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.