My aim for February is to draw everyday. So far, so good, I have really noticed an improvement already. However tonight I really didn't feel like getting out the pencils. Instead I had a play around on a Bamboo one tablet. This really is quite a fancy gadget. It comes with a drawing program called Art Rage, which is quite simple to use (you can use it with other applications of course). Art Rage has surprisingly realistic spray paint, oil paint, watercolour etc functions, which are certainly good fun to use (and no brushes to clean either!). For the picture above I drew a reed leaf hieroglyphic shape, creating a stencil, and used the spray painting icon. The gold foil background was chosen to suit. Obviously much more complex work can be done on it, this is only the beginning!
I have just finished reading this book '5000 years of textiles' edited by Jennifer Harris. This book has over 300 pages, with fascinating pictures, of textiles from all over the world, from prehistory to the 1990s. The photos show examples of varied, intricate and inspiring work. Whilst the text explains how the textiles were made, traded and valued. A great resource that I'm sure I will use time and time again.
Today is my partners 30th Birthday! I had seen this cross stitch chair pattern in the magazine Sew Hip, and thought it could make a great card for him. The cross stitch was quite simple to do, with clear instructions and it only required 3 colours (although it did require me to cross stitch in secret!). I then brought some blue stiff paper, cut a hole and voila... the card is finished!
Snow, snow, snow! Winter has certainly arrived here in Glasgow. I have been out taking pictures, not of snowmen or cars covered in snow - but of bird footprints in the snow! I have only received one strange look, so far, from doing this. I think these patterns of footprints are lovely, and have put them on my 'to do' list to create something with them in mind. Though we should certainly spare a thought for the hungry birdies out there :(
Hello, I have been busy drawing, everything & anything. I am starting to see real improvements in the quality of my drawing (and so modest too!). Here are some preliminary sketches, notes & even some mocked up paper beads I made on based three necklaces.
I then worked up a few larger pictures in different media. The picture above is using watercolour paints, coloured pencils and oil pastels.
And here is a collage I made based on one of the necklaces. This is probably my favorite recent piece, though excuse the dodgy camera work! It is made from coloured paper, tissue paper and oil pastels. Still lots more to do before the next posting (as ever!), am looking forward to playing (and getting very messy) with textile paints in the next week of two!
