Category: Doodles

Random doodles that have no rhyme or reason, but oh so fun to create!

Adding Color

Adding Color

Posted on by Charity Woods

As my readers know by now, adding color to my art is always stressful to me. I love leaving them black and white because I love seeing what other people see in the picture without me guiding them to one thing or another. This was no different.

I had created this drawing about a week ago. I was just sitting down and doodling and this is what happened. It just came to life on the page. I belong to a few groups on Facebook specifically geared towards art and Zentangle in nature, and they suggested that I color this one. The few friends I showed also suggested I color it.  Here is the before.

I have to admit, the outflow of compliments on my colored piece made me feel a little more confident. I wanted to drag the colors across the page instead of having one color on one side and one color on the other. So I made sure that I tried to balance the colors as I used them.

I am very interested in your constructive criticism or ideas on how I can improve. So, maybe I might try coloring more since this one was so well received. I would love to know what you think about this doodle in the comments below.

 

Growing as an artist

Growing as an artist

Posted on by Charity Woods

I love to create new and exciting things as well as work on something that is simple like this drawing. It’s just a branch, but I tried to create something that was whimsical and yet realistic. I like the way the whole thing turned out and I hope to work on more organic things in my art in the future.

With saying all this, I’ve looked at some of my own drawings from the beginning (09/2015), and I have found that even though it has been a whole year, I can see the changes that I have made as an artist. A lot of things are the same, but better. However, I have learned so much and I know that the more that I work on my drawing, the better it will be.

I am excited at where I am going in the next year and would love for you to continue the journey with me. Make creativity a way of life!

Flower Circles

Flower Circles

Posted on by Charity Woods

So, this piece started out very weird. I had no clue what was going to form from it. As with all my pieces, I let my mood take flight, adapting the piece in many ways. What I drew in pencil isn’t even close to what the final product came to be.

I am pleased with this piece and very excited to share. It’s in my journal so it’s fairly small, about 5×7, and the details were done with a .01 micron pen.

Anyone Can Draw!

Anyone Can Draw!

Posted on by Charity Woods

So I decided I draw something using only single straight lines and circles. This is just one of many ideas I had for those that swear they can’t draw. But if you can draw a straight line and a circle, you can create a masterpiece.  This is something I have learned from watching many artists. The problem is that people don’t know what to draw, but the crime is that they worry so much about what to draw that they never put the pen to the paper.

What have you created that amazed even yourself when you were done?

Green

Green

Posted on by Charity Woods

Oh, the seasons are changing and the leaves are turning. Before long it will be all about pumpkin spice and then peppermint EVERYTHING! So before time flies past, I wanted to take a minute to appreciate the green leaves and the flowers and everything in the summer we are soon going to be without.

For some reason, I thought that each art piece leaves an impression, a thumbprint on our hearts. While I was drawing this, I thought the swirls looked like fingerprints. Just made me realize that everything we think and feel goes into our artwork.

Thank you for taking the time to allow my art to leave an impression on your heart. I can only hope that it inspires.

Please Take One

Please Take One

Posted on by Charity Woods

Sometimes we just need to draw. It doesn’t need to make sense, it doesn’t need to serve a purpose other than getting your feelings out onto paper.  I have found my mind cluttered and sometimes foggy lately from daily stresses. In this drawing, I had to just go. I tried some things I’ve never tried before. Some of it I like, some of it I like less, however, It is mine and it is my mind right now. Hopefully, once I am able to clear my mind I can begin working again on my mandala project using sacred geometry.

Working to clear your mind is important and should never be ignored. I wear many hats throughout my week and usually, I like to take most of them off on the weekend to focus on art and my family. If you wear a lot of hats and get weighed down by the pressures, remember to give yourself a moment, unload some of those responsibilities until you are better able to address them.  Sit in silence, even if it is 10 minutes driving to the store. Remember to rejuvenate yourself before you burn out.

This is my most difficult task in life. Sometimes I forget to just Go Wild! To act crazy with my kids, to make silly jokes that make my lover shake his head. I get into this mindset that I always have to perfect (which is a requirement no one should ever put on themselves). But, I’m getting a little better. My kids help me a lot, I would do anything to put a smile on their little faces.

So please take one moment to yourself, one moment of silence, one moment of silliness. One day, your family and friends won’t know how hard to work on a project, or how hard you work otherwise, they will remember these one moments, we choose, to go wild.

Branching Out

Branching Out

Posted on by Charity Woods

I’m looking at this drawing. I wanted to do something way different than my usual things, but I saw myself as the drawing progressed, falling back into my comfort zone. So how exactly do I branch out?

