Zen Doodle Coloring Book

I was notified by F&W Media (North Light Publishing) that they published Zen Doodle Coloring Book this past month and included some of my artwork in it! I do not know which Zen Doodles they included, as I have not yet received my complimentary copy. But it is exciting that my work has been published in another book.

This coloring book is built of lovely Zentangle®-inspired art  and coloring in these inspiring and unique designs will help you relax and relieve stress. You'll clear your mind, you'll have fun, and you might even have a pretty piece of art to frame when you're finished! Find more than 100 Zen Doodle illustrations selected from some of North Light's bestselling titles, including Zen Doodle: Oodles of Doodles, and Zen Doodle: Tons of Tangles. 

If you would like to buy a copy of the book, please order through my blog, so that I receive renumeration. You can click on the link in the right-side column to order your copy.

Also, North Light is offering the book as part of a coloring kit. It includes the Zen Doodle Coloring Book, the Zen Doodle Summer 2015 Workshop (a book that has great ideas, easy techniques, and step-by-step projects for your doodling, as well as techniques for shading, adding drama with dimension, incorporating color, and drawing eye catching patterns), and a 5-pen marker set of Earth Tones Chameleon Color Tones. These color-changing alcohol-based markers will change the way you doodle! You can change the tone of your marker from very light or no tone at all, to a deep vibrant shade. This unique transition enables you to add great depth to your art and is especially suited for Zen Doodling! You'll have the ability to create stunning effects including smooth transitions, highlighting, shading, gradations, and blending, all with one pen. The 5-pack Earth Tones set includes these colors: Spring Meadow, Bark, Seville Orange, Hot Cocoa, and Olive Green.  If you would rather buy the kit, you can click the appropriate link on the right-side column.

Thank you for your support and encouragement!

Keep creating!
Lynnita

Week 18 - Weekly Art Challenge - Blended Photos

These weeks seem to be going by quickly with having our daughter, her boyfriend, and our granddaughter living with us!  I'd rather hold Lydia and care for her than do much of anything else!! She's so adorable, tiny, and a good baby. Also, I'm the taxi to take her to all her doctor appointments of which she has several due to the congenital heart defect. Making time for art can be daunting sometimes!

This week, I played on my tablet some more blending photos with the Pixlr Express app that I've mentioned in previous posts.

Floral Garden Sunset. I blended a floral garden ZIA that I created (see post dated Mar 12, 2015) with a sunset photo I had taken a year ago. This is the "difference" blending. I added some doodle stickers to complete the photo. I like how the garden color changed when blended with the sunset.

Floral Garden Sunset #2. This is the same floral garden ZIA and sunset as in the first photo. This time I "added" the two photos. This blending created a whole different look. The mauves, purples and blues of the sunset were kept. I added an bubble overlay which created an interesting texture.

Floral Chickens. I blended a photo of two of our Americauna chickens with a flower photo
I took in California last year. I like how the color of the flowers affected the chickens coloring!  

I'm still learning much about blending photos in the Pixlr Express app. I've made some blended photos that I did not save as they look terrible, but it's fun to experiment and find what I like and don't like. It's helping with me understand composition and design better, too.


Keep creating!
Lynnita

April ATC Challenge - Architecture

This month's ATC challenge for Blue Twig Studio was architecture. This was a tough challenge for me. I really struggled with what to do for architecture. Finally, I had to just do it, as the deadline (April 30!) was quickly approaching.

I feel like I chose a couple of easy ideas, but I like how they turned out! For the first one, I created a simple landscape with a 3D house made of cardboard, so it looked as if it had siding and a slate blue stone roof. I tried to create a welcoming house with blue shutters and a warm, yellow glow showing through the windows and front door. The house has a walkway surrounded by stones and flowers. A tree is on one side of the house, and a bush on the other. The sun is shining, while birds soar in the sky.

House, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", acrylics, gel pens, Souffle
pens, and Sharpie on watercolor paper. Front view.

House. Side view to show 3D effects. 

The 2nd ATC card is designed in a Zentangle-Inspired Art fashion, using ancient Greek architecture enhancements for the tangles. Swirls, feathers, fancy leaves, and geometric shapes were used to embellish the many columns, pillars, archways, porticoes, and other entry ways in ancient Greece.

