New paintings and regular art updates.
Patterned background, created digitally, with a figure of a seated woman added. I like playing with pattern, seeing what I can find hidden in the depths..
I added dark lines then shading and lightened areas to give the figure a bit of definition. I guess it’s a little more abstract than I normally draw. I changed the hue in it a couple of times to. Making it more green and then more red. I enjoy experimenting with art.
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Photo taken from my computer screen which explains the distortions and shadows. But it was a drawing I did in the 1980’s. I used derwent pencil colours to do the shading. I did a series of drawings that were included in an exhibition in Stafford or Lichfield. I don’t remember it’s so long ago.
I would like to go back to some of my old ideas. I’m going to try and find the pencils again. I don’t think they will have degraded over the years.
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Youdraw.com where I drew for years before having problems logging into it a few years ago. But unlike other Web pages they have tried to modernise it. In the past it relied on java script, but now they have got rid of some of the glitches. There are still a few problems but I’ve done three drawings recently.
I’ve now counted that I’ve done 13690 drawings there! That’s mad, but true. I love the simplicity of the site. Two blacken, two erasers. Simple.
My drawing challenge today is to sketch some repetitions. I’m not sure what it’s going to be. Might be roof tiles, bricks or leaves.
It’s pouring down with rain outside so I might wait a while for the rain to pass over. The picture above is a house leek that I’ve duplicated to bring out the pattern more. That brings in the idea of repetition, the leaf shapes twist and turn. I shall ponder on what to draw….
Urban sketchers Stoke-on-Trent challenge today, Light. I had got some new permanent markers so decided to do something colourful. I did use a fine liner pen and a 6b pencil. Also used an almost dried up pale blue felt pen to add some shading to the window frame. The standard lamp has a lampshade covered in sequins. (speckles on the drawing). There will be another challenge in a couple of days. I wonder what it will be….
22.4.20, about a month into lockdown. I wonder what was going through my mind? I don’t think I was as nervous then as I am now. I was thinking about food. Now I’m thinking about not going out, despite the pubs opening up carefully and hairdressers and other non essential shops. Do I feel like going out? No, I think this is too early. Especially where alcohol is involved. I’ve seen groups of four or five men walking past the house, looking like they are off for a ‘good night out’.
What can I say. I understand people need to escape. I feel so tense I’m shaking. How do refugees and people in war torn areas survive? We are lucky. The problem might cause massive problems with wealth but I want people to be safe and survive this. Ah well, maybe I will do another drawing x.
Quick sketch with pencil colours and fine line black ink.
Two square canvases and a square card. All sitting on my little easle and a paintbrush and plastic tub I use for a palette.
I lined around the coloured pencil to define the square shapes and subjects more, but I didn’t want to overdo things. I do like being challenged to draw different things. Been loving USK prompts.
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Oh why can’t I cut your hair? It is curly and long, unruly and greying. It brushes your shoulders, grows out of your ears and nose. Could be used by birds for nesting material or as a pan scourer.
I could sneak up on you with some scissors whilst you sleep and might get half your head done. But then I would have to nudge you to turn over and risk waking you up. So you would have to remain half shorn till the next night.
Then each day you look more like Einstein, but you are a proper professorial person. Pottering round the potteries. Perambulating pointedly with your apparent perm… Oops got a bit carried away!
So like Sampson you hair stays uncut… Till later 
tonight…
I’ve just downloaded a trial of Corel Painter Essentials 7
In English I mean I have downloaded a drawing package onto my computer. I hope it will be easy to use, I have got to explore it. What I ended up with after five minutes of playing is like a cave painting! so I guess that’s appropriate as I’m learning.
There are lots of things you can set on it, various AI things (artificial intelligence) like an AI Van Gogh. But I haven’t sussed out how to use them, I clicked on the buttons but wouldn’t say that I could see any difference to the mark making.
Later I’m going to read “Where the Wild Things are” by Maurice Sendak (if that’s how its spelled). Its a book I read in my childhood and I am interested in using it as part of a case study for my course, what fun!
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Stoke-on-Trent urban sketchers challenge today. The prompt was bottles so I went and drew the ones I have on the windowsill in my bathroom. My favourite is dark blue. Then there is a ‘poison’ bottle of perfume a glass cat with a glass goldfish trapped in it. A square small gin bottle and an old chemistry bottle with a cork… I do like collecting stuff…
I used brush pens and permanent colour pens and a fine liner. On cartridge paper in my sketchbook…
Just enjoying the challenge of drawing the fern that has spread everywhere in the bathroom.
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Mallaband-Brown