Inspired by artist Kelsey Montague. I used some of her elements then got lost in the doodling and included some of my loves; Art, Books, Music, Birds, and Stories.
Speak of your joy. Often.
Doodling is a great way to slow down
art techniques
Experiments: a great way to learn
Hands-on boosts confidence to try other projects
Black and lacy, the two Squareathon prompts for today.
I’ve obsessed the past three days with how to get a lace pattern onto paper and tried two methods: 1. spray adhesive as a resist with a watercolor wash, and 2. spray paint. The short video below shows watercolor over adhesive.
I reused the sticky lace under a coat of spray paint and it tore the paper coming off in one spot. The adhesive was applied too thick, I think.
The dry lace with spray paint gave the crisper results. Another short video below shows spray paint over lace.
More experimentation is in order. I envision painting a large abstract incorporating some of these lace pattern transfer techniques.
Have you any experience with using lace in your work? I’d love to hear about it! Send me an email.
Perfect is boring
A good mantra for blind contour drawings
The prompt today is Big Bird. Immediately thought of the big yellow guy on Sesame Street but wanted to do something a little different.
Have you ever tried a blind contour drawing? Specifically a continuous line blind contour drawing or portrait? You draw something in pen without looking. The “results are quirky, kooky and otherwise surreal” writes Tammy Garcia of Daisy Yellow Art.
I first tried this in 2018 during the annual ICAD art challenge (that’s Index Card A Day). Typically you create a self-portrait; look at a photo of yourself, and only the photo — don’t look down, and draw one continuous line to replicate the image you see.
Some people blindfold themselves or create a tent over their hand to keep from looking. The urge to look is hard to resist.
But again, the results… fun.
I made five attempts and didn’t really notice a ton of improvement, but there were differences. I began with the eyes on these two attempts.
Started from the top of the head on two others. Then for the fifth, I started at the bottom.
I suppose there was some improvement. Regardless, it’s a great creative experiment to push yourself out of the comfort zone of perfection. And there’s zero risk. It’s on an index card, or a scrap sheet of paper. Throwaway.
I’ll share the first one I ever did as a self-portrait in 2018. I added color after the pen drawing, while looking, just for fun.
You can do whatever it is you want. It’s your art, your experiment, your fun. Have at it.
With that, I leave you with my Picassoesque masterpiece. Until tomorrow, keep creating.