Ancient Greek Architecture, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", Bristol
paper, 0.005 and 0.02 black Sakura pens.

May's ATC theme is "Tea Party". Only one card is needed to join! ATC's are only 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", so they are small pieces of artwork. They can be simple or as complex as desired. Lots of fun, they are a good canvas for experimenting with that new technique you wanted to try. They can be done with paper or fabric or a combination of materials. Embellishments can be up stand or dangle off the card.  A winner is drawn at random to win all the cards! (Unless more than 20 cards are turned in, then a 2nd winner will be drawn). See Deb Prewitt's blog for more details and where to send your card.


Keep creating!
Lynnita

January ATC Challenge - Circles

The theme for this month's ATC Challenge from Blue Twig Studio is circles.  I made two cards for this month.

The first one is Zentangle-Inspired-Art or ZIA. I drew 5 circles with a pencil and then started adding various tangles with a 0.005 black Sakura micron pen. I used a 0.05 black Sakura micron pen in the areas filled with black ink. I added shading with a pencil and tortillion. I used fain, flower, dragonair, tipples, and mooka tangle patterns. Zentangles are so very relaxing and fun to create. I never know how the finished piece will turn out until I'm done. It's always a happy surprise. I added this quote to the back:
                 "It's okay to spin around and around in the same place. Just so long as your  
                 singing your heart out. THAT's what life is all about." - Chica Umino

Zen Circles ATC - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2". 0.005 and 0.05 black
Sakura micron pen and pencil on bristol paper.

The second ATC card started with blue watercolor painted in streaks on the bristol paper. Then I added circles of colors in yellow, blue, red, white, green, and purples. With a white paint pen, I added dots and dashes inside a couple of the circles. I embellished three of the circles with flower sequins and a fan-shaped sequin. I added googly eyes and a crystal nose to two of the circles to add whimsy to the whole card. On the back, I added this quote:
               "When in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." - Laurence J. Peter

Googly Eye Circles ATC - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" - watercolor on bristol paper.
 Embellished with sequins, googly eyes, and crystals.

This was a fun challenge. I hope you will join us next time!

Keep creating!!
Lynnita

Nov ATC Challenge - Give Thanks

This month's theme for the ATC Challenge by Blue Twig Studio is "Give Thanks."  I had initially planned to make a cornucopia, but couldn't find the materials I wanted to use. I finally decided to create a Zentangle of the words "Give Thanks" for one of the cards.

"Give Thanks" ATC card, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", on Bristol paper. 

After drawing the words and outlining with a black 0.005 micron Sakura pen, I added tangles with the black micron pen to fill the various letters. It seemed a bit dull, so I used oil pastels and NuPastels by Prismacolor to color the background in fall colors. In need of yet more color, I pulled out my Sakura Moonlight gel pens and Sakura Sonata gel pens. I like the wonky letters full of patterns and colors! I hope whoever wins the ATC challenge enjoys this one, too.

For the second ATC card, I found a magazine page with a roast beef, wine and flowers on a table. After attaching the page onto 140lb watercolor ATC card with matte medium, I added the words "Give Thanks to the Lord" in a hand-written font with a black 0.03 micron Sakura pen. This made me think of Thanksgiving dinner, as I get tired of turkey and like to try other meats - like roast beef, Cornish game hens, ham, etc.

"Give Thanks to the Lord!" ATC card. 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", on 140lb watercolor paper.

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and filled with blessings. We went to my son's in-laws and joined their family. We had a great time with family and friends with much laughter. We've decided to make this a new family tradition for our families.

Have a wonderful Holiday season!
Keep creating!
Lynnita

Week 34 and 35 of 365 Days of Art Challenge

I'm a week behind with my 365 Days of Art Challenge weekly sketch challenge. I have my sketches done for both weeks, but we've been having problems with our internet connection  and had to have technical help come out. It seems to be working most of the time, now, with a few intermittent outages. I also had 2 quilts that had to be done the past two weeks! Makes it hard to keep up!

