Releasing my mind

Posted on June 28, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Doodle, Drawing, Environment, Illustration, Learning, Memory, Playing, Shibui, Sketch, Thinking, Time2 Comments

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I tried to draw a ‘real’ shibui. I’m not sure I’ve actually got the right idea, but anyway I started with an ink pen held lightly between thumb and forefinger. As I breathed I let the lines wander across the page. These are the purple marks. I even rested he pen on my hand and let it slide down in a wide, slightly jerky, motion…. Then I found ideas coming into my mind, faces, eyes, animals, a skull. Icecream, figures standing and crouching. I decided to add colour. I hope the drawing expresses emotion, and thought. I realised this morning that I had drawn environmental themes. These include a polar bear on cracking ice and a tree dying in the heat. A possible wolf skull and a blazing sun setting fire to the world… Its called Releasing my mind.
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Plotting an idea

Posted on June 26, 2020June 26, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Elements, Fun, ideas. 1980's, Illustration, lexicon, scan, self portrait, ShapesLeave a comment

EPSON MFP image

we have had to create our own lexicon of shapes to create an alphabet. But when we did it we didn’t know what letters we would be given for each challenge. in this case i just have 90 degree and obtuse angles, little squares and moon shapes. How do you fit them together to make a face? And as the subject was a self portrait I didn’t know whether to do something current or a piece based on previous work. In the end I based the final drawing in black and white ink pen, on my 1981 self portrait from when I was a fine art student. The resulting picture doesn’t really resemble the original (not publishing them here) but it was an interesting experiment.

One annoyance is that as I’m using sketchbooks the shadow where the paper does not make proper contact with the glass is really bugging me, I will have to either cut pages out or work out a way of supporting the sketchpad.

I am going to be busy in future so I may visit WordPress a bit less, but I like using this as a diary and sketchbook so I wont be far away.

Catch up with urban sketchers

Posted on June 25, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Dots, Drawing, Dusk, Fun, Hanging baskets, Life, Night, Silhouette, Sketching, Sky, Spots and stripes, Urban sketchers Stoke on trentLeave a comment

Two for the price of one! The first was tonight’s sketch… Environment. It was going dark so I drew the fence with some hanging baskets, with our weather station above them. It measures wind rain, temperature and pressure. The dusky sky is visible above the silhouette of the buildings opposite.

The second drawing is spots and stripes. It was due on Tuesday 23.6.20, but I forgot. The first time through all these challenges that I missed doing one. The stripey thing is a cover on our settee. There are spotty and stripey cushions on it and a spotty lampshade. Neither drawing is articulately exciting. They are just about how and where I live..

Doodles

Posted on June 25, 2020 Posted in SketchingTagged Adventure?, ArtRage app, Doodles, Drawing, Fun, Learning, SketchingLeave a comment

A few recent adventures in digital art. Trying for something a bit different to what I normally do.

Why? Its easy to say “because I can”. I’d rather say ” because its interesting” or “because I’m learning from my mistakes”.

What is the audience? Well, people viewing my page, also in this case my Facebook Art page. Maybe, one day, a wider audience.

Used ArtRage Pro app to draw these and my tablet and stylus.

Shibui

Posted on June 25, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Calm, Digital art, Drawing, Found ideas, Fun, Japanese design, Playing, Shibui5 Comments

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I’ve just been invited to join a page on Facebook about Shibui. A Japanese word that seems to mean calm and understated. The art there is ‘found’ with things like paint splatters or blown watercolour paint used to create images. Maybe trees, maybe flowers.

I had a go at creating something. I used my finger to draw on my the screen and created a digital image. Using a few apps to make something interesting. I want to find out more about the art form.

My favourite Star Trek character.

Posted on June 24, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 1960's, Art, Blogging, Drawing, Fun, Life, Sci fi, Sketching, Sock, Star Trek2 Comments

Always was, always will be. Spock. Played by Leonard Nimoy in the original series.

