Tangles 2021 | Day 29 “Tree Leaf” by Debbie New CZT

Angela Porter3 Comments

Tree Leaf is a lovely tangle pattern by Debbie New CZT . It is, to me, an unusual way of drawing a branch of leaves, but it works out. I have to say that I fell into my way of drawing branches where I use the gaps to attach the leaves. Either way seems to work just fine and dandy for sure.

The branch I kept fairly consistent in my drawing today. However the leaves…it was fun to use my favourite shapes of leaves, and a few others. A couple of berries and acorns have sneaked their way in as well.

This tangle pattern makes it really easy to layer leaves; very useful for me in my work creating coloring books!

To add colour to the leaves (and berries), I’ve used a whole host of media – Pitt graphite matt pencil, Graphitint pencils, Graphitint paints, Inktense blocks used like watercolours, and Sakura metallic, starlight and moonlight gelly roll pens. I also used white Gelly Roll and Posca pens to add the higlights.

I’ve not done much in the way of shading. There comes a point when I really need to take a break from the work. I’ve reached that point with this page. I may return to add shadow and more highlight, I may not. Regardless, this page is a great reference for me going forward. In fact, I have an idea to incorporate it into one of my other drawings I’m working on at the moment.

Tomorrow, I’ll film my thoughts and reflections as I look back on my week in art. But for today, I have filmed a video of the drawing and colouring of the small branch in the top left.

Inktober Tangles 2021 | Day 28 “Effie”

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Effie, by Annett Rumpler CZT, is a lovely floral tangle pattern and one I’ve enjoyed creating variations of, and also different ways of adding colour. For the more brightly coloured flowers I’ve used Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight, Starlight and Metallic pens along with a damp water brush to create gradients. Just another way of using supplies in a stash! Add the colour before adding detailed lines, however.

It’s been a really interesting month with the Inktober Tangles 2021 Challenge. It’s prompted me to explore patterns, create variations. This is something I don’t do much; I tend to draw intuitively.

However, I now understand the benefits of this practice, and I intend to continue to do this kind of stuff going forward. I had started doing this in an A4 sketchbook, but I’ve found the size of the page a bit daunting and everything looks a bit disorganised. The A5 sketchbook I’ve used has been the perfect size. If I need more space for more variations/ideas I can turn to a new page.

That means I’ve had to order some A5 sketchbooks!

I did film the drawing of the first few Effies, and here’s the video :

Template Thursday

It’s Template Thursday! So the uncoloured template will be available in the facebook group in a little while.