2017 Year in Review

Happy New Year!

I want to create a special post that sorta sums up my year for 2017. You know that although I had been blogging since 2016, I only got my own website in 2017. Boy have I been blessed with this outlet to share my creativity and inspire others to do something creative every day.  There are several things that I am going to discuss, to include my subscription to Sketchbox, My first Mandala Collection, Christmas Gifts I created and my favorite creations of the year. So grab your cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and lets get started!

SketchBox

For those of you that don’t know, Sketchbox is a monthly subscription box for artists to try out different mediums. I have really been excited by everything that I have been able to create using the products I have received through these boxes. Some of my favorite products include a watercolor sketchbook, a full sepia Copic fineliner set, and last but not least watercolor pencils, this is only to name a few. If you would like to go back and review my unboxing posts you can visit them by clicking on the links below.

May  

June

JulyJuly Grab box  

August

September

October

 November

December

Mandala Collection I

For me, this was a huge accomplishment.  I wanted to start a collection of the mandala that was similar and yet different at the same time. For this collection, I chose to draw my mandala on gradient paper with black fineliners and a white gel pen. I was so happy how each one came out so different than the ones before.  Prints of these will be available in my shop once I get it all online. Stay tuned for this special collection. Each one of these mandalas are so special to me. I wrote a different post for each one, which you can visit below:

Mandala #1

Mandala #2

Mandala #3

Mandala #4

Mandala #5

Personalized Gifts

One of my favorite things to do is create something beautiful and personal for my friends, family, and co-workers. I truly enjoy the look on their face when they realize it is not only an original, but there are no others like it in the world. I want to share these few gifts with you.

Personalized Parties

Every birthday that happens in my house is a reason to celebrate. With the birthdays spread throughout the year, we are able to party all year long! Starting in February with my two from my previous marriage celebrating, then moving to my youngest two in June, oldest two in July and 3rd oldest in November. Mix that in with all the holidays and we rarely don’t have a reason to bust out some exciting party decorations. But also, because we have so many celebrations, It’s important that we get creative with them all, most of the decorations were homemade. Check out the following posts about my under the sea themed party for my youngest two.

Under the Sea

Octopus Guard

Sea Sponges

Jellyfish Mood Lighting

Furniture Painting

The absolute highlight of my year was creating a beautiful work of art for my mother. She brought this table to me and gave me no restrictions other than she wanted a Charity Original painted on top. Painted?! I’ve never painted anything detailed like the creations I have made.  Check out how this table progressed by clicking on the links below:

Scallopped Table #1

Scallopped Table #2

There are several other projects that I completed this year for Christmas Gifts to include a 12×12 personalized mandala painting on canvas, a monogrammed lazy susan and a phoenix staff for my best guy friend. All of these projects were special in their own ways and were hard to keep a secret for as long as I could since I love to share my progress pictures with the special people that received these gifts.

My Favorites of the Year

 

Final Thoughts

I do want to send out a special thank you for all of you that have supported me this year. I couldn’t have done this without you cheering me on. Special thanks to my fiance’ who has stuck by my side while I have spent the long hours trying to make something out of nothing. I love each and every one of you and I can only hope that in 2018, we will see a lot more growth from CraftyArtistKC. Help me make this year a good one by sharing my site with your friends family and social media accounts. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Let me know in the comments below, what was your favorite project or post from this year!

Handwriting Practice

I know that I have a fairly decent handwriting for people nowadays, but I always want to be better. Now, anyone that knows me personally, or knows my mom, knows that my mom was always very strict on my handwriting. She knew that I could do better and she pushed me to do just that. Even though at the time, I felt like she was being harsh, I know now that she only wanted me to want to be better and prove to myself that I am better. In kindergarten, she was my teacher. If that wasn’t hard enough, she ripped up every assignment that had less than my best penmanship. Today, I still have a hard time thinking that my handwriting shouldn’t be rewritten over and over.