I quite like Zachary Quinto who plays him in the recent Star Trek movies. I haven’t seen the new outing of a new Star Trek series with Spock played by a different actor, and Captain Pike before Captain Kirk took over the part.

Anyway this was drawn at an old website called sketchfu which is sadly missed by a lot of people.

Tribute to Monet

Posted on June 23, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic, Art, Collaboration, Drawing, Farmland, Field, Fun, Monet, My contribution, Oil painting, Orme Art group, Painting, Poppies at Argenteuil, Watercolour2 Comments

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I’m one of twelve artists from the Orme Art group who did this picture of Monets Poppies at Argenteuil. Mines the middle one on the left. I used permanent markers and coloured pencil. Others used paints including acrylic and watercolours. It’s good to collaborate.

What I like about this is the different styles and colours. It sort of brings a modern feel to a classic painting.

We have a large field nearby that has a similar aspect, on a slope and edged with trees and hedges. The area is under threat of development although it is quite an ancient piece of farmland. I hope it can be saved. Its called the Croft and its beautiful.
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Sketch in courtyard

Posted on June 22, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Cafe, Day out, Drawing, Farmers market, Fun, Gardens, Near Stoke-on-Trent, Places to visit, Plants, Rode hall, Rode heath, Sketch, Staffordshire/Cheshire borderLeave a comment

This was a quick sketch I did in September 2017. We often visit places and instead of taking photos I sometimes just sit and sketch, it’s relaxing.

This was at Rode Hall in a courtyard by the barns. The main barn has been converted into a cafe and coffee shop, with lovely hot food too. I hope that once the lockdown is over we will be able to visit again. The gardens that surround the hall are beautifully set out. There is a snowdrop walk down to the lake and pathways through wooded areas as well as more classically arranged bedding areas. There is also a walled garden that is full of colourful beds of perrenials.

They also run a farmers market on the first Saturday of the month (not sure when that will be on again).

So, when you finally get to go out why not think about visiting. On the A34 North of Stoke-on-Trent. You turn left in Rode Heath at the sign.

Note limited opening. Check first. There are details on the Internet. Also note that there is a one way system in the grounds so you come out on the same road but further along it when you exit.

Vintage

Posted on June 21, 2020June 21, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Bicycle, Bike, Drawing, Ellipses, Fun, Mixtie frame, Red, Sketch, Ten speed, Urban sketchers Stoke on trent, Viking QueenLeave a comment

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This was today’s Urban sketchers challenge. Vintage.

My vintage Viking Queen mixtie bike.

Drawing this quickly it makes me realise how hard it is to draw accurate ellipses. This was the bike I bought a few pounds a week from Swinnerton cycles in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, forty years ago. I used it till I was knocked off and fractured my skull. I carried on riding it for a year, but it collapsed because the headset had been damaged in the crash. I took it to be mended and the shop lost the frame. I bought a new bike, but it was the wrong size for me. (my legs are slightly short). I ended up giving the new bike to a friend and learnt to drive. Big mistake. I got my old bike back rebraised about a year after I took it in to the shop. From then on I put on weight. I carried on cycling occasionally, but mainly used the car. The last time I rode my bike was about ten years ago. I’m scared to get back on it as my balance is not good. But I keep it, thinking one day I will have another go….

Pattern

Posted on June 20, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Duplicating pattern, Fun, Life, Lines, Pattern, Sketch, Surface pattern, Tee shirt, Textile design2 Comments

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I drew this a few weeks ago. Now I’m thinking it would make a good design for some cotton material, maybe a panel on a tee shirt or a pair of trousers. I actually have a pair in black and white that is similar to this. It’s amazing what you can do with a black ink pen and a bit of technology. I just need to find someone to work with.

If you know any innovative art sites that do printing let me know. I did think about joining somewhere called spoonflower but I wasn’t certain about it.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Drawing