I am learning how to doodle. I know it should come naturally and anyone can do it. While this is true, I find it hard to just sit and doodle and then not compare my doodles to others. I participated in an online Doodle Camp last week hosted by Dawn Devries Sokol. Let me tell you that it was so much fun.
The photo here is part of that class. We had to draw a random series of wavy lines and then find areas where we could draw faces. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and the camp. It lasted 5 days and we had assignments each day. I find that I am still working on them tweaking color, adding more doodles and just plain old enjoying myself.
I made the book that I used for the camp. Making a book was a part of the process and some really great books were designed by my fellow campers. I do hope that we have camp next year. It was a really inexpensive treat.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Friday, July 05, 2013
Art Has Become a Major Part of My Life
Art has become a major part of my life. I find that things I did not know exist are coming forth and it is so interesting. I started the process wanting to develop backgrounds for my greeting cards and the entire journey has taken on a life of its own. Which is so amazing to me. I love to try and see what I can do. I love the colors and the mixtures as they appear on the page. I love the words, the symbols, everything about it.
The one thing I need to learn is how to relax and let go of expectations. Just let the emotions and feelings flow. That will be my goal for the last six months of the year. To paint without a prescribed agenda, just let it flow and see where it goes. As Donna Downey says on Inspiration Wednesday, I do not have any idea what I am going to do, so we will just have to see.
So dear reader, I have no idea where the next six months will lead me artistically, we will just have to wait and see.
--Pilgrim
Friday, June 28, 2013
Thoughtful lady
Portrait drawn on page in journal I won as part of a blog giveaway. Jessica Sporn created the journal. The portrait started out as a circle painted white and blue. I saw a face in he circle and this is the result.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Be Willing To Be Me
Try to please
It doesn't work.
Try to appease
To no avail.
All I have is me.
Try to anticipate
And get it wrong.
Try to guess
It takes too long.
All I have is me.
Being strong
To meet someone else's goal
While losing sight
of my real role.
All I have is me.
Yes, all I have is me
Who is enough
Me....
Who knows
Me, just me.
I have to
No, I must be,
Willing to listen
Think
Understand
And then...
Be willing to do me
Because all I have is me.
It doesn't work.
Try to appease
To no avail.
All I have is me.
Try to anticipate
And get it wrong.
Try to guess
It takes too long.
All I have is me.
Being strong
To meet someone else's goal
While losing sight
of my real role.
All I have is me.
Yes, all I have is me
Who is enough
Me....
Who knows
Me, just me.
I have to
No, I must be,
Willing to listen
Think
Understand
And then...
Be willing to do me
Because all I have is me.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Inspirational Quote swap cards
Inspirational Quote swap cards, a photo by momoo50 on Flickr.
The above picture represents a group of inspiration cards I received as a part of the Inspiration Card Swap in March of this year. It was a lot of fun. A new swap has started and I will be working on new cards and posting them here during the month of July. Stay tuned.
Monday, June 17, 2013
The eyes tell the story
Week 24 of Lifebook 2013 - As I write this entry, my eye is staring back at me. The eye that I drew and painted for the emotions theme for week 24 of Lifebook. We were instructed to take a picture of our eyes and then paint a portrait. It took me a while to get up the nerve to do this one. I had given encouragement to a fellow lifebooker who was having a problem getting started. Quietly, I was having a problem also. I took the photo(it really felt strange to take a photo of me) and realized that my eyes were quite a bit smaller than most of the eyes that had been painted by fellow classmates. Oh horror of horrors, small and almond in shape, what was I going to do. You see I first had to trace your eye on transparent paper and then collage paper that would be painted over. Could I have enlarged my eye? Probably, but then it would not have been the real me, it would have been a "photoshopped" version of me. So, after a rather interesting conversation with myself I traced the eye, iris and teeny weeny pupil and began to collage with small bits of paper. It was looking good. Whew I was on a roll.
My fave part was painting the background (learned another cool technique). Prepping the page; wet it with water and then lay on a light coating of gesso. Since the paper was curling, I turned it over and wet the back so that it would lay evenly (think I got this hint from one of my facebook buddies). Once the page was dry, following Kelly's (our instructor) instruction, I wet the page and then painted my flesh tone. Since I am a person of color, I used a deeper color flesh tone paint (can you tell I am too lazy to get up and look for the name), and dabbed it with paper towel to create texture. I love how it came out, I mean love it. Background textures just sing to me. Anyhoo, once the page was dry I glued my eye onto the page with Matte Medium and painted the eyeball, Iris and pupil. To add drama to the eye I used a stencil to add drama and texture in cobalt turquoise and cobalt teal. I also added shading to give more emphasis to my eye since it was so small. The shading around the eye lid gave it depth. The words "The eyes tell the story" are so true for me. I have been told that people can really tell what I am thinking by looking at my eyes.
I was a little heavy handed making my lines in the Iris, need to practice using a lighter touch, but over all I am really pleased with this painting.
I have learned so much in the past six months about painting and myself. My goal for the remainder of the year is to just paint for the heck of it. It has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks that I need to paint and draw outside of weekly assignments and just see what I can do. I am going to make a book to take to China, it should be fun to make. Will post a copy when I am done.