[amazon_link asins=’B00005249G,B000T9Q6E6,B004F9QBDC,B002L6RB80,B000WGD13U,B01H5FYNX2,B01KRDMYQW,B01M71S9DU,B01N2VXOVV’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’rafrti-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ee6890fa-82f8-11e7-a84b-e9e390548d36′]

So, I started with the sentence that covers every letter of the alphabet. I wrote it in print, cursive, and all caps. These are my typical, everyday handwriting. Then, I tried to do something, different. I must say, that I didn’t like either of these sentences that I practiced. They seemed sloppy and not uniform. Being the perfectionist that I am, I decided that maybe I should try to practice my handwriting a little, especially cursive.

While looking up ways to improve my handwriting, I came across these six basic practice strokes. What I found, going through these strokes is that, some of the basic strokes were actually quite difficult for me. As you can see in the picture below, the 3rd and 6th strokes are where I had the most difficulty. Now why is this, I wonder? If you look at the first stroke, it is straight lines down. I am used to this stroke when I write in all caps, so it was fairly easy. The second stroke required that I draw towards me. As a right-handed writer, I find this stroke to be not only familiar but when I write in cursive, this is typically the angle at which I draw my letters. Now moving onto stroke three, I found this was completely opposite from the angle at which I draw my letters. So I couldn’t keep it consistent, as you can see. The fourth stroke seemed simple because I typically draw straight lines all the time so it flowed still with how I usually write. The fifth stroke was the same as the fourth. It flowed in the direction and angle that I draw on a daily basis. Finally, we move to the sixth shape which was so weird that I couldn’t find a comfortable position to hold the pen that it made it flow.

Moving on from those practice strokes, I decided to look at some basic cursive letter. I am going to start with the lower case then move to upper case letters later.  Looking at the side by side comparison, I can clearly see that just by writing these three pages how well my writing improved. If I continue to practice this technique, I hope to see a larger improvement by the end of the month. After the strokes become more familiar, I will start to write out quotes and sentences that allow me to practice even more.

Have you ever tried to improve your handwriting? Did you use any special techniques that helped you achieve your desired skill level? I would love to know your experiences in the comments below!

August Zen Art Challenge – Days 6 – 10

The second mandala for the month of August covers days 6-10.  This mandala was pretty difficult when I got into it. I had to really think about how each pattern would fit into the mandala so that it flowed and looked decent enough.  Here are the links for the next five patterns of this challenge created by Mindful Creativity.

Day 6 – Clamz – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206539/

Day 7 – Stap voor Stap – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206545/

Day 8 – HollyHock – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206546/

Day 9 – Banana Braid – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206547/

Day 10 -“Unknown” (Feather) – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206548/

And here is what I came up with. Just like with the first five days, I started from the inside and moved outward. Day one was easy as it just filled the center beautifully. I would have to say that the most difficult pattern of this mandala was definitely HollyHock being right next to Banana Braid, but using stippling for the white space made it flow just fine.

I would love to know your favorite part of this mandala and if you participate in the challenge as well in the comments below. I also always welcome comments, suggestions and constructive criticism.

August Zen Art Challenge – Days 1 – 5

As you may be aware, this is my second month doing the Zen Art Challenge created by Mindful Creativity.  I wanted to push myself to think outside the box and do something a little different with this month. I have decided to make a mandala out of each five day span. Below is a link to the first five days of this challenge. It takes you to her Pinterest board, where she keeps track of these.

Day 1 – WELL – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206499/

Day 2 – Ausheklis – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206511/

Day 3 – Patience – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206538/

Day 4 – Dragontail – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206536/

Day 5 – CurlyCrown – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/45247171239206544/

Starting with day one I began in the center. I don’t like four petal flowers as I have stated before, but I know that part of the challenge, at least for me, is to use every pattern in a different way. So here is what I came up with. Can you see the progression of each day?

Please let me know if you like to see this type of challenge and which pattern you like most on this mandala in the comments below!

Zen Art Challenge – Day 23-31

This is the fourth and final post on July’s Zen Art Challenge. There are a few things that I have taken away from this challenge. The first thing is that drawing every day is important, even if it is just a simple tangle on a scrap paper. Practice makes perfect and your skills will just get better the more you practice.  The second thing this challenge taught me is that it is ok not to be perfect. WHAT?!?! you say? Yes, it is okay NOT to be perfect. Learning tangles is so fun for me, but some of the tangles are not thrilling to draw. This challenge allows me to be introduced to new patterns while challenging me to learn new ways to draw them.  Without further ado, here are the final days in July’s Zen Art Challenge.


