Cat on a mat?

With a bag? She was staring at me, getting into my mind, so I decided to do a collage with her. This seems to be my creative ‘go to’ at the moment. Photo, then draw onto monoprinted paper, copying the photo. Two holes for her orange eyes. Then stick the paper down. Next post it notes for the bag that holds a couple I’d packs of felt pens. I cut out shapes then drew over it to give it more shading. Finally the mat… Another bit of monoprint. It’s hard to cut out the negative shape of the cat, and the mat is red and green, but I wanted it to stand out from the cat and my red and green pens have just about run out, so I used pink and what was meant to be a pale blue instead. It’s a bit scruffy, I didn’t have enough pattern to extend across the whole page so part of the mat is just coloured in. Anyway it was fun to do. Ignore the date by the way, I hadn’t done anything on the 18th so I filled in the gap.

Bear and Bee

Just playing with post it notes and cut out paper. I wanted to make something fun and silly. I don’t think the bear is aggressive and the bee is buzzing and not bothered. The bee hasn’t been swatted. The bear has teeth but is just looking on, probably admiring it’s honey collecting skills. The bear might go and steal its honey though!

Self portrait

Collage, sponged black acrylic and ink. Then watercolour on top.

We were due to have a portrait drawing session yesterday but the server wasn’t working. So I decided to have an experiment and throw some ideas I’ve been playing with at the subject. The background wasn’t that important, it was more about texture and frustration than anything else. I missed meeting up with my college friends…..

Blossom at Etruria

Yesterday’s walk was past trees coming into blossom on the Cauldon arm of the canal. The white bridge over it is in the background. I decided to make a collage if it, post it notes cut up for the blossom and leaves. I used some black monoprint for the tree bark. Then I added black ink and graphite. This was for the #bandofsketchers prompt regeneration. I’m afraid the blossom looks more like butterflies.. But I tried!

Virtual tour

Well I decided to do a collage for #bandofsketchers prompt virtual travel. This is using bits of monoprint, bits from magazines, green post it notes and black ink pens. The view is where I want to be, Bovisand Bay, near Plymouth, South Devon.

I wanted you to feel the warm sunlight and the tide as it sweeps in and out of the bay. If I could be anywhere now it would be there!

Taking notes

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Two of our tutors were in conversation today. One was nterviewing the other. It was interesting and helpful to see how they went about doing their work. Taking rough photocopies to add texture, cutting out black paper shapes to create shadows, and white paper to add highlights. Using a broad brush to paint quick marks, creating people and buildings. There were so many techniques I’d not even considered. Also using a grid to place the work on so that the images would all be the correct size…. And a light box. I don’t even know how to use one of them.. Very interesting.

Layers of a collage.

From two years ago. Turning a drawing into a collage using Christmas wrapping paper, tissue paper and a shiny, metallic party bag.

I layered up the paper using dark urple tissue paper over a pale background to try and give the idea of silhouetted trees. Having stuck the purple colour down I then cut out the metallic paper to simulate the wire mesh fence. When I cut out the tree shape I wanted to give a feeling of the texture of tree bark. Finally I added paper on either side to act as curtains.

This was at an interesting collage workshop with the Orme art group about two years ago. I enjoyed learning a new skill.