The past two weeks I've done some Zentangle-inspired art, (ZIA) as I had a new book from the library:  The Art of Zentangle: 50 inspiring drawings, designs, and ideas for the meditative artist by Margaret Bremner, Norma J. Burnell, Penny Raile, and Lara Williams.

back cover of The Art of Zentangle:
50 inspiring drawings, designs, & ideas
for the meditative artist.

The Art of Zentangle:
50 inspiring drawings, designs, & ideas
for the meditative artist.

The book is divided into 5 sections. Chapter 1 introduces Zentangles. Each author then has a chapter highlighting 3-4 tangles, followed by 3-4 demonstrations using those tangles. It's a workbook with pages to recreate or put your own spin on what the authors are demonstrating. I worked in a journal, since writing or doodling in library books is frowned upon!  I only made it through one author before having to return the book (after waiting 3 months to get the book due to the number of holds  - popular book!!).  I may just have to buy this book and add it to my library of Zentangle books. I really wanted to complete Norma Burnell's chapter with her demo of a fairy ZIA. That will just have to wait for another day.

These are the ZIA that I've done the past two weeks. These were all from the chapter by Penny Raile. These are my own twist on her demonstrations.

Silly Peacock - pencil, 0.1, 0.5, 0.8 micron Prismacolor black pens on

 mixed-media paper, 4" x 6". This section was inspired by Penny Raile's 

section on silly creatures.  Peacocks are another favorite animal.

Aquarium - pencil, 0.1, 0.5, and 0.8 micron Prismacolor black pens on mixed-media paper,
6" x 6". Inspired by Penny's fish templates and aquarium demonstration. Since I was just
playing around using the demonstrations for inspiration, I decided to draw on both sides of
the paper! Oops!! I didn't realize until later that the Prismacolor pens show through the paper. 

Butterfly Garden - pencil, 0.1, 0.5, and 0.8 micron black Prismacolor pens on
mixed-media paper, 6" x 6". Inspired by Penny's fantasy garden demonstrations.
Thankfully, the drawing on the backside doesn't show through so much in this sketch. 

Dragon Silhouette - pencil, 0.1, 0.5, and 0.8 micron Prismacolor black pens
on mixed-media paper, 5" x 6".  Inspired by Penny's silhouettes. I had to do
a dragon, since I didn't do any dragons from Peffer's book for two weeks!  

I really enjoyed these ZIA's and wish I had put a bit more time into them, instead of rushing through them to try to get as much done as possible before having to return the book. Another good reason to buy the book! (No, I'm not trying to talk myself into buying the book. I'm actually trying to come with good reasons to give my husband for spending money on yet another "art" book. Lol!)

Skipping a week and being late a week has made it hard to get in the mood to post! It was definitely easier when I made sure to post every Wed (Thurs at the latest!). I need to get back on schedule!!


Keep Creating!!

Week 19 of 365 Days of Art Challenge - Skull Challenge

March/April 2014
Cloth Paper Scissors magazine

I had fun with sketching this week. I even got done early! I created a skull for Cloth Paper Scissors readers' Skull challenge for Dia de los Muertos. This was first posted in the March/April 2014 Cloth Paper Scissors (CPS) mixed-media magazine.  I actually started working on this a few weeks ago with a couple posts (see Feb 27 and Mar 6).

I finally chose a skull shape to work from and added some doodling to it. Then I used Aquarelle watercolors to paint it. I added brighter colors with Prismacolor markers, Sakura Souffle pens, and Sakura glaze pens.

Dia de los Muertos reminds me of my heritage, my ancestors, and where I come from - all combining to make me who I am today. With that in mind, I wanted my skull to be colorful and happy.

Floral Calavera is a 6" x 6" mixed-media Dia de los Muertos skull doodled with flowers and various other patterns using 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, and 0.08 black Sakura micron pens, Prismacolor markers, Sakura Souffle pens, Sakura Glaze pens and Aquarelle watercolors on 140 lb. watercolor paper. 

Cloth Paper Scissors will post the winners on May 16. I hope to find my name listed. The winners' work will be published in the Sept/Oct 2014 issue.

