Changing shape

I spent a couple of days last week at a spa with a friend.  It was wonderful, of course!  I always enjoy drowning myself in the fancy showers and soaking in the various pools.  Got a great (and relaxing!) massage, but mostly had some great girl time with my friend.  Although we both agreed that the steam room there was very scary!  We went in once and decided that it was too terrifying when the steam came on!

I brought some supplies with me of course, but I only did one mandala during the trip.  After looking at all the carpets and architectural details in the hotel we stayed in, I decided to start playing with some different shapes than what I normally use in my drawings.   Nothing too exciting, just not the normal shapes I usually add as I go around the circle.   I was really happy with the results and did a second painting this morning.

One of the things I like about drawing mandalas is the way that it is repetitive and consistent.  I draw as meditation, not for end product.  So that means that sometimes my work is not quite perfect - I go past the ends of my lines, my hands shake and my curves are not perfect.  I certainly could use a compass and curve and ruler, but I like the energy that going freehand gives to my work and I think that's what makes it personal and mine.  I know there are a lot of amazing artists who do use tools or have a steadier hand and make more intricate and perfect work than mine.  And that's okay with me!  I think that whatever you create is so much better when it comes from within.

Speaking of meditation, I did A LOT of that during my trip.  So far my meditation practice has only involved drawing or painting.  Now I'm doing what most folks would call "real" meditation, with being mindful of my breathing and all that.  I'm liking it!  Though I find it really tough to keep my mind calm. I'm much calmer if I have something that uses my energy the way the drawing does, but I suppose that's not the point; drawing still involves some sort of thinking and decision making. But I am committed to giving it a go and making it a practice for awhile.  I'm gonna keep drawing and painting as well. 

Playing with my Christmas Presents

Hope you had a great holiday over the last couple of weeks!  We had a quiet one, but it was really nice. In the little bits of quiet time that I had, I've been looking at products and techniques to try with my paints and pens and I'm working on a new acrylic on canvas mandala in orange and purple (it's not done yet, but when it is I'll share!)

Last night I decided to use my Christmas gift card (thanks Mom!!) to pick up some goodies from the art supply store to play with.  I settled on a few different items, but primarily, I got myself a bunch of open stock Tombow Dual Brush Pens.  They are a water based ink pen that can be used alone, with their blender pen (which I forgot to pick up last night...) or water.  I guess a lot of scrapbook folks like them (that's like the one craft I don't do..).   More info about them HERE.  If you search You Tube there are tons of videos and techniques (many with rubber stamping) so definitely get a cup of tea and go watch a few, there's some neat stuff to be learned!

Tombow pens in all my favorite colors! 

Anyhow, I think these are going to be my favorite way to play on watercolor paper!  They have a fine point and a brush tip.   So they're very versatile for either drawing or applying color, for what I do, which is draw mandalas.

Now,  I should tell you, I am a serious newbie to watercolors.  I really don't know what I'm doing.   I have avoided playing with them in the past because I'm a control freak.  I like predictable results.  I like perfect lines.  I like to know what's gonna happen!  Watercolors for newbies is not any of that.  But what I didn't realize is that I was missing out on some seriously intense colors!  I love intense colors!  So, I'm learning to let go and play with it.  (Seems like what I'm doing in the rest of my life...but that's another story.)

By the way, I found these pens because I was looking for a better permanent pen to use on watercolor paper to outline and draw my mandalas.   I'd tried my Faber-Castell fine ink pens and the the paper just laughed at them.  I tried Sharpies and they work great - I just don't like the way they feel in my hand.  But they really do work best for me, so that's another thing to work on I suppose.  

So I figured I'd share my second attempt with these babies (the first was pretty nice - but then I got carried away with the background so it was kind of wrecked, haha!)  

I drew my outline in black Sharpie on 140lb watercolor paper.  (As this was more experimental that serious, I just freehanded it all, not really trying to be precise).  Then I started adding color from the pens.

I left white space in between for blending

Then I used a little water on my brush and started blending within each section. 

All blended!

I kept adding, and to be honest, it was so much fun that I forgot to take more pics!  So here's how it ended up:

Ta da!

I was actually happy that the Sharpie lines were a bit thicker than I originally planned, as it added a little buffer between colors, which kept things where they belonged to some extent.

I really love the intensity of the color with these pens! Obviously, part of that is my choice of bold colors within the Tombow line; with 96 colors, of course some are going to be much lighter, gentler. I also like the way the colors blend and spread and get all inky looking. I have to get a blender pen so that I can see the difference in the spreading (videos I've seen show the blender being more subtle and predictable..which I might like!) I'm looking forward to playing more over the weekend and getting more of the colors for my collection as well!

Well, that's what I've been up to today, I plan on playing with these pens all weekend.  I hope you are creating art that you love today as well!