Mandela Mania

I think it’s good for me to keep up with my markers.  When I do, I am better at color selection… that’s for sure.



Needing “something to do with my hands”, I grabbed the ‘ole compass and circled up the page.



I’ve misplaced a few of my stencils so I had to ad-lib a bunch here.



Every now and then, I get into a drawing….I choose a color… then I go “Ugh, why did I think that would look good?”  That’s how I felt when I looked at the pink dollie-forms to the right.



Win some…lose some….moved on.



My favorite shot in this series….Right here.  You can see a bit of the detail starting to be developed.



Just a fun, colorful piece.   As you can see….I colored over that yucky pink with olive.  Can’t ever give up on a piece…cuz a little color change here or there can redeem itself.

Circle Mandelas

I was in need of a color fix.  I spotted this drawing and pinned it months ago.  Thought it looked like fun.



Used my cool compass and made a bunch of random arcs.



Played with all kinds of color-combinations.  Enhanced the mandelas with my sharpie poster paints by applying dots.  Lots….of….Dots. 



I don’t think I’ve ever drawn so many circles in my life.  Dot circles…Outlined circles…Big and Little circles.  Tiny circle dots inside of small circles dots.  It was a Circle Circus!



As much as I would’ve preferred to showcase my 2 favorite colors (red & green).  I knew that it needed more character. 



Don’t look too closely….some of the lines aren’t closed and it’s not perfectly colored in.  This is where digital drawing would have it’s advantages!   But it works!



And….I kind of like it!

Who Does Your Hair?

Who does your hair?  Haha….I have to laugh because I get asked this question about once a week.  And it’s not because my hair looks great….Quite the opposite.  Usually I hear this on a Saturday….after I’ve slept in…woken up…then bee-lined it for the coffee….hours later… I turn the corner and there he is!!  My main man….sarcastically implying that he’s seen enough and it would be best if I brushed out that mess.



Don’t know if this kind of drawing will help me to actually sketch curly hair….but it can’t hurt…right?



Found another rock-statement in my stash…..I forgot I had these.



This drawing is inspired by this picture I spotted on pinterest the other day…..Now this artist has talent!!

The thing I like about drawing with color and all whimsical et al….is… it’s not for profit, not for gain, doesn’t have to be all beautiful, and it really doesn’t have to have any meaning or make any statement.  It just lets me play!

Balancing Botanicals

I seem to need to balance my sketching with color!  It was color time.



I wonder if I’ll feel that way if I actually start sketching in colored pencils….hmmm…



The image that inspired this drawing is from flickr……one of my favorite resources



It was hard…but I only allowed myself to use these Faber-Castell Pitt pens…no Sharpies nor Bic’s allowed.



Picked up this button while at a sports event about 8 years ago…..I need this gentle reminder….so easy for me to just keep my head down…and to the grindstone.  Just the way I’m made.



I like the negative space apparent to show the word here…Ideally I didn’t want to outline that word, but could not see another way around it for this drawing.



I’m happy with how this turned out.  I like the vibrancy of all that color balanced with the black and white on the other side. 

I am a huge fan of BALANCE. 

1. I need to balance my Duties-----with Freedom
2. My Work-----with Play
3. My Creativity-----with Analysis/ Science
4. My Color-----with Negative Space
5. My Research/ Study-----with Vegging Out.
6. My Losing it-----with Finding it….passion!

What surprised me after I started drawing this piece was what was showing up in my google reader.  Yep, many other blogs started talking about “balance”.  I think that’s the good ‘ole monkey effect of synchronization that I witnessed.  Love it!!  

And here are a few of the posts I’m referring to:

1. Creative Carmelina- Finding Balance
2. Daisy Yellow- What is your focus?
3. Shutter Sisters- Equal Day...Equal Night
4. Zen Habits- Change Muscle
5. Christine Kane- Let your body teach you about balance  (from 2009 but a good post)
6. Jeff Goins- How to improve your writing in one counter-intuitive way (2 mos ago)

Have you found your balance?  Do you sense when you’re getting out of balance?  I sure do!

Glad Goldie

It was time for another bird….not one quite so Zany!  One, a little more normal (if there is such a thing).



I wanted to show the festive spirit of this bird, hence the balloons!



Lots of color was needed in her dress, and I didn’t think the markers could give me the look I wanted this time!  So, out came those wonderful watercolor pencils!  Love the way they show individual color variations.



Goldie, the Gift-Giver…..she really can’t help herself, she just does what comes naturally.  She GIVES!  She listens to what her friends say, she sees what her family needs.  Then she spots the perfect gift months ahead of time.  She’ll buy it and hide it away until the Big Day!  She enjoys the whole presentation; the paper, the ribbons, the cards and the Surprise!  It just makes her day to see others smile!

The only problem I've found when I get too ahead of myself in the gift-giving department is…..I’ll forget I bought something or I lose the present!  Not Good!  Hahaha!

Here’s Gnick, the other Gnome

Gnick only resembles Gnoah because they both have beards.



He got the red hat!!  Lucky guy!



Just a simple little gnome.



Had to hold back and not make his little hat all girly-like!



Gnick the Gnome…..He really doesn’t mind living underground, and he doesn’t mind being stationed on garden-patrol.  But what really bugs him, is when people try to catch him just so he’ll grant their wish!  He’s not a leprechaun you know :)



As fun as these little gnomes were to draw, what I really missed was just plain doodling!!