Whether I win or not, this was fun to create and I think I will print it onto fabric to  use as a centerpiece for a Day of the Dead quilt that I've been planning to make.

Week 17 of 365 Days of Art Challenge

Creative Doodling and Beyond
by Stephanie Corfee

This week has just flown by! Since I've been working on doodles this past week, I decided to do a couple following Stephanie Corfee's instructions from her book Creative Doodling and Beyond.  This is a workbook with prompts, ideas, and projects for turning simple doodles into works of art. After giving explanations and examples of a particular idea or technique, there are blank pages on which to practice. It is a fun book and my workbook is turning into an art journal of sorts.

The two doodles that follow are done blindly. You set your pen (or pencil) on the paper, close your eyes and draw a looping, freeform, curvy line without lifting the pen from the paper. After opening your eyes, you fill in the design (string) with tangle patterns and create an interesting abstract work of art!

Abstract Blind Doodle #1, 7" x 5", with 0.01 Sakura black pen and graphite pencil on workbook page

Abstract Blind Doodle #2, 7" x 6", with 0.01 Sakura black pen and graphite pencil on workbook page.
I ran into the beaded lines delineating the margins of the page with this string. Oops! (But, my eyes were closed!)

Sorry about the photography - I was having trouble getting a good photo without shadows. Not sure why one came out with a sepia cast and the other a bluish cast to it. They are on the same workbook page! I really need a better camera! (hint, hint!!)

This was a fun process, as I had no idea how the string would turn out.  It was relaxing, different, and a creative way to do a doodle, especially if you are stuck with starting a string for your Zentangle or doodle.

Week 16 of 365 Days of Art Challenge

This week has just flown by. Week 16 of the 364 Days of Art Challenge! Wow! Where has the time gone?!

Create Mixed-Media announced the winners today of the Zen Doodle: Oodles of Doodles challenge. I am

Zen Doodles Oodles of Doodles challenge

one of the winners!!! Whoo-hoo!!

I posted last week when I received the email about being one of the winners and which Zentangles were accepted. (See post from Fri, April 18.here.)  I've been busy drawing my step-outs for each Zentangle that was accepted. However, I can't show these just yet.  You'll just have to wait for the book to be published to see my sketches for Week 16! F&W Media is planning a Dec 2014 publish date. Thank you for your understanding and support! (especially my husband - he's been having to cook this week! Lol!)

The editor also asked me to send a few more photos of my Zentangles. I like Traci Bautista's glamour girls and had to try a couple. This is one I sent. The others have been posted already.   

Glamour Girl, 6" x 6" Zentangle-Inspired Art on mixed-media paper
with 0.005, 0.01, 0.05 Sakura black pen and pencil. 

I also quilted some this week. I've been working on a charm square challenge issued by the President's of the Prickly Piecer's quilt guild chapter I belong to. I found a modern quilt pattern that I really like called Shine Through by Zen Chic's Brigitte Heitland. I chose Kaffe Fassett fabrics for the charm pack and a solid red background with a solid purple backing fabric. I plan to also use the purple fabric to add a piping to the binding.  I'm ready to start quilting, but not sure how I want to quilt it yet.

My version of Shine Through, 83" x 64".

Zentangles to be published!

F&W Media published a book last fall called: Zen Doodle: Tons of Tangles. I have four Zentangle-Inspired Art (ZIA) pieces published in this book (see post .dated Sept 9 2013).  It was such a success that they decided to followup with a second book, Zen Doodle: Oodles of Doodles.












In mid-January, Create Mixed Media announced a call for entries for the 3.5" x 3.5" Zentangle tiles for this new book.  Yesterday, I received an email telling me that they have accepted 5 of the entries I submitted!!! Whoo-hoo!!!!

These are the tiles that were accepted:

Now the hard work starts. Making step outs and captions for all the tiles! I'm so excited!!

Week 15 of 365 Days of Art Challenge

This has been a very busy week. Tax time!! Wasn't sure I was going to get any sketching done as taxes were taking so long to do. My husband has a handyman business, so have to do the self-employment stuff. I knew I had made a mistake someplace on Schedule C. Took me 3 days to track it down!!  Finally, have them done, and actually got them in a couple days early. Yeah!! Sketching time!

