Improved mandala

It was bugging me to see the mandala from afar. It was just to washed out. So, I went over the colored areas with a red colored pencil. This is it-the final. I am pleased.

 Now on to Septembers piece. Think that it might be ballpoint pen.

Wow! another new year

For all that has happened in the last couple of months, one needs to be happy that they can welcome the new year. We are safe, no fire, mud slides or excessive snow. Yeah.

There is not the challenge of a general design pattern that I used last year.

 Just that it is a seven inch circle on a ten inch square of paper. 

Naturally, the color is more intense, but hope that you get the idea.

I am doing other work such as dyeing fabric, quilting, embellishing and drawing. 

More later. Blog posting seems to be low on the list!

December mandala

Suddenly I realized that I needed to finish this year of mandalas  that was done with specific parameters. I pulled out several pens, but started rummaging through my draws that are stocked with lots of delightful papers. One idea after the next tumbled out of my hands and this is the resulting piece.

The colorful but light sections are done with with a plastic that is embossed. When the light hits the piece, the colors vary. I love that. The yellow is a textured paper and the green is paper that has been painted. This mandala brings a smile to my face. Seems like a perfect winter display!
 

August and September

Two mandalas to share.

This top one is really about my favorite for the year. The background is paste paper.

Ink and colored pencils for the design.

I'm trying to learn how to handle colored pencils. I have mixed feelings about this piece.

July is gone!

We went to Ohio to see the grand kids. We left 100 degree dry heat to fine ourselves in humid 80 degree weather. Ohio is very green and California is not😎 Beauty in both worlds.  I had finished this mandala and wasn't sure about the outcome. When I came home I liked it better! It's done with ink and colored pencil. Always learning.

Nov Mandala and sketchbook

November can be so beautiful. I delight in the fall colors. I used watercolors and pens on watercolor paper for this month's mandala.

I have been doing a fair amount of drawing, but decided to post this piece done in the style of Rebecca Blair at rebeccablairart.tumblr.com. There is so much to learn by using pens only. The balance between light and dark is helpful in many of my art pursuits.

October Mandala

October is now also called Inktober. The idea is to sketch everyday using ink. This mandala is mostly ink with a watercolor background and a little bit of colored pencil. It seems to have taken a long time as I would do one part and leave it for a few days before I would add the next element. But, I am satisfied and the amount of time is really isn't the point.

Improved?

OK, I added outline to the September mandala. I like to think that it makes the piece stronger. Well, I can't go back:), so I love it!

Catching up

The August mandala was completed and my dear friend, Sunshine, suggested that I try it in different colors. So the September mandala is also shown. I had decided not to add the outline, but seeing the piece on the computer is making me second guess that decision. Sometimes it's scary to make the final addition!

Figure drawing has begun again and I am encouraged that this piece actually looks somewhat like the model.

Ballpoint pens

As a birthday treat to myself, I ordered The Art of Ball Point by Matt Rota which can be found at Amazon for under $20. What a gift! The work is amazing. Who knew that should works of art could be created with the lowly ballpoint pen? Obviously I recommend it to all.

So, taking inspiration from that book, I decided to use ballpoint pens for my July mandala. I did add some colored pencil as background. I continue to learn.

June Mandala

This is my birthday month and it took a long time to decide which paper I wanted to use as I wanted it to be special. The paper decision helps me decide with which medium I will draw/paint, color. The white is a textured paper,  the circle and pink are pieces of paste paper that I did years ago. Yes, I have a stash of paper! The center is a cut out from a patch of embossed paper that was a gift. Markers are used for the zentangles.

Yes, I have been doing other projects and, at some time, will post them.

Currently, I am quilting and drawing and will continue to do them (inside the house) for several days as the temperatures are near 107 degrees. Ugh.

May mandala

Yes, I continue to push myself to create another design within the 7" circle. 

One can only learn from such challenges.

There was a fundraiser for a biker friend who is fighting cancer in his arm. He is teaching all of us so much about how to push the body and mind. This is the 18th of May and he has ridden about 1,100 miles this month!

My contribution to the fundraiser was this quilt.

               The black was fused applique and a pattern, the background is a solid piece of fabric.

April drawings

My mandala for April continued to teach me about calmness, design and color. 

I have been attending figure drawing session and maybe someday I'll be right on! Max is the first model.

                                                          Zach is another great model.

Golly, I just got his right arm to short. Oh well, I'll have to try again.

March mandala

The mandala for March has been nicknamed "Discovery". I used watercolor, markers, and colored pencils. I do not plan out the design except for the fact that it is 7" on a 10" sq piece of paper. I continue to learn and there is joy in the making.

February's mandala

There is some comfort in routine. Getting back to doing a mandala each month is helping me to focus and be more creative. This month the paper was paste paper painted by my dear "sister" Barbara Parke-Wolff. The black was micron and other markers. The little bit of color added in the center was done with Intense Pencils.

LEARNING mandala

Wow! I have so much to learn. I wanted to do a pastel piece and play with the french curves and circles templates. I did it, but there is just too much going on for my liking. To me a piece works best if there is a place to rest your eyes and it just doesn't happen here. There should be peace, unity and calm for my liking. Thus: a learning mandala.

Micron pens, Inkstense and colored pencils, patience!

Greeting cards

Our printer went kapoot! To any foreigner, that means that it was no longer working. So, after several bloopers we got a very nice Canon printer, copier, scanner. Dumb me, I thought all machines did all three. No, some are just printers. I wanted to test the detail and color. So, I decided to make some greeting cards.

The images were from my collection of mandalas that I have drawn over the years. The background paste paper was a gift from my dear friend, Barbara Parke Wolff. I am so lucky to receive these treasures. The card stock is Strathmore.

Yes, I think that I'm going to be happy with this new toy!

New Year Mandala

After the activity of the Christmas season, I felt that I needed to center myself and chose to do a mandala. This time, I wanted to learn more about colored pencils. Thus, I spent a fair amount of time creating this piece. I only work in segments no longer than 45 minutes as I've learned that physically and mentally this keeps me in balance. Somehow this has become my "garden" piece.

May we each find happiness in the coming year.

Small mandala

This freehand zentangle was meaningful as it did help to center me.  I would pause trying to balance the lights and darks. Maybe it was better just in black and white, but this is what I've produced as a finished project. It measures about 4.5 inches.

 I have a series of mandalas that are on 10" paper and each is seven inches.

Think that it is time to go back and create some more. 

My philosophy with quilting is that each quilt prepares you for the next. 

Certainly that holds true for each drawing and/or mandala.

Moleskin

It has been a while since I was able to settle down and focus on my moleskin. I felt out of practice. To some it certainly seems like doodles, but to others it is meditative process that challenges one to remember to use the many rules about balance that they have learned (and continue to learn) over the years. 

 

Often I find a few days before Christmas where there is calm and there is the opportunity to center oneself. Hope that you can enjoy that time.