Zentangle Class and Digital Scrapbooking

I had such fun with Nancy and Kip in our Zentangle class yesterday and I have a couple of them to share with you.

I actually made this one in a 90º to the right orientation, but like it better turned this way.

I think this one needs more. I haven't decided whether to add more curves or do some kind of open work behind it.

The hubster had jury duty yesterday and was actually chosen to sit on a case. He didn't get home until almost 6 pm yesterday and had to be back at 10 this morning. Hopefully the case will wrap up today.

I had a very large download to accomplish last evening, so stayed up until 2 am to get it started and then made the mistake of starting a novel while waiting for it to finish. And then when it finished, I had to play with the new software and then finish the novel. It was getting light out by the time I made it to bed (6:50 am). Wouldn't you know this is the day the county would choose to begin digging out the driveway ditch. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep.

Here is a hint about the software I was playing with in the wee hours. Just think what I could do when I am wide awake! I will be reviewing this new software and will be hosting a giveaway. Watch for more info here.

I am planning to do some more work on the Lake District watercolor that I shared yesterday - thank you so much for your comments and suggestions - I will share my progress tomorrow.

For now, I think I need lots of coffee before I try to get this day started.

xoxo

Zentangles and Inchies

I have been mentally working on ideas for an inchie swap and finally sat down in the living room last evening and drew a zentangle on a 6 x 6 Strathmore Bristol smooth artist paper. My idea was to make a large zentangle and then cut it into 1" x 1" pieces. Here is what I have come up with on the 6 x 6 page:

I like it overall, but still feel that I am not very good at this and that I need more variety. There is something very satisfying about this whole thing, though. Parts of it I absolutely love and parts not so much. At any rate, it is what it is and I think I am getting better each time I try one and that is surely the whole point.

My idea is to cut it into 1 x 1 pieces and then choose the most interesting 9 to use for the swap. As a visual aid, I opened this file in Photoshop and then chose 1" x 1" squares in two ways. In the picture below, the 6 inchies above the black line were separated from the first inch along the left side of the 6 x 6. The 9 below the black line where chosen by setting the marquee tool to 1" x 1" and then selectively cutting out parts that I found interesting.

My question is this, would this be a legitimate way to generate inchies in a black and white theme? Would you be happy to get something like this as your part of a swap?

Personally, I think I like the 6 at the top that were generated by just cutting along the left edge. I am almost certain that is what I will do, but would really appreciate some input.

On another topic, I finished by two page spread for the collaborated book swap and will get them in the post today. I actually remembered to take pictures and will share them after they are received at the other end.

And I did a bit more work on my bird adding a bit of green around him to the background using a sea sponge and a couple different colors. I am calling him done (at least for now). I am almost certain I am going to keep the background and redo the bird. I am thinking I could just put a watered layer of gesso on him and start fresh with the colors. I want to tone down the blue and maybe do just a bit of reshaping of the body and tail feathers. I think I may also need something in the upper left for interest.

Well, my friend Nancy is due at 10 and we are going on an outing, so I think I'd better get around. I hope to see you again tomorrow.

xoxo

December has Arrived

There is a bit of ice and snow here and the satellite isn't sure it wants to work to provide me access to my internet friends.

I spent most of yesterday morning working on the website I get paid to maintain (actually most of the work is preparing the pictures to be uploaded). When I was done with that, I made the soup I have been promising to make for the last three days and it was yummy, if I do say so myself. My son and a friend came out in the afternoon for a bit of help with their Algebra homework and then I spent some time in my art room.

I am working on a Christmas card for my Mom. The sketching of the fanciful reindeer went pretty well, but for some reason no matter how I try I can't get colored pencil to look good. I tend to get lines and pretty childish looking coloring. I did try putting a layer of Caran d'Ache water soluble wax pastels over it, but the jury is still out on the verdict.

So I spent some time doodling in my art journal and decided to play a bit more with the red and black one I started a couple of nights ago. I actually doodled without much mindfulness and it appeared to draw itself. It decided it wanted to be a parachute, and who was I to argue.

What do you think?

And then the more I thought of the card I was trying to make for Mom, the more I thought that maybe a doodled reindeer would be cool. So on the facing page I sketched a fanciful reindeer (his head would not cooperate) and began to doodle. I am not completely pleased with how it turned out, but I am really excited to try again.