Are you Excited about your Art?

  * Image from Keri Smith; go http://www.kerismith.com/blog/how-to-feel-miserable-as-an-artist/

It was time that I actually did an Art Journal page.  I really enjoyed doing my Psychodelic and Notes and a Doodle pages and these pages give me a chance to use my doodle directory!

I thought I’d write out the above statements about How to be Miserable as an Artist, which has been seen around the blogosphere for awhile.  I think that these statements apply to more people than just those who make Art, it applies to everyone.  However,  I really don’t like the negative tone of these statements, so I thought I’d turn it around.



I limited myself to 6 little flower petals.



Just playing with color combinations and pattern here.



So, I changed the whole concept from “How to be Miserable as an Artist” to “How to feel Excited about your Art”.



Just a pic of my 5x8 watercolor moleskine with the completed page.  The pic below is scanned.



How to feel excited about your Art:

1. Never compare your work with others.
2. Keep quiet about your Art, don’t expect others to see your vision, your way.
3. Your entire career is never based on a single piece.
4. Go out on a limb and try new things.
5. Value your experiences.
6. Push your boundaries even societal ones.
7. Don’t just follow the money, you’ll burn out.
8. Work on what you love, never mind if others like it.
9. Work on something besides what your Boss wants.  (Boss used here as Customer, Client, Gallery Owner)
10. Realize it’s all just Baby Steps, Baby Steps, Baby Steps.

I’m sure you guys have a few other things that help you to create.  Or you’ve found yourself too concerned with things or people outside of your control.  Eeek!  I’d love to hear some of your insights.

Doodle Directory Set 4

 

I just finished Set 4 of my Doodle Directory.  I’ve got them all printed out and ready to go!  I made up a couple little IDEA prints to go out with anyone that orders a set.  Hopefully this will be just what is needed to kick start your doodling!  Because we all know what it feels like to sit there….finally have some time to play….and stare at an empty page.  Yep, been there before! 



These are so addictive to make and use…. really!  I can’t help myself but to color them in.  I’m growing quite used to these 4x6 index prints.  They are great for you “Grab-n-Go” types.  I’ve spent many an hour (or 2,3,4) at a sporting event or in a car pool line, and sometimes my brain is done reading!  You see….I’m not the best person at dealing with boredom!  I can’t stand it and it can’t stand me!!  Feelings are mutual!  The best thing about these prints are, I don’t have to be plugged in, powered up, or pilfering thru a design book to find inspiration!  They fit right inside the pocket of my 5x8 moleskine.  So, I always have them with me.  Bliss!

Oh, before I forget…..I’m running a sale….25% off the prints….So that breaks down to:

Pricing List:

• 1 Set-   $8.99  (10 prints)    SALE $6.74
• 2 Sets- $14.99  (20 prints)  SALE $11.24
• 3 Sets- $18.99  (30 prints)  SALE $14.24
• 4 Sets- $21.99  (40 prints)  SALE $16.49

*price does not include shipping

Just remember to use code DOODLE25.  Code will expire March 1.

My SHOP link is… Here
The SET 4 link is…Here

Alphabet doodles

Since I’m between projects right now….and I lack original ideas.  I thought I’d show you how my doodling has changed in 2 years.  The Doodle above is my first set of doodles.  As you can see, very swirly, and the colors aren’t as vibrant.   The designs inside were small.  It was a figure-it-out-as-I-go-style.



In my second set of doodling the alphabet, I got a little more daring.  The colors are more vibrant.  The designs are larger.  I pulled out my stencils and was more familiar with doodling styles.

 

Currently, I’m working on my third Alphabet set.  I now know that I have to use a lot of color.  And it’s best not to have too much white space….that’s why the Upper case “D” and lower case “e” don’t look as good.

So, boys and girls…..just keep doodling….keep working your piece of art.  Practice may not make perfect but it makes things better.   It sure helped me to figure out how the colors and doodle designs interact …..and I’m . still . learning….cuz there's a lot to learn out there!  LOL!

Journal Jots…..

Who are these people that get their “great ideas” in the shower?  I’d like to meet one, just one……I have never had an original thought in the shower….ever!  Usually my original thoughts happen while I’m busy doing something else…..like  w.o.r.k.i.n.g….  Which was what happened to me here.  The above is my draft for my next drawing.  Since, I’m done with the Sketchbook project, I’m a little lost….don’t know where I should focus my energy next.  Ahhhh well!

 

So, once I got home, I thought I’d give that draft a chance.



As usual, I start my drawings in the contour mode.  Once I have it to the coloring book stage……then….the…fun…begins!!!



Armed with my DOODLE  DIRECTORY, I picked a few patterns that I thought would show up well in a black-white-gray color scheme.



Had to capture a picture in this stage, because if I totally flub the next step, this post would’ve ended here.



This part worked….Thank God.   I used watercolor pencils and just wanted to give the journal color. 



Joyce-the-Journaler……..She’s been journaling almost all her life.  It began as a way to control her tongue, but it’s morphed into a place where she can work out her thoughts.  She writes whatever comes into her pretty-little-head, sometimes what she writes makes sense and sometimes not so much.  But it’s a habit now, and if she hasn’t written for a few days, she feels a little dis-combobulated.