Take care dear reader. Pilgrim
My fave part was painting the background (learned another cool technique). Prepping the page; wet it with water and then lay on a light coating of gesso. Since the paper was curling, I turned it over and wet the back so that it would lay evenly (think I got this hint from one of my facebook buddies). Once the page was dry, following Kelly's (our instructor) instruction, I wet the page and then painted my flesh tone. Since I am a person of color, I used a deeper color flesh tone paint (can you tell I am too lazy to get up and look for the name), and dabbed it with paper towel to create texture. I love how it came out, I mean love it. Background textures just sing to me. Anyhoo, once the page was dry I glued my eye onto the page with Matte Medium and painted the eyeball, Iris and pupil. To add drama to the eye I used a stencil to add drama and texture in cobalt turquoise and cobalt teal. I also added shading to give more emphasis to my eye since it was so small. The shading around the eye lid gave it depth. The words "The eyes tell the story" are so true for me. I have been told that people can really tell what I am thinking by looking at my eyes.
I was a little heavy handed making my lines in the Iris, need to practice using a lighter touch, but over all I am really pleased with this painting.
I have learned so much in the past six months about painting and myself. My goal for the remainder of the year is to just paint for the heck of it. It has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks that I need to paint and draw outside of weekly assignments and just see what I can do. I am going to make a book to take to China, it should be fun to make. Will post a copy when I am done.
Take care dear reader. Pilgrim
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Letraset flexmarkers
I also won these markers by posting a comment. I really wanted to win these because they are markers in ethnic skintones. Since I am learning to draw faces, I thought they would be a really great addition to my markers. I really like them, Letraset us a great company with excellent products,
I will post a picture soon
Journal made by Jessica Sporn
I am so blessed. I received this lovely art journal from the talented Jessica Sporn. I normally do not sign up for contests on blogs, but I watched the video of Jessica creating a similar journal and really liked it so I thought I would leave a comment. A fellow facebook artist had to tell me that I should check Jessica's blog because I had won, I was very excited, however the day that I found out was the day of the terrible tornado in Moore, Oklahoma so I did not write about it, The words on the cover "Bloom where you are planed." are a favorite of mine. I was the title of a luncheon hosted at my church in Detroit, Michigan many years ago. It has stayed with me and been a driving force in my life.
I may post pictures of this book at as I work in it, but for now, it is sitting where I can look at it and just enjoy.
Sketching
Today I decided to start practicing sketching. I want to do some sketching while in China, so I better get started practicing. I have to loosen up, but I like what was done here.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Peace Cuddler - My Guardian friend
There have been times when I have really doubted my ability to create. Today is not one of them to be sure. I think creative people often struggle with self doubt because we are really vulnerable when exhibiting our work. Today, however, I had so much fun creating the above portrait which is the week 23 assignment for Lifebook 2013.
Lifebook is really an online class about introspection and then using art to heal and grow. I signed up for Lifebook 2012 and did not complete one assignment, because I was afraid I could not create anything of substance. What is the difference between last year and this year? Me!!!! I am the difference. I am not taking myself too seriously. I am enjoying the process and I am opening myself up to learn. Isn't that is what life is really all about learning? When I open myself up to all that life has to offer, I have a really great time. When I close myself off, I find that negative self talk takes over and that is not good for me or anyone else for that matter.
The thought that came to me today is that it is simply amazing to see the things that have been coming out of me over the course of this year. I laugh, I cry, I feel happy all because I am willing to be open, to search my soul and then create pictures that pretty much reflect where I am at present. I have been blogging more, reading more, participating in more projects and just plain having fun.
I have given myself permission to enjoy my life and I am so glad.
Until next time, on a really pleasant journey......Pilgrim
Lifebook is really an online class about introspection and then using art to heal and grow. I signed up for Lifebook 2012 and did not complete one assignment, because I was afraid I could not create anything of substance. What is the difference between last year and this year? Me!!!! I am the difference. I am not taking myself too seriously. I am enjoying the process and I am opening myself up to learn. Isn't that is what life is really all about learning? When I open myself up to all that life has to offer, I have a really great time. When I close myself off, I find that negative self talk takes over and that is not good for me or anyone else for that matter.
The thought that came to me today is that it is simply amazing to see the things that have been coming out of me over the course of this year. I laugh, I cry, I feel happy all because I am willing to be open, to search my soul and then create pictures that pretty much reflect where I am at present. I have been blogging more, reading more, participating in more projects and just plain having fun.
I have given myself permission to enjoy my life and I am so glad.
Until next time, on a really pleasant journey......Pilgrim
Monday, June 03, 2013
3/4 side view
Continuing to practice with faces. This time I was able to try a different presentation of the nose. Very enjoyable.
Saturday, June 01, 2013
Friday, May 31, 2013
Journey continues
This portrait is on the last page of a memoir I wrote and mailed today for the Arthouse Coop memoir project.
Journey begins-through Breast Cancer
Post for today. This portrait was drawn and colored yesterday and I forgot to post.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Pages 120 -121 completed
Pages 120 -121 completed, a photo by momoo50 on Flickr.
The Post today is the completion of the week of faces challenge in the Art Doodle Love book by Dawn Sokol. I love this book and have been using it almost daily. It is a book for doodling and drawing. It is not a book to merely sit on your shelf, it is a book to handle, mark in, practice techniques, and if your are like me learn how to doodle. I look at zentangles done by others and wonder if I will ever get it. I know that I will but sometime I can be a slow learner.
Another cool thing about this book is that you can skip around and draw on a page that calls to you. I took a class in April called Expressions Ecourse taught by Regina Lord. I have learned to much and ADL allows me to practice I will keep on posting my work here as I complete pages that I love.
Keep checking back. Pilgrim
Monday, May 27, 2013
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