I found a couple photos of people and children on Pinterest that I'd been wanting to sketch. Narrowed it down to an elderly lady and a child. I think children's faces are hard to sketch, because if they're not done properly they look like adults, not children. So I decided to start with the elderly lady's face first. I got as far as getting an outline done. Realized it would take me too long to get it done for this week's challenge. Zentangles - a good standby for sketching something quickly that is still fun to do.

Here is the Zentangle I did this week for Week 15 of the 365 Days of Art Challenge:

6" x 6" Zentangle-Inspired Art on mixed-media paper done with
Sakura 0.005, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.08 micron black pens and pencils.

I drew a series of loops for my string.  I used Ennies, Floatfest, Frickle,  Knightsbridge, Linq, Mooka, Pepper, Sparkle, and Zinger tangles.  I'm pleased with the result. Now if I could get the paper to lay flat so I wouldn't get the shadowing on the bottom of the page when I photographed it, I'd really be pleased.

Week 12 of 365 Days of Art Challenge

Week 12 of the 365 Days of Art Challenge issued by Deb Prewitt of Blue Twig Studio. Another week done! The year is almost 1/4 over already. Time just flies when you're having so much fun!! I am enjoying sketching every week. It's nice to make the time for it, instead of just hoping I can find the time. This is definitely a side benefit of this challenge - learning to make time to sketch! Sometimes I sketch during the day, other times it's at night when I can't sleep. These were at the latter time this week.

I played with Zentangles (or Zentangle-Inspired-Art (ZIA), since they are not on 3 1/2" square tiles) again this week. I started with creating a string of a several circles of various sizes - a couple concentric circles and many overlapping circles. Then I tangled around the circumference of the strings or in the overlapping areas, rather than filling every open spot. It was challenging to find tangles that can be used for a border, rather than a fill. I had fun creating Wheels within Wheels.

Wheels within Wheels - 6"x6" ZIA on mixed-media paper using 0.005, 0.01, 0.05 micron black Sakura pens and pencil. I apologize for the photograph looking yellow - no matter how I changed the lighting
for the photo or the flash on the camera, it came out yellowed looking. This is the best photo I could get.

After creating Wheels within Wheels, I wondered what other geometric shapes- squares, triangles, hearts - might turn out well for a similar ZIA. I chose squares and overlapped squares of various sizes. I created angles in the corners to fill, rather than following the contour of the perimeter, like I did with the circles. This is the result.

Squares within Squares. 6"x6" ZIA on mixed-media paper using 0.005, 0.01, and 0.05 micron
 black Sakura pens and pencils. Thankfully, this photo came out better, without looking so yellow, although
some of my pencil shading doesn't show up very well. Again, changing the lights and/or flash didn't help.

That is all I had time to complete for this week's challenge. I think heart shapes would be fun to do in this style, but not sure if I'll try the triangles. Hexagons are very popular in quilting right now, so maybe they would create an interesting ZIA in a similar design, too. I'll see what I'm inspired to sketch for Week 13! 

Create Mixed Media's Zen Doodles: Oodles of Doodles Challenge

I wanted to get my entries into Create Mixed Media's Zen Doodles challenge at least a day early! I made it! I entered 9 Zentangle tiles today.

These are the tiles I entered. Now it's an anxious game of "wait and see" - "wait" while they decide which entries get accepted and "see" if any of mine are accepted for publication in the book.  

Similar to what I  created in week 1 of the 365 Days of Art Challenge. Made
a few small variations in it to fit the 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" tile. (See post dated Jan 7, 2014)

Almost identical to earlier design. I decided to do the bubbles in blue in,
instead of pencil so they would show up better. (See post dated July 2, 2013)

See scallop in post dated July 2 2013.

See fish in post dated Oct 4, 2013.

Made some variations to the design I did earlier. The earlier Zentangle divided the string
with arcs, creating an illusion of a circular pattern. This time, I drew overlapping circles
for the string. I changed a couple of the tangles as well. (See post dated June 12, 2013.)

