I can’t decide if I like this pattern for Zentangling. I got the idea from a pattern on a t-shirt. Peacock feathers are gaining popularity, so I thought I’d join in..So here’s P-feather:
and below is pattern in my Into the Wild Zentangle:
Be Well and Happy!
Hello, Long time no post, huh… For the last week or so, I have been making prints of my drawings. Not an easy task, but I think I did a fairly good job of it. I sent the color work to my Dad’s shop and my SIL is making the color prints for me as well as my business cards, brochures and even some presentation stuff. It’s so great to come from a family of printers…hee, hee and I am so grateful for their help..Because it would have cost me a fortune that I didn’t have. In return, I promised to show them how to Zentangle. But I will also make them little Zen-Art packets that they can take home. I hope they will be pleased.
Also, I just wanted to let you in on a great offer. I subscribe to the Strathmore newsletter. It’s an awesome newsletter. Annnyway, they are offering FOR FREE a visual journal workshop series and if you want to sign up (click here) . They give you a supply list and everything. Now, don’t plan on seeing any of my journal here, but I may surprise you:) If I get really brave.
Be Well and Happy!
I was very excited to start on the AEDM challenge when I went to bed last night. Unfortunately, my body decided it was the perfect time to wake up sick. So, now I have a stuffy nose, sore throat and an ear and headache. I’m hoping it maybe allergies of some kind.
This little Zentangle isn’t exactly what I had in mind for my first creative day, but it is creative.
If you would like to start making your own Zentangles, I will leave you with couple of links so you can create your own:
Zentangle.com – from Maria and Rick the creators of Zentangle . They have newsletters with patterns, kits available for purchase and class registration. This is their Blog.
Tanglepatterns.com – has patterns galore!
Be Well and Happy!
Tutorial
Acrylic on Canvas Panel
We live pretty close to the beach and I thought it was a real shame that I couldn’t paint (or draw) a beach scene. So, I found this tutorial on acrylic painting by Simply Painting and I thought I would give it a try. TRY being the key word here as this looks nothing like the beautiful instructional that was on my monitor for the past few days. I can’t begin to tell you just how awful my rocks and clouds look. I mean P-EWWWW comes to mind…Now, with that being said, there are some elements that I liked. The waves look frothy and I really like how the sand and water kinda of run into each other. I would call this a success. I mean, I don’t think it’s anything that anyone would really want, but it was fun, I learned alot, and most importantly…I didn’t give up, it didn’t get thrown in the trash and I’m not going to gesso over the painting.
Simply Painting is by the artist Peter Clarke from Ireland. He also has instructions on watercolor and oil if anyone’s interested:)
Be Well and Happy!
Retriever
Graphite on Bristol Smooth
YAY! I just knew that I wasn’t going to go back and finish this and it would get lost in my stacks of TBFL (to be finished later). But I did it and I’m very pleased. I’ve been drawing with a 2b mechanical pencil and use a 4b for my darkest blacks. This time I went back to my few months of art training and used 4H, 2H, H, HB, B, 2B, and 4B. I really don’t see much difference between this portrait and any other portrait that I’ve drawn, except maybe an increase in the total of hours. I’ve never timed myself, so I really can’t say for sure how long a portrait takes to draw as I only draw in 1 – 2 hour sessions with plenty of stops in those sessions. In the future I may just have to time myself.
I’ve been researching tutorials on acrylic painting. I think the internet is both a blessing and a curse. Sure you can find whatever information you need, but there is A LOT of it and A LOT different opinions on techniques. Each artist claiming to be the top authority. It’s kind of overwhelming, but I had obvious problems that need to be reconciled before I develop a bad habit and they are:
1.) I get lost in color choices, and I often times wonder why an artist chooses a particular yellow over the 50 other yellows.
2.) Warms and Cools are irritating me also. I mean, I know the obvious Red-Warm and Blue-Cool, but there are also the not so obvious…like a cool red or a warm blue? Seriously?
3.) Strokes. I had no idea that this was a method to madness type of thing. I thought you just slapped paint on the canvas the best way you could. That’s the way I did it anyway…who knew?
I found two tutorials on Jerry’s Artarama website by Dick Ensing that I found very interesting. I just may incorporate his palette technique. If I were a wealthy woman, I would most definintely fly out to take one of his workshops. He is just an awesome artist! On the tutorial he shows you how to make beautiful grays without being muddy, intensify colors, color complements and how to adjust your mixes properly. I’m sure it would work with any medium you choose. You’ll have to scroll down from the website for the videos, because I couldn’t upload the video to my blog.
I really wish I could’ve uploaded these videos…both together are less than 15 minutes and I promise you that it’s worth watching.
Be Well and Happy!
Carol Ottaway 