Day 23 – Belltemps

This tangle actually took me two sittings to complete. In my head, it was not this detailed, but once I started it, I couldn’t stop.  I wanted to add so much more complications to this, but honestly, I think the stripes achieved the look of complexity, without the work of complexity.

Day 24- Tami

Take a look at this tangle. A heart with an upside down fleur-de-lis in the center. I tried making this a border tangle like the examples given, but it didn’t appeal to me. So, the best thing I could do was create something more intense. Using this shape as the outline, I filled in the shape with tiny flowers and leaves to bring the whole thing to life. I felt like I was peering through a fence into a beautiful secret garden.

Day 25 – Ovolution

This pattern did not appeal to me at all. I am not sure if it is because of the shape itself, or the fact that each of the main lines is not equally apart from each other. There is almost no way to make these perfect as I walked around the oval many times before settling on this one.  My eye twitched as I tried to make the best of this despite my perfectionism trying to break through. Letting go of this is one of the hardest parts of this whole challenge.

Day 26 – Tore Up

This tangle was fun and I had done this sorta thing previously, you can find that post here. But making a hole in the center of the page was a little more difficult than I originally thought. I thought exposing a woven pattern underneath worked out great for this as well.  I did a little shading with the pen but didn’t look at the outermost line, which looking back now I think I should have.

Day 27 – Deebops

This tangle was too cute. From fireworks to flowers to hair, I could have gone so many different directions. I chose to use this tangle to create dandelions blowing in the wind. I love the way it turned out.

Day 28 – Spearl

This one was too adorable. I just knew that I wanted to create a abstract like piece with this. I added circles to the strings themselves and I think it just made the individual colors pop. I could see something like this hanging in my art room.

Day 29 – 4-Bol

I have to admit. I do not like 4 petal flowers. Its too boxy for me. I love when there are at least six petals, but in my personal opinion, the more the merrier. So this pattern was really difficult for me to even get in the mood for. But, Its done and I learned a new element to use in the future.

Day 30 – Chities & Day 31 – Mike the Mouse

Of course I had to give Mike the Mouse a home, and where better to do that then a beautiful mushroom garden. I would like to color this just because it is so cute, but I have to practice my techniques before I dive into a finished piece. I would love to know what you think about the elements in this picture. Definitely let me know  in the comments below.

Ok, That was it for the month of July 2017. I finished the challenge. I know there is one for August and I am planning something special for that one so stay tuned! Let me know which pattern was your favorite and if you participated in the challenge.

Zen Art Challenge with Mindful Creativity – Days 15-22

Yay! We have reached week 3 in this months challenge. I know I am late posting this but life is crazy right now and I left this post in my drafts section. Normally I schedule the post and it works out great, however, this time I failed miserably at it. I had been trying my best to do only mono tangles, but as you can tell towards the end, I had to start combining them. Also, You might notice that I have eight days included instead of just seven. This is due to how I combined them. The fourth and final post will include all the tangles up into the end of the month. You won’t want to miss it!


Day 15 – ‘Unknown’

This border tangle looked way too snake-like for me, so I just went with it. I penciled in a log because I am just not sure if I am going to keep it or not. I felt like this tangle needed a background. Until I figure out what the background should be, I am just going to leave it penciled like this. What are your thoughts on a possible background? Let me know in the comments below, as I am always open for suggestions.

Day 16 – Breach

This is hands-down one of my favorites so far. Instead of doing each petal the same, I thought it would be wonderful to do a variation sampler of sorts. I love the way it turned out and how different each pattern came out. I embellished the ends with another tangle called beadlines. I think it finished it up nicely and complimented the main focus tangle.