I have decided that I am going to start classifying my art. Abstract, Fairy tale, Zentangles, Mandala… and so forth. This way I can keep my art going and try not to confuse them all. I am not sure just how all of this will work out. I’m very comfortable with my mandalas and very comfortable with zentangles, but abstract art is a little more difficult.

I usually begin my abstract art with an idea. For this one, I wanted it to look almost alien, universal and even though clean lines, I wanted an element of futuristic edges. But as you can see, I went back to the organic stuff I’m used to doing. The curved edges, the leaves, circles, and flowers.

So here is my journey of finding myself through exploring all different forms of the drawn art.

Art is my life!

Art is my life!

Posted on by Charity Woods

When you find something that touches your soul, you can’t help but grab onto it and never let it go. For me that is art. I have found something that I love and I don’t want to stop. There are so many health positive aspects of creating art.

So create something, anything. Grab some markers, pens, coloring pencils or crayons and create! I love the fact that I can create something so vivid and pleasing. The piece below reminds me of the princess and the pea. What do you see?

Tell me in the comments how you like to be creative in your life.

Looking In Through The Window Of The Soul

Looking In Through The Window Of The Soul

Posted on by Charity Woods

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Well, this is my interpretation of my soul.

There are beauty and color, but there is also structure and stability. There are depths of my soul that are untouched and hidden. I have fallen in love with my soul. My soul is music and my soul is poetry. My soul aches for mankind and my soul rejoices for our achievements.

My soul is complicated, yet simple.

I would love to see your own view of your soul. Please comment below.

ZenFlowers

ZenFlowers

Posted on by Charity Woods

There is such beauty in the world around us. I loved this sorta ying and yang type drawing. I tried my best to create something that filled the page but could be looked at from any angle.

After I completed the drawing and was happy with how it turned out, I decided it needed just a little color. Once the color was added, I was in shock with how everything seemed to just pop. I used Staedtler fine liners and color pencils. What do you think about this drawing and what does it bring to mind once the color was added?

Secret Underwater Door

Secret Underwater Door

Posted on by Charity Woods

This piece started out as a secret door and then I just decided to make it under water. I had been wanting to do some jellyfish for a while but I didn’t know how to incorporate them. So I decided to make it their home in the secret cave.

In this piece, I found that once I decided on the under water theme, everything I drew started to take shape. I only wanted to add a little color. I like just the hint of the different colors. I didn’t want it to be bold and colorful, I just wanted it to flow easily.

Let me know what you think!

It's Okay Not To Be Perfect, Isn't It?

It’s Okay Not To Be Perfect, Isn’t It?

Posted on by Charity Woods

I found one of the most difficult subjects to talk about with my daughter is perfection. In this world, everyone puts standards on you and you don’t even ask for it. Society as a whole expects perfection, but we are not perfect.

My daughter cried when I told her to try to draw, whatever she wanted. She told me she wanted to draw a circle, but none of her circles were perfect enough. I was so confused. She could have drawn anything, I mean, ANYTHING. I didn’t understand why she felt like she needed to draw a circle.

So I began to draw, without using a compass or protractor. I just drew. And when I messed up in my mind, I just kept going. Modified my drawing. I had to explain to her that it was okay to just draw. It didn’t have to be perfect, it didn’t have to make sense, and it didn’t even have to be anything particular, I just wanted her to learn to draw, unhinged.

This moment brought up so much for us and I began to understand that we all add to the pressures of our children. Sit up straight, play sports, get involved in school. Although we, as parents, just want the best for our children, it adds to the perfect model child. And as we continue to add achievements to that perfect model, that child begins to stress about whether or not they are good enough.

This just blew my mind. We love our children unconditionally,  but sometimes we forget to show them just that. We forget to listen. We forget to show them by example. Even I had got caught up in making the perfect circle.  I had stressed that my art would never be good enough to make any money at. And even though I have yet to make a single dollar, I know that I have found this ability for a reason. I just need to find it.

So, draw…sing…paint…dance, whatever makes you happy. And remember, perfection is not a necessity. Neither is it a guarantee for something better. Life is too short to stress over the things that are supposed to make us happy.

Stripes

Stripes

Posted on by Charity Woods

This one was so much fun to do. One of the challenges on one of the pages I belong to was to do some stripes. LOVE this idea. I wanted to bring a little Dr. Seuss, if you will, to my art. This turned out better than I had hoped and I even came up with some designs you will likely see in the upcoming art.

I even got around to coloring this one. I used markers so there wasn’t much blending and shading and such, but it still came out very vibrant and colorful. I would love your input as to your feelings on this and as always CC is welcome!