I decided to draw a tree with a pinkish sunset in the background. I used the ArtRage oils app.then I decided to see what it would look like if I duplicated and mirrored it. Now I can see a 🙀 cat! And various other patterns…. I’m one of those people who see faces in anything. I think I heard people saying that you can be employed to look for faces in patterns so they can alter designs and remove them. I could do that job! Art and Design seems full of them…. X
Tag: Design
1993 painting
I’ve got this four foot by five foot oil painting that I did in 1993 on the living room wall. It’s just behind where I sit, and sometimes I knock onto it, so I’m occasionally worried that the string it’s on will break and it will come crashing down!
Anyway, you can tell I love cats. The big one was on the front of a magazine if I remember. The small one in the corner, playing with the wool, was ours. We had her for about nineteen years. I just found the photos on my Facebook memories page. The figure is me and I’ve painted a baggy jumper I had. I love patterns and painted the wallpaper pattern. This was my studio before we moved to out current home.
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Tessellations
Only just found a couple of extra options on my phone sketch app, so thought I’d have a play with creating tessellations. Quite nice. Where blocks or tiles join up to form larger repeating patterns.
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Tee design
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Day 17 of the challenge on Facebook, today it was an ethical tee shirt design. I said I would like the world to concentrate on finding peace, and supporting nature by cleaning up the environment and taking the climate crisis seriously. I did think of adding flames but that seemed too much. My only concern is the tee shirts would have to be ethically sourced, carbon neutral and any workers paid a living wage. Too much to hope for?
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Panto scenery
Blurry photos, we are doing Aladdin for our panto this year. Someone else started it but I then asked if I could help. It’s bright and breezy and as colourful as I can make it. Im not publishing this on Facebook so you are getting a sneak preview. This is the Act one scenery.
Widow Twankey is Aladdins mum. She owns the local laundry and here is the market stall she has in her village. Expect excessive silliness!
When this is finished I will be doing the scenery for Act two. That’s is of a cave in the desert. I might add palm trees. At least its got me painting again, I was a bit down but this has helped.
Favourite 12
I’m doing an art challenge for January and today it asked for 12 books or films that you would say were your favourites.
I decided to draw a quick sketch rather than going through my bookcases to find things. Because I read such a lot it was hard to be specific so I have generalised some of my choices.
My list starts with the Sky at Night TV programme which was on the BBC tonight. I’ve been watching it on and off since the 1960’s which is a long time, but it’s been great finding out more about the universe as human knowledge has increased. No one knew about black holes when it first started, and it was before we went to the moon.
The second book could be anything about painting and drawing, either full of brilliant art or about exciting new techniques. I once bought a book from the National Gallery full of all sorts of art. I was enthralled.
Third is Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, I’ve seen the play of it but to my shame I’ve never read the book. There are a lot of classic books I would like to try and read.
Four. I was introduced to The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, by my hubby. He had a copy for his eighteenth birthday. We then heard the story on the radio. It was abridged but still ran for thirteen hours. A lot of the book was cut from the radio show and a it more from the films. I must read it again.
Fifth, any book on Art and Design. It could be about theatre design or clothes or architecture. As long as its interesting.
Six is any book about Evolution. I don’t think I could manage Darwins Origin of species. I have got the Blind watchmaker by Richard Dawkins, but I haven’t remembered to read it.
Seven (halfway-are you bored yet?). Any book by Terry Pratchett. From the Colour of Magic to Making Money, and all his other titles, this is fantasy fiction with a grin on its face.
Eighth, is a film, Spiderman, with Toby McGuire. I liked it because it was one of the first Marvel films. It isn’t a fight fest like some if the later ones, and again it’s fantasy, lights, special effects. My favourite things tend to be visual.
Nine is an old film, the Sound of Music. I saw it again on the TV recently. There is a lot more to it than I remember. And the songs are lovely.
Ten, almost there, Cats, not the musical, but Old Possums book of practical cats, by TS Elliot. It’s great to read McCavity the mystery cat, or about the Jellicles cats. I would recommend it.
Eleven is any book about Frida Kahlo. I didn’t really know much about her until I got a present about Women Surrealist Artists. When you find out about her incredibly difficult life, but see her art I just have such a strong admiration for her.
Finally, twelfth, any book on Anthony Gormley, artist and sculptor. He created the Angel of the North, a winged human up in the Newcastle-on-Tyne area. Its a huge sculpture next to the motorway up there. He has done other sculptures of figures emerging from the sea near Liverpool. His work is always interesting and thought provoking.
Looking at this list makes me feel like I am only dipping my toe into the things that interest me. Maybe some if the things will interest you too….
This time last year.
Sorry to reminisce again, but this time last year I was in the process of aintingvthis teapot. The pattern eventually covered the pot. It’s based on the burleigh pattern that they use at middleport pottery.
Middleport, by the way, is where they film the Great Pottery Throw down which has just started on TV again. Its very creative and interesting, maybe I can get some ideas for some new paintings from there? I’m thinking based on the various colours of their glazes. There were some really beautiful results in the first episode. Must ty and hat out of this slump.
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Sewing kit
I decided to try and make a badge from a craft kit that I bought last year off Belinda Latimer Designs to take my mind off things….
An hour later I’ve got a star made of vintage cloth, a couple of buttons and some felt and colourful threads. The kit also comes with a clip to sew on the back so I can wear it. The original patterns are a heart, a butterfly shape and a little bird shape, but I fancied doing a star. The only trouble was the vintage cotton which did fray, but I think I conquered it. Not perfect but relaxing. X
Drawing with an ink roller.
I don’t know when or where I bought this little ink roller, but I think it was probably at a craft shop. The roller is in a little fluorescent green case and is round. It is supplied by black ink and is covered by letters which make an interesting textured pattern. I used it to create faces and a picture of a cat. It’s good to experiment with art.
Bunting
Cloth bunting in a cafe we visited earlier. A simple way to decorate and cheer up a room.
Easily cut out of old cloth or clothes using scissors or pinking shears. Fold over the top of the triangle and stitch up leaving a hollow tube to thread some wool, string, or a line of material through. Or stitch them directly onto the line so they are at regular intervals. I don’t think it would be difficult to make this at home and hand stitch it. A fun sewing project.
Whoever made this chose some pretty patterned and coloured cloth. It cheered me up.
Mallaband-Brown 