Day 17 – Lacy, Day 18 – Jasmine, Day 19 – Deelish

I decided to mix all of these up into one mandala. How awesome did it turn out? You be the judge. I will say that I really enjoyed forcing myself out of my comfort zone with this one. Started the center out with Lacy. I decided to use stippling as the shading for the center of each square, I think that it gave it another dimension. The next layer is Jasmine. Now I will say that I did not like the examples of this tangle at all. it didn’t make sense to me as a grid pattern. It made more sense to me as a full circle or a border pattern, so I used it here. I did a little embellishing adding a single petal between each, but it worked out fantastically. Finishing it off with Deelish. This pattern is so versatile. I decided to bring the stippling out to the border to give the whole piece a finishing touch.

Day 20 – Strimonds, Day 21 – Zixts, Day 22 – Balloya

So as you can tell, I decided to do another combination piece. Combining tangles is always something that requires a little thought in how you want the finished product to look like.  In the very center, I decided to add the Strimonds as the centerpiece. This pattern is a great filler for most but it didn’t appeal to me, so I didn’t want much space to be covered with this tangle. I surrounded it with my rendition of Balloya. All of the examples have this pattern with three sides, however, I knew that I needed this to be the bulk of the piece. Finally, I decided to embellish the outer area with Zixts. Its such a fun tangle and worked well with Strimonds, as they looked very similar. All in all, I really can appreciate the color shading which brought a little, fun, into the piece as well.

I would love to know what your favorite tangle mentioned in this post was. Please let me know in the comments below.

[amazon_link asins=’1592538118,1574219049,1441316310,1454919027,B0008G8G8Y,1784941077,1574214276′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’rafrti-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b5e9365d-6c2c-11e7-a4f3-1765ebe97dec’]

Zen Art Challenge with Mindful Creativity – Days 8-14

Here we are, week two of the Zen Art Challenge and I am very pleased with the way the first week went. This week seemed to push me a little future out of my comfort zone and forcing me to create pieces that I otherwise wouldn’t have attempted. This is great for me because I need that push sometimes.

Now I don’t participate in a lot of challenges, frankly because I’m crazy busy, but I love the relaxed challenges like this one that has allowed me to express myself daily and educate myself on new patterns.  Learning something new every day is a goal that I’ve had for quite some time. Whether it is a weird factoid, a crazy pattern, or some hidden gem about a family member; learning something every day has helped me stay focused on always bettering myself as a person. You should try it! One day I will have the time to keep track of all these nuggets I learn, but for now, I make mental notes on these.

Okay! Without further hesitation, I present to you week two of the Zen Art Challenge for the month of July!


Day Eight – Snow White Flower

The wonderful thing about this pattern is its simplicity. I have never been drawn to a flower such as this, but it would make a beautiful art piece just in of itself. I toyed around with different ways to integrate this pattern, and truly the best way is to group it. Although you can face this either direction I thought they were beautiful all facing one way. I also added some fescue at the bottom just to fill in some lines and then a swirl frame just to add an interesting element.

 

Day Nine – Turned Over

This pattern was… how do you say? Complicated? Let me explain. The pattern itself is great as a string, It flows wonderfully. I thought of using it as a string separating some other designs, but in the end, I felt like they looked better as a single unit.  They looked like flies, and what eats flies? Well, I’m sure a lot of things, but I decided on the Frog. Now, something you should understand is, I do not draw people or animals. I can not ever get the proportions correct and it ends up frustrating me to no end. But, I thought I would try a little Frog. The environment I put the pattern in looked better than the frog itself, but it was the best I could do today. Maybe later in life, I will focus more on animals, but for now, I’d like to just enjoy abstract patterns and mandala.

Day 10 – Urban Spinner

What can I say about this pattern? At first, I was very skeptical that I could even do the pattern, but I at least knew I didn’t want to draw a whole page of this tangle. I have been trying my best not to join the tangles together through this challenge and instead challenge myself to complete only mono tangles per day. This is where I was torn with what exactly to do with this one. Wait, torn? YES! That’s it! And that is how this one was born!

Day 11 – Triaxal

This tangle was very very boring to me. I decided to spruce it up with a lot more tangles and designs without using any of the tangles from the other days of the challenge. Overall, It seems like the ones that I am the most unsure about are the ones that I get the most responses on. Most of my followers loved the colors that I chose on this. Since I am still learning colors, I just tried to make it look pretty.

