Dots, Circles And Birds. Oh, My!

Hello!

Today is brought to you by the word Stipple.

From Merriam-Webster:

stip·pledstip·pling

Definition of STIPPLE

transitive verb

1

: to engrave by means of dots and flicks

2

a : to make by small short touches (as of paint or ink) that together produce an even or softly graded shadow b : to apply (as paint) by repeated small touches

3

: speckle, fleck

I learned the stippling technique when I was in high school.  I was instantly in love with it, but quickly found how difficult it can be.  It seems simple enough;  the more dots you do, the darker the area.  And the less you do, the brighter.   I practiced all the time, mainly with shapes.  I have always had a love for circles, so I would stipple circles whenever I had the chance.   My mom, who was also an artist, always kept scrap paper, pens and pencils on our kitchen counter, just below our wall-mounted phone.  Whenever she talked, she doodled.  So would I.  Being a teenager, I was on the phone a lot.  I did a lot of doodling, myself.  This is when I would draw circle after circle and practice stippling, trying to create perfectly shaded spheres.  Funny, because a lot of times, I would hang up, and leave my doodles on the counter, only to have my mom - and on the rare occasion, my dad - continue doodling on my doodle.  I hate myself for not keeping them!   

I tried to make spheres, choosing my area of light and then adding shadows.    Over and over, circle after circle.  Even if I wasn't very good at it, I found it still so fascinating.  

I forgot all about stippling until very recently.  I actually stumbled onto to it by accident.  I was drawing a Zentangle and my pen made a mark where I wanted to shade.  Aha!  So, I began.  I loved it.  

I've been on a bird kick, lately.  I love birds.  The last post I submitted was a card for my best friend.  She and I both love birds... and have birds.  I did quite a bit of stippling on her card, mainly as the outer border of the actual bird.  A few areas within the bird's design had some as well.  

I decided to do another bird.  I love how you can draw an outline of just about any object and then "Zentngle it."  I did another bird:

The area of the bird's belly is all dots.  I could've left the circles on the branch alone, but no. 

Believe it or not, this only took me three hours, give or take.  It was fun.  So much fun that I skipped lunch.  A very dumb thing to do when you're diabetic.  I ended up with a very low glucose reading and nearly ended up in an ambulance.  A glass of OJ and a huge bowl of string beans later, and I was fine.  Lesson learned the hard way. 

 Anyway, yes;  I find stippling very entertaining.  It's even more fun to do with music. I think music should be a part of the process.    I actually found my zen with Vivaldi.  It's impossible to stipple to slow music. 

  Art with art.  Wow.  Zippy, sharp strings are the perfect accompaniment!  Maybe I'll put on some Satie for the next drawing.   Who knows what crazy, oddball creations I can think up while listening to a few of those oddball ditties - that I adore.

I also added a bit of pencil shading. Mainly on the tree branch, but on the 'wings' as well and around the bird.  It really made it POP!  

I think I'll hold onto this one.  I kind of like it.  A lot of emotion and thought went into this piece.  Good and bad.  Happy and sorrowful.  I wish my mom could see it.  I know she'd give me a good, honest critique.  What I'd give to hear it.  I can take it, Ma;  I'm a big girl!  

Until next time,

Keep those T's crossed, and those I's dotted... or go ahead and dot your T's, too.  I dare you.

A Card for Donna

My best friend and I are best friends for lots of reasons.  We both are avid tea lovers.  We both love British comedy.   Someday, I'll share how we came to be such grand friends... that's another blog!

She was having a bit of surgery recently and I could not stop thinking about her.  I worried.  I prayed.  And I drew.

We also share a love for birds.  So, while she was in the OR, I drank tea and drew.  This is what I came up with:

The cover of Donna's card. 

I was completely in The Zone with this.  Before I knew it, my son was home from school, and I was done. I am pleased with the outcome.  Donna liked it, too!  My husband saw the next drawing I am currently doing (another card for Christmas) and suggested I go into the greeting-card biz.  Can't I just draw for fun!? 

Back to the drawing board!

My First True Zentangle

Okay, I said previously that there are really no rules to Zentangle.  At least I thought there weren't.  Doing research, I still see that there are no true rules, but I find that shapes and things do have names.  I find this odd.  So, perhaps I am doing it incorrectly?  Art?  Wrong?  Pahsha!  I did find that there are classes held here in Howard County for Zentangling.  I would love to take a class.  Learn Zentangle In Howard County

When I did my first ...okay, my first experimental ZentT, I used a black Prismacolor pencil to draw my shapes and outlines.  Big mistake.  Ballpoints failed miserably, smearing ink everywhere.  Again, through my research, I learned that there are pens, micro-tipped pens, made especially for ZenT!  Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Set  What a delightful difference!  Five black pens (they do come in colors, too... next payday... ahem) from thin, really thin, ultra thin, crazy thin, and OMG is this thin.  Perfect for ZenT!  So, Inspired from my open hearts I just completed, I began in pencil.  The only thing I sketched in pencil were the hearts in the middle.  Again, I was trying to, at first, design a cool Valentine tattoo for myself.  I tried all kinds of ways to position four hearts.  I finally came up with something.

