Challenge: Keep it Clean

Do you "Keep it clean?" For once don't.

I'm doing some darker stuff for the month of October, in honor of Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

Field Experiment #20

Leslie's Results
This week was much easier in terms of finding the time to work. I worked on lunch breaks and after work. Instead of feeling stressed or pressured I leaned toward feeling enjoyment in the simple act of centering myself with drawing.

Jane's Results
I've not been to reliable putting up my results lately. I think that has a little to do with the fact that I have issues with endings, and I have completed the end of my Field notes book.

Endings put a lot of pressure on me. I feel like they have to be special or bigger than usual. Maybe that's because I generally have issues with finishing things and because doing so is so rare I feel like it needs to be special. It helped me to think of ending this experiment with the beginning of a new one. 

It also helped me to write about how I felt to create a little journal that documents the summer of 2012 for me. The summer that my grandson, Ryan was born. The summer I got a new, very challenging, but rewarding job. The summer I finally got a dishwasher, along with a whole new kitchen. (the finishing touches we just did this weekend) 

Words about how I feel about ending this journal written over and over in both directions.

Challenge: Rattle the Chain

Sometimes locking it up isn't the best idea, you lock yourself into that frame of mind. Rattle the chain and open the lock.

I'm doing some darker stuff for the month of October, in honor of Halloween.

Field Experiment #19

Leslie's Results
The first image here is a drawing I did of a friend of mine from HS. He posted this as his new FB profile pic, I liked the light in it and decided to sketch it. I started out with a light blue Uniball Signo pen and then added more uniball signo in black. The back ground was filled in with Kuretake Clean Color brush pens.

 I've been doing some figure drawing exercises, and these was from the focus on feet. Again I started out with the light blue Uniball pen, but this time added definition with the Kuretake clean color brush pen in black . The Yellow in the background is ink in a waterbrush. I'm still digging the bright pop of color the yellow gives.

Jane's Results

I decided to borrow a technique from Ted Micu for the field note entry. I was thinking about some issues at work and I wanted to write my thoughts. This whole drawing is created from words except for the silhouetted foreground images. 

I used the fine tip pen for the clouds and varied the direction I wrote around them.

I found this was a great way to brainstorm ideas or do brain dumps. It's amazing how many words will fit when writing like this. By the end of the exercise, I had resolved my thoughts about work and was just trying to find words to finish the pictures. 

Review: 2 Zentangle Books

Zentangling is a good starting point if you are seeking a way to activate your creativity, particularly if you think you aren’t creative. It’s a good way to learn a few patterns for doodles in your art journal while you mull over a great idea or when you need a break from slopping paint around the page.

Zentangles really simplify the process of creativity. Using the process you can get arty without worrying about ideas because Zentangle has it all figured out for you. Follow their step-by-step process and you’ll find an arty groove.

I look at zentangle as an art and creativity gateway drug, once you start tangling, you’ll want to try more and more types of art. Below are 2 books you can check out to get you started.

Totally Tangled, Sandy Steen Bartholomew
This book is the longest clocking in at 50 pages. She devotes 2 pages to materials and 4 pages to starting out. The next 30 pages are packed full of Zentangle ideas. The final 10 pages are inspiration for using Zentangles in other ways, adding pastels, color, shading etc to the tangles.

Zentangle Basics Suzanne McNeill
This is a slim book, a total of 18 pages. One page is dedicated to materials- pencils, pigma microns, and tiles. The same page also tells you about tangling with kids. the next page tells you about the string, after that it’s all tangles and patterns. The final page of the book tell you about adding tangles to scrapbook pages and using it as an embellishment.

All of the books I’ve found go through a basic set of instructions: tools needed, starting out your tile, and then lists of tangles you can create. They also tend to be pretty short. The various tangles are given names and you’re given specific instructions on how to create them as repeating patterns. To find more patterns all  you have to do is look online at the various zentangle forums

It’s hard to write a review on these books because Zentangle is a technique and isn’t so much something people can add too much of their own spin. To teach zentangle you have to become a certified instructor. The word Zentangle is trademarked. Check out these sites for more tangles.

Offical Zentangle
Zentangle Blog

Challenge: Dark Recess

What creeps in the dark? In those dark recesses of your mind what are you hiding.

I'm doing some darker stuff for the month of October, in honor of Halloween.

Field Experiment #18

Leslie's Results
This was a hard week to keep up with my field experiment. I found the time and in the end it was worth it. I have a ton of work to do on my chipin campaign art cards and images. I also found out that my maternal grandmother had a stroke and was expected to pass away within the week. In among making plans for travel, and keeping in touch with my family in  Maine, this was a hard week.

I've been working on some figure drawing through Drawing Tutorials Online, it's been fun and challenging. I worked small in my Field Experiment sketchbook, in light blue ink, then black. Finally I wanted to add some color to the page so I layered in some bright yellow ink. I rather addicted to the bright yellow ink.

Jane's Results

I did very little in my field notes this week as well. But I did spend many hours painting. I made these for my grandson who was born this June. It felt good to be working with a paintbrush again. I have one more week of field notes before I can start working in color again. It takes a lot of discipline to stick to just 3 pens but that is what I did all summer and now I have a visual memory of the summer of 2012 including a few tributes to my new grandson. 

We've Been Reviewed!

We we're reviewed glowingly by a  non art journaler. Go check out the review!

And then go here to get it:

Challenge: Dark isn't Bad

Sometimes we spend so much time lighting things up we don't appreciate the dark grunge of night. Make it gritty.

I'm doing some darker stuff for the month of October, in honor of Halloween.

Field Experiment #17

Leslie's Results
In addition to noodling out ideas on the pages I've been doing some figure sketching among other things.

Jane's Results

I'm so excited i am finally coming to the end of my Field Notes book. I have three more weeks to go. I have been dyeing to use color but we have rules. 

More and more I find myself just jumping in and drawing. I've more been drawing what ever pops into my head. I find I am less inhibited when I do that. This guy started out as a pair of glasses and just developed into a cat

When I don't have a clue, I usually start drawing round rock type objects. Then this man developed sitting under the ledge.