Making a lamp

Posted on April 9, 2020April 9, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Design, Etruria, Etruria Artists, Fun, Graffiti, Lamp, Painting, Playing, Project, Tealight2 Comments

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I did the jar late last night, 3am. Couldn’t easily paint inside so got some silver foil and cut our shapes. Fastened it on with loads of sellotape. Then I painted over it with abstract patterns. I painted the top too and then used a bit of matt varnish on it to hold it together a bit more. Finally I twisted some wire to hold a tea light, so I didn’t have to try and light it in the bottom of the jar.

I can use it in our summerhouse. The silver foil was a bit chunky because I was worried it would rip when I unfolded the cut out. The pattern I’m calling ‘graffiti’ , cos it looks a bit like the spray painting you get along the canal on the way to Etruria.

This was an idea for a weekly project we are doing in our Etruria Artists group.

Abstract art

Posted on April 5, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Abstract, Art, Decisions, Design, Digital art, Fun, Pattern, Selling, WorkLeave a comment

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A feathery or furry picture in blues. I would like to set up a service where I can print things off for people, but I’ve always been a bit nervous of etsy and shopify. I almost dipped my toe in last weekend, but the cost of it, in these difficult times, put me off.

It’s difficult to find a balance between art and selling. I really think I need a manager. At the moment I do things myself. That’s the reality, I have to try and get things right……

I did have contact with a company a few years ago who offered to take my designs and pay me 25%. But when I looked into their practices I found out they were slow paying artists and the things they made were sometimes of a oor quality. That was another thing that put me off.

Clouds

Posted on April 3, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Blue, Chaos theory, Cloud appreciation society, Cloud types, Clouds, Design, Fractal, Layout app, Looking up, Photo, Sky, WeatherLeave a comment

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If you are bored, look up. You may be surprised at what you see. Clouds can be unicorns or dragons, fish or faces.

When I was young I would lie on my back and look up at the sky. Watching the clouds rush with rapidity or drift with stately slowness. Like the galleons I drew in my school exercise books. Then it was pirates racing to catch treasure ships.

Thunder clouds were mountains, or giant anvils, sometimes clouds looked like waves on the sea, or hills and beaches.

I gradually learnt a few of the names of clouds, cirrus, cumulo nimbus, stratus. Each had a wonderful ring to them. Magical beauty flying high over head.

Later I learned a bit about chaos theory, and fractals. How if you magnify a bit of a cloud, the close up looks like the larger image. I heard songs like Cloudbusting by Kate Bush, and about clouds being seeded to make rain fall.

You see they are interesting creatures, even if they are not mythical beasts.

So, if you are interested, look up the cloud appreciation society. They have a page on Facebook. Their founder set up a group which people can join. They have a cloud of the month, and sometimes send out a newsletter.

With climate change, and the increase in severity of the weather, its interesting to find out how water vapour can be so beautiful and yet so wild.

Lifeline

Posted on April 3, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Black and white, Colourised, Design, Hand, Lifeline, Photo copy, Photos hopLeave a comment

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I don’t remember when I did this but I found it on my camera so I thought I would share it.

I remember it was taken from a black and white photo of my hand, and then I scanned it and manipulated it in photo shop.

It was called lifeline. I don’t know where it is now. It just seems appropriate for the situation at the moment.

Alphabet

Posted on March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Alphabet, Colouring, Colours, Design, Doodle, Drawing, Evening, Fun, Glitter pan, Italic pen, Late night, NightLeave a comment

Late night doodling over a couple of nights. Staying up late, listening to the news and drawing at the same time. Used contrasting colours to try and bring out the letters, plus outlining things in black. It’s a pleasure to draw things.

I think this looks like an old fashioned sampler and could imagine it in embroidery on canvas or linen. One way of relaxing in these stressful times. Why not create your own?

Pigeon drawing

Posted on March 29, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Artrage oils, Courses, Design, Digital drawing, Drawing, Fun, Illustration, LearningLeave a comment

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I think this was from 2016, its a drawing usin th ArtRage oils app. I’m trying to find out about an illustration course I can do on line. It is probably too late for me to do it, I don’t know if there is any funding available, but I need to use my brain! Once this corona virus has gone I want to free my mind. I love drawing and experimenting, so why not?

Suggestions for Art group

Posted on March 26, 2020March 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Colourful, Design, Digital drawing, Drawing, Etruria Artists, Fish, Fun, Sketch, Weekly draw2 Comments

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I’m in a group called Etruria Artists that was meeting on a Thursday, but we can’t at the moment. I’m hoping we can do something to keep it going.. Maybe we could draw or paint something, weekly or daily. Spend a couple of hours on a Thursday? I was thinking the art could be bright and colourful. Each of the members would suggest something and then make a list. Post on Facebook so the other artists can see it
My first suggestion is fish….which is why there is a picture of one here.
Could be illustration, fantasy, pattern….. X

Sketch idea

Posted on March 25, 2020 Posted in Cat, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Black ink marker, Cartridge paper, Colouring, Design, Drawing, Experimenting, Felt tip pens, Fun, Pencil crayons, Playing, SketchingLeave a comment

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I did the first drawing on Monday, a simple cat sketch, I coloured it with felt tip pens, but the ink bled through the paper, so I got a reversed image on the back of the page.

I decided to experiment and added some bright colours with pencil crayons . Then I got a black ink pen and outlined the gradations of colours in the drawing. Made it interesting…. Its something I’ve done before in paintings, I enjoyed doing it. X

Cat drawing

Posted on March 22, 2020March 22, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Art style, Design, Drawing, Fun, Humour, Ink drawing, Interview, Kites, Self interview, Self isolating2 Comments

So is this by you?

Yes it’s an old drawing.

When did you draw it?

I don’t really remember, I think it’s over twenty five years oldy, but as I didn’t sign or date it I can’t be sure.

Where did it come from?

I was doing some spring cleaning and chucking out old letters and envelopes. I found it in a dusty file.

Why did you draw it?

I think it was when we used to go to kite festivals, which is why I think it’s from the 1990’s although it might be older. I remember being interested in the images on kites, like Chinese or Japanese art. The pose is vaguely based on a tiger I think.

Do you like it?

Mostly, not sure about the ball of wool. But I like the way the cat is twisting in mid air.

So what have you learned?

I might vary the thickness of the lines, I was doing it to add weight and shadow to the drawing. It’s an ink drawing on cartridge paper.

So why did you interview yourself?

I wanted to make my blog a bit more interesting.

Colour that cat…!

Posted on March 18, 2020 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Art, Blogging, Cat, Colour, Design, Digital drawings, Drawing, Fun, SketchingLeave a comment

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Two year old digital sketch. I’m just posting it for fun. All I’ve done for the last couple of days is moan about the virus or WordPress. Enough!

My love is for colour and pattern. Cats are also in the mix. I’m not saying this is a good drawing. It’s rough and ready, not anatomically correct, but it’s a bit of fun.

I’m going to try and find more apps to draw on. I’ve got obsessed by a colouring by numbers website and I’ve coloured over 200 images in just a few days. I think I’m sticking my head in the sand.

Primary colours, bold lines, pattern = fun?

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Design