Abstract pots

Turn a photo into an abstract by mirroring it in the Layout app run through Instagram and Facebook. If you take a photo that is a bit lopsided then when you multiply the image you get interesting patterns. You can rotate the pictures so you can get a variety of different patterns.

Experiment and see what suits you. If you see odd patterns that can be interesting. Branches enclosing a flower. In this case mirrored handles on the pot makes for an unusual ceramic object when all it is, is a jug. Ariel roots and leaves from my orchid plants frame the resulting pattern.

Bathroom sketch, urban sketchers

5. 30am sketch

Five thirty am Friday. Had a frantic day yesterday getting my stuff submitted to college. Followed by a five mile walk (not walked that far for years), then called in Sawadee Thai taste for a snack so didn’t get home till late. My legs are aching so much it woke me up. Don’t have any pages left in sketchbooks so drew this on a blank card.

Thursdays prompt was bathroom or bedroom for urban sketchers Stoke-on-Trent challenge. Well I’m late because it’s Friday. But at least I did something. Note to self buy more sketchbooks.

Blocks

I just wrote a post about submitting my college work because I have been up till 4 am the last couple of nights.

I typed it all up, the college work, then had to convert a PowerPoint presentation to PDF. I rang the college IT section and they explained how, and thank you “smallpdf” website for helping me merge documents…

But WordPress blocks is harder than that , There are more blocks than an alphabet. I typed up some names of them on my first post, but that disappeared. I cant do it all again, too tired.

Anyway my college work got in before the deadline, so i might be here a bit more, but the pleasure has gone out of it….

42 year old etchings

From when I did printmaking at college

I was rummaging around the front bedroom where I’m doing my college work and found a sketchbook that I did when was on my foundation art course.

These are etchings, created on metal plates by painting areas with a varnish and then putting the plates in an acid bath to etch away the surface. Then to get more detail you can cover more of the plate with varnish or a wax resist. Acid bath again, rinsing it off before adding more wax or varnish. You can also use something called aquatint which gives you an interesting background. I’m remembering this from over 40 years ago. So I might not have it right. Eventually you ink up the plates and place them onto paper which you then put in a press and squash them together. These are the result.

Finding things to draw.

No Urban sketchers challenge today so I drew a friend (we met in a cafe to discuss art today), it’s not a brilliant because I got the eyes and nose too big. You can see the grain of the paper, it’s a handmade sketch book and the paper is thicker than I normally draw on. It’s grey because the day was very overcast. This was taken with a light on, but it didn’t illuminate the photo very well. It was good to draw a person again

Writing my Manifesto

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I decided to place some text in my writing while I actually decide what I want to put in my college manifesto, (sometimes you see pieces of Latin put in a document so you can tell how much space your writing will take up) . It has to be about me, to explain what I should be doing to support myself as an artist and illustrator and also how I can support other artists. So I intend to look at things like a Universal income for all. I know some countries are trialling it.

I know some artists who are on very low incomes who have had a slight uprating of their benefits, which has helped slightly, but are still living a hand to mouth existence.

I want to look at what is happening to arts in schools. Perhaps I should be doing workshops with pupils? The lack of spending on equipment, especially in the poorer schools, must be having a detrimental affect on children’s lives.

Finally, I have to think about supporting more community arts groups. I’m determined to support the Arts in a more productive way. Perhaps using my skills as an illustrator. We will see…

Pattern,USK S-O-T prompt.

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My friends at #uskstoke know my love of pattern so today’s prompt was for me! It took me a while because its been busy. I drew my cat in front of the sofa which has a bright throw over it. I didn’t get the pattern perfect and I had to rely on a quick photo to catch the cats face. Anyway I enjoyed doing this.

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Life drawing practice

I was looking for a spare sketchbook today and these drawings fell out of one of my old ones from about 3 years ago? They were quick sketches in a life drawing exercise. We were all given pages ripped from an old paperback and some pastels. Then we drew the model quickly when he arrived. One was just using shadows, another was trying to draw a mirror image, and left handed, plus different poses. I’ve edited the pictures to prevent embarrassment.

We have been including text in my illustration course. I’m glad I found these. Given me new ideas!

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