Day 12 – Tulips

Okay, I went way overboard on this tangle but just look at the results. I couldn’t believe that so much has been added to the original tangle. I felt like this looked like lace or a Christmas tree. Either way, because the tangle name was Tulips, I knew that I needed to make sure it looked like a garden! I love the way this one turned out and it looks way more difficult than it was to draw. If you want to add some things to a tangle to make it look more intense, just remember that whatever you change, change it the same way each time.

Day 13 – Liefie

When I first saw this tangle, I was a little hesitant. I wasn’t sure how I could turn this tangle into something that I could actually be proud of. In my opinion, this tangle was complete. There was no way to build on it until I figured out a way to introduce it in the shape of a mandala. When I was done with this, I was proud of this dainty work of art.

Day 14 – Feather

There is no way I could NOT like this tangle. I use it so often in one form or another. I couldn’t help but turn this into a beautiful crown fit for a beautiful island princess. Of course, it didn’t start out that way. I wouldn’t lie to you like that. All I know is that I love grouping tangles like this together. By the time it was over, it looked like this. Sometimes I don’t plan out the piece and it turns out sorta Meh, however, this one made me brush the eraser shavings off my shoulder in an “I meant to do that the whole time” sorta way.

So, here we are at the end of week 2 and I am just loving this challenge a little more every day. What was your favorite tangle mentioned in this post? Let me know in the comments below!

[amazon_link asins=’B0007OEE7E,B01CNYZ35C,B004L87XRA’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’rafrti-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b34726b8-6c1f-11e7-9bdd-7b7cfb0a24f7′]

Diva Challenge #320 

For those of you that have been following, you know that occasionally I do a few challenges. I have my lunchtime challenge, and diva challenges and also madebyjoey challenges. Today for my lunchtime challenge, I decided to integrate a diva challenge in as well. You can see the challenge here. It requires using a tangle called “dansk”. 

So, with this challenge, I decided to use an artist’s tile to ensure that I had a small area to fill. I also decided that I wanted to add a few patterns I typically use in my drawings. I like the way it turned out even though it was my first time using this tangle. 

Have you ever used this pattern? If so, link yours in the comments below. Also try to push yourself to complete it in 45 minutes or less since this is also combined with my lunchtime challenge. 

Lunchtime Challenge

I started out with something very simple, a paisley. Slowly, I added more and more until it had morphed into a beautiful border. I have seen similar borders but haven’t really made any of my own. Well, today over lunch I decided to dive in and create something unique to me.

As you can tell from this picture, I just felt like one single border was just too plain for the full tile. So I not only added one on each side, but then I felt like a simple checkered pattern in the background worked nicely. I used .05 pigment liner for the main pattern, then I used a .005 pigment liner for the background. Using a smaller pen gave it the dimension I was looking for.

Have you ever seen this pattern and would you ever use it as a border? Let me know in the comments below!

Lunchtime Challenge

Its time for my Lunchtime Challenge for today. I have been slacking a little because I have been really busy working on my site instead of doodling, however, I am here today with a new doodle.  When you look into the art of zentangle, you will find that most of the zentangle patterns are drawn on an artist tile. These artist tiles are amazing for my lunchtime challenge because there isn’t a lot of surface to cover. To begin this doodle, I drew a border around the tile with a pencil. I didn’t want the doodle to extend beyond that border but I didn’t want a set border either.

After I drew this border as a reference, I decided to draw what is considered a “string” in the zentangle world. This string started from the center and spiraled out.

Now I needed to think about what I wanted the final product to look like. I had seen many different possibilities with a spiral string, but I knew I wanted to draw a continuous pattern as opposed to using multiple patterns on one tile. So I separated out the string, building out from the center.

Already, this produced the look I was going for, but I wanted this tile to be more complex. Although the possibilities are endless with this layout, I decided to start making petals. I started from each grid line as the tallest point of that grid. Working in steps, I gradually made each petal shorter than the previous one. Working in a circle was difficult because even if I hadn’t been trying to make them shorter, each one would have looked shorter anyways.