I combined the calavera from week 9 of the art challenge (see post dated Mar 6, 2014) 
with the flowers around the calavera from week 8 (see post dated Feb 27, 2014). 

I also entered the three tiles that I posted yesterday for Week 10 of the 365 Days of Art challenge. You can see them here.

It was a challenge to re-do them at almost half the scale of the original size, but it was worth it on the chance that some of the them will be accepted for publication in F&W Media's new book: Zen Doodles: Oodles of Doodles.

Happy Doodling!

Week 10 of 365 Days of Art Challenge: Zentangles

The 10th week of 365 Days of Art Challenge!! Where is the time going!! Hard to believe it's the middle of March already! I'm still sketching! This week, I drew Zentangles for Create Mixed Media's call for entries for the Zen Doodles: Oodles of Doodles challenge. I thought the deadline was March 7, but turned out it is this Friday, Mar 14. Thank goodness, as it gave me more time to work on my entries.

I do most of my doodling in a 6" x 6" notebook. I had a few that I wanted to submit for the challenge, so I needed to re-draw them onto tiles, as the challenge is only accepting work done on the 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" tiles created for Zentangles - no Zentangle-inspired art (ZIA's) this time.

This is a new Zentangle I created for this challenge.

3 1/2" x 3 1/2" Zentangle on mixed-media illustration paper. Sakura 
black pens in sizes 0.005, 0.01, and 0.03 and pencil. 

I created a tangle pattern I call Woven Bridges, as it reminded me of bridges going over and under each other, like weaving.  I found later that it could be considered a variation on W2 (which can be seen here for step out on how to draw it.  My step-out is below, followed by the monotangle Zentangle I created from this design.

Woven Bridges Step Out.  (Can be considered a variation of W2). 

3 1/2" x 3 1/2" Zentangle on mixed-media illustration paper. Sakura black
pens in sizes 0.005, 0.01, and 0.03. Prismacolor 0.005 pen in sepia.

I wanted to try doodling on black paper. I cut my own circular tiles. I had a hard time finding a white pen, pencil, marker, etc. that would make a sharp mark in a bright white. I tried gel pens, white paint pens, corrector-fluid pens, colored pencils, etc. I finally found my white pen I use for marking fabric to make the best white mark on the black paper. This is the only tile that came out with decent lines.

3 1/2" diameter Zendala on black illustration paper. Fine white
pen by Clover and Prismacolor French white colored pencil.

I enjoy doodling and creating Zentangle-Inspired Art. I find it very relaxing, fun, and helpful to keep my hands and fingers working, instead of being stiff with arthritis.

Keep sketching!

Week 9 of 365 Days of Art Challenge: Dia de los Muertos continued

I've continued to work on calaveras. (skulls) for the mixed-media Skull Challenge for Dia de los Muertos sponsored by Cloth, Paper, Scissors this week. (You can check out my blog from last week for more information.)

I googled Dia de los Muertos images for inspiration. I found a couple skull shapes that intrigued me and a couple of faces that were interesting. Unfortunately I only got a couple sketches finished of what I wanted to try. 

6" x 6" Three-quarters profile in Sakura black pen (0.1 micron) and pencil. I had some trouble with the neck vertebrae, clavicles, sternum, and ribs, but wanted to add these to make her more skeletal.

6" x 6" Calevera in Sakura black pen (0.1 micron and 0.8 micron) and pencil. I used a variety of tangle patterns, including ennies, copada,mooka, paisleys, and florz. I like skull shape for this one and had fun with it.

I enjoyed the sketching more this week. I think I was able to relax better while sketching. I started another skull shape, but ran out of time for this blog to add it here. I did sketch another lady skeleton in profile, but was not happy at all with how she was turning out, so did not complete her. I think I'm well on my way for deciding what kind of skull I will do for the challenge. Now I can start experimenting with mixed-media methods.

Also, I will submit this design to F&W Media for their new book, Zen Doodle Oodles of Doodles call for entries. Need to hurry on that one, as the deadline is tomorrow!

Enjoy your week! Happy sketching!

