The Sketchbook Challenge: doodling flowers

This month's Sketchbook Challenge theme is flowers.

I've been pressing up against deadlines for the past two weeks and needed a short break. Maybe some day I'll learn not to procrastinate. It hasn't happened yet.

So instead of taking my laptop to hockey practice I took my sketchbook and some fun paint markers from my stash. I had to sit off the the side as the propellant in these things smells.Probably not the best for my health. But if you've ever spent time with hockey players - let's just say the smell was nothing in comparison.

I had prepared these pages with acrylic washes last year and just picked a nice spring color and went to town. First with a sharpie, then with the markers.

I suppose I'm still enjoying last month's theme of doodling and combining it with this month's theme of flowers. One can never get too much of doodling. It's a lovely time to let the mind relax and wander - clear out the clutter.

Doodles, Screens, and Art

I'm still doodling away even after last months Sketchbook Challenge theme has come and gone. As with many of us, it's simply a way of life. I thought I'd show you what I do with some of my doodles. I always have my little sketchbook with me and often will just play around with a shape or an idea or an image.

In this case I was playing with circles. Big circles, little circles, circles in a grid, circles in random places.

From a large series of circle scribbles I chose three that relate to each other in some way but have different scales and different visual textures. One scribbled and bold, one orderly, and one delicate.

Next I cut them out of my sketchbook, scan them and print them out in different sizes, then create a thermofax screen with each one. Now the fun really starts!

I gather up fabric that catches my fancy and use the screens to print or discharge those doodles onto the cloth. The cloth above was discharged with Cascade Dishwashing Gel. (You can find a tutorial here.)

Circles by Lyric Montgomery Kinard

Eventually this particular batch of fabric is put together into a lovely little abstract piece of art.

What ways can you think of to make use of your doodling?

The Sketchbook Challenge: January Theme

I am happier than a little puppy dog with two tails to wag to be involved in The Sketchbook Challenge again this year. It's been a wonderful way to challenge my abilities and to be involved in some small way with your lives and artwork. Sometimes I struggle with a theme - and that's good. You don't learn much if you don't struggle - if you don't try things that are beyond our current abilities our outside of your comfort zone.

But this month?

I absolutely LOVE this month's theme!

I doodle ALL the time. 

I have my sketchbook with me pretty much all the time and I tend to have trouble paying close attention to something if I need to sit still. I end up fidgeting enough to bother other people. I seem to listen better if my hands are busy. 

I'll doodle while I'm waiting for a meeting to start, or during the meeting. During church I pay better attention if I doodle something about what is being said.

I doodle on the airplane or at home or any time I am trying to wait patiently for something or somebody. 

Hey, maybe doodling makes me a better person? Or at least makes me tolerable to be around. I used to simply simmer and fume while I waited for people who were late. Not any more.

 

So I'm wondering - what is the difference between a doodle and a sketch? I think doodles are time killers, aimless wandering with a pen in hand. But sometimes my doodles are very purposeful. Sometimes they are looking out the window at a crazy little group of Cardinals. But that could be called sketching - maybe trying to capture the essence of the thing you are observing?

Sometimes doodling is playing with a new tool. I'm in love with my japanese brush pen - learning to control the flow of ink and make thick luscious lines or tiny delicate ones with the same tool. Or is that a learning process as I master a new technique?

Sometimes something I see will capture my attention and imagination and I quickly sketch it in. Is it a doodle because it is quick? Or perhaps because it has not end purpose? It's not necessarily trying to be something.

Sometimes I doodle what I see out my window as I'm talking on the phone. It's a sketch of a landscape through a window but it's also killing time so it might be called a doodle. I don't think it really matters.

What do you think the difference between a doodle and a sketch is?

Does it matter?

Doodling

Isn't this cool? Blogging on my laptop from a kid's sport event. I didn't know the center had a network I could hook up to. Really I should be cheering for my kid (I am mostly) or writing away but there are just too many distractions here. I'm finding I'm very distractible.

 

Line Studies

Time for a couple small doodles this week. In between lots of writing and research and organizing and driving kids here and there and dealing with a screaming ornery three year old. I think the monster that has replaced my little one is not feeling well.

Both are 4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each

Head down...

.... fingers flying on they keyboards. Working hard.


Doodling in tiny snatches of time.

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00

Something New

Whew! What a day. It's lovely and warm outside again after a few short weeks of winter cold. I've always thought cold was a waste of time here when we don't get any snow to show for it. Ah well.

I've dipped my little pinky toe into the Etsy pool and have listed my latest doodle. The next time I am brain dead and need a break I'll start listing the rest of them. I think they look lovely in a mat, ready to frame.

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each

I've spent the last two days running final edits on my class for Quilt University. We are looking at a tentative start date of March 15th for Play With Paint.

I really look forward to my first experience with on-line teaching. I hope to finish writing up Screen Printing for QU this week. That course will probably not be available until the fall.

This Morning

!!!Congratulations!!! must go first to Kay who gave birth to lovely little "?" last night. Can't wait till I hear what name they choose. Cousin number 9 for my little ones who insisted on painting this morning. I've been determined to keep the TV off, which means I'm not getting things done because I have to pay attention to my real job. That's a good thing.

While they did this...

I did this.


not for sale - a gift for a friend

I have really appreciated the kind comments from several international posters. I would love to know how you found my blog. The broad scope of the internet never ceases to amaze me.

What Is It?

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each

I have no idea.

Two More Before Dinner

I wanted to get these scanned before I sent one off to my wonderful sister who rose to the challenge we set each other last week. I think I might be seeing some fun and funky quilts come out of these doodles. Eventually.

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each

Now time to make some rice, salad, and grill some yummy teriyaki chicken. Super easy with Soy Vay's yummy sauce.

Time To Stop Procrastinating

I'm actually quite productive when I'm procrastinating. I get everything done except the thing I really should be working on. This week I need to work really hard on my second offering for Quilt University. This one, Screen Printing, isn't quite as easy to translate into an on-line class.

So instead of working on that necessary thing last week I doodled some more.

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each

And read some blogs. And made my way through another couple anatomy lessons from "The Structure of Man."

Doodles Again

I think I'll keep doing these every time the TV is on.


Or while talking on the phone.

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each

Procrastinating

What do you do when you are procrastinating a deadline? When you don't want to do what you know you really need to get on with doing!?

My website links to my blog by saying something about only posting "when I have time... which is only when I'm avoiding a deadline." Like today. I need to make a couple of quilts for a show and I just want to do something else.

So I made another sketchbook cover.


And here is another doodle. From a few weeks ago. All the doodles I've made recently turned out ugly. That's fine. Doodles aren't meant to be your masterpiece... they're just doodles.

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each

Now I really need to get into the studio and force myself to work. I'm having discipline problems.

Really, I'd love to hear what your favorite thing to do is when you are "procrastinating."

More Doodles

It's so much fun to make a few marks then see where my imagination takes me. I've never doodled with ink before and find the medium very pleasurable with it's dark, permanent line. Something about not having an eraser frees me from worry. No hope of changing it so I go with whatever happens.

4" x 6" matted at 5" x 7"

$25.00 each