To fill in the tallest petals to make them not stick out like a sore thumb, I drew some fescu to fill in the blank areas. Now that I was at this point, I needed to start with the details. Each grid line beginning had to be a little different to make it stand out from the rest. So I added circles on each of the tallest petals. To add depth, I drew lines coming out from the center of each petal. This created the layered effect, which I have to say turned out just beautifully.

I would love to know what you think about this challenge doodle. I would also love to see what you can do in your lunch break time limit, mine just happens to be 45 minutes. Let me know in the comments below!

Lunchtime Challenge

What do you see with this challenge?

Let me just tell you that this is the day that my domain was purchased. As a freelancer, I wanted to signify my independence. Although this is just the beginning, I am so proud to share my new site with all my followers. There are big things coming and not enough time in the day to explain them all in one post. Therefore, I hope that you subscribe to my site so that you can keep up with the latest and greatest coming from CraftyArtistKC!

So what do I see? Two lances, crossed, surrounded by life! Thank you for coming on this journey with me.

What would you like to see more of on my new site? Tell me in the comments below!

Lunchtime Challenge

Let me introduce you to a fancy little Zentangle called “Starfish Double Barrel”. That’s right, double barrel. This is a beautiful Zentangle that I just had to tackle and make my own. It was so easy to start. From the center circle, you draw out eight long petals. As you work around the circle, you add only one layer on each side of that petal until they finally touch. Now the possibilities are endless. You can switch up the tips, you can create a wonderful center design for the rest of the starfish to pop out from, or you can simply color it in like I did.

Anyway you do it, I just hope that you get out there and experiment with this tangle. I would love to see what you come up with. You can link your experiments in the comments below.

Lunchtime Doodle

This flower was done over lunchtime today. If you’ve been following the Lunchtime Doodle series you will know that I have less than 45 minutes to create each piece. I purchased artist tiles that are the perfect size for this time frame. The lines are not perfect, but that it what this challenge is about. What can you create in less than 45 minutes?

This was very fun to do and I just felt in a swirly funky mood. This is what happens when you just go with your soul. I hope you enjoy it, I would love to know your favorite part in the comments!

Lunchtime Challenge

As I was thinking of what to draw, I came across this zentangle pattern called Pharro. Now this pattern starts with a curved line and then a dip below that curved line. There are lines that criss cross inside the dip, and then lines are drawn upwards to the initial curved line. Now I thought of this pattern at first as a flower. It just makes sense as a flower, but  I wanted it to be a little unique. With drops hanging off each side and a sense of life protruding from the other side of the curved line.

But as I was drawing this, something else came to mind. Unfortunately for you, I am just unable to capture exactly what is in my head because my realism craft is very premature. But I wanted to give a little taste of this underwater jester I created out of this same pattern. It was fun to create, and pushed the boundaries of my abilities at the moment. Hopefully I will get better in the future.

 

I had fun creating each of these artist tiles over my lunch break, which was approximately 45 minutes. If I had actually sat down and focused on the ending design, I may have been able to come up with something better. But alas, this is the point of my lunchtime doodles. I want to push myself creatively in the few minutes I have set aside for lunch.

Let me know what you think of each of these in the comments below. Don’t be afraid to critique and link back to any Pharro designs you have come up with.

Lunchtime Challenge

I figured since I have been drawing a lot of flowers lately, I would continue with the theme and create something new. So today over lunch, I decided that I would take my 45 minutes and draw. I LOVE the way this flower turned out. It gave me several ideas about flowers in the future.

I would love to know what you think about this lunchtime doodle!

Lunchtime Challenge

This is something I just had to share. If you recall my latest Very Big Sketchbook post, you will notice that the flowers on there were something that I was playing around with. I decided that I was going to play a little more and see what I could come up with. This just might be my new favorite flower. I love how it seems like it’s spinning and adding the swirl to the very center completed the cycle.

I used Staedtler Pigment liners, .05 for the outline and .01 for the detail. I also completed this on an Artist Tile, which is about 3″x3″. The little squares are so perfect for my limited time over lunch!

I think I’m going to start keeping track of all these different flowers for reference. Do you have certain flowers that you like to draw? How do you keep track of them all? Tell me in the comments below!