Book Club: Mixed-Media Self-Portraits by Cate Coulacos Prato

Deb Prewitt of Blue Twig Studios started a book club in Jan. It meets at her shop on the 4^th Friday of the month, followed by an online discussion with those of us that do not live close enough to go to her shop in Colorado.

Mixed-Media Self-Portraits
by Cate Caulacos Prato.

For February, we started reading Mixed-Media Self-Portraits:Inspiration and Techniques by Cate Caulacos Prato. 

Some of the questions addressed are:  Make a self-portrait? Scrutinize myself? Re-create all my flaws in paint, collage, or fabric? Does the self-portrait have to be me?  Do I have to show my face? My body? Can I reveal myself in some way other than a physical representation? Children do this easily with innocence and pride. They are eager to show us their drawings with smiling faces, or red, angry faces, or fat bodies or thin bodies. They draw what they feel so honestly and without embarrassment. Why is it so hard for us (me)?

Many famous artists drew self-portraits. The ones we’re probably most familiar with are Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, and Rembrandt Van Rijn.  

            Berthe Morisot said “It is important to express oneself…

     provided the feelings are real and taken from your own experience.” 

            Henry David Thoreau said “I should not talk so much about myself if there    

          were anybody else whom I knew so well.”

Self-portraits tell a story. They tell who we are at that moment in time,  what past experiences have shaped us into who we are now, and/or who we would like to become, etc. They can be whimsical; serious; therapeutic.

The main thing I took away from this first chapter is to learn to be myself – accept who I am, where I am, and just be creative – just paint/draw/write/journal…..  Recapture that joy of drawing we had as children. Just do it!

Last year, my quilt guild (the Prickly Piecers) did a self-portrait challenge. Approximately 40% of the members participated. One member did a triangular shaped profile with leaves and flowers to for eyes, nose, and mouth and an abundance of flora for her hair. She had been a landscape artist in a previous life and is now an art quilter, so she combined the two. Another did a whimsical green witch – she is 80 years old and figured at her age, she could do what she wanted. A few members took a photo of themselves and used the posterize filter with 4-5 values in Photoshop to create a portrait in fabric. One even won a Judge's Choice Award at a quilt show with his! Another member did several story blocks with each block telling of a milestone in her life, such as birth, childhood, marriage, motherhood, career, and retirement, and now artist. Another member created a map with all the places she has lived in her life that have made her who she is today and added brooches and pins that had meaning from each place she lived.  Another person created a very dark quilt, representing a dark tunnel, to a door in the center that opened to light.  A dragon led a wagon with a book in it along a path through the tunnel heading to the door. She is the dragon (as she loves dragons) and has been in a very dark place the last couple years of her life, but sees the light at the end of the tunnel. The book contained memories of her life that have kept her sane through the dark tunnel. This quilt was the most touching of the quilts.

I painted a wholecloth quilt using a photo from when I was in my 30s (as I feel that age mentally, but I'm actually in my 50's ...physically, some days it's closer to 90ish! LOL!). I drew Zentangles in my multi-colored hair (actually black with a few well-earned gray strands) to stand for my creativity and artistry. I painted a small dragon in the air above my head, as I love dragons and think of them as benevolent, wise creatures. I added a necklace with a dragon pendant, too.  (You can see the whole process on my blog here.)

"Me, Myself, and I" - 16" x 20" whole cloth painted quilt
designed and quilted by Lynnita Knoch

It was hard to get started, but once I did, I enjoyed it immensely. Everyone who participated in the challenge had fun creating their self-portrait. They all said the hard part was getting started. The other hard part was sharing it in front of everyone.

I think doing a self-portrait is definitely worth the time and effort to do. I will continue to create self-portraits (now that I have done one and the earth didn’t stop or fall apart!) periodically to show where I’m at in my life at the time. 

Go make a self-portrait!!

Week 8 of 365 Days of Art Challenge: Dia de los Muertos

March/April CPS mixed-media magazine cover

The week goes by so fast!! Not sure where the time goes. I did get another sketch done, but thought I'd have more than one by now! I received the March/April 2014 Cloth Paper Scissors (CPS) mixed-media magazine this week. (You can find out more about CPS here.) They are having a reader challenge: a mixed-media Skull Challenge for Dia de los Muertos.