I think I must have an addictive personality because you already know I am addicted to playing with Photoshop. A whole day can go by and I will have done nothing but that. Well, now I am pretty sure I can feel that same narcotic feeling when I doodle. Who knew? Maybe I should have left well enough alone and remained in my "ignorance is bliss" fear of doodling state. At this point I am not sure what is going to happen next, but last night I dreamed of making my Aunt Mary a Christmas card with a zentangled ornament on the front. YIKES! But actually a great idea.

I am going to Chelsea with my friend Nancy today and hope know I will have a great time. I am in the right frame of mind and she is always so much fun. She is like a sister (not that I don't already have enough of them).

I think I'd better get a move on and get ready to go. See ya!

Doodling

Yesterday morning, I took the hubster for a procedure and expected to have to wait for a couple of hours, so I packed up my art journal, my calligraphy pens and booklets, a zentangle made by a friend and some blank zentangle squares provided by the same friend and the iPod.

For once the wait was much shorter than anticipated so most of these drawings, sketches, doodles, whatever,  were done while sitting with the hubster waiting for him to be called.

This is an assignment for a creative lettering class I am taking through a Yahoo! group. I showed the beginnings of it yesterday, but with the mindset of doodling (you should know that I am not a doodler, have never been a doodler, don't know how to doodle, and am afraid to doodle) , I decided to play with it a bit.

This is the facing page that I showed the beginnings of yesterday. I intended to put the word "why" and question marks in various sizes and colors all over the page, but they called me in to visit with the hubster after his procedure prior to letting us go, so I haven't finished it yet. Maybe the next visit to a waiting room will have me adding to it.

I'm fighting with myself not to delete the above two pictures as not being good enough to show, but to quote myself, "it is what it is" and if I am to grow, I need to lose the fear and share and hope for helpful comments and ideas from others. I am definitely outside my comfort zone with these feeble attempts at doodling.

This page probably doesn't really fit the doodle idea, but I tried to do it with the doodle mindset, but these kind are definitely more within my comfort level.

And last, and maybe least, I did actually try the zentangle style, but I made my square too small (I didn't dare to try it on the official zentangle paper when I discovered I didn't have any pencils, just pens and markers) and I think it a bit messy and too anal tight. I really have to remember to intentionally relax the next time so that I am not so taut and tense. But, if you can stand to see it, I guess I can stand to share it:

Oh, that is rather scary, isn't it, but it makes me feel like the next time won't be quite so hard since I put it out there in all it's awfulness awkwardness.

Ack!

I began the month of December on a new note. As soon as I got out of bed, I put on a pair of shorts and a tee and went into the little TV room and worked out with Gilad for about 1/2 hour and then went back into our bedroom (the hubster had gotten up by then) and walked the treadmill for 1/2 hour. I am hoping to start most of my days that way and have decided that if I get that out of the way at the beginning of the day, it won't be so hard to fit it in.

Hope you have a wonderful day! I so appreciate all of you who visit and offer comments to me. Don't be afraid to offer suggestions for improvement; I can take it!

xoxo

AEDM-Day 30, Steampunk Stuff and Giveaways

In one of my Yahoo! groups we are doing a great deal of talking about and providing links to a style of art called "steampunk". I have never made anything like it before, but I looked around and I think I have found some treasures to use to make this kind of thing. I think the first item that I will try will be a domino and when I have made it I will share it with you. Here are the treasures I rediscovered when I went through an old cigar box I bought last summer at an estate sale:

In another one of my groups we are working on a creative lettering class. I have begun the third assignment, but am planning to add more to each page to make it more interesting. Here is what I have so far:

And, I am fast approaching my 20,000 visitor (that is a lot of tea and cookies to serve) and think it is time for a giveaway. This time I will be giving away three things:

The first giveaway is a butterfly book kit I purchased from the wonderful and talented Ingrid Dijkers. You can see examples of finished books on her blog.  This kit is the mauve/brown one.

The second giveaway is a lovely origami book:

And the third, and final, prize is the book by the very talented and knowledgeable Tomoko Fuse called Origami Boxes:

All you have to do to have a chance at one of these beauties is leave a comment on this post. If you would like to increase your chances of winning, you can post about this giveaway and leave another comment with a link to your post.

I will draw the lucky winners using the random number generator on Thursday evening, December 3, and will make the announcement on Friday, December 4.

I am taking the hubster for a procedure this morning and have to wait there for about 3 hours before I can take him home. I am planning to take some little Zentangle papers my friend, Nancy, gave to me a long time ago and try to do one while I am waiting. I will also take my new Schaeffer fountain pen and my journal to play with the creative lettering pages. And, of course, I will take the iPod so that I can have music.

Gotta go!