Lunchtime Challenge

As you guys are well aware, I have a mere 45 minutes to doodle or unplug as I like to call it. I have been taking my Artists Tiles to work to do just that. This piece is pretty small, It is on a 3×3 square. Although it is blown up pretty big here, I promise it was small.

I love these small tiles because of the time restraint I have, I can devote just enough time to trying out new patterns. Let me know what you think about this in the comments below!

Lunchtime Challenge

So, here I am sitting at my desk again over lunch and of course I have a pen in my hands and I’m drawing on an artist tile. My lunch break is 45 minutes long. If I eat within that time frame, the amount of time I have to draw is much shorter. But I challenge myself over these few minutes to unplug from electronics and be creative.

The first thing that comes to mind, that always comes to mind is flowers. So I start in the center with a circle. As I build out I start seeing multiple types of flowers. Have you ever seen those “What do you see?” pictures, where its either an old woman or a young woman?

This is how I picture this. If I train my eyes onto the center I see a daisy like flower. But the further out I focus, I start seeing lilies at the outermost section.  What do you see in this piece.

Lunchtime Challenge

So, today, I had a few minutes before returning from lunch, so I quickly sketched up this doodle. After looking at it for a while, I became very proud of it. Its not any bigger than a fourth of a page, but for some reason it intrigued me. So when I got home, I decided the only thing it needed was a finishing frame around it.

All I used was a sharpie pen and regular printer paper, nothing fancy, nothing expensive and yet I truly feel like this is a piece of art. Let me know what you think about this in the comments below!

Double Mandala

Well today over lunchtime, I was able to start a mandala. It was completely free handed as you can probably tell.  The spinning flower was interesting to draw and the biggest problem is deciding where to stop.

This second mandala is one that I did at home with my normal tools of the trade. The wonderful thing about this mandala is the simple fact that my 16 yr old son was drawing next to me. Learning the tricks of the trade to mandalas. I loved it!

So, here I am comparing my mandalas. One completely freehand and one with tools. Which do you prefer? Let me know in the comments below.

Lunchtime Challenge

Just like with every one of my doodles, I never knew where this one was going when I started with it. And just like with every doodle before, I just kept drawing until I thought it looked fine.

The one thing I will say is there were several times during this drawing where I thought I was going to have to trash this. I have been attempting more abstract drawings because perfectionism is something I struggle with. One of the amazing aspects of my lunchtime doodles is that I have none of my more expensive art supplies that assist me to make perfect lines.

Have you ever started a project and wasn’t sure about where it was going, but ended up loving the finished product? Let me know in the comments below.

Lunchtime Challenge

Every once in awhile, I find myself severely impressed with what comes out on paper. This is one of those times. I started out with just a few lines and dots. It’s a trick I use when I just don’t know what to draw. If you have seen my office, you would know that I actually have blank walls! For a creative person like me, It hurts sometimes to look at them. I also have no windows and  a very bright harsh overhead light, which I recently requested that two of the bulbs be removed from it to lessen to brightness.

I had this sitting on my desk and every minute or so I would add another line to it. What am I drawing? I kept asking myself, as a line would end up much weirder than I had originally planned. I tried to let myself go and just let it end up where it was going to end up. Boy was I glad to see that the response from my friends and family I use as sounding boards, were overjoyed with the results. It always shocks me when something I have no clue how it even happened ends up being a favorite.

I sat it on my desk for the past 4 hours. Scoffing at it and rolling my eyes at the absurdity, but then, something happened! It started to grow on me, the more I looked at it, the more I saw things that I never meant to be there. A submarine, a lawnmower and even something you’d find under a microscope, and yet, it was nothing.

What do you think about this piece, where I started to where I ended up? Let me know in the comments below.

Lunchtime Challenge

Well, I have had people tell me this looks like a fish and another tell me it looked like wings, either way, this was my lunchtime doodle today. I hope you like it! Yes, I did it in 45 minutes or less. This was just completed with a sharpie for the larger lines and then I filled it in with a sharpie pen that I had for all the little details.  The amazing thing about this doodle, is that I never intended it to be anything. I just love the way it turned out. It is so bold and yet so detailed. Seems like I should keep this one for a coloring book one day.

Let me know what you think it looks like in the comments below!