For those unfamiliar with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration, you can read more here on Wikipedia. Briefly, Dia de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Mexico, the American Southwest, and elsewhere. It focuses on gathering to pray for and remember friends and family who have died. The celebration occurs October 31, November 1 and November 2, similar to the Christian All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. Traditionally, altars (called ofrendas) are built, honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these gifts. Possessions of the deceased can also be left at graves. Skulls (calaveras) and skeletons, usually depicted as enjoying life,  appear everywhere during this holiday.

To enter the reader challenge, you need to create a 6" x 6" (or 6" x 6" x 6") mixed-media skull or calavera. Photos need to be submitted by May 9, 2014. CPS will feature some of the finalists' artwork in the Sept/Oct 2014 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors and/or on their website.

So I thought I would practice drawing skulls this week and doodling them. Unfortunately, I only got one completed.

6" x 6" calavera ZIA (Zentangle-Inspired-Art) with tangles, flowers, and doodles.
Sakura micron pen (0.1, 0.5, and 0.8), and pencil on mixed-media paper.

I was happier with it before I added the printemps (spiral) tangle pattern around the eyes, upper cheekbones, and bridge of the nose. This tangle didn't leave enough open space like the rest of the skull has.  My shading doesn't show up as well as I would like, either, and I want to play more with the exact shape of the calavera.  But that's why I want to practice, until I get a design I'm happy with and from which to create a piece of mixed-media.  I also need to experiment with mixed-media techniques to decide what I want to include in creating a mixed-media calavera.

Book Club with Blue Twig Studio

Deb Prewitt of Blue Twig Studio started on online book club this month. The book we read was  Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland.  Its about our fears about art - both with ourselves and others. Deb has a nice summary on her blog. 

I really enjoyed the book. It was very thought-provoking – making me think about: Why I create art? What are my fears about my art? Is it the process or the end product I’m concerned about? – as well as all the questions Deb mentioned in her blog. I agree with Deb – you have to make art for yourself – you have to forgot about others and what they think of your work and just do it!!

I took a few art classes many years ago in oil painting, colored pencil, and watercolor. I loved them. They made me get out of myself and do something that I grew to love and work on it every week. I participated in a few exhibits with the group I was involved with and even sold a few paintings and received a couple of commissions. Then the group started getting clique-ish and I was no longer welcomed because I didn’t live close enough.  (Looking back, I really think it was because I was one of only a couple people that actually sold anything or got commissions from the exhibits.)  I allowed myself to quit painting and drawing because of their attitude towards me. 

I started quilting, as I had always enjoyed sewing. I love quilting, too, but it took me awhile to get to where I felt comfortable making art quilts. This past year, I took a workshop in painting wholecloth quilts. This combines my drawing and painting background with quilting. Wow!! Who would've thought I could do that? 

But I still missed painting and drawing. A couple years ago, I discovered  Zentangles, They inspired me first as I thought they would be great to use for quilting designs. Once I started creating Zentangles or ZenDoodles, I wanted to get back to painting and drawing. However, now I want to do acrylics, watercolors, colored pencils, pastels, and mixed-media. I enjoyed oil painting, but the fumes are pretty strong.  So I think, for now anyway, that I'll stick with mediums that are more chemical friendly.

I've learned that I love making art because it’s part of me – I have to paint or draw or make an art quilt. I’ve finally gotten over my fears (most of the time! they still haunt me at times! LOL!) and make it for myself. I'm also learning to loosen up and not be so obsessed with perfection or details.  I want to enjoy the process more, not just get the finished product done. I do enter shows (not always accepted, but that’s okay – it’s a learning experience). I'm actually trying to enter more shows or exhibits on a national level, not just the local field. Like having four of my Zentangles accepted into a book - Zen Doodle Tons of Tangles. (see my blog posted Sept 9, 2013).  

All of this, is to let you know where I’m coming from and why this book, Art and Fear, really spoke to me. I had to read sections 2-3 times. I know now, from experience, what the book is trying to get across – just create because you want to and enjoy the process. If people like my work, fine, but if they don’t – that’s okay, too.  Art (and creativity) is a part of me.