Here's the 3rd in this month's challenge. I decided to take a break from painting pets...this sort of reminds me of a materials pattern...something you'd make a tablecloth out of maybe? I'm trying not to rush these little pieces, but when the day is ending and I realize I haven't done the day's challenge....I become very impatient to finish--or start! But, these daily paintings do offer an opportunity to learn. By working small, I am having to face my personal issue with space, and having a daily deadline also forces me to choose simpler subjects, sometimes whatever happens to be in front of me, and get right to the important stuff of composition and color.
One thing I have become aware of is, over the past couple of years, I have moved from large paintings to smaller ones....and I'm wanting to grab a HUGE canvas and really loosen up, with big brushes, large, loose arm movement....so don't be surprised to see a very large painting in the not-too-distant future.
And here's a slightly different subject: had lunch with a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago and she introduced me to the wonderful world of Zentangles®. Here is the definition of Zentangles, along with a link to their site: "The Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. "Zentangle" is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at
zentangle.com."
After sharing her beautiful Zentangle-inspired art with me, my friend gifted me with a lovely sketchbook, a couple of gel pens, and several pieces of paper--and I am now in love, and addicted to, the art of Zentangle. Here are a few I created over the past week.They are more Zentangle
inspired than official Zentangles, but I am loving this technique. It's a great way to warm up before tackling a commissioned painting or just to loosen up and get centered.
So...if you are so inclined, visit the Zentangle site and have fun! And off I go now to paint...and play.
And then, instead of painting another daily piece, I ended up playing with Zentangles(r). I intended to just work with shapes, black and white, etc, but then I saw a photo of this cat and decided to see what I could come up with. It ended up being the cover of a blank notecard. I'm calling it "Jazzy Zen Cat." I know, I probably should have done another painting instead of the Zentangle, but this is considered art too! In fact, I just received a set of Sakura pens and some samples of the Zentangle paper...can't wait to try them out. So off I go!
