Symmetry

The things I can see when I add symmetry. A large green nose? Frowning eyes? A butterfly, a cats face? Two faces in profile looking downwards. There’s probably more that you can see too. Human eyes are always looking for patterns, shapes, looking out for monsters or problems. I guess it depends where you place the connection between the two sides. You can get more or less pattern by changing the centre line. I think there is also a 3d feeling because of where the hedge in the center is positioned.

I dreamt last night…

That I had created a wonderful painting. I’d entered it for a competition and got it in. The dream continued as I walked around a massive gallery, in and out of many rooms. I could not find the painting anywhere. Then I walked u some steps and round a panelled wall. It was there! It said ‘awarded master of art’ next to it. I remember being elated and shocked at the same time. Someone had recognised me as an actual artist! I was standing back, looking at it, wondering how I’d managed to create such complexity and colours. I don’t remember waking up but I’m glad I remembered the dream. It’s odd how things get in your brain, what you want isn’t always what you get, but it’s good to dream!

Trading

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was trading. I was thinking about all the crops that get sent around the world that don’t really pay the growers a fair price. Many people in the world only earn a few pounds a day, not enough to live well, not enough to pay for education or health services. I wish more people bought fair trade crops, but I guess as the cost of living crisis becomes worse the people at the bottom of the ladder will get treated worse. X

Stag sculpture

Up at the top of the waterfall in the Dorothy Clive Garden stands a life-sized statue of a stag roaring. It’s hidden in the trees on a path halfway up the sides of the quarry walls. This time we walked on the right path and found it! ❤️

I’m not sure what it’s made of but it might be cast bronze. It is so majestic and forceful, I think whoever made it did a brilliant job.

The little valley the waterfall runs into was full of rhododendron blossom a few weeks ago, but that has all gone now. But there are foxgloves and other tall flowering plants growing up to fill in the gaps. As you walk round the undulating base of the quarry you see an enclosed space, with different views round every corner. Dark and furry leaves, ferns, euphorbia in vibrant green, geraniums, dicentra (bleeding hearts). So interesting, I’d love to be able to find shade plants for our garden too.

Catfish?

My purse on my chair which I’m using as an easle. Paintings to the side and behind, pallette underneath it. Digitally manipulated. I just thought it looked interesting. The cat really has a strong stare. The way it’s crumpled makes it looks like it’s frowning. I don’t know whether anyone would actually like something like this?

Splodges morphed

This image has gone through a lot of processes. It is actually the coloured splodges that I played with to create Tiger cub and clown fish. I’ve added texture, changed the hue, duplicated sections of the image, and put it through various apps. I have increased its sharpness and added grunge and structure. I know, you’re asking why? Because it’s interesting. You can create a massive amount of colour and pattern. I don’t know when I start how the image will turn out, I just keep playing till it looks done. I’m sketching with pattern, digitally manipulating the splodges. X

Clownfish

Last night I also tried drawing a clown fish and thus is what I came up with. I used a fountain pen to draw over the acrylic paint. I hope this isn’t too silly. It looks like a happy fish. Maybe I should have tried lighter blue and red so that you can see the pen drawn on top of it.

Not sure if this is a sketch, cartoon or a doodle. And in a way I wished I had done a bit better details on it, maybe including scales? I might do more to it, I might play with it more….

Tiger cub

Here’s the tiger cub from paint blots. Stripes were added with ink pen and felt pen. I think it works. I’m not sure about the red as it might look like blood, but it’s only really a doodle so it’s not a serious piece of art. Just a bit of fun. I wonder what I would make of a real Rorschach test?

Rorschach blots?

Acrylic paint splodge between two of my sketchbook pages. I used red, yellow, blue and white in dots then pressed the pages together. Once it dries I want to draw the things I can see on top of the blobs. I think I can see a clown fish and a calf. My hubby says he can see a tiger. I know a very good artist who uses random patterns in something called Shibui art. She draws on top and creates wonderful images. She is very skilled in this type of art… I will see what it turns into….