whimsical

Updates – 2nd November 2025

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Hello There!

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? The reason? I’ve been finding it difficult to manage my various autistic batteries viz. social, sensory, interoception difficulties and masking. That results in my mind ‘short circuiting’ and I find myself mentally tired, and unable to speak, listen or do much. When this happens, my mind and senses are just so tired that I need a lot of alone time, sleep, and activities that soothe me.

Add to the mix that menopause has hit and it has all intensified so much, especially with all the ways that the hormonal levels have changed.

So, I’ve not had the mental capacity to write blogs, post art or just do more than draw from time to time, listen to TV/Podcasts that don’t cause a drain on my resources, and sleep a lot. Oh, and StarDew Valley!

I’ve felt that I’m permanently on the edge of a shutdown, heading to a burnout all the time. I recover somewhat in a day or three, but then I end up draining the batteries again.

The odd thing, or perhaps not so odd thing, is that when I’m with people and and getting towards overwhelm, I’m discovering stims I never knew I had, particularly when I’m with people in person. That is interesting to me, as is the realisation they’re helping me cope with things so I can finish the event.

The hardest challenge for me is learning to manage my energy and remembering that ‘NO is a sentence’. One of my problems through life has been being a people-pleaser; another autistic trait. Using ‘no’ and not feeling guilty is really difficult, but I will get there… perhaps!

Three Pen and Ink Drawings

I read a book – “Draw Tiny and Make Great Art!” by Anna Tjalsma-Pogorzelec (@Licosmoss). It helped me to rediscover my love of drawing small motifs and patterns and weaving intricate drawings – the type of art that got me noticed and led to me working as an adult colouring book artist.

Over time, however, the requests from publishers was to be less intricate, larger motifs and characters, and though I enjoyed the work, I lost my connection with my love of intricacy.

I’ve rediscovered it and the three drawings at the top of this post are my latest versions. There’s a bit of creepy cute going on for Hallowe’en (one of my favourite times of the year!). But there’s also botanicals and my beloved arches that I don’t draw often now.

I smiled and giggled as I drew these drawings, something I’ve lost overtime as things got all too serious in some ways.

So, another thing I need to do is try to be true to myself as much as possible. Draw in ways that allow my arty heart to sing it’s song of creativity. Create work that makes me smile, and then share the joy with others.

This world needs more whimsy, smiles, and joy, and if my art contributes to that even just a smidgen then I’ve done something positive as an artist.

Inktober Tangles 2025

I did complete Inktober Tangles 2025! I did so in seven livestreams on YouTube. You can find the videos in the live section of my channel.

I really enjoyed the challenge, which I always seem to do as an exploration of each pattern, looking for variations and working with them.

I also have found that ‘going live’ is really good for me. I can get a video done when I have the mental/emotional energy and focus without the adding drain of editing and so on. It’s also nice to have some interaction with people who message in the chat during the livestream.

Creating content by livestreams isn’t as draining for me as you might think, given my comments above. I’m in my safe, quiet home. I’m essentially chatting about the art, things that are going through my mind as I draw. There’s not much noise going on around me (though at the moment noisy, bangy fireworks are going off…again) and I don’t get so drained. Even if I feel tired after the livestream, It’s a different kind of tiredness to interacting with people.

So, going forward with YouTube I’m going to focus on livestreams, as impromptu as they may be, as a way of creating content without draining me. Art is one of my passions, sharing my processes and lessons I have/am learning is too. Editing videos really is a real drudge and drain on my resources! Wellbeing boundary set!

Creepy Cute Artwork and Burnout…Again!

Angela Porter1 Comment

I’m delighted with this artwork/illustration. I love the colours, the silly, creepy, cute characters, and the whimsical nature of the design. There was a smile on my face, a giggle on my lips and joy in my heart as I gradually brought the characters to life. The joy also came from the sensuous pleasure of working entirely with traditional media.

I hope I’m gradually getting to grips with using crosshatching and textural patterns to add shadows to the designs. There’s a way to go before I work out all the intricacies and the way I like to do this, but I’m quite happy with it for now.

To add colour, I used Chameleon Color Tones and Color Tops alcohol markers, with a couple of Winsor and Newton Promarkers in places. The Chameleons worked really well for me. Also, I remembered to use tip-to-tip blending so I could fade the colours out with the Promarkers, too.

Today, I very much needed some time to work quietly in an artistic manner. I’ve burned myself out through too much ‘peopling’ in the past couple of weeks. I’d nearly recovered, but an encounter with scammers threw me into total emotional overwhelm yesterday and I now need a few days to recover. Well, at least I will after I phone my bank again tomorrow to start the fraud investigation.

I love to draw and create. My creepy cute critters are currently my favourite thing to do. They’ve followed on from the colouring book I finished at the beginning of this month – “Haunted”, which is due to be released towards the end of October 2024.

Actually, as I think about it, I was playing around with silly creepy creatures about a year and a half ago, but put them to one side for a while.

Of course, the artwork above was entirely for my own pleasure and exploration of how I’d like to create these critters. I already know that some, if not all of them, will be featured in their own artwork, perhaps with a story to tell or some lore about them. I wonder what kinds of things that will be. I don’t know for now, but I trust my imagination will come out in words too. That won’t be now, however. I’m now tired for today and need to prepare for bed, for me and my creepy weirdies to rest and sleep and to dream up some joyful tales. And names. They definitely need names!

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!

Entangled Colouring Page – 26 January 2023

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I had a lot of fun drawing this colouring page in my entangled style. It was so lovely getting back in the ‘entangled’ groove for colouring pages; there is a reason for me needing to do this. I also had some fun with adding colour. Though, as is usual for my colouring pages, it’s a partial colour! My attention needs to be turned towards other things.

This template is available to the members of the Angela Porter’s Coloring Book Fans Facebook group.

Drawn with a 0.5 Unipin pen on dot grid paper. Colour was added digitally using Clip Studio Paint.

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.

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!

Creepy Cute?

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This is my latest sketchbook page. I’m exploring these weird creatures after a conversation with a friend a couple of weeks back now. Although these are pen and wash, I’m keen to get them drawn digitally and coloured. After all, a sketchbook is a place to try things out, make mistakes, crystallise ideas and then go forward.

There’s plenty about these creatures I like and a lot that I don’t like. They are, however, a place to start and build on.

What I do know is that they make me smile and giggle! Which is a good thing for sure!

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.