The amazing thing about ZenT is it truly does take you somewhere while you're doing it.  It's almost inspiration overload.  While you're doing one part, you are already thinking and seeing where and what to do next.  It helps to play music.  Ella Fitzgerald helped me with this one.  I started this yesterday afternoon and signed it complete five minutes ago:

I have to admit, I am really proud of this.  It's also inspired me in ways I've never been inspired before.  do me a favor:  Try it.  Put on some music.  Grab a pen... even a Sharpie will work.  All this is is lines and dots... some are thicker than others.  ANYONE can do this.  The trick to this art form is to RELAX and just flow with it.  If you are stressing over it, you are taking it way too seriously.  It's a very laid-back, relaxed way to unwind.  It's great for kids, too.  Try it!

Until next time,

Keep doodling!

All Zentangled Up In Blue.. And Pink, Green...

Wow.  I have totally neglected this blog, haven't I?  Maybe neglect is the incorrect word.  I guess I wasn't inspired.  That saddens me, as art is always on my mind.  It's in my blood.  I suppose if I am not creating it, at least I am observing other artists... famed and not.

Recently, my health has - again - declined.  I was surprised to learn that I will need more surgery.  Okay, surprised is not the word.  Shocked.  Gobsmacked.  Pain is a factor.  Fear factor.  Oh yeah.  I needed a distraction.  But what? 

I had books.  I found myself reading without knowing what I had just read.   I could not concentrate.  Too much on my mind.  I could crochet... but I don't have any yarn... or the funds to get some.  I was in a mood to create.  I wanted to draw.  I wanted to draw, but did not have the energy, mentally and physically, to do a portrait.  What to draw?  I fought with myself.  Why must it be this difficult to draw something?  Anything?  Why is it so hard to come up with something?   Art shouldn't be hard.

I decided to grab my sketch book and just see what happened.  I tried to clear my mind.  Not that I had a choice;  taking narcotic pain meds took care of that.  So, here I was:  In bed, pain ebbing.  Before I knew it, I found myself thinking about when I was in Jr. high school.  I was back in 9th grade English.  Listening to Mr. Applestein drone on and on about subjects and predicates, I would doodle.  On my yellow English folder.  I drew circles and lines.  No order to them... but they seemed to fit together.  Every day, I'd add more to my folder as my teacher bored me.  I tell ya, I wish I still had that folder.  I filled the entire folder - back and front - with doodles.

As I thought about this, I found myself drawing circles.  Tiny circles.  Soon I had a bunch of them.   I added some lines.  More circles.  More lines.  Before I knew it, Alex was home from school.  I had to take a break.  Not only did I want to catch up with my son and discuss his day, but I was really starting to hurt again.  Sitting for long periods of time is now a thing I simply cannot do.

I showed him my doodling.  "Wow... that's really cool, Ma!"  I got the same reaction from my son, Aaron and my husband.  I decided to fill the page.  This was really fun!  One line at a time.  One circle at a time.  No rules.  Just let it flow.  The more lines and circles I drew, the more inspired I became.  It just flowed out of me;  pain forgotten.  YES!

There is actually a true name for this artform:  Zentangles.  A perfect word!  The following is taken from Zentangle.com:   

Zentangle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. It is a fascinating new art form that is fun and relaxing. It increases focus and creativity. Zentangle provides artistic satisfaction and an increased sense of personal well being. Zentangle is enjoyed by a wide range of skills and ages and is used in many fields of interest.

New?  Perhaps the term Zentangle is new.  The art form is not.

While it is not an instant gratification, it is a much quicker art form.  It is best not to plan your design out, however, if you want to incorporate something in particular, there are no laws saying you can't.  The lovely thing about Zentangles is that you just let yourself draw... with no direction.  You will suddenly find yourself with an amazing pattern emerging.

Most Zentangles are done with a fine-tipped pen and not filled in with color.  Again, no law says you cannot add color.  Here is mine.  It took me three days.

The scan is horrible... and next time I'll not use a colored pencil for the lines and outlines because they smudge, but I"m very proud of how this turned out.

I am now so very inspired.  Unfortunately, I will have to refrain from drawing another Zentangle until the blisters on my right thumb and index finger heal.  The next one will be done with a fine-tipped pen, not a black Prismacolor pencil... or pencils.  I went through three of them outlining every single circle... and every line.   Using a black colored pencil smears horribly.  Live and learn.

 

If you look closely at the design of my blog, it too is a Zentangle.  

I love this art form.  I love its name.  It truly is a Zen mess... 

Until next time,

Keep drawing!