New paintings and regular art updates.
I was showing someone how the layout app on my phone works so I took a photo of their garden then made this picture in the app. The architecture really works as a pattern, and the bright blue sky makes it feel fresh and interesting. Just play. That’s all…
Today, for the first time in two years I went back to Spode. I have a lot of paintings that I have done over the years. I’ve avoided going because of Covid and it felt so strange being there. Like the time hasn’t passed, and yet there are new people there. If I want to carry on being an artist I need to get my act together again. I called myself an explorative fine artist and I want to be one again.
Adding layers of dots to a sketched pattern I did. Then I mirrored it. Someone on Instagram says I’m getting too psychedelic! I just love playing with patterns. In this case polka-dots! It reminds me of 1960’s Pop Art, but more abstract!
Digital manipulation of the drawing. I do not know how to stop. Trying twisting and mirroring to create new ideas. Having fun. This could be a design for a stained glass window .
Just playing with pattern and colour. I will probably do more to this digitally. It is a drawing made with felt pens. Each shape is linked, where possible with a line. The centre is more complex, then the outer lines act as barriers or walls. When I’m doing this I set myself simple rules to follow so the image doesn’t end up too chaotic.
One of my portfolio pages on screen. I was pleased by some of the comments about my book. Juxtaposing black and white images against coloured abstract ‘scales’ drawings. I’m not keen on PowerPoint but it’s better than Word for trying to position images. In Word the pages skip about and then you find your picture on one page and the title or the description on another. Now all I need to do is think about getting the book published if I can.
Two years of work. The results are out tomorrow. Ups and downs. Trying to produce work that will be good enough for a decent mark. It’s been a bit of a slog, but I’m glad I did it. Time to end, time to move on to something else. I was happy with my final major project, a children’s book. Juxtaposing black and white story pages and coloured abstracts. I hope that this will introduce children to art in a different way. I’d like to get the book published. I must find out how.
Something to do while I try and get over a sore throat. I haven’t done much today. I walked upstairs once, felt dizzy and came back down again. I think the bug I have has got into my inner ears. I’ve had plenty to drink and I’m taking paracetamol.
Have you ever tried spraying biro with hairspray? Sometimes it makes the ink run I used to use the technique many years ago, it might not work these days if the ingredients in the biro ink have changed. I will experiment.
I started the centre of this months ago then lost the sketch book. I found it again last night and decided to finish it. I tried adding different patterns and shapes. It took me a couple of hours last night and a few more this morning. I do like a good doodle. No tablet or mouse in sight, just straightforward drawing with a black ink pen. Of course I can play with it digitally but I don’t want to at the moment, sometimes original is best. X
I must do more ‘real’ or analogue art. I mean physical art, not digital drawing or photography. I loved doing these lino cuts as part of my MA final major project. I liked trying to learn a new skill. I could also create cards for sale by doing this. I would maybe use acrylic paints instead of ink? Then I could play with the colours. And by using a lino cut twice but by offsetting the print slightly I could get interesting fringes of colour around the images. Lots of ideas. I just need to do them.
Mallaband-Brown